1 Samuel 11 – 17

Saul is the king the hearts of men desire. His first test revealed a near flawless result. The people of Jabesh-gilead were at the mercy of the Ammonites. Instead of calling upon Yahweh, however, they called to their enemy for a treaty. Faced with a humiliating eye gouge, they still chose not to call upon Yahweh calling upon Israel, instead. Saul answered the call (insert your best “Better Call Saul” joke here), responded quickly and saved the day.

Then, the king who looked the part, truly acted the part. He rightly shifted the glory for the victory to Yahweh. As He promised He would do, the LORD worked salvation from their enemies and the Ammonites could not stand against them. Just as He delivered them from the Egyptians, He delivered them this day. This was the way things were supposed to work for the Israelites inhabiting the land of promise.

His mission complete, it was time for Samuel to leave in peace and pass into eternity. He bid the people farewell with a reminder of his integrity and Yahweh’s faithfulness. His words to the people were simply, “Do not turn aside from following the LORD”. It is really that simply. It really is that hard.

After a year before officially ascending to the throne, Saul is faced with the old enemy of God’s people, the Philistines. I find myself cheering for Saul … do not turn aside from following Yahweh … give Him the glory. The Philistines came at them with a massive army, and Saul and his army were in trouble. Saul called for the burnt offering to be brought to him and he offered it. The problem was that Saul was a Benjaminite and not a Levite. Further, he was not consecrated as a priest. Even more, the offerings were to be offered on the altar at the Tabernacle, not wherever Saul happened to be. An appeal to Yahweh was the right course to take. Everything else was wrong.

Yahweh was displeased with his disobedience and would take his kingdom away. It’s that serious. We simply cannot take religious things, do them our way and try to attach God’s name to it. We will see this principle again when David tries to bring the Ark back to the Tabernacle and Uzzah dies trying to keep it from falling off the ox cart. When God expresses the way He desires for us to come to Him, everything else is disobedient.

Saul follows this up with his rash vow that Jonathan unknowingly violates. Just to complete the mess, he fails to destroy the Amalekites and all of their belongings as commanded by God. Worse still, he lies about it and even “blames God” by saying he planned to sacrifice the animals. In kingly fashion, he resorts to, ‘it’s the people’s fault”. His fall was complete. Reliance upon a mortal man – even a tall one – is no substitute for reliance upon God. Men will fail you every time, but Yahweh never fails.

Yahweh looks to the hearts of men and finds the unlikely king. A boy. A shepherd boy. Not even the oldest boy in his family. Just a little boy, with a heart for the LORD. God found a king. His choice seemed to bear out well in the battle with Goliath. Saul and his army cowered in fear while the LORD went out to fight using David and 5 stones.

It was unlikely, and unexpected. It was the stuff of legend. It is the essence of faith. David did nothing except show up with a right heart, and the LORD worked salvation. That was the way things are supposed to work for the people of God living in the promise.

Consider His nature. Consider His ways. Strive to love Him more!