March 29: The Reign of Saul

THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012

The Reign of Saul

“You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.  But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.” (1 Samuel 13:13,14)

 

 

No sooner does Saul become king over Israel before we start to see the shortcomings in his personality.  Just as Israel has rejected the Lord as King, the nation will suffer under times where its kings abandon the Lord.

 

Through the many cycles of the kings, we will see that God values humble obedience and a contrite heart much more than gold and silver, military triumphs, or grand display of power.  In short, God views the kings much in the same manner that He looks at you or me:  He looks at the heart.  Indeed, God will anoint and empower some rather unlikely leaders in Israel’s history, starting with Saul.  Saul comes from the Benjamites, who had risen up in rebellion at the end of Judges, perhaps a generation ago.  His selection to lead Israel stands in the face of earthly wisdom and bring to mind two treasured verses:

 

1. 1 Samuel 16:7, speaking of Saul’s successor, David:  “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.  The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

 

2. Romans 4:16–18:  “Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring -- not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham.  He is the father of us all.  As it is written:  ‘I have made you a father of many nations.’  He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed-the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.”

 

 

With obedience as our guide of true greatness, we can see how Samuel retains his standing even above the new king Saul.  In Chapter 13, we read about an upcoming battle, in which Saul has chosen an army of 3,000 men, but the Philistines approach with a far larger army:  “three thousand chariots, six thousand chariots, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore.” 

 

Saul’s impetuousness ensures that his reign over Israel will not span to another generation.  First of all, we notice that Saul does not seek the Lord’s guidance with regard to this battle, but rather he acts out of his own wisdom.  He does not acknowledge God’s sovereignty in His planning:  “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)

 

As a result of Saul’s strident decisionmaking and poor planning, the Israelites begin hiding in fear, and Saul grows nervous himself as the men begin to scatter.  In order to curry the Lord’s favor in this desperate situation, Saul makes an offering to the Lord, in place of Samuel, who appears to have been delayed.  Samuel rebukes Saul for his jumping the gun, and we can see in Saul’s words that his motives may not have been completely pure.  (This exchange sets a strong precedent:  You don’t want to have to explain yourself to a prophet!  Through the Holy Spirit’s filling, they have already read your heart.  David will discover that Nathan’s eyes of prophecy will not allow his sin to remain unnoticed.)  As a consequence, Saul learns that his family will not rule over Israel in perpetuity because of his willful disobedience.  Even for the king, sin has far-reaching ramifications.

 

This incident highlights the truth that no one sits above God’s law or below the reach of His love.  Even king Saul could find himself astray based on willful disobedience or passive indifference.  God established the church’s mandate for truthfulness and holiness in the tragic death of Ananias and Sapphira, who had lied to the Holy Spirit about the proceeds from a land sale. (Acts 5:1–11)

 

Saul’s son Jonathan then shows great valor and leadership in starting a rout of the larger Philistine army, ostensibly through the empowerment and leading of God.  Jonathan’s faithfulness and trust in God stand in contrast to Saul, and he will later become one of David’s strongest companions, even as Jonathan’s father Saul pursues David. 

 

Saul appears rattled by Jonathan’s leadership, particularly as he feeds the hungry army, and military exploits, and we may see further evidence of Saul’s jealousy and concern for his own power.  Indeed, Saul’s oath seems to have little strategic (or spiritual) value other than binding others to following his limited vision.

 

Saul’s selfish motivations will ultimately lead to mental illness (paranoia), but he brings the conditions on himself through his sin.  Jealousy brings nothing but a sick heart and a defeated spirit because we are rejecting the unique creation that God has made in us.  Likewise, holding grudges enables the Evil One to sow seeds that grow into roots of bitterness, sapping us of true freedom to love and serve other people.

 

 

QUESTIONS

 

1. Who is your king today?  Why have you chosen to serve Him?
2. If you were in Saul’s position with the larger Philistine army gathering around you, how might you have approached the situation differently?

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