The Journey 10-20-13 I Samuel 13:1-22 (The Message) Take a read. . . Saul was a young man when he began as king. He was king over Israel for many years. Saul conscripted enough men for three companies of soldiers. He kept two companies under his command at Micmash and in the Bethel hills. The other company was under Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. He sent the rest of the men home. Jonathan attacked and killed the Philistine governor stationed at Geba (Gibeah). When the Philistines heard the news, they raised the alarm: ‘The Hebrews are in revolt!’ Saul ordered the reveille trumpets blown throughout the land. The word went out all over Israel, ‘Saul has killed the Philistine governor—drawn first blood! The Philistines are stirred up and mad as hornets!’ Summoned, the army came to Saul at Gilgal. The Philistines rallied their forces to fight Israel: three companies of chariots, six companies of cavalry, and so many infantry they looked like sand on the seashore. They went up into the hills and set up camp at Micmash, east of Beth Aven. When the Israelites saw that they were way out numbered and in deep trouble, they ran for cover, hiding in caves and pits, ravines, and brambles and cisterns—whatever. They retreated across the Jordan River, refugees fleeing to the country in Gilgal, his soldiers still with him but scared to death. He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel. Samuel failed to show up at Gilgal, and the soldiers were slipping away, right and left. So Saul took charge: ‘Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!’ He went ahead and sacrificed the burnt offerings. No sooner had he done it than Samuel showed up! Saul greeted him. Samuel said, ‘What on earth are you doing?’ Saul answered, ‘When I saw I was losing my army from under me, and that you hadn’t come when you said you would, and that the Philistines were poised at Micmash, I said, The Philistines are about to come down on me in Gilgal, and I haven’t yet come before God asking for his help. So I took things into my own hands, and sacrificed the burnt offering.’ ‘That was a fool thing to do,’ Samuel said to Saul. ‘If you had kept the appointment that your God commanded, by now God would have set a firm and lasting foundation under you kingly rule over Israel. As it is, you kingly rule is already falling to pieces. God is out looking for you replacement right now. This time he’ll do the choosing. When he finds him, he’ll appoint him leader of his people. And all because you didn’t keep your appointment with God!’ At that, Samuel got up and left Gilgal. What army was left sollowed Saul into battle. They went into the hills from Gilgal toward Gibeah in Benjamin. Saul looked over and assessed the soldiers still with him—a mere six hundred! Saul, his son Jonathan, and the soldiers who had remained made camp at Geba (Gibeah) of Benjamin. The Philistines were camped at Micmash. Three squads of raiding parties were regularly sent out from the Philistine camp. One squadron was assigned to the Ophrah road going toward Shual country; another was assigned to the Beth Horon road; the third took the border road that rimmed the Valley of Hyenas. There wasn’t a blacksmith to be found anywhere in Israel. The Philistines made sure of that—‘Lest those Hebrews start making swords and spears.’ That means that the Israelites had to go down among the Philistines to keep their farm tools—plowshares and mattocks, axes and sickles—sharp and in good repair. They charged a sliver coin for the plowshares and mattocks, and half that for the rest. So when the battle of Micmash was joined, there wasn’t a sword or spear to be found anywhere in Israel—except for Saul and his son Jonathan; they were both well-armed.” Reflections • Lesson- Leadership comes with a “high” bar of responsibility & expectations. Saul didn’t wait for Samuel because: a. He was a bit afraid? b. He was losing his army! c. Rationalized that as king, he could take care of this? d. “God is out looking for your replacement right now. This time he’ll do the choosing.” OUCH! • I must confess, the movement between stories in these chapters is a little more than puzzling. Then it sort of hits you that the narrative is again NOT trying to give us a linear account of Saul’s life. Here we move almost straight from Saul’s confirmation as king to his rejection as king, and as there is more than one account of his becoming king, there is more than one account of his rejection as king. I am beginning to feel the only thing that really matters about Saul is that he was David’s predecessor. I mean let’s get real, the focus of the account of Saul is how he LOST his position as king, and the first announcement of his rejection comes right at the BEGINNING of the account of his reign. What were the writers/compilers (along with Samuel) thinking? Well, God’s Spirit inspired the story, and to be told, what was He thinking? PARENTHETICAL observation: This is a little like the account of Luke’s gospel. He puts the account of Jesus’ rejection at Nazareth at the beginning of the account of Jesus’ ministry, whereas the other Gospels put it much later. Luke recognizes that it will help us read the story “correctly” if he tells us at the beginning where it is headed. Kind of makes sense, right? The arrangement of Saul’s story has the same effect. • Okay, where you in some way a little SYMPATHETIC? Look at the position he was in, his army, and his son Jonathan. The Philistines numbered into, well, “sands on the seashore.” That is rather imposing don’t you think? a. Understandably, a huge PANIC is happening with Saul’s forces. b. He is “commander-in-chief” and needs to take some decisive action, right? c. What is he to do? What would YOU do? d. Wait for the Philistines to come down the mountains to attack and neglect to seek God’s help? e. Take the initiative and go into battle WITHOUT seeking God’s help? f. Seek God’s help as if he were a priest who could take the lead in offering sacrifice? (hey, he had a fantastic, supernatural experience, FULL of the Spirit of God prophesying moment, remember?) g. OR, WAIT for Samuel to show up and risk his army dissipating until there is virtually NOTHING left and force that is left gets slaughtered? Again, what would you or I do? To be perfectly honest, I am not sure there is an “ideal” course of action. Saul makes the decision that he thinks “circumstances” require; after all, Samuel talked about waiting seven days, and Saul has done so. Then he gets into TROUBLE for it. By implication, he should have waited LONGER, but what exactly is the DIVINE command that he has disobeyed? Hmmmmmm, • Samuel sees his delay as test of obedience, though that does seem a bit tough. • Perhaps it is also a test of TRUST; a number of stories in Judges and the books of Samuel tell of God’s rescuing people though they get into desperate situations and of God’s giving Israel victory when their numbers have become very small. • Regardless of the surrounding circumstances, our mind’s view, our perceptions, our opinions, other’s points of view, when God gives us a clear mandate, should we follow it to the letter? WAIT, WAIT, STAND STILL! as Moses would say and SEE the SALVATION of the Lord.” What do you think? Was it that kind of a test? Well, the result was, Saul’s monarchy, right then and there is rejected. Ouch! No, it does not mean that this rejection at this stage, Saul himself is to be dethroned as king. I think Samuel’s point is that whereas a monarchy is usually HEREDITARY and after a king’s death he is succeeded by his son, in Saul’s case God will NOT allow this to happen. It is apparently too late to go back on the idea of having kings, but Saul will not be succeeded by his son as one might have expected. (and Jonathan seems like a great choice! Qualities his dad might have lacked. Although, a bit of irony in that Jonathan is perhaps too nice and NOT very interested in power!) Someone else will succeed Saul. For me, this morning, this is a sobering story. There is a transcending principal here, one that you and I need to embrace. What do you think it is? Love you gals and guys, pb
Posted on: Sun, 20 Oct 2013 11:26:22 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015