Bible Verse Synopsis 6-15-25

1st Samuel 31:

The Philistine army pursued Saul to the Mount Gilboa as Israel fled from the overwhelming forces. The Philistines slew the Israelites all the way there from their previous encampments. They chased down and killed Saul’s sons, Jonathan included. Jonathan’s loyalty to his father cost him his life. Loyalty to the wrong leader can lead us astray. Where does your loyalty lie?

Verse 3 says “And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers.” Saul asked his armor bearer to take his sword and thrust him with it. The armor bearer would not do it out of fear so Saul fell on his own sword and took his own life. The armor bearer followed suit and also fell on his own sword. All of Saul’s men died that day. What a somber stanza and end to a tragic story. This is how we will end up when we don’t keep our faith in God. The flesh is doomed to perish, just as Saul has. Are you doomed in the flesh or does the spirit save you?

The Philistines, upon finding Saul’s body, defile it. They sever his head and hang it for the world to see. They do the same with his body and with his armor and sent them to different places to show off their conquest of Israel and the great man, Saul. This parallel is striking. The flesh is only the flesh and all flesh is equal. When this body dies, our flesh becomes nothing but an empty vessel for the world to do with as it pleases. No matter how “great” our flesh is, it is meaningless once the flesh perishes. The spirit however lives on. How we represent God and what we believe in will determine whether our spirit lives on in peace or continues in the suffering that is hell. Have you determined where your spirit will go? How do you know? Did Christ not sacrifice his body so your spirit will live?