SAUL: THE KING WHO REFUSED TO BOW

 

People never fail to fascinate us. Probably like you, I'm continually engaged in the study of people. No two lives are identical; every person's story is different. However, I've noticed that the plot lines for their stories can be identified by just a few general types. Let's consider four.

Some lives are like racecars on a speedway. They move at blinding speed. They're active; they're highly motivated; they seldom pause except for the occasional pit stop to eat, get the bare minimum of rest, and let their heart slow down before they're peeling out again. Yet for all their speed and fury, they accomplish very little of anything meaningful. They pursue lots of activities and they pour every ounce of energy into them, but when the race is over, their lives are like their tanks—empty. They accomplished very little with the years God granted them. No impact.

Then there are those like meteors, hurtling through space until they hit the world with a blinding flash. They rise to fame because of some achievement or because they're engaged in some notable enterprise. Not long after they catch the public eye, though, they crash and burn. The very world that fueled their fire, causing them to burn brightly, consumed them. Again, no lasting impact. We're left to wonder, whatever happened to . . . ?

Others remind us of deep, quiet rivers. These are faithful people who are consistent, giving, supportive, quietly powerful, and profoundly mysterious. They delight in using their silent, almost limitless strength to carry others. Content to allow other people to skim their surface, restful in the knowledge that they'll never make the headlines, they just keep moving toward their destiny. And when they arrive, they empty themselves—and anyone who cared to float along—into something much, much greater.

Finally, some are like a roofline. For this person, life begins on a pleasant slope upward and ascends with time. God has gifted this person with multiple talents, superior intellect, striking good looks, inner confidence, and every advantage for success. This is the youngster about whom older people say, "Keep your eye on him; he's going places." Sure enough, as soon as he moves into leadership, he begins making a significant contribution. Then . . . something happens. Maybe several things back to back. At a peak, he abruptly pivots downward and the rest of his life moves in the opposite, descending direction. A life of great promise begins to come unglued. Surprisingly, the one who started well becomes characterized by rebellion, scandal, disappointment, embarrassment, and finally complete failure.

The Bible has them all—the intense racecar, the screaming meteor, the enigmatic river, but most common of all, to my sad surprise, the life that resembles the rise-and-fall roofline. How well they begin, yet how dismal their long, miserable decline.

Such was the life of Saul, the king who refused to bow.

The tragic story of Saul reminds me that the impact of any one life—whether positive or negative, large or small—cannot be measured with accuracy until it has run its full course. Beware the temptation to form early opinions about certain individuals, especially those greatly gifted. Assume the best and be willing to give every benefit of doubt, but remember that the end of a life reveals more than the beginning. I often say to university or seminary graduates when I have the privilege of bringing a commencement message, "Don't show me your honors today. Come back in thirty years, and then we'll talk. Today, I'll congratulate you for the four, five, maybe six years of work it took to graduate. But show me thirty years of faithful consistency; then I will applaud."

A nineteenth-century woodsman's proverb says it well: "A tree is best measured when it's down." God has preserved the record of Israel's first king, Saul, who is now "down," and He invites us to count his rings and measure his spiritual stature.

J. Sidlow Baxter, in his book Mark These Men, describes Saul this way:

Saul, the first king of Israel, is one of the most striking and tragic figures in the Old Testament. . . . In some ways he is very big and in others very little. In some ways he is commandingly handsome, and in others decidedly ugly. All in one he is a giant and a dwarf, a hero and a renegade, a king and a slave, a prophet and a reprobate, a man God-anointed and a man Satan-possessed. He began so promisingly, yet deteriorated so dismally, and ended so ignominiously as to make the downgrade process which ruined him monumental for ever afterward to all who would read, mark, and learn.1

When interviewing someone for a position on our staff at Stonebriar Community Church or at Insight for Living, I often ask the candidate to give me his or her desired epitaph. "How would you like your stone to read?" The answer tells me a lot about that individual's values, vision, and self-image. At one point, Saul uttered his own epitaph, which the Lord preserved for all of us to remember. The king said, "Behold, I have played the fool and have committed a serious error" (1 Samuel 26:21).

In those five words we read the etching on Saul's tombstone: I have played the fool.

As I sit to write this chapter—many months, perhaps even years before anyone holds the finished book—I wonder who might be reading these words. Is your life potentially that roofline type? Could it be that I was led by God to write this chapter just for you as you're approaching that critical pivotal point? Perhaps you are close to making a crucial decision that could very well lead into decline. You may be approaching a crucial intersection where the choices you make will set you on a path that turns you either toward God or away from Him. How you choose to view the truth will make all the difference.

If you face a significant moral dilemma and you know the Lord's take on the matter, but you still find yourself wrestling, then this chapter is for you. Read slowly. Stop frequently for reflection. Ask the Lord to reveal everything you need to see—about Saul, first, then about yourself and your own future. As you read, keep the words of Jesus in the forefront of your mind: "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free" (John 8:31–32; emphasis added).

THE POWER OF A SINGLE DECISION

 

From the time that Joshua died until Saul took the throne of Israel, the Hebrew government was not a monarchy like most surrounding nations. Theologians refer to it as a theocracy—"God-rule." The Lord ruled over Israel, issuing His decrees and governing through prophets and priests. Each major region looked to a judge for what most other cultures would expect from a king. He (occasionally, she) led the people in battle, decided civil cases, and enforced God's law.

Samuel judged all Israel with God reigning as king over the Hebrew people. In this way, the Israelites were like no other nation on earth in that they could claim God as their leader, the invisible Creator, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Almighty One who crushed Egypt, parted the Red Sea, and conquered Canaan. But, much in the same way that the wandering generation tired of manna, the people grew tired of the theocracy. First Samuel 8:1 tells us why:

And it came about when Samuel was old that he appointed his sons judges over Israel. Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in Beersheba. His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes and perverted justice.

Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah; and they said to him, "Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations."

1 SAMUEL 8:1–5

 

Those words offer three reasons the people wanted a king. First, Samuel was old and no longer able to keep pace with the demands of the nation. Second, his sons had disqualified themselves by losing the respect of the people. And third, "we want to be like all the nations."

Before we move on, let's not bypass an important point of interest. In the last chapter, we observed the failure of Eli to guide his sons. Now we see little evidence to suggest that Samuel did any better. Scripture doesn't offer as detailed information about his parenting, but the remarkable similarity between Samuel's sons and those of Eli leaves us with little else to conclude. Eli was a great priest and a faithful judge but a lousy father. Samuel, sadly, followed in his footsteps. His sons became unfit as leaders like those of Eli.

According to verse 6, the request displeased Samuel, who took the matter before the Lord:

The LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day—in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly warn them and tell them of the procedure of the king who will reign over them."

1 SAMUEL 8:7–9

 

This was a pivotal moment in the life of Israel. Take special note of the Lord's assessment of their decision. "They have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them."

This is extremely significant. Rejecting God's rule for what seems to be a better plan led to a widespread problem in Israel and a series of complications in this story. Nevertheless, the warning that follows comes from the heart of a compassionate Father. Like the dad who sees that his son is doggedly determined to pursue a course of action that will cause great heartache later, the fatherlike God of Israel spell outs the consequences of submitting themselves to a human king.

So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to the people who had asked of him a king. He said, "This will be the procedure of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and place them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen and they will run before his chariots. He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and of fifties, and some to do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and give to his officers and to his servants. He will also take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys and use them for his work. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants.

1 SAMUEL 8:10–17, emphasis added

 

Observe how many times Samuel said, "He will take . . ." More often than not, earthly kings are takers, not givers. A kingdom revolves around the king, and the nation winds up serving him, not the other way around. When a mere man is on the throne, he becomes the focus of attention, and when that kingdom belongs to God, as in Israel's case, that presents an enormous conflict of interest. Nevertheless, the Hebrew people were determined to have a king, just as the Lord had predicted through Moses back in Deuteronomy 17:14–20. To leave the people with no room to claim ignorance later, He issued this final warning through Samuel. "Then you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day" (1 Samuel 8:18).

In effect, the Lord (sounding like a parent) said, "You are determined to go down this path—one that will certainly cause you sorrow—and I will not stop you. You have rejected My way for your own. Therefore, you will lie in the bed you have made."

Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, "No, but there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles."

1 SAMUEL 8:19–20

 

Does this sound like an exchange between a father and a teenager? After all of the explanation, after all of the warning . . . "nevertheless." And don't miss the basis of their reasoning. "That we also may be like all the nations." To be like someone else, they were willing to lose. Lose their distinctiveness. Lose their possessions and security. Lose their direction, their identity, their God-ordained purpose and destiny. The Lord called Abraham and perfected his faith so that he would give birth to a faithful nation whose king is God. But Israel, the headstrong teenager, wouldn't listen. So the fatherlike God gave the people of Israel their desire.

Sometimes the Lord will let us have our way, knowing we will be hurt. Because He's good, we know that if there were a better way to teach us, He would use it. Unfortunately, painful experience is usually the only way we will learn. Painful consequences play a major role in maturing us.

THE START OF SOMETHING GOOD

 

Now that we have established the social, political, and theological background, we're ready to meet Saul, Israel's first king—the king who refused to bow. Take note of how God's Word introduces him. Talk about great first impressions!

Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor. He had a son whose name was Saul, a choice and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome person than he among the sons of Israel; from his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people.

—1 SAMUEL 9:1–2

 

What a candidate! Could any choice be more obvious? He came from good stock. He was the son of a valiant, honorable warrior with an excellent family name. He was a big man, impressive, strikingly handsome. The term translated "choice," when used of a young man, means in the prime of manhood, virile, young, strong.

If you're tempted to think that our generation is more superficial than those before us, here's proof that nothing much has changed. For some reason, looks, image, mystique, and style have an influence on success. When Israel wanted a king, they found a fine-looking specimen in Saul. On top of that, he was genuinely modest. When told that he was to be the king of Israel, he replied, "Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me in this way?" (1 Samuel 8:21).

Chapters 9 and 10 reveal Saul to be a man of discretion, a man who was interested in trusting God, a man with a generous spirit, a man who spoke for God, energized and inspired. And because he was a man of such quality and promise, Samuel empowered him with these words:

Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you mightily, and you shall prophesy with them and be changed into another man. It shall be when these signs come to you, do for yourself what the occasion requires, for God is with you.

1 SAMUEL 10:6–7

 

The old prophet was ready to present Saul to the nation as the king, but to be sure that everyone saw that God had done the choosing, not him, he used a procedure that's very familiar to us by now. Remember when Israel became the victim of "sin in the camp"? Remember how Joshua found the guilty man? Samuel gathered the nation at a traditional meeting site and said, "Present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your clans" (1 Samuel 10:19).

Thus Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its families, and the Matrite family was taken. And Saul the son of Kish was taken; but when they looked for him, he could not be found.

—1 SAMUEL 10:20–21

 

When the God-directed casting of lots established Saul as the new king and the people were ready to crown him, he couldn't be found. Why?

Therefore they inquired further of the LORD, "Has the man come here yet?" So the LORD said, "Behold, he is hiding himself by the baggage."

1 SAMUEL 10:22

 

One of the chief qualities I look for in a prospective staff member or employee is modesty. I want a confident man or woman, but one who finds the job a little daunting. That tells me that he or she has a healthy view of the role we're looking to fill. It is daunting! A modest person will be more likely to rely upon the Lord to succeed, and will be much less likely to fail. I am always leery of people who seek the limelight.

Truthfully, Saul behaved like a man I'd consider hiring. He was genuinely modest. And rather than confidently strutting to the front of the crowd, boldly claiming Israel's crown and throne, expecting every knee and head to bow, he stood in the back surrounded by the luggage.

Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen? Surely there is no one like him among all the people." So all the people shouted and said, "Long live the king!"

1 SAMUEL 10:24

 

When the people located their new king, they celebrated. And why not? This was a glorious day. Saul was tall, strong, modest, and had the full support of his nation. From a human point of view, this was a beautiful start to a new era—from a human point of view. At last, the Israelites let out a heavy, contented sigh and said, in effect, "Finally, we have what we have longed for and needed. We are equipped with strong, centralized leadership like other nations, so now we're safe. Now we're ready to mix it up with the empires." There must have been dancing in the streets.

But from God's point of view, this was a sad day. His people had rejected Him as king, replacing Him with a handsome film star. Unlike all those cheering people, God knew that this was not the beginning of Israel's glory days. A disaster would soon begin to happen.

THE TURNING POINT

 

Almost overnight Saul's popularity index was off the chart. He had demonstrated himself to be a brave and capable warrior, an able general, and a strong leader. When the Ammonites attacked, he acted decisively and firmly, and he did so with honor. This won the confidence of the people and earned him a great endorsement speech by Samuel. But don't forget that this story is a tragedy. This is a roofline life, and Saul has reached his peak.

Following his burst of glory, Saul's life began to unravel. He became a victim of himself: full of pride, impatience, rebellion, jealousy and attempted murder. Over a long and painful stretch of years, he shriveled into a twisted, maniacal, pathetic figure. Eventually, he would commit suicide. Evil had begun to pour into his life like sewage flowing into a harbor, deep beneath the surface, under cover of night. No one could see it. In fact, for a long time, no one could even smell it, but slowly and ever so surely it polluted the waters of his soul. Scripture reveals Saul's descent with three brief yet illuminating scenes: his arrogance at Gilgal, his obsession with winning, and his insubordination at Amelek.

SAUL'S ARROGANCE AT GILGAL

 

The first occurs in 1 Samuel 13 where we see a subtle display of irreverence in a single presumptuous act. Verses 1 through 4 tell us that Saul had picked a fight with the Philistines. Nothing wrong with that. These people lived on land promised to Israel, and they were anything but peaceful neighbors. Mean as junkyard dogs, the Philistines had been a thorn in the side of the Hebrew people for generations. After Saul provoked them, he had to rally Israel to prepare for all-out war, so he summoned his army to Gilgal. His orders from God, given through Samuel, were simple:

And you shall go down before me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice peace offerings. You shall wait seven days until I come to you and show you what you should do.

1 SAMUEL 10:8

 

This was no small test for the nation and for the new king. Let's not forget why the people wanted a king:

There shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.

1 SAMUEL 8:19–20; emphasis added

 

The king was doing exactly what everyone hoped he would do. Saul issued the call and waited in Gilgal for the men of Israel to put feet to their faith, so he could lead them against their most troublesome enemy. This was a test for Saul. Would he follow the Lord into battle as Joshua had done? Or would he take matters into his own hands and conscript the Lord?

While waiting for troops to arrive, the odds of winning began to decrease. The Philistines had perfected the process for making iron weapons, which could slice bronze into ribbons. They also had chariots . . . lots of chariots, the modern-day equivalent of a tank. They not only had superior numbers, but they were seasoned soldiers, tough veterans of combat. So it's no surprise that Saul's army suffered a high rate of desertion. Those who didn't disappear trembled in their boots.

When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were hard-pressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in cliffs, in cellars, and in pits. Also some of the Hebrews crossed the Jordan into the land of Gad and Gilead. But as for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

1 SAMUEL 13:6–7

 

Saul waited impatiently for Samuel to arrive, all the while watching his army drift away. He was to wait seven days, after which the prophet would arrive, offer sacrifices, and deliver the Lord's battle plans.

Five days, hundreds vanish into the bushes.

Six days, the Philistine camp grows.

Seven days, widespread murmuring in Hebrew turns into talk of mutiny.

Seven days, and Samuel hadn't arrived. Eight days, and the Hebrew army would be down to nothing. Saul felt sure he had to do something, anything. Panic replaced patience. So he took matters into his own hands:

Now he waited seven days, according to the appointed time set by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattering from him. So Saul said, "Bring to me the burnt offering and the peace offerings." And he offered the burnt offering.

1 SAMUEL 13:8–9

 

Saul's actions involved at least three major errors.

First, kings weren't supposed to offer sacrifices on behalf of the community. Kings could offer sacrifices for themselves, but never for the nation. That was done only by priests.

Second, it was Samuel who was to convey the Lord's battle plans. Saul was to wait for him. However, since Saul kept his eye on the sundial and his dwindling army, he rushed ahead on his own. This reduced the sacrifice to a pointless ritual that looked more pagan than Hebrew. Gentile generals decided where, when, and whom to attack, mobilized their troops, then sacrificed to their gods to gain favor. The Hebrew sacrifice was an act of submission, not bribery.

Third, and most important to our study, Saul made the decision to trust himself at the crisis point. His decision to sacrifice and attack was based on good, common sense (from an earthly perspective). Just like Israel's desire to have a human king and their ready acceptance of Saul based on his outward appearance, the new king was ready to advance on the enemy with a human strategy. Probably a good one, but human, nonetheless.

Remember the victory at Jericho? Who could have guessed God's battle plan? Imagine the disaster that might have happened if Joshua had been thinking in merely human terms. But he followed the Lord's very strange instructions to the letter, and the walls of that great fortress fell down flat.

We serve a God who has limitless power and creativity. Why would we want to rely on our own resources to win a victory that He has promised by His? When we think only in terms of our own abilities, our own strength, or our own ingenuity, we invariably rush ahead and forfeit untold joy and blessing. He longs to give us more than we desire, but we limit Him by preempting His plans with our own hasty and clumsy solutions.

Saul's faith failed. He saw his army evaporating like water and the town of Michmash teeming with his enemy. He saw that the appointed seven days had passed and that Samuel was late. So he tossed aside any pretense of decorum and protocol. He, in effect, put on the priestly garb along with his crown and signet and tried to make the altar his instrument of power. Something he had no right to do.

When a person has come to this place in life, when he or she is living on the down-sloping side of pride and arrogance, roles get blurred and responsibilities become meaningless. He or she assumes command of everything and everyone, even going so far as to feel noble and righteous in the process. Observe Saul's response when confronted by Samuel. Pay close attention to the telltale mixture of rationalization, mischaracterization, and blame shifting:

As soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him and to greet him. But Samuel said, "What have you done?" And Saul said, "Because I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the appointed days, and that the Philistines were assembling at Michmash, therefore I said, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not asked the favor of the LORD.' So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering."

1 SAMUEL 13:10–12

 

He said, as it were, "I mean, I . . . I just couldn't help myself. I looked down and my hands were doing it. I mean, it . . . it just kind of happened. In fact, I had to make myself do it. I didn't want to, but you were late, the enemy was enlarging its ranks, and time was running out, so it's really your fault, not mine." Wrong. This was deliberate disobedience based upon presumption and arrogance. And Samuel called him on it. "Samuel said to Saul, 'You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you'" (1 Samuel 13:13).

Confrontation is rarely pleasant but frequently necessary. We all need a Samuel, someone who cares more about our character than our comfort. Often, that kind of loving honesty calls for sharp words. "You have played the fool" is never easy to hear, but when it comes from the mouth of a trusted, godly friend, we must take heed. In this case, the situation was far more grievous than Saul realized. Don't miss the rest of Samuel's rebuke:

Samuel said to Saul, "You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, for now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not endure. The LORD has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you."

1 SAMUEL 13:13–14

 

For the king of Israel, obedience is nonnegotiable. If Saul were overly secure in his position, this set him straight. Likewise, we would do well to take this principle to heart: no one is irreplaceable. There is no person so powerful that he or she cannot be removed and replaced quicker than the bat of an eyelid. Positions having authority quite naturally come with a fair amount of power. Generally the more authority, the greater the power. And if we're not careful, we might become deluded into thinking that our power and authority buys us security. Again, wrong! The Lord demands responsibility in exchange for authority, and I have seen more than a few stunned by how quickly the Lord can take everything away.

Saul hit his peak just before this incident, and the Lord's rebuke through Samuel marked a significant turning point. The king has been told that God no longer wants him on the throne and that the position now belongs to his replacement. What happens next proves that Saul's perspective on his position had been skewed all along:

Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.

1 SAMUEL 13:15

 

This astounds me. If I had been given news like this, I would have fallen to my knees and begged for forgiveness. But not Saul. He acted like Samuel had said nothing. He continued his plans, proving that he didn't take God seriously. He took his circumstances seriously, but not his God.

When a person has peaked and is now headed downward, he or she will become so caught up in self-serving activities and preoccupied with image that obedience to God takes a backseat to looking good in front of others. Beware! This can be a powerfully self-deluding problem. The events that follow demonstrate that Saul came away from this confrontation feeling justified, misunderstood, and probably a little indignant. He had become so blinded by his own rebellion that, in his mind, his actions were honoring to God, even if the Almighty didn't agree.

SAUL'S OBSESSION WITH WINNING

 

While Saul's turning point was almost imperceptible to those around him, the second step in his decline would gain considerable attention. If he thought little of God, he thought less of people. I've always said that the depth of your vertical relationship dictates the quality of your horizontal relationships. This next scene occurs at the beginning of Saul's long demise, and it hints of things to come.

After Samuel rebuked Saul and left him at Gilgal, Israel defeated the Philistines. Not because of Saul's great faith, but because of the faith of his son, Jonathan. The king's son took his armor bearer on a secret raid of the enemy camp, saying, "Come and let us cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; perhaps the LORD will work for us, for the LORD is not restrained to save by many or by few" (1 Samuel 14:6). While the two men killed several of the enemy, God caused an earthquake under the Philistine camp, which sent them into a panic. This put the invaders to flight back home with the Israelite army in hot pursuit. Defectors and deserters rejoined Saul as he chased the enemy into the wilderness.

However, before Jonathan saved the day, Saul had issued a very rash order, which nearly cost Israel the victory:

Now the men of Israel were hard-pressed on that day, for Saul had put the people under oath, saying, "Cursed be the man who eats food before evening, and until I have avenged myself on my enemies." So none of the people tasted food. All the people of the land entered the forest, and there was honey on the ground. When the people entered the forest, behold, there was a flow of honey; but no man put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.

1 SAMUEL 14:24–26

 

Now, from any reasonable viewpoint, no one can figure why the king would declare such a ridiculous vow. But when someone is on the downward slope of the roofline, he or she will often make decisions or give orders that are foolish, irresponsible, and occasionally dangerous. This was likely during Saul's seven-day wait. He obviously didn't care about his men as much as he cared about winning the battle. The mere fact that men who are weak from fasting die quicker in combat didn't faze Saul. They were just numbers to him, not comrades. Even his own son could see that:

But Jonathan had not heard when his father put the people under oath; therefore, he put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened. Then one of the people said, "Your father strictly put the people under oath, saying, 'Cursed be the man who eats food today.' " And the people were weary. Then Jonathan said, "My father has troubled the land. See now, how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. How much more, if only the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! For now the slaughter among the Philistines has not been great."

1 SAMUEL 14:27–30

 

In other words, "What an unwise vow for my dad to make. Why would he say such a thing? Look, I'm an example. If we were cursed, God would kill me! But I'm strengthened!" Jonathan was the voice of reason on this day. Clearly, Saul had already started to lose it mentally:

Saul said, "May God do this to me and more also, for you shall surely die, Jonathan."

1 SAMUEL 14:44

 

I suspect that he was reaching for his sword with these words. Try to imagine the insanity. Rather than admit that his order was impulsive and idiotic and repent before God, he was about to execute his son just to save face. Fortunately, his subjects intervened with some common sense:

But the people said to Saul, "Must Jonathan die, who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Far from it! As the LORD lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day." So the people rescued Jonathan and he did not die.

1 SAMUEL 14:45

 

Stop. Let this scene soak in. Observe how blinded by obsession Saul had become. So bent on winning the war at any cost, so determined to preserve his image, he was willing take the life of his son to avoid retracting a foolish decision. This tendency will factor heavily in his demise.

SAUL'S INSUBORDINATION AT AMELEK

 

The third episode marks the beginning of Saul's end and seals his fate. As God rejects him as the anointed king of Israel, Saul's true colors begin to bleed through his phony mask. By this point, he was so deluded by his own twisted desires that he was able to behave one way and to talk another with no crisis of conscience at all.

In the time since Saul's very foolish order, the Lord left him to lead Israel on his own, which he did well. Israel was surrounded by enemies, and the king was able to put each in its place so that the nation began to enjoy reasonable security. After a period of time—months, perhaps years—Samuel came to Saul with words that might be confusing at first. Samuel had already told Saul that the Lord no longer wanted him as king and had found another—"a man after God's own heart" —to rule in his place.

Then Samuel said to Saul, "The LORD sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the words of the LORD.

1 SAMUEL 15:1

 

On the one hand, that may seem like a contradiction. But we shouldn't be surprised. After all, we've come to know the Lord as a God of second chances . . . and third, and fourth, and many more chances. In the end, if we continue down the same path, each time rejecting His offer to bow the knee, submit, obey, and follow, then we have no one to blame but ourselves.

The Lord, as always, saw the future with crystal clarity; and He knew exactly what Saul would do. Yet, as a matter of integrity, He gave the king every chance to bow before Him and recognize God as the true king of Israel. Saul's rebellion would publicly vindicate the Lord, who knew well in advance that he would fail, and leave the insubordinate king without excuse.

The Lord's final test will remind us of a previous chapter:

Thus says the LORD of hosts, "I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey."

1 SAMUEL 15:2–3; emphasis added

 

How clear is that? "Utterly destroy all that he has." If a Hebrew soldier heard this from his Hebrew commander, he would know instantly that everything in the enemy camp is "under the ban." Furthermore, this is the Lord issuing the order, not Samuel. Saul was given his orders with absolute clarity straight from God: kill everything and everyone. Period.

So Saul defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is east of Egypt.

1 SAMUEL 15:7

 

Good. But then we read,

He captured Agag the king of the Amalekites alive.

1 Samuel 15:8

 

Wait. He captured Agag? I don't read "captured" in the original orders. I read "put to death, destroy, utterly destroy, strike, do not spare." And it gets worse!

But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to destroy them utterly; but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.

1 SAMUEL 15:9, emphasis added

 

Just to be certain, go back to 1 Samuel 15:2–3 and see if you can find any loopholes in the language. Did Saul misunderstand? Did he miss the mark by a small margin? What part of "utterly destroy" did he not understand? Who gave Saul and his men the right to divide the spoils into "good" and "worthless"? They were to leave only corpses on the land in obedience to God. But they didn't. So Samuel arrived to find Saul reclining in the tent, pondering which pasture would best feed his new sheep:

Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying, "I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not carried out My commands." And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all night.

1 SAMUEL 15:10–11

 

The Hebrew word translated "distressed" here means to burn with anger. Samuel was incensed with Saul and sat up all night stewing in his righteous rage. The Lord gave the rebellious king yet another chance to do what was right, to bow in submission to Israel's true King, but, again, he blew it.

Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul; and it was told Samuel, saying, "Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, then turned and proceeded on down to Gilgal." Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, "Blessed are you of the LORD! I have carried out the command of the LORD."

1 SAMUEL 15:12–13

 

Even though I have known people like this, still, I cannot fathom Saul's perspective. How can anyone be so clueless? He disobeyed the Lord's direct command by keeping not just a few things under the ban, but keeping everything having any value. On top of having no sense, Saul had no shame. Instead of being humiliated by his own guilt, he erected a monument to himself to commemorate the day. At least Achan had the good sense to be ashamed of his sin. But not Saul! Somehow he managed to twist events and rearrange facts to portray himself as God's champion.

Samuel's response is priceless: "What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?" (1 Samuel 15:14).

Amazing how simple facts can so easily prick a deceiving heart. The fog of Saul's self-delusion seems to have lifted. Observe his change in tactics:

Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to the LORD your God; but the rest we have utterly destroyed."

1 SAMUEL 15:15

 

Take note of the pronouns Saul used. "They have brought them . . . to sacrifice to the Lord your God . . . but we have destroyed." In Washington, D.C., they call it spinning. I call it rationalizing. A quick glance in my dictionary turns up this definition: "to attribute (one's actions) to rational and creditable motives without analysis of true and especially unconscious motives." ²

Rationalization is a thin veneer that covers deceit. I don't think anyone missed Saul's motives. His claim that the spoils were preserved for sacrifice was meant to stroke Samuel's priestly emotions. But this, too, was a symptom of Saul's disease: a twisted mind. Just as he underestimated Samuel, Saul had no sense of the gravity of his situation—the importance of his position, the place he was to occupy in history, the significance of obedience, and most of all, the immensity of the God he served.

Samuel wasn't buying it. The following dialogue dispels any notion that Saul had merely bumbled his way into disobedience. He stretched his preposterous lie to the limit, perhaps hoping that his defense would have Samuel questioning himself. Don't miss Saul's brash impudence:

Then Samuel said to Saul, "Wait, and let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night." And he said to him, "Speak!" Samuel said, "Is it not true, though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the LORD anointed you king over Israel, and the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, 'Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are exterminated.' Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD, but rushed upon the spoil and did what was evil in the sight of the LORD?" Then Saul said to Samuel, "I did obey the voice of the LORD, and went on the mission on which the LORD sent me, and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God at Gilgal."

1 SAMUEL 15:16–21

 

The word translated "wait" uses a particular part of speech and nuance that is rare in Hebrew. It was not unlike saying, "Shut up!" The best contemporary rendering would be something like, "give it up" or "come off it." Samuel said, in effect, "Just drop that pathetic line of reasoning, Saul. Let me convey to you what God had to say about it last night."

Saul's response tells me that he felt like he was calling Samuel's bluff, that he doubted the prophet's relationship with God. Furthermore, Saul's convoluted sense of right and wrong actually had him thinking that he was doing right. Self-delusion writes its own tragic script.

So Samuel ran down the facts for him again, ending with a clear statement of where Saul stood with respect to right and wrong. "Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD, but rushed upon the spoil and did what was evil in the sight of the LORD?" To which Saul responded with more detailed excuses, more emphatic blame shifting, and more deceptive rationalization than before.

OBEDIENCE IS NOT AN OPTION

 

Samuel's next words cut to the heart of the matter, and they lead us to an important principle—one that may preserve your life if you ever find yourself nearing a crucial juncture. Read his words slowly. I imagine that his voice suddenly grew quiet. I hear compassion in these next lines, a man pleading for his younger friend to see the truth:

Samuel said,

"Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
As in obeying the voice of the LORD?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.
For rebellion is as the sin of divination,
And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
He has also rejected you from being king."

1 SAMUEL 15:22–23

 

Samuel was no longer trying to save Saul's crown; that was already lost. The old prophet was trying to do for Saul what he could never do for his own sons: save him from further rebellion and inevitable self-destruction. Unfortunately, he couldn't. This marks only the beginning of Saul's long, miserable decline.

The man whose epitaph was "I have played the fool" didn't start out that way. He was once tall, handsome, modest, generous, a valiant warrior, and a humble servant-leader. But because he refused to bow, Saul's heart hardened, he became greater in his own eyes than his God, and he resisted everything that he had been chosen to represent.

TIMELESS PRINCIPLES . . . ESSENTIAL STRATEGIES

 

I see two timeless principles at work in the story of Saul that deserve our attention.

First, how you finish is far more important than how you start.

No one graduates from college thinking, OK, now how can I fail? No bride or groom tells the wedding guests, "Enjoy the party; this thing won't last more than a couple of years." Only when a woman or man finishes well can we call that life a success. A good beginning does nothing to guarantee a good ending. Happy endings are the result of good choices and consistent discipline put in sequence over a lifetime and faithfully maintained.

Second, rationalization is disobedience because it refuses to accept the truth.

I've heard it said that the most destructive lie is the one you tell yourself. Rationalizing is an insidious form of self-delusion. It starts small—usually with something innocent—and quietly twists the mind to define truth in convenient ways. In the end, the self-deluded mind rationalizes everything so conveniently, so automatically, that the person has no concept of how preposterous his or her thinking and behavior have become. And—never forget this—no one is immune.

To avoid this pitfall, consider these three essential strategies:

Remain accountable. Listen to the counsel of those who love you and have your good at heart. They may be desperately trying to help you see a particular truth about yourself. Give reproof a hearing.

Reject pride. Pride would have you defend foolish decisions when it's best simply to admit that you blew it. If you're in a position of leadership, your followers will respect you more, not less, when you accept responsibility for failure, ask for forgiveness, and make the most of future opportunities. Rationalization fools no one and makes you look stupid.

Pursue truth. I've lived my life by those two words. Follow the truth wherever it leads, and you'll find God's blessing every time. I need to warn you; the road will be disquieting and risky and will make you feel vulnerable. Your relationship with truth will cause you to face some unpleasant things and will often leave you isolated . . . in the short term. Remember that you are never really alone. Furthermore, the honor God gives you will be far greater than what you could have given yourself.

Strict obedience is better than good intentions. This isn't complicated. When you hear a clear command, don't analyze or interpret it. Just obey it. When God says, "Don't marry a nonbeliever," no amount of love or hope will make the marriage any more acceptable to God. When the Lord says, "Abstain from sexual immorality," obey that command. Do not look for ways to get around it or try to justify compromising your purity. None of that will make your sin any less destructive.

Rationalizations are usually based on good intentions, but they always lead to trouble.

You may have already chosen poorly. You may be, even now, continuing to rationalize your decision. To use the words of Samuel, stop . . . give it up . . . drop the rationalization. You're fooling no one but yourself. You have only one choice now. It's not easy, but neither is it complicated.

Unlike Saul, turn back. Admit your error. Seek the Lord's mercy. Bow humbly before your God. Put an end to your rebellion. You will find Him quick to hear, willing to forgive, and overflowing with grace.

 

QUESTIONS FOR GROWTH GROUPS

The word "Lord' is a word that we use that tells us a lot about our relationship with God.

So often we like to think about our commitments to God. We add them up to consider how well we are doing in our spiritual journey.  However that is not what the concept of Lordship means. It means submitting to the Lordship of Christ over all our life. The focus is no longer on us and what we do (our works), rather it is upon God, His will and His provisions on our needs. The focus is on the Grace of God. When we focus on the grace of God we submit ourselves to Him In Whom we are going to entrust every moment and every facet of our lives. We discover we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us!

1. A short epitaph summarises a person's life. What was the epitaph that summarised Saul's life? "I played the______!"

What is the epitaph you would like written on your life?

 

2. 1 Samuel 8:10-22 tells us of the decision of the Israelites.  Why did they make this decision? What is the warning for us today?

 

3. Why were the people enthusiastic about Saul? Is this good or bad?

 

4. 1 Samuel 13:4-7 is a turning point for the nation. The tipping point!  What was the basis of their trust?

 

 

5. Why did Saul offer the burnt offering?  1 Samuel 13:8-14.

 

6. Someone said that an excuse is the skin of a lie stuffed with a reason.  What was Saul's reason? What was the lie?

 

7. What were the consequences of Saul's sins?

 

8. How was Jonathon's victory in 1 Samuel 14 a strong reproof to Saul's excuse making?

 

9. 1 Samuel 15 was the last chance for Saul.  How does this chapter demonstrate Saul's heart? How does it apply to us today?

 

10. Which areas of your life do you find hard to entrust to God?

Scripture to memorise:

Proverbs 3:5,6  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.