1 Samuel 13, What do you do when things get stressful and fearful?

In 2006, Cardinals defeated the Tigers, 4-2, in Game 5 of the World Series. They won the series four games to one. In their bullpen was a relief pitcher Josh Hancock. His debut in Major League Baseball was September 10, 2002. After four years of his debut, he was a part of the World Series Champion, St. Louis Cardinal and a proud owner of the World Series ring! The championship with Cardinals was the highlight of his baseball career. At the age of 28, he hit the pinnacle of his career.

But, this past Sunday on April 29, having celebrated his 29^th birthday just few weeks before, was killed in a fatal car accident. Talking about a tragedy! Adding to the insult was the discovery that he was intoxicated with a blood-alcohol level of 0.157, nearly double the legal limit in Missouri. Police also found 8.55 grams of marijuana in the car. They also discovered that he was on the phone when the accident occurred.

This is a sad story of an accomplished and promising young man’s life being cut short because he made fatally foolish choices to get drunk and drive while talking on the phone, and possibly on drug as well!

The story of Saul we’ve been following is similar to this young man’s story; Saul made foolish choices in the height of his career as a king; when things got stressful, instead of turning to God in obedience, he turned away from God made him a king over Israel.

Chapter 8 was about the Israelites asking for a king; chapter 9 to chapter 10:8 was Samuel anointing Saul privately as a leader; the rest of chapter 10 was Saul being publicly declared as the chosen king; chapter 11 told the story of how Saul was led by the Spirit and fought victoriously against the Ammonites. This great victory effectively confirmed Saul as the king of Israel. Chapter 12 was about Samuel reminding the Israelites and the newly chosen, anointed, and confirmed king, Saul, of their call to worship the true King, their God.

Saul’s future was bright! All he had to do was to abide by God’s word. Samuel said in 1 Samuel 12:13-14, “Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you asked for; see, the LORD has set a king over you. If you fear the LORD and serve and obey him and do not rebel against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the LORD your God-good!” If he had kept God’s commands, God would have established his kingdom over Israel all time. He had a great future!

But, sadly what we see in chapter 13 is Saul making foolish choices and forfeiting the kingship! Let’s take a look at what happened.

1. The occasion for confrontation caused by Saul’s son.

In 1 Samuel 11, a large number of Israelites volunteered and fought victoriously against the Ammonites under the leadership of Saul. Now, in chapter 13:2, we see Saul choosing three thousand men to serve him and letting the rest go home. Two thousand were with Saul at Micmash and the rest of one thousand were with his son Jonathan at Gibeah.

Verse 3-4 describes to us how the confrontation occurred between the Israelites and the Philistines. Jonathan on his own initiation attacked the Philistine outpoint at Geba. And, quickly the Philistines learned about the attack. And, just like in chapter 11 when Saul called the Israelites to come and fight against the Ammonites, Saul again called his people to join him to fight the Philistines by blowing the trumpet throughout the land. Although his son Jonathan initiated the attack against the Philistines outpost, verse 4 gives the credit for the attack to Saul who was the king. Because of this attack, the Israelites had become a stench to the Philistines. Saul summoned the Israelites to join him in Gilgal.

Here what we see is Saul’s passivity. As the king of Israel, he was to lead his people to the battles and win them with God’s help, taking back the land God had given to Israel. This was his calling. Yet, it wasn’t Saul who initiated the attack. It was his son Jonathan. Saul neglected God’s calling upon his life.

2. The fear gripped the Israelites.

Verse 5, quickly the Philistines assembled their full fighting force to confront Israel. They had three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore. In the complete contrast, in Israel there was not a single chariot.

This caused a mass hysteria in Israel. Verse 6 & 7 recorded, “When the men of Israel 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. Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.” Here they were facing a national crisis; instead of facing the challenge with God’s help, they fled cowardly! They were completely demoralized by the sheer size of their opponent. Verse 7 says that Saul’s troops were quaking with fear.

3. Saul acted impatiently in disobedience.

During this national crisis, verse 8 says that Saul waited seven days, the time set by Samuel. This refers to 1 Samuel 10:8, where Samuel told Saul, “Go down ahead of me to Gilgal. I will surely come done to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait for seven days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do.”

Saul waited. But, when things got exceedingly stressful and fearful for him, when his men began to scatter and Samuel had not showed up yet in the seventh day, Saul decided he couldn’t wait any longer; he took the matter into his own hand. He knew his troops had no chance against the Philistines. He wanted God’s favor in order to win the battle. He thought offering up burnt and fellowship offering to God would get what he wanted from God. But, in the Old Testament, seeking the favor of the LORD was not connected to animal sacrifices.

· Exodus 32:11- Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God by entreating him.

· 1 King 13:6- King Jeroboam asked the man of God to intercede with the LORD, to pray for him to be healed.

· 2 King 13:4 – Jehoahaz sought the LORD’s favor… through prayer. The LORD listened to him.

· Psalm 119:58 – I have sought your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise.

The offering was not necessary to seek God’s help. Nor was he prohibited from offering sacrifices to God. Both David and Solomon made the similar kinds of offering (2 Sam 24:25; 1 Kings 3:15). But, for Saul all he had to do was to ask God for help. He didn’t have to go against what Samuel, God’s prophet, had told him to do. (cf. Exod 32:11; 1 Kings 13:6; 2 Kings 13:4; 2 Chronicles 33:12; Ps 119:58; Jer 26:19; Dan 9:13; Zech 7:2; 8:21-22; Mal 1:9).

Instead of waiting patiently, Saul went ahead ignoring God’s command in order to win God’s favor.

4. When Samuel rebuked Saul of disobedience, all Saul did was to make excuses.

Samuel came as soon as Saul finished the burnt offering. Saul went up to greet him as though everything was just fine. But, Samuel wasted no time; he confronted Saul in verse 11-14:

“What have you done?... You acted foolishly… 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. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command.” Just like Josh Hancock made the foolish choices that led his demise, Saul’s impatient and foolish disobedience to God’s command put an end to his promising future as a king of Israel.

When Samuel rebuked Saul, all Saul tried to do was to make excuses for his disobedience in verse 11-12. These were his excuses for ignoring God’s commands:

· His men were scattering.

· Samuel didn’t show up at the set time.

· The Philistines were assembling at Micmash.

· Saul panicked at the impending attack from the Philistines at Gilgal.

· Saul had not sought the favor of the Lord yet.

· Saul felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.

For God, the fact that Saul would make these excuses to justify his disobedience against his explicit command disqualified Saul. Saul was not a man after God’s heart; he was a man after his own heart.

Applications

• How do you respond to God’s calling in your life? Saul knew God’s calling, but he remained passive, neglected God’s calling, and eventually abandoned God’s calling. If you don’t actively embrace God’s calling upon your life, you risk forfeiting the greatest privilege to partnership in God’s kingdom.
• When things get stressful and fearful do you wait for God or do you act hastily? We will always face stressful and fearful circumstances. God’s desire is to lead you in those difficult times. When you walk through the valley of shadow of death, will you fear evil, will you know that the Lord your shepherd is with you, and will you lean on him for comfort, support, leadership and deliverance?
• Our God is God of forgiveness. I wonder what would have been the outcome if Saul genuinely felt sorry for his disobedience, asked for forgiveness and turned to God for help and guide. What God desires from us is godly sorrow. Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 7:10-11, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done.” Let’s honestly allow God to examine us; and when God highlights for us our sins against him, let’s aim for godly sorrow, repentance, and earnestness to do what’s right!