A Word about Self-Destructing

 

Today I want to share a word about how Saul self-destructed as I comment on verses from 1 Samuel 13, 14, and 15.

In our last episode, we saw Saul rising to the occasion to lead the Children of Israel to overcome the cost of their compromise with the world, at least temporarily.  Saul rose to the occasion because he didn’t cut himself off from God’s wisdom and power. If he had relied on his own abilities, the battle he fought for Jabesh could have been, and probably would have been, a disaster. Instead, Saul stayed close to God, and thus the Children of Israel enjoyed a tremendous victory. But . . . what would Saul do next?

When you hear the words self-destruct what do you think of?  Some of us older folks might think of the old Mission Impossible television show in which Mr. Phelps and his team got their assignments from a tape recording that then self-destructed. Others might think of how the Blues Mobile virtually exploded at the end of the chase scene in the Blues Brothers movie.

I also might think of a good idea that had unintended consequences.  One of the most dangerous man-made items to birds and small animals is the plastic rings that hold six-packs of drink cans together. The plastic in them lasts virtually forever, and these little creatures often get the discarded rings wrapped around their necks and they die.  One inventor came up with a plan to solve this problem.  He developed plastic rings that would bio-degrade after exposure to sunlight.  The rings would essentially self-destruct after a few days in the Sun.  This was a great solution, but there was a problem.  Many convenience stores make displays of their six-pack drinks in the front of their stores where they are exposed to sunlight.  Customers would grab a six-pack to buy it, and the plastic rings would self-destruct, and the cans of soda would spill to the ground.

A self-destructing tape or a self-destructing plastic six-pack ring might cause some mild amusement, but when a life self-destructs it is a disaster.  Today we are going to stare wide-eyed at a train wreck of a life as it happens.  We will see it coming, but we will be powerless to stop it.  We can learn from it, though, and be warned. As we continue to study the Kings of Israel and Judah let’s read God’s Word and see how the life of King Saul self-destructed. We will begin by reading 1 Samuel 13:1-7,

Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty-two years over Israel. He chose three thousand men from Israel for himself: two thousand were with Saul at Michmash and in Bethel’s hill country, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. He sent the rest of the troops away, each to his own tent. Jonathan attacked the Philistine garrison in Gibeah, and the Philistines heard about it. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!” And all Israel heard the news, “Saul has attacked the Philistine garrison, and Israel is now repulsive to the Philistines.” Then the troops were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal. The Philistines also gathered to fight against Israel: three thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Michmash, east of Bethaven. The men of Israel saw that they were in trouble because the troops were in a difficult situation. They hid in caves, in thickets, among rocks, and in holes and cisterns. Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul, however, was still at Gilgal, and all his troops were gripped with fear.

Saul Was Rash:

We have seen how Israel wanted to be like the other nations that were around them and amongst them. They had lost their purpose and their focus. They had become just like other nations in their hearts. They wanted to be like other nations with a king. They got what they wanted; God made Saul king. Now, Saul began to act like a human king. What did kings do in that day? They made war.

Saul decided to attack the Philistines. Like other kings, Saul enlisted a standing army, and he felt like he had to put it to use. Several wars had already been fought with the Philistines. There was hatred between the two peoples, and since they were a popular target among his people, Saul decided to attack.

This was a rash move on the part of Saul. First, the Scriptures do not record that there was any direction from God at this time to go to war with the Philistines.  At that time, there was no active conflict with the Philistines, and Israel had the opportunity to be redemptive in their relationship with their enemies. Remember, the Scriptures tell us that sometimes God tells us to fight, and sometimes He tells us to flee, and sometimes He tells us to wait on Him. Saul chose to fight, when God may have been telling him to wait.

This was also rash because Israel was unprepared. As we noted in the previous episode, 1 Samuel 13:19-22 reveals to us that their previous compromises prevented Israel from being equipped for battle. In fact, only Saul and Jonathan had proper weapons for battle. This was almost literally like bringing a knife to a gunfight. As some experts in self-defense will quip, “The first rule of a gunfight is to have a gun.”  Likewise, the first rule of warfare is to arm yourself. This Israel could not do.

Saul’s rashness scared Israel to death. When the two spies had gone into Jericho, Rahab told them that everyone in the city was quaking in their sandals because of the reputation of the God of the Israelites. The opposite was true now, as Israel adopted the ways of the world. Some Israelites ran away, and some even joined the Philistines.

Saul decided he needed to act kingly, and so he exceeded his authority!  When he did this, he ruined his role as leader of God’s people. Next, let’s read 1 Samuel 13:8-14,

He waited seven days for the appointed time that Samuel had set, but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal, and the troops were deserting him. So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” Then he offered the burnt offering. Just as he finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. So Saul went out to greet him, and Samuel asked, “What have you done?” Saul answered, “When I saw that the troops were deserting me and you didn’t come within the appointed days and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash, I thought, ‘The Philistines will now descend on me at Gilgal, and I haven’t sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I forced myself to offer the burnt offering.” Samuel said to Saul, “You have been foolish. You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. It was at this time that the Lord would have permanently established your reign over Israel, but now your reign will not endure. The Lord has found a man after his own heart, and the Lord has appointed him as ruler over his people, because you have not done what the Lord commanded.”

Saul Was Impatient:

In ancient Israel, a separation of powers existed among the leaders of God’s People. God worked through three different types of leaders to guide and nurture His people: prophets, priests, and kings. Prophets revealed God’s heart to His people. Priests interceded with God on the behalf of His people. Kings were to rule His people righteously. If each one did their part properly, the nation would be blessed.

In this case, Samuel was both prophet and priest, and Saul was king. They each had a role to play, and the well-being of Israel depended upon fulfilling their roles. Saul got impatient, and he sacrificed to God instead of waiting upon Samuel. This was an act of arrogance and rebellion. Saul took unto himself power and authority which God had not bestowed upon him.

I remember well the story of a pastor who caused havoc at a covered-dish supper at his church. The serving line was set-up to have servers on one side of the table, while those filling their plates were supposed to do so from the opposite side of the table. So, this was a one-sided serving line, and it was organized that way for a reason. This pastor (who wasn’t me!) became impatient with the slow serving line and he grabbed a plate and utensils and began serving himself from the wrong side. He got in the way of the servers who were bringing in dishes from the church kitchen, and he inspired others to follow him on the wrong side of the table. The result was a confused mess! Not only did he act impatiently, but he also forgot the leadership principle that, leaders eat last!

We must be careful to understand our calling from God so that we can fulfill it. To exceed our calling is to be arrogant. To fail to go the distance is a lack of faith.

When Saul got impatient, he forgot his calling, and he ruined his relationship with God. Next, let’s read I Samuel 14:24-30,

The battle extended beyond Bethaven, and the men of Israel were worn out that day, for Saul had placed the troops under an oath: “The man who eats food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies is cursed.” So none of the troops tasted any food. Everyone went into the forest, and there was honey on the ground. When the troops entered the forest, they saw the flow of honey, but none of them ate any of it because they feared the oath. However, Jonathan had not heard his father make the troops swear the oath. He reached out with the end of the staff he was carrying and dipped it into the honeycomb. When he ate the honey, he had renewed energy. Then one of the troops said, “Your father made the troops solemnly swear, ‘The man who eats food today is cursed,’ and the troops are exhausted.” Jonathan replied, “My father has brought trouble to the land. Just look at how I have renewed energy because I tasted a little of this honey. How much better if the troops had eaten freely today from the plunder they took from their enemies! Then the slaughter of the Philistines would have been much greater.”

Saul Was Foolish:

Despite Saul’s failings, God protected His people. He showed Jonathan how to infiltrate the Philistine camp and cause panic among them. All that was left was for the Israelites to pursue them to destruction. That’s when Saul had a foolish thought.

We all say things that we should not say. For example, when we say, “I’m about to starve to death,” we are certainly exaggerating. Likewise, we probably don’t mean it when we tell a child, “If you don’t be quiet, I’m going to pinch your head off.” One of my favorite foolish sayings that I have ever heard was, “I’m going to rip your arm off and beat you to death with it.” The outrageous eloquence of that statement is just above and beyond!

When we say these things, people know we don’t mean them. However, when the king says such, people take him seriously. As an example, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director J Edgar Hoover once wrote on a report, “Watch the borders.”  In response the FBI sent hundreds of agents to surveil the borders of the USA.  What Hoover meant was to widen the margins on the format of the reports sent to him! In Biblical terms, David once said he was thirsty and his so-called Mighty Men risked their lives to acquire a drink of water for him. When a king says something, his people take it seriously.

Saul made a foolish oath. It was unnecessary. It was unhelpful. It was unwise. It did nothing to motivate Israel. When he was head coach of the Washington Redskins football team, George Allen was pilloried by some commentators, because he would give prizes like TVs or clock radios to his highly paid athletes to help motivate them to win. So, did Saul even mean what he said? Let’s read I Samuel 13:42-46,

Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan,” and Jonathan was selected. Saul commanded him, “Tell me what you did.” Jonathan told him, “I tasted a little honey with the end of the staff I was carrying. I am ready to die!” Saul declared to him, “May God punish me and do so severely if you do not die, Jonathan!” But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die? He accomplished such a great deliverance for Israel! No, as the Lord lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for he worked with God’s help today.” So the people redeemed Jonathan, and he did not die. Then Saul gave up the pursuit of the Philistines, and the Philistines returned to their own territory.

Apparently, Saul was not a man of his word. When his son Jonathan was caught, he tried to enforce his oath, but the people shouted him down. Because of his impetuousness, Saul put himself between a rock and a hard place. If he had enforced his oath, he would have been foolish. When he didn’t, he made himself a liar. Jesus later would tell His followers not to take frivolous oaths, but He also said, “Let your yes be yes, and your no be no.”

Saul’s tongue wrote a check that his integrity couldn’t cash and he ruined his character. That was not the last of his folly, however. Let’s read I Samuel 15:1-3,

Samuel told Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over his people Israel. Now, listen to the words of the Lord. This is what the Lord of Armies says: ‘I witnessed what the Amalekites did to the Israelites when they opposed them along the way as they were coming out of Egypt. Now go and attack the Amalekites and completely destroy everything they have. Do not spare them. Kill men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”

 Saul Was Disobedient:

The vast majority of God’s revelation to us is easily understood. Some areas of His Word are more difficult for us to engage with, like the Doctrine of the Trinity, but the vast majority is easily approachable by us. For example, The Ten Commandments are quite straightforward, as are The Greatest Commandments and The Great Commission. Usually, our trouble with God’s Word stems from when we deliberately obfuscate it to give ourselves an excuse. Our model for this type of manipulation of the plain meaning of words is former President Bill Clinton, who tried to defend his actions by debating the meaning of the word, is.

Saul had been given some explicit instructions from God. Before, Saul was free-lancing, but now God told him what to do. Saul was told to attack and destroy Amalek. He was told to kill all the people and all the animals. While we may not understand the motive behind this directive, we can understand the mission very clearly from what Saul was told. So, what did Saul do? 1 Samuel 15:7-15 tells us,

Then Saul struck down the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is next to Egypt. He captured King Agag of Amalek alive, but he completely destroyed all the rest of the people with the sword. Saul and the troops spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and choice animals, as well as the young rams and the best of everything else. They were not willing to destroy them, but they did destroy all the worthless and unwanted things. Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, “I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned away from following me and has not carried out my instructions.” So Samuel became angry and cried out to the Lord all night. Early in the morning Samuel got up to confront Saul, but it was reported to Samuel, “Saul went to Carmel where he set up a monument for himself. Then he turned around and went down to Gilgal.” When Samuel came to him, Saul said, “May the Lord bless you. I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.” Samuel replied, “Then what is this sound of sheep, goats, and cattle I hear?” Saul answered, “The troops brought them from the Amalekites and spared the best sheep, goats, and cattle in order to offer a sacrifice to the Lord your God, but the rest we destroyed.”

Saul deliberately disobeyed God. Instead of destroying all of Amalek, he allowed Agag to live. Instead of destroying all livestock, he allowed Israel to keep the banned cattle and sheep. Saul deliberately did what he was told not to do. What were the results of this? Again, Samuel 15 tells us, this time in verses 22-23.

Then Samuel said: Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? Look: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and defiance is like wickedness and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.

In the end, Saul was disobedient to God, and he ruined his role as king over Israel.

Conclusion:

Are we like Saul? Are we rash and impatient? Are we foolish and disobedient? Have we ruined our walks with God? Have we self-destructed? There is hope that Saul didn’t have!

God sent Jesus to be prophet, priest, and king. He sent him to help us when we could not help ourselves. If you’ve made a mess of your life today, turn it over to Jesus! If you have ruined your walk with God, repent and come back to Jesus who said: “all that the father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me, I will by no means cast out.”

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about Rising to the Occasion

 

Today I want to share a word about rising to the occasion as I comment on verses from 1 Samuel 11.

In our last episode, we saw Saul being publicly anointed as king over Israel and Judah. Saul had all the makings of a king, but he was reluctant to take on that role. All he saw were obstacles, like heritage, doubt, fear, and reputation. Despite this, he was anointed king, although some of his subjects shared Saul’s doubts. In our focal passage above, we will find out if Saul could rise to the occasion or if he would fail out of the gate.

Those who train first responders and military people know what happens the first time someone is faced with a critical or dangerous situation. A saying in that profession is, “You don’t rise to the occasion, but you fall to the level of your training and experience.” It rarely goes well the first time you try something new under stress. 

One example of this is demonstrated by police officers involved in on-duty shooting incidents. The record shows that their marksmanship in those situations is abysmal. This is because very few officers are ever involved in on-duty shooting incidents, and also because their time for training is limited. This is not to say that police officers are incompetent, but that being involved in a shooting incident is an extraordinary and life-changing event.

People don’t have to be involved in a shooting to underperform during stressful incidents, either. When my wife was expecting our first child, we attended a Lamaze child-birth methods class together. We trained and we practiced, but on the day our first son was born, things fell apart rapidly. I was trying to help my wife use the techniques we learned, but it wasn’t going well. I knew I had failed when she looked at me and snapped, “Shut up!” The experienced and better trained (and less emotionally involved) labor and delivery nurse took over, and from that point, all went well. As the saying goes, “Don’t try this at home . . .” or anywhere else, for that matter.

In 1 Samuel 11, Saul experienced his first critical incident as king. Did he rise to the occasion? Let’s begin by reading 1 Samuel 11:1-5,

Nahash the Ammonite came up and laid siege to Jabesh-gilead. All the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.” Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I’ll make one with you on this condition: that I gouge out everyone’s right eye and humiliate all Israel.” “Don’t do anything to us for seven days,” the elders of Jabesh said to him, “and let us send messengers throughout the territory of Israel. If no one saves us, we will surrender to you.” When the messengers came to Gibeah, Saul’s hometown, and told the terms to the people, all wept aloud. Just then Saul was coming in from the field behind his oxen. “What’s the matter with the people? Why are they weeping?” Saul inquired, and they repeated to him the words of the men from Jabesh. 

The Cost Of Compromise:

1 Samuel 11 begins by illustrating the cost of compromise. Israel had been directed by God to possess the entire Land of Canaan, and to drive out all the heathen nations who lived in it. This they did not do. Instead, they decided to live in a compromised situation, which caused them trouble during the time of the Judges, and which continued to bedevil them now.

Compromise among the Children of Israel began when two-and-a-half tribes decided to live on the wrong side of the Jordan River. They had been required to help the other tribes subdue the land, and indeed they were told to actually lead the rest of the tribes when they crossed the Jordan River, but those days were long gone. The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half‑tribe of Manasseh were settled east of the river, and they were essentially cut-off from the rest of the tribes.

Judah was cut-off also. The city of Jerusalem was a strong hold of the Jebusites, who were one of the tribes that Israel was supposed to drive out. They had strong fortifications, and so they remained there, a thorn in the side of Israel. Their position caused Judah to be isolated from the rest of the tribes.

The Israelites were cut-off from the Mediterranean Sea as well, because the Philistines had occupied the coastal plain, and the Israelites didn’t drive them out either. Even worse, the Philistines had prevented the Jews from having their own blacksmiths to work iron and metals. 1 Samuel 13:19-22 says,

No blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise, the Hebrews will make swords or spears.” So all the Israelites went to the Philistines to sharpen their plows, mattocks, axes, and sickles. The price was two-thirds of a shekel for plows and mattocks, and one-third of a shekel for pitchforks and axes, and for putting a point on a cattle prod. So on the day of battle not a sword or spear could be found in the hand of any of the troops who were with Saul and Jonathan; only Saul and his son Jonathan had weapons.

All of these situations were bad, but now, the chickens were really coming home to roost. The people of Jabesh faced subjugation, disfigurement, and humiliation. Even worse, all that some people in Israel felt that they could do was to cry, weep, and wail.

Compromise is an essential political tool, but in spiritual terms, compromise leads to subjugation, defeat, and destruction. In God’s Kingdom, compromise cuts us off from the blessings we will find as we follow God’s will and ways.

Next, let’s read I Samuel 11:6-10.

When Saul heard these words, the Spirit of God suddenly came powerfully on him, and his anger burned furiously. He took a team of oxen, cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the territory of Israel by messengers who said, “This is what will be done to the ox of anyone who doesn’t march behind Saul and Samuel.” As a result, the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they went out united. Saul counted them at Bezek. There were three hundred thousand Israelites and thirty thousand men from Judah. He told the messengers who had come, “Tell this to the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Deliverance will be yours tomorrow by the time the sun is hot.’” So the messengers told the men of Jabesh, and they rejoiced. Then the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, “Tomorrow we will come out, and you can do whatever you want to us.”

The Call Of The Spirit:

In other messages, we have seen that when confronted with a sudden crisis, people either, flee, fight or freeze. Are any of these reactions better or worse than others? Examples of all three of these responses are found in Scripture. 

One example was when Joseph was being seduced by Potiphar’s wife and he fled. In fact, he ran away so quickly, that he left behind his clothes that she had grabbed. This caused him problems later, but that did not make his decision to run a poor one.

Another example is found in Ecclesiastes 3:8, which says that there is “a time for war and a time for peace.” Fighting is a valid solution, but it is not the only solution. We don’t have to charge at every one of life’s problems like an enraged bull, unless that is the right course of action.

A third example is found in Psalm 46:10, which says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Sometimes doing nothing is exactly what God would have us to do. As the Country and Western Song advises, 

You got to know when to hold 'em; Know when to fold 'em,

Know when to walk away; And know when to run . . . 

That song continues with this popular wisdom,

Every gambler knows that the secret to surviving is knowing what to throw away and knowing what to keep.

'Cause every hand's a winner and every hand's a loser and the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep.

So, if we have all of these options, how do we avoid falling into the trap of cynicism, fatalism, and despair? The Bible tells us how in the account of the first miracle Jesus performed at the Wedding at Canna. In John 2:1-5 we see what took place,

On the third day a wedding took place in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’s mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding as well. When the wine ran out, Jesus’s mother told him, “They don’t have any wine.” “What has this concern of yours to do with me, woman?” Jesus asked. “My hour has not yet come.” “Do whatever he tells you,” his mother told the servants.

Jesus also taught in Luke 12:11-12,

Whenever they bring you before synagogues and rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how you should defend yourselves or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what must be said. 

Saul modeled this exact behavior here. When there was a crisis, the Holy Spirit called Saul, in this case, to fight, and fight he did. His example also emboldened Israel to fight as well, despite how cut-off they were from each other.

We must not let our sin cut us off from the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Instead, in God’s Kingdon, we must remain close to Him so we can hear God’s still small voice which will tell us what to do.

Next, let’s read I Samuel 11:11,

The next day Saul organized the troops into three divisions. During the morning watch, they invaded the Ammonite camp and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. There were survivors, but they were so scattered that no two of them were left together.

Completing The Mission:

I think it is safe to say that, under the leadership and empowerment of the Holy Spirit, Saul rose to the occasion. A key indicator of that was that he completed the mission. Again, we must remember that the biggest failure Israel had was that they compromised and they did not finish the task of subduing the land. That wasn’t because they lacked good models to follow.

Saul was a good role model in this case, but he was not the first good example for the people of Israel. When Joshua fought the five kings of the Amorites to protect the Gibeonites, with whom he had made a treaty, the sun started to go down before the battle was won. In Joshua 10:12-13, this is what Joshua did to complete the mission,

On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke to the Lord in the presence of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” And the sun stood still and the moon stopped until the nation took vengeance on its enemies.

As audacious as that request was, it was still not enough. God had to rain down large hailstones on the Amorites, and more of them died from the hail than from the Israelites! Still, the mission was completed.

Earlier in this series, we have already seen that Joshua’s colleague Caleb wanted to take the tough, high ground, even though he was eighty years old. Like Joshua, he wanted to complete the mission. Joshua and Caleb were great models for Israel, as was Saul, in this case anyway, but the greatest model for us all is Jesus.

Saul is a good model to follow because he finished the job, but Jesus is an even better model to follow. Jesus became the perfect sacrifice for sin. He kept all of his disciples except the one who was the son of perdition.  Jesus defeated death and hell. Jesus created the church and gave her a mission for the sake of His Kingdom. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be with us when he left. Not surprisingly, as well as Saul did here, he was not perfect. Our Perfect Lord, however, is our Perfect Model.

So, the question comes to us, “Have we cut off our efforts before the mission is complete?” Israel did not subdue the land, and neither have we done so either. In God’s Kingdom, our mission is to make disciples of all nations. Will we cut off before it is completed?

Finally, let’s read I Samuel 11:12-14,

Afterward, the people said to Samuel, “Who said that Saul should not reign over us? Give us those men so we can kill them!” But Saul ordered, “No one will be executed this day, for today the Lord has provided deliverance in Israel.” Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let’s go to Gilgal, so we can renew the kingship there.” So all the people went to Gilgal, and there in the Lord’s presence they made Saul king. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings in the Lord’s presence, and Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

Confirming The King:

Saul’s performance in this event demonstrates that God could use him as king for several reasons. First, Saul reminds us of a common and astoundingly simple lesson: When we do things God’s way it works. Every. Single. Time.

Second, Saul reminds us that compromise prevents completion of the mission. Saul did not negotiate with the forces of evil, nor did he try to appease them. Instead, he followed God’s plan without compromise, and so he was able to complete the mission.

Another lesson for us here is that Saul made sure not to go too far. God had achieved His purpose, and any further killing would not be necessary. Saul’s lesson for us in this case was not to go further than God would have us to go. This is like the fellow who used the fertilizer Miracle Grow on the tomato plants in his garden. He put the prescribed amount on them, and they grew to an impressive size. He was so pleased with the results that he decided to double the strength. Sadly, for him, the tomatoes grew so big that they split open and they were ruined. We must go as far as God leads us to go, but no further!

Finally, one last lesson we can observe here is that gratitude is never wrong. We should show our gratitude towards our human leaders, but we must especially demonstrate our gratitude towards God. The truth here is that it was God’s idea to choose Saul, and it was God’s Spirit who led and empowered Saul to complete the mission.

In God’s Kingdom, we must never cut ourselves off from appreciating our fellow servants of God and also from appreciating all that He has done for us!

Conclusion:

As we saw in the Scriptures we reviewed for this message, Saul did not stumble coming out of the gate. Saul did rise to the occasion, but he did so because he didn’t cut himself off from God’s wisdom and power. If he had relied on his own abilities, this battle could have been, and probably would have been, a disaster. Instead, Saul stayed close to God, and he the Children of Israel enjoyed a tremendous victory instead.

What about us today?

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about the Reluctant King

 

Today I want to share a word about the reluctant king as I comment on verses from 1 Samuel 9 and 10.

In our last episode,  we saw God choosing the first human king of Israel, Saul. Saul had all the makings of a king: the physical makings, the attitudinal makings, the relational makings, and the spiritual makings. Saul appeared to be an exceptional choice, but in our focal passages above, we will find that Saul was a reluctant king of Israel.

Most people have pet peeves that irritate them. A common way that people express those irritations is to say, “If I were king for a day I would . . .” What follows that statement reveals what is irritating that person at that moment. For example, I might say, “If I were king for a day, I would outlaw grocery stores from installing product displays in the middle of an aisle in their shops.”

Yes, one of the most irritating things to me personally is having to dodge around a product display in the aisle of a grocery store while also avoiding a collision with another, oncoming, shopper. I can imagine someone becoming so frustrated with these impediments to shopping progress that he or she begins to charge around the store with a shopping cart, knocking down all the mid-aisle displays which seem to get in everyone’s way. While I would never do that (ahem . . .), if I were king for a day, those displays would be banned forever, like a law of the Medes and Persians.

To be more serious, with great power comes great responsibility, and not everyone is willing to take on great power and great responsibility. Infamously, King George VI of the United Kingdom was not best pleased when his brother Edward VIII abdicated and George became King. Some evidence exists that his daughter, who became Queen Elizabeth II was equally nonplussed with the idea of becoming the monarch. King Saul would certainly understand their doubt, because he had his own. This is why I have called him the reluctant king. All he saw were the obstacles to his leadership.

Let’s begin by reading 1 Samuel 9:15-21,

Now the day before Saul’s arrival, the Lord had informed Samuel, “At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel. He will save them from the Philistines because I have seen the affliction of my people, for their cry has come to me.” When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, “Here is the man I told you about; he will govern my people.” Saul approached Samuel in the city gate and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is?” “I am the seer,” Samuel answered. “Go up ahead of me to the high place and eat with me today. When I send you off in the morning, I’ll tell you everything that’s in your heart. As for the donkeys that wandered away from you three days ago, don’t worry about them because they’ve been found. And who does all Israel desire but you and all your father’s family?” Saul responded, “Am I not a Benjaminite from the smallest of Israel’s tribes and isn’t my clan the least important of all the clans of the Benjaminite tribe? So why have you said something like this to me?”

Saul Faced The Obstacle Of Heritage:

Shakespeare quipped that, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” Saul seemed to believe that the latter was the case for him. He had gone out to look for his father’s donkeys, and suddenly, God’s man is telling him that he was a big deal and that God had big plans for him. I am sure he asked himself the Hebrew equivalent of, “What’s up with that?”

In the human economy, who your parents are can be a very important factor in the way that society treats you. Certainly, this is true in those countries that have royal families and systems of nobility. No one runs to be elected king of Britain. That office is determined entirely by heredity.

Even in the United States, which rejected the rule of kings in 1776, and which rejected the concept of nobility in our Constitution, we still find intellectual elites and leaders of society projecting an aura of royalty and nobility. Why else would our news media care about the opinions of an actor or sports figure about politics or other cultural issues?  In addition, helicopter parents are a thing.

Saul knew that he was not from a great family or a great tribe.  In fact, he was from the smallest of the small. What Saul overlooked was that small things are not necessarily insignificant things. The poem “For Want of a Nail,” is a nursery rhyme that illustrates that fact.

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.

For want of a shoe the horse was lost.

For want of a horse the rider was lost.

For want of a rider the message was lost.

For want of a message the battle was lost.

For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.

And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

Another way to express the same thought is the saying, “What matters is not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.”

Small things are not necessarily insignificant, and to God, they are not unimportant, either. Jesus told us that a sparrow will not fall in the field without God knowing and caring. Even the hairs on our head are numbered. In this case, Saul totally overlooked the fact that the donkeys had been found and that he didn’t need to continue to worry about them. In the midst of anointing the next king of Israel, God still remembered the donkeys!

In God’s economy, it is not about from where someone has come, but it is about where God is taking that person.

Saul Faced The Obstacle Of Doubt:

Let’s read 1 Samuel 9:22-27 and 1 Samuel 10:1,

Samuel took Saul and his servant, brought them to the banquet hall, and gave them a place at the head of the thirty or so men who had been invited. Then Samuel said to the cook, “Get the portion of meat that I gave you and told you to set aside.” The cook picked up the thigh and what was attached to it and set it before Saul. Then Samuel said, “Notice that the reserved piece is set before you. Eat it because it was saved for you for this solemn event at the time I said, ‘I’ve invited the people.’” So Saul ate with Samuel that day. Afterward, they went down from the high place to the city, and Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof. They got up early, and just before dawn, Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get up, and I’ll send you on your way!” Saul got up, and both he and Samuel went outside. As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us, but you stay for a while, and I’ll reveal the word of God to you.” So the servant went on. Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it out on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “Hasn’t the Lord anointed you ruler over his inheritance?”

Samuel had a surprise for Saul. God had chosen Saul to be king, and that’s certainly the last thing that Saul expected to hear. Not only did Samuel tell Saul that he would be the king, but Samuel also treated Saul as such. 

First, Samuel promoted Saul in public. He gave him the best portion of meat, and he made Saul the featured guest at the meal. In front of all who gathered there, Samuel made much of Saul, and he did so in front of the leadership of that town. That is not all that he did, however.

Samuel also counseled with Saul privately. This is the correct and wise way to advise a leader. This is exactly what Peter did when Jesus told the disciples that He was going to Jerusalem to become a sacrifice for human sin. Peter confronted Jesus privately, insisting that Jesus should not allow such a thing to happen to Him. That also allowed Jesus to rebuke him privately as well. During my two-decades of service as a military chaplain, I often had the opportunity and need to advise my commanders about delicate situations. This always happened in private, as Samuel counseled privately with Saul in this case.

Samuel also gave Saul several proofs by which he could know Samuel was telling the truth. Let’s continue with 1 Samuel 10:2-9,

Today when you leave me, you’ll find two men at Rachel’s Grave at Zelzah in the territory of Benjamin. They will say to you, ‘The donkeys you went looking for have been found, and now your father has stopped being concerned about the donkeys and is worried about you, asking: What should I do about my son?’ “You will proceed from there until you come to the oak of Tabor. Three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you there, one bringing three goats, one bringing three loaves of bread, and one bringing a clay jar of wine. They will ask how you are and give you two loaves of bread, which you will accept from them.  “After that you will come to Gibeah of God where there are Philistine garrisons. When you arrive at the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place prophesying. They will be preceded by harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres. The Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully on you, you will prophesy with them, and you will be transformed. When these signs have happened to you, do whatever your circumstances required because God is with you. Afterward, go ahead of me to Gilgal. I will come to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice fellowship offerings. Wait seven days until I come to you and show you what to do.” When Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed his heart, and all the signs came about that day.

Saul had sought out Samuel so that the man of God could help him find his father’s donkeys. He trusted Samuel with that task, but did he trust him with the kingship of Israel? Let’s read 1 Samuel 10:13-16. 

When Saul finished prophesying and went to the high place. Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant, “Where did you go?” “To look for the donkeys,” Saul answered. “When we saw they weren’t there, we went to Samuel.” “Tell me,” Saul’s uncle asked, “what did Samuel say to you?” Saul told him, “He assured us the donkeys had been found.” However, Saul did not tell him what Samuel had said about the matter of kingship.

The Bible does not say what was going on in Saul’s heart at this point. The Biblical test for a prophet is that what they say will happen, does happen. Everything that Samuel said would happen to Saul did happen to Saul, but that apparently was not sufficient proof for Saul. Samuel declared Saul to be king, but Saul, himself, refused to do so. Doubt is a common obstacle we all must face. When we face doubt, we are in good company, and I believe that Saul faced doubt also.  The question is not, “Will we doubt?” The question is, “How do we handle our doubt?” 

Just like with Saul, we have more than ample evidence of God’s love for us, and also for His call upon our lives. With His help, we can express our confidence in Him in our words, and our deeds, and our attitudes.

Saul Faced The Obstacle Of Fear:

Let’s read 1 Samuel 10:17-23,

Samuel summoned the people to the Lord at Mizpah and said to the Israelites, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I brought Israel out of Egypt, and I rescued you from the power of the Egyptians and all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.’ But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your troubles and afflictions. You said to him, ‘You must set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and clans.” Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, and the tribe of Benjamin was selected.  Then he had the tribe of Benjamin come forward by its clans, and the Matrite clan was selected. Finally, Saul son of Kish was selected. But when they searched for him, they could not find him. They again inquired of the Lord, “Has the man come here yet?” The Lord replied, “There he is, hidden among the supplies.” They ran and got him from there. When he stood among the people, he stood a head taller than anyone else.  

When people face a threat, they respond one of three ways: they flee, they fight, or they freeze. This tendency has even been codified to some extent in the way school students and teachers are trained to respond to an active shooter. School personnel are taught to, “Run, hide, or fight.” 

What did Saul do? Saul hid among the baggage and supplies. From his behavior, it is clear that he was afraid, but afraid of what?

Again, we are not told what was going through his mind, but leadership is a daunting task. The nature of the role requires that leaders be out front, and they are easily targeted. During the infamous Pickett’s Charge of the Battle of Gettysburg, all three of Pickett’s brigade commanders were casualties, as were twenty-six out of his forty majors, lieutenant colonels, and colonels. Leadership is a costly role.

Another factor in Saul’s situation may have also caused him pause. Like in the television series Star Trek, Saul was about to “go where no man has gone before.” Moses was not king over Israel, and neither was Joshua or Samuel. As anyone who has chopped their way through the jungle will testify, blazing new trails is difficult and scary. Who knows what is around that next bend?

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt famously said during his first inaugural speech, “All we have to fear is fear itself.” That was manifestly not true, because at that time the United States was suffering the ravages of the lowest point in the Great Depression. The American people had much to fear at that time as did Saul on the eve of his installation as king.

Many commentators believe that FDR knew precisely the kind of obstacles Americans faced during the Great Depression. In that speech, the President was asserting his belief that the greatest obstacle to recovery was fear, an unreasoning terror that caused people to flee, fight, or freeze. This same can be true of us when God asks us to serve in His Kingdom.

When we are afraid to do what God calls us to do, we must remember what Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24,

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. And may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will do it.

Saul Faced The Obstacle Of Reputation:

Finally, let’s read 1 Samuel 10:24-27,

Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among the entire population.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”  Samuel proclaimed to the people the rights of kingship. He wrote them on a scroll, which he placed in the presence of the Lord. Then Samuel sent all the people home.  Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, and brave men whose hearts God had touched went with him. But some wicked men said, “How can this guy save us?” They despised him and did not bring him a gift, but Saul said nothing.

When I read that passage, I was reminded of a way that my dad would respond to a proposal or a project that he had doubts about. When asked “What do you think about . . . ?” He often would reply, laconically, “I don’t think much about it.” By this he meant that he didn’t think that whatever was on offer was worth his time. This was the attitude that some in Israel had when Saul was announced as their new king. Their attitude, while wrong, was not unique in the Biblical record. Far from it!

• When Joseph announced his call to leadership, he was sold into slavery by his own brothers.  

• Moses was concerned about what the Children of Israel would say when he arrived in Egypt from the backside of the desert to rescue them from their oppression. 

• David was the youngest of eight sons of Jesse, also of the Tribe of Benjamin. He was the little shepherd boy, but he also became king. 

• Isaiah 53:2-3 tells us about what people thought of Jesus, “He grew up before him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He didn’t have an impressive form or majesty that we should look at him, no appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; he was despised, and we didn’t value him." 

• Jesus had both a prostitute, Rahab, and a foreigner, Ruth, in His family tree. 

• Jesus came from Nazareth, a despised and rejected city, and he was known as a simple carpenter’s son. He was not considered someone to whom people should listen. 

• Paul summed up all of this in 1 Corinthians 1:27, “Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong.”

When we are called to serve God, the only reputation we should be concerned about is His. He is more than capable of defending Himself, and He is more than capable of changing us so we can be suitable to serve Him and His Name.

Conclusion:

The old saying about fugitives from justice applies here: “You can run, but you can’t hide.” This is also the case for God’s people when He calls them to His service.

Yes, Satan, the world, and we ourselves may place obstacles to service in our path. God, however, can and will overcome them! Let us bow our knee to our Lord and let us willingly allow Him to knock down every obstacle to our service to Him.

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt