Abuse and Misuse of Religion

On a previous post (A Mighty Minority) I looked at 1 Samuel 14 and focused on Jonathan, King Saul’s son. In this post, I will revisit 1 Samuel 14 but focus on King Saul.

I would also recommend checking out my post Obedience During Emergencies (a study of 1 Samuel 13) which provides the background for the events covered in this post.

Brief Background

Saul had disobeyed God and Samuel told him that God had chosen someone else to be commander over His people.

And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done 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 continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”
- 1 Samuel 13:13-14 NKJV

The act of disobedience had been the offering of sacrifice instead of waiting for Samuel. God had directed that only those consecrated to the office should present sacrifices before Him. But Saul, in his impatience, equipped as he was with armor and weapons of war, approached the altar and offered sacrifice before God. Samuel arrived soon afterward and rebuked Saul for what he had done.

The Big Picture

There is a key theme that runs throughout the Bible and is especially clear in the story of Israel in the Old Testament. So long as the king and the people are faithful to God, He could be their defense. But in Israel, no monarchy could prosper that did not acknowledge the supreme authority of God in all things. 

The same principle applies to us today. We should never follow impulse, nor rely on human judgment. We should always look to the revealed will of God and walk according to His definite commandment, no matter what circumstances may surround us. We must trust God to take care of the results. We must be faithful to His word especially in time of trial. This way humans and angels will see that the Lord can trust us in difficult places to carry out His will, honor His name, and bless His people.

Back to Saul and 1 Samuel 14

 And Saul was sitting in the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron. The people who were with him were about six hundred men. Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. But the people did not know that Jonathan had gone.
- 1 Samuel 14:2-3 NKJV

Saul has six hundred men without proper weapons (1 Samuel 13:16-23). While Jonathan is off with his armorbearer attacking the Philistine garrison (for more on this read A Mighty Minority) Saul is sitting with his army and priests until his watchmen notice something.

Now the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and there was the multitude, melting away; and they went here and there. 
- 1 Samuel 14:16 NKJV

Saul asks his men to call the roll and realizes that Jonathan and his armorbearer were not there. Those two young men had just been used by God in a mighty way and the Philistines were making a hasty retreat while killing one another.

Saul Takes Action

Saul finally decides to do something. He tells Ahijah (a descendant of Eli, and the Lord’s priest in Shiloh [1 Samuel 14:3]) to bring either the ark of God or the ephod. There is debate about which one is the better version and thee are good arguments for both and I do not wish to go off on this tangent for now since it makes virtually no difference to the story. What is clear is that Saul appears to seek God in some way before acting. This at first seems like a good thing and it seems that Saul has repented decided to seek God. However, we never find out what God’s answer was.

 Now it happened, while Saul talked to the priest, that the noise which was in the camp of the Philistines continued to increase; so Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.” 
- 1 Samuel 14:19 NKJV

Saul interrupts the priest! Saul calls the priest, inquires of God but does not take the time to listen. Saul has not changed after all. Saul continues to believe that he cannot afford to wait upon God. Saul must have thought that he would miss a golden opportunity if he waited for God’s will to be revealed.

I am highlighting Saul’s actions and attitude because his actions deserve to be observed and weighed in light of all the information we have concerning him. Keep this in the back of your mind as we continue to study this passage and the life of Saul.

Saul assembles his army and they go to battle. Jonathan received a sign from God that He would deliver the Philistines into the hands of Israel (1 Samuel 14:12) but Saul was going in blind, trusting in his military might. God was working in this and all the Hebrews who were close by joined Saul and Jonathan and the Israelite army in attacking the Philistines. Some believe that some Hebrews had been taken captive by the Philistines and now rebelled others argue that they were more likely Hebrews with divided loyalties that now decided to join the winning side.

The most important point however is that God was the one who defeated the Philistines.

So the LORD saved Israel that day, and the battle shifted to Beth Aven.
- 1 Samuel 14:23 NKJV

Distressed?

The very next verse in 1 Samuel 14 is odd, it does not seem to fit the narrative. Right after we read about the LORD saving Israel that day we read that the men of Israel were distressed that day. Why would the men of Israel be distressed that day? The verse explains it.

And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had placed the people under oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food until evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food. 
1 Samuel 14:24 NKJV

Saul caused the distress that day. On a day where God was saving the Israelites, a day of victory, a day of great physical exertion, Saul declared a fast a placed the people under oath. I like the way the book Patriarchs and Prophets puts it.

Saul was in disfavor with God, and yet unwilling to humble his heart in penitence. What he lacked in real piety he would try to make up by his zeal in the forms of religion. 
Patriarchs and Prophets p622

Saul had disobeyed God when he offered the sacrifice instead of waiting for Samuel. Then Saul asks the priest to inquire of the LORD and interrupts him before he had an answer. Saul rushes to battle but first makes a crazy oath with a curse but this oath has religious overtones. Fasting and prayer are a powerful combination that yield results, however, they take place in a context of penitence and humility and seeking after God. Saul here takes a religious practice and uses it out of context making it a burden on the people.

I consider what Saul did here to be religious abuse. Saul was not seeking God. Saul was not seeking God’s will. Saul was once again using religious behavior to influence people or perhaps even to twist God’s arm to bless him and his army. At best Saul was just ignorant regarding how fasting works, at worst Saul, was once again using religious behavior to manipulate others. Saul was trying to look pious and consecrated, as someone who cared deeply about God. Saul tried to portray himself as man of deep faith and devotion to God. However, this was all simply for show. Saul did not really care about God’s will. This is evident not only because of Saul’s previous behavior but because of his own words. Saul declared the fast until he had taken vengeance upon his enemies.

And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had placed the people under oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food until evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food. 
- 1 Samuel 14:24 NKJV (bold mine)

The men of Israel were distressed because of Saul’s arrogance and his desire to make this all about him when clearly it was the LORD who saved Israel that day. Saul was not declaring a fast to seek God. Saul was not fasting in order to humble himself. Saul declared a fast hoping it would bring glory to himself. He wanted a big victory, he wanted the destruction of his enemies, and he was willing to use religion in order to obtain his personal ambitions. Saul was weaponizing religion for personal gain. Saul was trying to make up for what he lacked in real piety in his zeal for the forms of religion. Saul’s zeal was theatrical, his religion was empty of real meaning, it was only an attempt to garner influence and power to himself.

“The victory had already been gained, without Saul's knowledge or co-operation, but he hoped to distinguish himself by the utter destruction of the vanquished army. The command to refrain from food was prompted by selfish ambition, and it showed the king to be indifferent to the needs of his people when these conflicted with his desire for self-exaltation.”
- Patriarchs and Prophets p 624

Misplaced Zeal

Since Saul could not claim the honor of the victory, he hoped to be honored for his zeal in maintaining the sacredness of his oath. To accomplish this Saul was willing even to sacrifice his son, hoping to impress upon his subjects the fact that the royal authority must be maintained.

When Saul declared the oath Jonathan and his armorbearer were busy chasing and killing Philistines. Jonathan was not aware of the vow and in his ignorance, he ate a bit of honey and only then did a soldier tell him about the vow.

27 But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath; therefore he stretched out the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in a honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his countenance brightened. 28 Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food this day.’ ” And the people were faint.

29 But Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. Look now, how my countenance has brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! For now would there not have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?”
-1 Samuel 14:27-30 NKJV

It is worth noting the words Jonathan spoke in verse 29 when he said his father had “troubled the land” because this same expression is used regarding Achan in Joshua 7:25-26. Achan had impaired Israel’s previous military campaign and died under God’s judgment. Achan had been selfish and disobeyed God and God judged him. This does not bode well for King Saul.

When evening came and the battle was over the famished soldiers rushed on the spoil and sinned since they did not properly drain the blood from the animals they butchered. So Saul calls for a large stone to be rolled and called everyone to slaughter the animals there in order for the blood to be properly drained before consumption.

Then Saul built an altar to the Lord. This was the first altar that he built to the Lord.
- 1 Samuel 14:35 NKJV

Oddly verse 35 mentions that this was the first altar that Saul built to the Lord. This seems to be a random thing to mention, but I get the feeling that this is not praise but rather a demonstration that Saul was not intentionally building an altar in order to praise and magnify the name of God, but rather did it as an afterthought to keep the people from sinning because of his foolish oath.

This only confirms Saul’s troubling relationship with religion. Saul does not seem really concerned about bringing honor and glory to God or with following God’s will. Saul only seems interested in the benefits that religious behavior will bring him, whether to influence God or the people to his personal advantage. I wish Saul was the only one who ever behaved in this manner. But I believe you may have met people like him in this aspect.

Those who are most ready to excuse or justify themselves in sin are often most severe in judging and condemning others. Many, like Saul, bring upon themselves the displeasure of God, but they reject counsel and despise reproof. Even when convinced that the Lord is not with them, they refuse to see in themselves the cause of their trouble. They cherish a proud, boastful spirit, while they indulge in cruel judgment or severe rebuke of others who are better than they.
- Patriarchs and Prophets p625

Saul’s course of action convinced the people that kingly honor and authority were dearer to him than justice, mercy, or benevolence. Sadly there are those who behave similarly in our day and age as well. These are men and women who are quick to judge others and to weaponize religion for their advantage. They are not really seeking God’s will, they are not humble, but rather use their zeal for the forms of religion as a way of manipulating those around them. Their religion is theatrical and devoid of any true desire to seek or follow God.

Takeaway

I hope and pray that this study has opened your eyes to those who try to use religion as a way of manipulating others for their personal gain.

I pray and hope that this study has helped you understand that religion is great, so long as it causes you to draw closer to God. So long as religion helps you know God better and fulfill the mission God has called you to, it’s great. But the moment it becomes an instrument to control others, to beat people down and raise others to power, the moment that religion stops having God and His will as its main focus and the preaching of the gospel as its main goal it becomes dangerous and abusive.

I am all for church. I am in favor of religion. But we have to make sure that it is always serving the right purpose, to point people to Jesus, and draw people to a saving relationship with God.