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Speaker 1: The thief only comes to steal, kill and destroy. I

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Speaker 1: came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

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Speaker 1: John ten ten, Father, please remind me of the dreams

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Speaker 1: you have placed in my heart. Just as Ezekiel spoke

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Speaker 1: to the dry bones, I speak to all the dreams

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Speaker 1: that have died too soon. Then I declare that to

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Speaker 1: day is the day they will be resurrected. To day

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Speaker 1: they will be restored. Dead visions, dead strategies, the dead

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Speaker 1: alliances must also be brought back to life. You are

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Speaker 1: making everything new, God, and my greatest days are still

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Speaker 1: ahead of me. I won't settle for anything less than

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Speaker 1: your best for me. Father. My weapons of war are

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Speaker 1: not carnal, not physical, but spiritual and supernatural. They are

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Speaker 1: powerful in your hands, capable of destroying all strongholds. I

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Speaker 1: remind principalities and powers that they have no right to

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Speaker 1: interfere with my life. Because I am covered by your covenant.

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Speaker 1: I belong to you. You have made me more than

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Speaker 1: a conqueror, a mighty warrior. In you, every tongue that

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Speaker 1: speaks lies will be silenced, and your truth will be revealed.

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Speaker 1: I know that the enemy of my soul tries to steal,

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Speaker 1: kill and destroy. But Jesus came to give me life,

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Speaker 1: abundant life in him. I choose to live in that

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Speaker 1: abundant life today. Thank you God that I'm experiencing that

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Speaker 1: abundant life even now, and so is everyone connected to me.

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Speaker 2: A done deal in Jesus' name. Amen.

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Speaker 1: Stay tuned to immerse yourself in the greatest stories ever

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Speaker 1: told from Prey dot COM's podcast, Heroes in the Bible.

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Speaker 2: Hello.

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Speaker 3: My name is Matthew Potter, co founder of Prey dot Com,

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Speaker 3: and before we start today's episode of Heroes in the Bible,

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Speaker 3: federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration.

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Speaker 4: Hi, I'm back to Tony Evans, your host for Heroes

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Speaker 4: in the Bible. If you've been in joining the series,

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Speaker 4: Please write a review and let me know how this

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Speaker 4: podcast has impacted your life. Welcome to the Epic Adventure

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Speaker 4: of David, a story of honor, battle, jealousy, darkness, friendship, love, scandal,

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Speaker 4: and murder. While most people know of David the Myth,

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Speaker 4: few know about David the man. In this episode, we

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Speaker 4: follow Saul in the battle. He and Jonathan march valiantly

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Speaker 4: against the United Philistine Horde and meet their inevitable doom.

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Speaker 4: In episode fifteen, Saul visited a witch to conjure the

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Speaker 4: spirit of Samuel. This spirit, whether it was Samuel or not,

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Speaker 4: told Saul that this would be the end. This episode

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Speaker 4: is meant to give us mixed emotions. King Saul has

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Speaker 4: been one of the main antagonists in this series, but

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Speaker 4: his trajectory is tragic and we can't help but pity

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Speaker 4: his mental and emotional decline. I challenge you to have

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Speaker 4: the heart of David in this episode. Do not revel

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Speaker 4: in the King's death, mourn him and what his death

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Speaker 4: means for the nation. He represents many people who, for

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Speaker 4: no fault of their own, are inappropriately elevated and worshiped.

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Speaker 4: Saul is in many ways a villain, but is also

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Speaker 4: a victim, a victim to the social and cultural pressures

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Speaker 4: of leadership and the corruption of pride. In order to

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Speaker 4: acquaint ourselves with the tragedy of Saul, we will go

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Speaker 4: back to his coronation as king. Our preludes are typically

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Speaker 4: told from the perspective of other characters in scripture, but

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Speaker 4: this one goes right back to Saul's beginning, when the

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Speaker 4: skies opened up and damned his reign. Saul's rise was quick,

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Speaker 4: and his decline was just as fast. His character arc

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Speaker 4: represents the inevitable rise and fall of every king. No

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Speaker 4: matter how noble, how fierce in battle, or how wise

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Speaker 4: they are, all kings fall short of the glory of God.

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Speaker 4: It is the destiny of every man to fail, which

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Speaker 4: is why the majesty of Christ is all the more

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Speaker 4: glorious to us. Without further ado, here is Saul's final episode,

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Speaker 4: The Death of a King.

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Speaker 2: Prelude to chapter seventeen.

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Speaker 5: You desired a man to save.

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Speaker 2: You, Samuel yelled at the people.

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Speaker 5: Well, here he stands before you. The Lord has given

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Speaker 5: you the desires of your heart. If you will fear

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Speaker 5: God and serve him, if you will obey his voice

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Speaker 5: and refuse to rebel as your forefathers. If you and

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Speaker 5: your new king follow him and him alone, all will

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Speaker 5: be well. But take heed, my children. The pride of

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Speaker 5: the heart is more powerful than you know. God will

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Speaker 5: resist the rebellious and arrogant heart. If you go against him,

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Speaker 5: he will be against you and your king.

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Speaker 2: The sky had turned completely dark, and the wind began

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Speaker 2: to pick up tremendously. Behind Samuel, people began to stir.

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Speaker 2: The weather was unsettling. It seemed to match the mood

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Speaker 2: of Samuel. His words clearly reflected the heart of God.

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Speaker 5: Stand and see this great thing that the Lord will

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Speaker 5: do before.

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Speaker 2: Your eyes, Samuel said, with a trumpeting voice.

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Speaker 5: Thunder and rain shall go before you, and you shall

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Speaker 5: know truly what you have done has breathed the heart

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Speaker 5: of God.

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Speaker 2: As Samuel said, this lightning struck down behind him the

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Speaker 2: cypress tree behind and corrupted in flames. Then, as if

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Speaker 2: the flood gates of Heaven were open, rain poured out

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Speaker 2: from the clouds. Thunders shook the earth, and rain began

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Speaker 2: to fall down like arrows under the people below. The

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Speaker 2: people were fearful that the Lord would strike them down.

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Speaker 2: They cried out, saying, pray for us. Samuel, we had

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Speaker 2: added to all the sins of our fathers. Samuel shook

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Speaker 2: his head inside. You have nothing to fear, he said,

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Speaker 2: with the wind at his back.

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Speaker 5: Continue in the paths of the Lord with all your hearts.

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Speaker 5: Do not cling to the empty things that cannot satisfy you.

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Speaker 5: They are empty and weak. The Lord will not forsake

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Speaker 5: his people. He is great, and it pleases him to

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Speaker 5: make you his people. It gives him joy to protect you.

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Speaker 5: As from me.

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Speaker 2: Far be it from me that I.

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Speaker 5: Should sin by ceasing to pray for you. I will

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Speaker 5: still be here to instruct and guide you. I will

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Speaker 5: give counsel, offer prayers, and make sacrifices on behalf of

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Speaker 5: the people and God's armies.

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Speaker 2: The wind began to subside for a moment, and the

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Speaker 2: rain had drowned out the flames caused by the lightning.

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Speaker 2: All that remained were wet coals, barely flickering. Samuel's voice

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Speaker 2: was soft now and weary. He looked down at them

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Speaker 2: and said.

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Speaker 5: Fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart.

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Speaker 5: Consider and remember the great things he has done for you.

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Speaker 5: Yet the warning remains. If wickedness prevails in your hearts,

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Speaker 5: you and your king shall be swept away.

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Speaker 2: The people left, wet and contemplative. It was not the

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Speaker 2: coronation Saul had in mind. As the people left, Saul

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Speaker 2: remained there silently, looking at Samuel from a distance. A

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Speaker 2: small part of him was angry at the interruption. He

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Speaker 2: did not know whether Samuel supported him as king reluctantly,

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Speaker 2: or if he was actively praying against him. A spark

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Speaker 2: of spite simmered deeply in Saul's heart. He ignored it

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Speaker 2: and put on a smile as he approached Samuel. The

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Speaker 2: two of them left Gilgal to prepare and establish the

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Speaker 2: kingdom Chapter seventeen, Death of a King. Saul sat by

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Speaker 2: the fire, wrapping himself in fur. He could see his

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Speaker 2: breath in the cold air, floating up into the cloudless

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Speaker 2: night sky. The fire cracked and simmered. Its heat was

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Speaker 2: a pleasant presence on such an unforgiving night. One of

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Speaker 2: the logs fell to the side of the fire, away

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Speaker 2: from the flames. The radiating heat slowly began to dissipate

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Speaker 2: from the wood. Saul watched the red and orange hue

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Speaker 2: emanating from the logs slowly fade and disappear. His heart

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Speaker 2: ached at the sight of it, although he did not

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Speaker 2: know why. Jonathan sat on the other side of the

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Speaker 2: fire studying his father. He had not spoken since his

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Speaker 2: return from Endor. He was like a ghost, simply floating

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Speaker 2: into space, without any aim or purpose. It saddened Jonathan

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Speaker 2: to watch his father's descent over the years. Ever since

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Speaker 2: he banished David. King, Saul's heart and passion had disappeared

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Speaker 2: like the heat of a coal away from the fire.

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Speaker 2: The young prince interrupted the silence and called his father,

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Speaker 2: out of his mind, my king, Jonathan said, we march

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Speaker 2: at first light. What are your orders for the men?

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Speaker 2: Saul looked away from the fire and up at his son.

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Speaker 2: He opened his mouth to speak, but there was nothing

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Speaker 2: for him to say. The spirit of Samuel had spoken

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Speaker 2: through the witch of Or this would be the day

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Speaker 2: that he dies. Saul shook his head and returned his

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Speaker 2: gaze to the flame. Jonathan pursed his lips and shook

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Speaker 2: his head.

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Speaker 1: The Philistines will not wait for you, father, They march

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Speaker 1: against us tomorrow, whether we are ready or not.

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Speaker 2: Will you lead us? Saul said nothing in response. His

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Speaker 2: heart and soul ached. He was filled with quiet and

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Speaker 2: painful regret at the state of his life. However, Jonathan

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Speaker 2: would not allow him to simply sulk. He left his seat,

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Speaker 2: crouched in front of his father and looked him in

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Speaker 2: the eye. As the king already died, its words cut

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Speaker 2: through Saul like a sharp blade. The father and son

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Speaker 2: exchanged painful gazes, both unwilling to say what was on

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Speaker 2: both of their minds. They both knew that this battle

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Speaker 2: would be their last. Saul cleared his throat and paded

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Speaker 2: his son on the shoulder. He conceded, and the two

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Speaker 2: spoke of strategy for the next hour. At first light,

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Speaker 2: they would march. At first light, the army of Israel

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Speaker 2: gathered on Mount Gilboa. The rocky mountains surrounded a deep

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Speaker 2: valley of lush grass. Below. All was still then quiet.

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Speaker 2: For a small moment, the newly risen sun kissed the

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Speaker 2: earth below, and the cold ground basked in the warm

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Speaker 2: rays of new light. Saul turned his face to the sun,

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Speaker 2: enjoying the brief tranquility. For a moment, Saul's cold and

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Speaker 2: hardened heart felt the gentle and loving presence of his creator,

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Speaker 2: like a single drop of cold water to a desert flower.

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Speaker 2: It was all he needed. A small smile rose from

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Speaker 2: the sides of Saul's mouth. He lowered his gaze to

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Speaker 2: the valley below. The stillness of the morning was interrupted

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Speaker 2: by quakes in the earth below Saul's feet. The ground

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Speaker 2: was shaking, and Saul looked to the other side of

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Speaker 2: the valley at the horde of Philistine's approaching. They were

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Speaker 2: like a swarm of locusts covering the sun. Saul's heart

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Speaker 2: began to beat harder and harder as he scanned the

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Speaker 2: vast army. Jonathan stood two hundred yards to Saul's left,

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Speaker 2: with another group of skilled soldiers and his two brothers,

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Speaker 2: Abinadab and Malchishua behind him. He would go around the

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Speaker 2: side and flank the enemy. However, Saul feared it would

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Speaker 2: do them no good. The united Philistine army stretched wide

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Speaker 2: for nearly a quarter mile. Saul pulled out his sword

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Speaker 2: and drew a deep breath. He stood upon a stone

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Speaker 2: elevated above his men. Do not let them see your fear,

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Speaker 2: Saul thought to himself. They need a king, not a coward.

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Speaker 2: The king puffed out his chest and raised his sword

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Speaker 2: high in the air. Out of Saul's mouth came a

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Speaker 2: bellowing cry of war. He screamed with every ounce of

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Speaker 2: pent up rage in his body. The men raised their

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Speaker 2: swords in return, shouting an anthem of war back to

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Speaker 2: their king. Without any word or prayer, Saul turned to

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Speaker 2: the battlefield and began his mark. Although age had taken

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Speaker 2: Saul's youthful strength, he still loomed ahead, larger than every

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Speaker 2: other man. The King's size alone was enough to contend

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Speaker 2: with the Philistines coming his way. He swung with broad strokes,

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Speaker 2: wiping up two for the seams with one blow. Many

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Speaker 2: Israelite soldiers ran past their king to protect it. They

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Speaker 2: fought with fire in their bellies and passion in their hearts. However,

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Speaker 2: it did not take long for the Philistines to force

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Speaker 2: their will against the king and its men. Bodies began

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Speaker 2: falling at an unmanageable rate, till each passing minute the

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Speaker 2: feat seemed all too lightly. Whoever, Saul would not retreat

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Speaker 2: or surrender. This was their last stand against the Philistines.

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Speaker 2: Its legacy as king would be defined by this moment.

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Speaker 2: He would not bow down. On the other side of

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Speaker 2: the battlefield, Jonathan and his chosen warriors charged against the

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Speaker 2: enemy flag. Jonathan's renounced speed and agility lived up to

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Speaker 2: its reputation. He sliced to the first line of Philistine

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Speaker 2: with these Their advances were well timed and well rehearsed

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Speaker 2: as they made their way to the back of the

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Speaker 2: Philistine rummy, that is where the Kings were. Never before

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Speaker 2: had Jonathan fought so ferociously. His pace was unmatched by

230
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Speaker 2: any Philistine coming after him. Before they could even prepare

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Speaker 2: an attement, he ran past them with a swift blow

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Speaker 2: to the neck. World Saul's other sons, a bit of

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Speaker 2: Dad and Malchishua, were in pursuit behind him. The Kings

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Speaker 2: were surrounded by dozens of well trained guards.

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Speaker 5: Arm to his.

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Speaker 2: Spears and shields. Jonathan was the first to reach them,

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Speaker 2: leaping into one of the men's shields and knocking him

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Speaker 2: down on his head. Jonathan's men launched themselves forward as well,

239
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Speaker 2: creating a frenzy among the guards. Spears and swords clashed,

240
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Speaker 2: and Jonathan raged at the guards, desperately trying to get

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Speaker 2: to the Kings. The Benidad ran at one of the

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Speaker 2: guards was cut with the spirit it was belly. Jonathan

243
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Speaker 2: looked back as his brother fell to the ground on him, yelled.

244
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Speaker 2: He ran towards his fallen brother, only to be knocked

245
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Speaker 2: down by an enemy shield. Jonathan rolled in the dirt,

246
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Speaker 2: dodging the thrust of the Philistine spear. When the enemy

247
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Speaker 2: spear was thrust into the dirt, Jonathan grabbed it and

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Speaker 2: kicked forward, knocking him on his back. He then thrust

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Speaker 2: the spear into a god's throat, killing him instantly. The

250
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Speaker 2: prince looked over to his other brother, Malkishua. He was

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Speaker 2: surrounded by four guards. Before Jonathan could reach him to help,

252
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Speaker 2: Moulkishua had four spears lodged into his stomach, the sad Ruel.

253
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Speaker 2: Jonathan yelled with broken passion. He ran towards the four

254
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Speaker 2: guards and killed every single one way. Philistine blood soaked

255
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Speaker 2: his royal armor. As Jonathan stood over his brother's mangled body,

256
00:15:45,760 --> 00:15:50,360
Speaker 2: and four chariots ridden by Philistine kings began riding towards him,

257
00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:54,520
Speaker 2: Jonathan looked back and breathed in deeply. He held his

258
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Speaker 2: sword up of the oncoming chariots. His gaze was filled

259
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Speaker 2: with pain and soil. The son of the King composed

260
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Speaker 2: himself and studied his breathing and prepared for the attack.

261
00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:09,600
Speaker 2: All was still for a moment, the battle raging around him,

262
00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:13,400
Speaker 2: with the galloping of horses and the raging of kings

263
00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:17,200
Speaker 2: seemed to be held quietly in time. Jonathan looked up

264
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Speaker 2: to the heavens, at peace with his God. He had

265
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Speaker 2: served him faithfully and knew, despite what may happen to him,

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Speaker 2: the kingdom of Israel would be held securely in the

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Speaker 2: Lord's hands. David would be king, and the nation would

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Speaker 2: live to fight another day. Jonathan set his feet forward

269
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Speaker 2: and ran to work. He charoity and delivered a bload

270
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Speaker 2: of the horse of the first chariot, causing it to

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Speaker 2: fall off balance. The other chariot rode fast out that

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Speaker 2: Jonathan was able to lodge a stone in the wheels,

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Speaker 2: leaking into peace. Finally, another chariot came forward and with

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Speaker 2: one swoop of his sword, slashed Jonathan on the chest.

275
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Speaker 2: The prince fell back and cried out in pain. His

276
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Speaker 2: legs trembled as he stood to his feet, Ripping his

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Speaker 2: wound in one hand and sword in the other. He

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00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:09,520
Speaker 2: stepped forward to fight back, but one of the Philistine

279
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Speaker 2: kings knocked him back down. The last thing he saw

280
00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:17,280
Speaker 2: was four swords of Philistine kings coming down to him.

281
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Speaker 2: The warrior prince was slain. Saul continued his advance on

282
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Speaker 2: the other side of the battlefield. His bones ached from

283
00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:30,280
Speaker 2: the fighting and his aged body was growing weary, yet

284
00:17:30,320 --> 00:17:34,320
Speaker 2: he continued to fight. However, with every step he took forward,

285
00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:38,679
Speaker 2: more of his men were slain. The thousands of Israelites

286
00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:41,840
Speaker 2: that marched up against the Philistines had been dwindled down

287
00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:45,840
Speaker 2: to mere hundreds, and many were beginning to retreat. The

288
00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:49,480
Speaker 2: king continued with labored breathing and heavy steps, but he

289
00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:52,560
Speaker 2: knew that he could no longer fight. He turned his

290
00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:55,280
Speaker 2: back from the battle towards a covering of stones beside

291
00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:59,119
Speaker 2: the hill. His armor bare fought beside him, slaying every

292
00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:02,640
Speaker 2: Philistine that came up against him. The two finally made

293
00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:05,280
Speaker 2: their way to the covering and rested near the large

294
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Speaker 2: stones hidden from the battle. Saul tried to steady his

295
00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:13,800
Speaker 2: labored breathing. Regret filled his heart once again, and he

296
00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:17,160
Speaker 2: considered the sad state of his final hours. He had

297
00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:20,600
Speaker 2: spent far too much time campaigning against David when he

298
00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:23,439
Speaker 2: should have been protecting his people. He had let his

299
00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:26,880
Speaker 2: guard down, and the Philistines had grown more powerful while

300
00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:30,119
Speaker 2: he hunted shadows of his own shame. This was his

301
00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:33,919
Speaker 2: final chance to redeem his sullied name. Saul gripped his

302
00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:37,600
Speaker 2: sword tightly and came out from behind the stone as

303
00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:40,960
Speaker 2: he showed himself, and archer landed a perfect shot to

304
00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:45,280
Speaker 2: Saul's chest. Saul screamed and fell to his knees. The

305
00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:48,960
Speaker 2: arrow sunk in deeply to his right lung. His armor

306
00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:52,240
Speaker 2: bear grabbed Saul and dragged him behind the stones. The

307
00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:55,240
Speaker 2: wounded king gasped for air and clasped at his armor bear.

308
00:18:57,440 --> 00:19:01,440
Speaker 2: Draw your sword, the king stammered, Kill me now, before

309
00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:03,159
Speaker 2: the Philistines take me.

310
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Speaker 3: I will not be the man who slayed the king.

311
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Speaker 2: The armor bear protested, kill me before they take me

312
00:19:11,119 --> 00:19:15,760
Speaker 2: and torture me. Saul winced in pain. He could barely breathe.

313
00:19:16,119 --> 00:19:21,399
Speaker 2: Kill me, he begged, but the armor bearer refused. Saul

314
00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:24,440
Speaker 2: shoved him back and drew his own sword. He looked

315
00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:28,280
Speaker 2: up to the heavens. It was as Samuel predicted, this

316
00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:31,680
Speaker 2: was truly the day he would die. The king held

317
00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:35,200
Speaker 2: his sword out to his chest with trembling hands. Tears

318
00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:38,800
Speaker 2: streamed down his face. He shook his head and closed

319
00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:42,920
Speaker 2: his eyes. Memories of regret and pain flooded his mind.

320
00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:47,080
Speaker 2: He remembered his coronation, how the heavens opened up and

321
00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:51,240
Speaker 2: lightning burst from the heavens. He remembered Samuel's rage that

322
00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:54,359
Speaker 2: the people had called for a king. His reign was

323
00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:57,679
Speaker 2: doomed from the beginning. He was an idol held up

324
00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:02,480
Speaker 2: by the people, a golden calf. Like all false gods.

325
00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:07,159
Speaker 2: He had disappointed his worshippers. He had fallen short of

326
00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:10,120
Speaker 2: the called God gave him. It was fitting for him

327
00:20:10,119 --> 00:20:13,800
Speaker 2: to die at the hand of the Philistines. They represented

328
00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:17,399
Speaker 2: the evil he could not quite defeat within himself, like

329
00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:21,840
Speaker 2: his own inner demons. Victory against them had always eluded him.

330
00:20:22,280 --> 00:20:24,600
Speaker 2: Yet he knew there was one who could rise above

331
00:20:24,640 --> 00:20:27,720
Speaker 2: it all, a warrior sent by God who was able

332
00:20:27,760 --> 00:20:31,280
Speaker 2: to slay both inner and outer enemies. He would be

333
00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:34,960
Speaker 2: king when Saul died. He would lead them like Saul

334
00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:38,840
Speaker 2: never could. The fall of King Saul would be the

335
00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:42,919
Speaker 2: rise of King David. So the king pressed his sword

336
00:20:42,920 --> 00:20:47,320
Speaker 2: against his chest and fell forward. As the king hid

337
00:20:47,359 --> 00:20:51,520
Speaker 2: the ground, the sword went straight through his heart. The

338
00:20:51,560 --> 00:20:58,480
Speaker 2: first king of Israel had died. Chaos followed the death

339
00:20:58,520 --> 00:21:02,160
Speaker 2: of Saul and his sons. The nearby Israelite cities were

340
00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:06,280
Speaker 2: overrun by Philistines. Those who had not fled were taken captive,

341
00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:09,320
Speaker 2: and the borders of Israel near the Jordan had become

342
00:21:09,359 --> 00:21:13,320
Speaker 2: Philistine territory. They had taken Sal's body along with his

343
00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:16,960
Speaker 2: sons and beheaded them. They paraded the heads like trophies,

344
00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:21,040
Speaker 2: sending them far and wide to Philistine cities. They made

345
00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:23,960
Speaker 2: a mockery of the king and his princes. They put

346
00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:27,120
Speaker 2: Saul's armor in the temple of their idols and fastened

347
00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:30,639
Speaker 2: his body to the wall of beth Shan. However, the

348
00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:33,720
Speaker 2: people of Jebish Goliad would not allow the king's body

349
00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:36,359
Speaker 2: to be mocked in such a way. They remembered his

350
00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:39,919
Speaker 2: march against the Philistines when they were attacked. It was

351
00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:43,280
Speaker 2: his first act as king. So the brave men of

352
00:21:43,359 --> 00:21:46,080
Speaker 2: Jebish glid arose and went to beth Shan in the

353
00:21:46,119 --> 00:21:49,240
Speaker 2: dead of night. They retrieved the bodies of Saul and

354
00:21:49,280 --> 00:21:51,679
Speaker 2: his sons and took them back to be burned and

355
00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:57,560
Speaker 2: mourned properly. The fire consumed Saul's body, The coals cracked

356
00:21:57,560 --> 00:22:01,439
Speaker 2: and simmered around him. The flame rose up into the sky,

357
00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:05,119
Speaker 2: burning into the night. It was the longest fire Saul

358
00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:08,800
Speaker 2: was ever able to keep burning. The reign of Saul

359
00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:13,080
Speaker 2: was a message of struggle, torment, and anguish. From the

360
00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:16,320
Speaker 2: very beginning. He was a representation of man's attempt to

361
00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:20,199
Speaker 2: build up for themselves a kingdom apart from God. His

362
00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:24,199
Speaker 2: paranoid and selfish campaigns against David showcased the fragility of

363
00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:27,760
Speaker 2: man's ego. Yet in the midst of all human struggle,

364
00:22:28,359 --> 00:22:32,080
Speaker 2: God is still at work and moving. Despite their rejection

365
00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:35,920
Speaker 2: of him, God would not abandon his people. He had

366
00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:38,760
Speaker 2: raised up a hero for them, a king to reign

367
00:22:38,840 --> 00:22:43,240
Speaker 2: righteously and humbly. Yet even David was capable of falling.

368
00:22:43,960 --> 00:22:46,639
Speaker 2: David's reign as king would be but a small shadow

369
00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:50,640
Speaker 2: of an even greater king to come. The Good Shepherd

370
00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:55,480
Speaker 2: foretold since the beginning of mankind, the Christ.

371
00:22:58,119 --> 00:23:01,960
Speaker 4: God will resist the rebellious and arrogant heart. This was

372
00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:05,720
Speaker 4: a resounding truth in the life of King Saul. From

373
00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:09,120
Speaker 4: the very beginning. His reign was wrought with pride, compromise,

374
00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:13,320
Speaker 4: and anxiety. Every warning Saul gave the people and the

375
00:23:13,359 --> 00:23:17,119
Speaker 4: prelude turned out to manifest itself and Saul's life we

376
00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:21,480
Speaker 4: watched it happen from sixteen episodes. His steady decline in

377
00:23:21,520 --> 00:23:24,560
Speaker 4: the madness left us begging for his rule to end.

378
00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:28,880
Speaker 4: This episode provides us with closure as Saul finally comes

379
00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:32,879
Speaker 4: to grips with how far he's fallen. I suppose knowing

380
00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:35,040
Speaker 4: the time and place of your death will cause you

381
00:23:35,119 --> 00:23:39,800
Speaker 4: to contemplate your life. Saul is more reflective in this episode.

382
00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:42,440
Speaker 4: This is the most sober his mind has been since

383
00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:46,119
Speaker 4: the day of his coronation. This episode is a warning

384
00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:49,040
Speaker 4: for us to not wait too long to truly reflect

385
00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:52,159
Speaker 4: on the state of our hearts. If Saul had truly

386
00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:56,360
Speaker 4: examined himself sooner, he could have salvaged his legacy. At

387
00:23:56,400 --> 00:23:59,159
Speaker 4: the end, the king had a moment of sobriety and

388
00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:02,920
Speaker 4: thought about his life. He remembered his coronation, how the

389
00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:06,240
Speaker 4: heavens opened up and lightning burst from the heavens. His

390
00:24:06,359 --> 00:24:09,879
Speaker 4: reign was doomed from the beginning. He was an idol,

391
00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:13,360
Speaker 4: held up by the people a golden calf. Like all

392
00:24:13,440 --> 00:24:17,359
Speaker 4: false gods. He had disappointed his worshippers. He had fallen

393
00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:20,240
Speaker 4: short of the call God gave him. It was fitting

394
00:24:20,240 --> 00:24:22,440
Speaker 4: for him to die at the hands of the Philistines.

395
00:24:23,040 --> 00:24:26,120
Speaker 4: They represented the evil he could never quite defeat. Within

396
00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:30,160
Speaker 4: himself like his own inner demons. Victory against them had

397
00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:33,520
Speaker 4: always eluded him. Yet he knew there was one who

398
00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:36,840
Speaker 4: could rise above it all, a warrior sent by God

399
00:24:37,119 --> 00:24:39,800
Speaker 4: who was able to slay both inner and outer enemies.

400
00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:43,520
Speaker 4: This final reflection from Saul is for you and I.

401
00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:48,159
Speaker 4: So often in life, our outer struggles are manifestations of

402
00:24:48,160 --> 00:24:52,480
Speaker 4: our inner struggles. Saul raged against the Philistines, but could

403
00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:55,520
Speaker 4: never quite seize victory over them. He could never be

404
00:24:55,600 --> 00:24:58,400
Speaker 4: the hero he wanted to be because he didn't realize

405
00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:01,760
Speaker 4: the first battle that needed to be one was within him.

406
00:25:02,240 --> 00:25:05,280
Speaker 4: Calm the storm within and the storm without will seem

407
00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:09,399
Speaker 4: a lot less terrifying. Saul's death is not the majestic

408
00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:13,120
Speaker 4: and noble in all kings imagine for themselves. He died

409
00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:16,600
Speaker 4: an inglorious death, ending his own life so he wouldn't

410
00:25:16,600 --> 00:25:20,920
Speaker 4: be embarrassed by the Philistines. Even at the end, Saul's

411
00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:25,639
Speaker 4: pride drove his decisions. In this episode, the king's frayed

412
00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:29,679
Speaker 4: character is once again put in contrast to Jonathan's. The

413
00:25:29,720 --> 00:25:32,480
Speaker 4: warrior prince and beloved friend of David fights till the

414
00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:36,080
Speaker 4: very end and meets a noble inn. His death comes

415
00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:39,359
Speaker 4: as a bigger surprise to us in this episode, and

416
00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:44,240
Speaker 4: grieves us more. Jonathan's life represents a different kind of disappointment.

417
00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:48,600
Speaker 4: The philosopher King Solomon would later on write, whether it

418
00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:51,800
Speaker 4: is love or hate, man does not know, both are

419
00:25:51,800 --> 00:25:55,000
Speaker 4: before him. It is the same for all, since the

420
00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:57,919
Speaker 4: same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to

421
00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:01,040
Speaker 4: the good and the evil, to the clan and the unclean,

422
00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:05,120
Speaker 4: to him who sacrifices, and him who does not sacrifice,

423
00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:08,639
Speaker 4: as the good one is, so is the sinner, and

424
00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:11,359
Speaker 4: he who swears is as he who shuns an oath.

425
00:26:11,960 --> 00:26:14,600
Speaker 4: This is an evil in all that is done under

426
00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:19,560
Speaker 4: the sun, that the same event happens to all. Solomon's

427
00:26:19,560 --> 00:26:23,399
Speaker 4: reflection is depressing, But spot on death comes to the

428
00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:26,479
Speaker 4: righteous and the unrighteous, the brave and the cowardly, the

429
00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:29,840
Speaker 4: good and the evil. We do not mourn Saul's death

430
00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:32,960
Speaker 4: in the same way we mourn Jonathan's. The prince was

431
00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:36,159
Speaker 4: nothing like the king, and it seems like robbery to

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Speaker 4: have him die too early. But that is death. It

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Speaker 4: is a great equalizer and eventually comes for all of us.

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Speaker 4: Most of us are uncertain about how and when we

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Speaker 4: will die, but we are certain of death's eventuality. This

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Speaker 4: reality can cause many people to fall into nihilism, but

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Speaker 4: Christ's triumph over death gives us a grander view. We

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Speaker 4: are sober in our consideration of death, but it does

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Speaker 4: not have the final say for those that have put

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Speaker 4: faith in Jesus. After considering the impartiality of death, Solomon

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Speaker 4: encourages his readers with this, Enjoy life with the wife

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Speaker 4: whom you love, all the days of your vain life

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Speaker 4: that He has given you under the sun, because that

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Speaker 4: is your portion in life, and in your toil at

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Speaker 4: which you work under the sun. Whatever your hand finds

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Speaker 4: to do, do it with all your might, for there

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Speaker 4: is no work or thought, or knowledge or wisdom in

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Speaker 4: the grave to which you are going. Jonathan and Saul

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Speaker 4: both knew that time was coming. While Saul was left paralyzed,

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Speaker 4: Jonathan was invigorated. Our time is short on earth. Let's

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Speaker 4: make every minute matter. This episode is filled with profound imagery,

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Speaker 4: specifically around the coals of the flame. Do you remember

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Speaker 4: Samuel's original question to Saul, are you able to keep

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Speaker 4: the coals burning? The coals have always represented the heart

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Speaker 4: of man and its proximity to the Lord. The closer,

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Speaker 4: the coals are to the flame the longer they burn.

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Speaker 4: Saul forgot to tend to the coals of his heart.

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Speaker 4: He stayed from God and burnt out. In this episode,

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Speaker 4: the coals are mentioned a few times. Saul's heart aches

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Speaker 4: when he watches a cold lose its heat, but he

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Speaker 4: doesn't know why. This represents how disconnected he is from

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Speaker 4: his roots. David has people around him to remind him

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Speaker 4: of his calling, thus keeping his coals burning in the flame. Saul, however,

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Speaker 4: had pushed away everyone who kept him accountable. King Saul's

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Speaker 4: heart and passion had disappeared, like the heat of a

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Speaker 4: cold away from its fire. At the end, his body

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Speaker 4: is burned, and it was the longest fire Saul was

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Speaker 4: ever able to keep burning. The story of Saul proved

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Speaker 4: to be more valuable than the life of Saul. Many

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Speaker 4: of the people, like you and I are able to

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Speaker 4: extract meaning and messages from his life. Therefore, in his death,

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Speaker 4: he was able to accomplish more than his life. The

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Speaker 4: era of Saul has come to a close, and now

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Speaker 4: it is time for King David to rule. The temptation

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Speaker 4: is to assume his reign will be more noble than Saul's,

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Speaker 4: but we should not be so sure. The crown can

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Speaker 4: corrupt noble characters, so David will have to cling to

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Speaker 4: righteousness desperately if he wants to resist the pride of

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Speaker 4: the throne. In our next episode, the exiled Champion of

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Speaker 4: Israel returns. Will he be accepted or will the hatred

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Speaker 4: of Saul Linger find out next time in episode eighteen,

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Speaker 4: A Sorrowful Coronation. Thanks again for listening. For more inspiring stories,

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Speaker 4: daily prayers and wisdom to last a lifetime, go to

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Speaker 4: pray dot com. And to expand your heroes in the

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00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:50,480
Speaker 4: Bible journey, download the Heroes of Faith devotional at Tonyevans

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00:29:50,560 --> 00:29:54,160
Speaker 4: dot org. Forward slash Heroes, Write a review and let

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Speaker 4: us know how this podcast has impacted your life. God

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Speaker 4: bless