Saul's Downfall!!
Samuel Rebukes Saul
13 Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty- two years.
2 Saul chose three thousand men from Israel; two thousand were with him at Mikmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. The rest of the men he sent back to their homes.
3 Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul had the trumpet blown throughout the land and said, “Let the Hebrews hear!” 4 So all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel has become obnoxious to the Philistines.” And the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.
5 The Philistines assembled to fight Israel, with three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Mikmash, east of Beth Aven. 6 When the Israelites saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns. 7 Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.
Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. 8 He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. 9 So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering. 10 Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.
11 “What have you done?” asked Samuel.
Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, 12 I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”
13 “You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”
15 Then Samuel left Gilgal and went up to Gibeah in Benjamin, and Saul counted the men who were with him. They numbered about six hundred.
Saul for the most part had a very prosperous reign as King of Israel. He was the King, and Samuel was the prophet and priest. As Saul listened to spiritual guidance of Samuel, and allowed him to administer the sacrifices to The Lord, the Lord's hand was upon him. Everything he did prospered. But today he makes a fatal mistake. When Samuel did not come at the set time, Saul took matters into his hands. He took over the role of a Samuel and usurped Samuel's authority, by trying to play the priestly role.
The problem was it was forbidden for anyone to offer sacrifices on behalf of the people, except for God's anointed one. Saul had authority in civil affairs but did not have the authority to act as a priest. In his arrogance Saul did what was explicitly forbidden in the Law. Saul had put himself even above the Law of The Lord, the ultimate error in judgment. Saul tries to make excuses that the men were scattering, but the bottom line was he didn't trust in God's provision or in Samuel. The consequence, his authority as King was taken from him. Soon a man after God's own heart would be called and anointed king, but for now Saul reaps what he has sown.
Before we get too judgmental of Saul, I wonder how we sometimes do the same thing. When do we fail to wait on The Lord and take matters into our own hands? When do we get impatient and assume God isn't going to provide so that we take shortcuts? When do we do what we know is wrong, and do it anyway? What I am describing is the sinful nature, which is the downfall of all mankind. It's basic flaw is when we say I want to be in control because I don't trust that God will care for me.
And we know the result of this sinful nature is we are cut off from God. The wages of sin is death. But fortunately that is not the end of the story. Because of God's great love for us He sent us a Savior. By grace we are saved by faith. We all, like Saul, fall short of God's plan for our lives. We too suffer consequences for our bad behavior. But as we trust in Jesus, not only our sins forgiven, but our mistakes can be redeemed for God's glory. I hope that is good news for you today, for there is now no condemnation in Christ Jesus.
Let us pray. Heavenly Father, I admit I am a sinner and need your help. Thank you for sending Your Son, Jesus to die for me and take away my sin. Today I confess my sin to you, when I have not trusted you with my whole heart. I trust in Jesus that he died for me to make me whole. Today, I serve you in newness of life. Amen.
13 Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty- two years.
2 Saul chose three thousand men from Israel; two thousand were with him at Mikmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. The rest of the men he sent back to their homes.
3 Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul had the trumpet blown throughout the land and said, “Let the Hebrews hear!” 4 So all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel has become obnoxious to the Philistines.” And the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.
5 The Philistines assembled to fight Israel, with three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Mikmash, east of Beth Aven. 6 When the Israelites saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns. 7 Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.
Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. 8 He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. 9 So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering. 10 Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.
11 “What have you done?” asked Samuel.
Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, 12 I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”
13 “You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”
15 Then Samuel left Gilgal and went up to Gibeah in Benjamin, and Saul counted the men who were with him. They numbered about six hundred.
Saul for the most part had a very prosperous reign as King of Israel. He was the King, and Samuel was the prophet and priest. As Saul listened to spiritual guidance of Samuel, and allowed him to administer the sacrifices to The Lord, the Lord's hand was upon him. Everything he did prospered. But today he makes a fatal mistake. When Samuel did not come at the set time, Saul took matters into his hands. He took over the role of a Samuel and usurped Samuel's authority, by trying to play the priestly role.
The problem was it was forbidden for anyone to offer sacrifices on behalf of the people, except for God's anointed one. Saul had authority in civil affairs but did not have the authority to act as a priest. In his arrogance Saul did what was explicitly forbidden in the Law. Saul had put himself even above the Law of The Lord, the ultimate error in judgment. Saul tries to make excuses that the men were scattering, but the bottom line was he didn't trust in God's provision or in Samuel. The consequence, his authority as King was taken from him. Soon a man after God's own heart would be called and anointed king, but for now Saul reaps what he has sown.
Before we get too judgmental of Saul, I wonder how we sometimes do the same thing. When do we fail to wait on The Lord and take matters into our own hands? When do we get impatient and assume God isn't going to provide so that we take shortcuts? When do we do what we know is wrong, and do it anyway? What I am describing is the sinful nature, which is the downfall of all mankind. It's basic flaw is when we say I want to be in control because I don't trust that God will care for me.
And we know the result of this sinful nature is we are cut off from God. The wages of sin is death. But fortunately that is not the end of the story. Because of God's great love for us He sent us a Savior. By grace we are saved by faith. We all, like Saul, fall short of God's plan for our lives. We too suffer consequences for our bad behavior. But as we trust in Jesus, not only our sins forgiven, but our mistakes can be redeemed for God's glory. I hope that is good news for you today, for there is now no condemnation in Christ Jesus.
Let us pray. Heavenly Father, I admit I am a sinner and need your help. Thank you for sending Your Son, Jesus to die for me and take away my sin. Today I confess my sin to you, when I have not trusted you with my whole heart. I trust in Jesus that he died for me to make me whole. Today, I serve you in newness of life. Amen.
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