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1 Chronicles 10 – Praying through the Bible #125 – A Prayer Not Said, What Might Have Been
“For of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these: “’It might have been!’” (Wittier). These are haunting words of dreams unfulfilled; not only of love for another, but for desire of a different life. Love turns to memories, memories turn to sorrow, sorrow turns to regret. Unfulfilled promises, unfinished potential, are common. Their origin is varied: from fear of failure, from opportunities ignored, of not believing in oneself, and most importantly because someone “did not inquire of the LORD” (1 Chronicles 10.14). Oh King Saul, what might have been, had he only prayed?
Chronicles repeats Saul’s final days. This is the last lost battle of Saul, but not his last failure. As Israel’s leader, the enemy searches for Saul to inflict their revenge. When the battle intensifies, the archers shoot their arrows, wounding their adversary. Injured severely, Saul commands his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and torture me!” (10.4). Unwilling to raise his hand against his king, or if like David against the Lord’s anointed, he rightly refuses. Saul takes his own sword and falls on it, committing suicide. His armor-bearer repeats Saul’s last failure. Saul’s last words are of defeat and of pride, not of prayer.
All Saul’s sons in the battle die. All the men of Israel flee and abandon their cities. When the Philistines come to strip the slain, they find Saul and cut off his head – like David did to Goliath; take his armor – David took Goliath’s weapons; and display Saul’s skull in the temple of Dagon – David took Goliath’s head to Jerusalem (1 Samuel 17). This is not just a battle. This is a 15 year old grudge. And Saul had not prayed.
Jabesh-Gilead honors Saul, retrieves his mutilated body and buries it because he had saved them from Nahash the Ammonite when Saul first became king and showed so much potential (1 Samuel 11). Oh, what might have been had he continued to pray!
Chronicles repeats Saul’s failures to end his place in Israel’s history: “unfaithfulness to the LORD because he did not keep the LORD’s word” – “consulted a medium for guidance” – “did not inquire of the LORD” (10.13-4). Not inquiring of Yahweh was a recurring failure, leading to the rest. I doubt Saul inquired on that last desperate day too. Surrounded, he did not inquire of the Lord. Defeated, he did not inquire of the Lord. In death, he did not inquire of the Lord. If only Saul had prayed for his sin; “For of all sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these: “not forgiven.”
Prayer Challenge: How likely are we to pray in desperation if we don’t daily? Pray every day, for every decision, for every sin. Pray especially when others seek revenge.
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