Obedience During Emergencies
This post is part of my Of Kings and Men series on the book of 1 Samuel.
Saul has been king for two years and sets out to defend Israel against foreign enemies as the elders had wanted (1 Samuel 8:20 more on that this post). There was a Philistine administrative center at Geba. The problem is that Geba is located in the Israelite heartland, about three miles from Israel’s original capital. You can see how their presence there threatened the early Israelite monarchy. Also, since Geba had been set aside for the Aaronic priesthood (Joshua 21:17), its return to Israelite hands would likely help strengthen the worship of the Lord in Israel. (Bergen, Robert D. The New American Commentary. Broadman & Holman, 1996. p148)
Saul selected three thousand men from Israel for himself and left one thousand of those men with Jonathan his firstborn son. It was Jonathan who attacked the Philistines in Geba. Jonathan had such success that Israel became “a stench” to the Philistines (1 Samuel 13:4). Saul then blows the trumpet to prepare Israel for war against the Philistines.
As the Israelites gather at Gilgal with Saul, the Philistines gathered to fight the Israelites at Michmash. Interestingly, Michmash is where Saul had been earlier with his two thousand men (1 Samuel 13:2). Perhaps this was a Philistine tit-for-tat response to the Israelite occupation of their former center of operations in Geba. Jonathan took Geba and the Philistines took Geba and both nations prepare for the real battle. The problem is that the Philistines completely outnumber and outgun the Israelites. At the beginning of this story, Saul kept only three thousand Israelites and sent everyone else home. Now the Philistines have shown up with most likely three thousand chariots (thirty thousand might have been a translation problem but this has zero theological impact) six thousand horsemen and so many people that they’re compared to the sand on the seashore.
The men of Israel saw what a tight spot they were in; and because they were hard pressed by the enemy, they tried to hide in caves, thickets, rocks, holes, and cisterns.
- 1 Samuel 13:6 NLT
When the Israelites saw the enemy force that had gathered against them they fled! They bravely fled and hid anywhere they could. Suddenly they realized that a king is not really what they needed, what they needed was a miracle from God. God has given them what they asked for and they are now realizing they had asked for the wrong thing. Instead of bravely supporting their king and showing up to fight the enemy and defend their land they run away and abandon their king and their land, since some even fled across the Jordan, in essence leaving the promised land. The Israelites were suddenly aware that they had sinned against God in asking for a king, and now they are too proud, or too ashamed, to call on their God. Instead of humbling themselves and repenting, they flee and hide in fear.
Poor Saul is left in Gilgal with a few men who followed him, but even those men are trembling.
Some of them crossed the Jordan River and escaped into the land of Gad and Gilead. Meanwhile, Saul stayed at Gilgal, and his men were trembling with fear.
1 Samuel 13:7 NLT
Now Saul waits seven days for Samuel. As Saul waits people continue to desert him. His small army continues to shrink. Day after day Saul waits for Samuel to come. This was a difficult test of obedience. Saul waits for Samuel as he watches his chances of winning diminish each day. Finally, on the seventh day, when Saul does not see Samuel he decides to take matters into his own hands. In my research of this passage, I found several scholars who believe that Saul is waiting for seven days because of the command given by Samuel in 1 Samuel 10:8 this is the clearest textual link between these two stories and the clearest reason for Saul having to wait seven days. However, other scholars argue that two years have passed since the events described in 1 Samuel 10:8 and that Samuel must have given Saul another similar command that is not recorded. Though the debate regarding the connection between 1 Samuel 10:8 and 1 Samuel 13:8 may continue one thing is clear, Saul knew that he had to wait for seven days for Samuel, also Saul was not to offer the sacrifice.
With an impetuous spirit because Samuel did not appear at the appointed time, he rushed before God presumptuously, and undertook the sacred work of sacrifice. While equipped for war, he built the altar and officiated for himself and the people. This work was sacredly given to those appointed for the purpose. This act was a crime in Saul, and such an example would lead the people to have a low estimate of the religious ceremonies and ordinances sanctified and appointed of God, prefiguring the sinless offering of his dear Son. God would have his people have a holy regard and sacred reverence for the sacrificial work of the priests, which pointed to the sacrifice of his Son.
- Spiritual Gifts (1858). (Vol. 4a, p. 69)
Of course, as it happens in life, as soon as Saul finished presenting the burnt offering Samuel came and Saul went to “bless” (בָּרַךְ) Samuel. (In the original Hebrew there is a sense of irony as Saul comes to “bless” Samuel while his disobedience placed a curse on himself.)
“What have you done?” Samuel asked. And Saul replied, “When I saw that the troops were deserting me, and that you did not come at the appointed time and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash, I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will descend upon me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the LORD.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”
- 1 Samuel 13:11-12 Berean Study Bible
“What have you done?” This question reminds us of Genesis 3:13 where God asks Eve the same question. Saul has three excuses for his disobedience, he blames his soldiers for scattering, Samuel for being late, and the Philistines who were gathering at Michmash. It’s interesting how Saul says he was compelled or a more literal translation “forced himself” to offer the sacrifice. Here we witness once again Saul’s spiritual ineptitude. Saul sought God’s favor through an act of disobedience.
This will become even more clear in the future, but I have a theory as to why Saul behaved in this way, and though this is the first time it is not the last. I believe that Saul was using religion as a way of gaining popularity and influence over the people. It was clear that only God could save them. Standing around waiting for Samuel probably made him feel weak.
What kind of king was he if he needed to wait around for seven days for Samuel?
After all, who was the leader here, him or Samuel?
If he was king, should he not be allowed to do as he pleases?
Did God no choose him to lead Israel into battle?
So here we have Saul, using worship, using religion and religious behavior/events to gain political influence. He wanted the people to follow him. Saul was not concerned with doing the will of God. If he had been he would have obeyed God. The fact that he disobeyed shows that he was interested in himself and was willing to use God to accomplish his personal goals. The offering of the sacrifice was a solemn ritual and Saul wanted to do it. He wanted the perceived power that came from performing it and like a priest interceding for the people before God. Saul was not offering a sacrifice because he was concerned about God, he was offering a sacrifice because he was concerned about what it would do for him. He wanted God’s power to be on his side when he should have been more concerned about being on God’s side. A desire to be on God’s side causes us to seek God’s will. Otherwise, we simply want to use God to help us accomplish our will. This leads us to pray my kingdom come, my will be done.
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 NASB
God was willing to establish Saul’s kingdom, but Saul was unwilling to obey. Instead of trusting in God to establish his kingdom, he wanted to use God to establish his kingdom. Instead of humble obedience, Saul had behaved presumptuously. He assumed that as king he could do whatever he wanted forgetting that God outranked him. God would replace Saul with a king who would wait for God to establish him and trust in God to defend him and fight his battles.
Saul did not become king because he was so obedient and capable, but God chose him and was willing to equip and enable him to be a successful king. Though Saul’s obedience did not earn him the throne, his disobedience cost him his throne.
Samuel leaves Saul.
Saul counts his men and out of the three thousand he had at the beginning of the story (1 Samuel 13:2) he now has about six hundred men (1 Samuel 13:15).
Saul’s disobedience did not help, it only made things worse. Not trusting God, disobeying God, never brings about a positive outcome. Disobeying God always hurts us and those around us. Whenever we are tempted to solve a problem by behaving in a way that is contrary to the will of God it will only cause problems, pain, and suffering.
Do you believe that God has a plan for you? I do. God has a plan for all of us. How successful God’s plan will be, depends on us. Each time we rebel against God’s will, we make life more difficult. But it does not mean that there is no hope. God is a merciful God. We can repent, turn to Him, and ask for a second chance. But every time that we trust Him and rely on Him and depend on Him, He never fails. When He says wait, let’s wait. When He says go, let’s go. But let us always live in accordance to His will, because that is the best life we can possibly live.
