FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL
Study Continued
For the TEXT of the following study please see previous posting
CHAPTER 13
In this chapter we see the beginning of the fall of King Saul.
As best stated by Joyce Baldwin about the situation Saul faced as he began to reign.
"In relation to Samuel ( the Prophet) , it is obvious that Saul ( the King)had a problem.
On the one hand he owed his appointment to Samuel, but on the other hand he was taking over Samuel's position as Israel's leader. Samuel spoke frequently of the wickedness of the people
in requesting a king, apparently implying that he, Saul, should not really be in office. Yet Saul had not sought to be king, and would have preferred, at least at first, to have been left in obscurity,
but he had not been offered any option. Too many signs had been given that he was the person
of God's appointment, and prayers for deliverance from the Ammonites had been marvellously answered. He was king by divine anointing, by God's overruling of the sacred lot, and by united popular demand. He had caught the imagination of the people, who wanted a hero, and against all odds he was expected to pass muster. Had he realized it, Saul could have gained much by the presence of a seasoned prophet like Samuel alongside him, ready to give guidance, instruction and, if necessary, rebuke. Above all, Samuel was an intercessor who knew the Lord's mind, and saw prayer answered. Samuel would indicate the right way, and all Saul had to do was follow. He could have leant hard on Samuel and he would have found reassurance. In the event, this was exactly what Saul could not bring himself to do."
Verse 1
Saul was . . . *years old when he began to reign; and he reigned . . . and two* years over Israel
In the Bible there appears to be a ‘ blank ‘ where the age and reign of King Saul is noted. Many writers have tried to ‘ fill in the blanks’. Acts 13:21 tells us that King Saul reigned about 40 years. If he died on Mt Gilboa ( See chapter 31 ) at 70 or 80 years old that means that he was 30 or 40 when he began his reign.
Verse 2 – 4
We are introduced to King Saul’s son Jonathan.
“ Jonathan” means – “ A gift of God.”
This is the first mention of Jonathan, a key player in the Bible and in the battles that would ensue.
Gibeah or Geba ( meaning “Hill”; about four miles north of Jerusalem ) was Saul's hometown and his capital. Michmash was about five miles northeast of Jerusalem. Both where within the tribe of Benjamin, Saul himself being of that tribe. Evidently Saul wanted to clear the area around Gibeah, and the central Benjamin plateau on which it stood, of Philistines, to make this population center more secure.
Thus King Saul takes 2,000 men at Michmash while Jonathan is given 1,000 at Gibeah.
Jonathan fights the Philistines and wins. Ironically it is King Saul who calls and receives the glory.
Verse 5 – 7
In response the Philistines gathered their forces at Michmash – a huge army of chariots and troops. This was so frightening to the Hebrew People that they hid themselves away – even in tombs and in cisterns ! Even after the initial battle of King Saul and now Jonathan’s victory the people remained without faith and in fear.
Verse 8 – 13
The Prophet Samuel tells King Saul and his army to wait. Samuel will arrive in seven days – seven being the ‘complete’ number. He, Samuel is to offer sacrifice for the battle. King Saul , with few troops to begin with and now many deserting him panics and is impatient. HE, King Saul goes ahead and offers the sacrifice. This was a violation of the Law. Saul decides not only to play the role of King but now of Priest ! He is so proud of this that King Saul goes out to meet Samuel so that ‘ he ( Samuel ) may salute him ( Saul ) - Imagine ! Contrast this to David's submission to Nathan the prophet in 2 Samuel 12:1-15.
Saul could have offered prayers and yet went beyond himself in offering the sacrifice.
When Samuel challenges Saul the king is not longer proud of this moment but seeks an ‘ excuse’ - he says in verse 11 - "When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, I said, Now the Philistines will come down upon me at Gilgal, and I have not entreated the favour of the LORD'; so I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering." This sounds like the echo of Adam and Eve who when found out by God offered every excuse – except admitting it .
Verse 14
God through Samuel then makes his pronouncement against King Saul –
" But now your kingdom shall not continue; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart." This was to be David ( “David” translated means “Beloved” )
" But now your kingdom shall not continue; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart." This was to be David ( “David” translated means “Beloved” )
This may seem a harsh judgement but Saul was to be the first King the People of Israel.
This was a serious responsibility. King Saul had failed in this seriousness.
Verse 15
Disheartened we see the results. King Saul goes from Gilgal to Gibe-ah of Benjamin; his army once numbering 3,000 is now 600; his army was to be without any weapons at all – only Jonathan and Saul carried weapons; Israel was without smiths to fashion any spears or swords; the enemy,
the Philistines roamed about freely.
the Philistines roamed about freely.
And so now what would be the results ?
The Hebrew People and King Saul ( and Jonathan who would increasingly lead the charge ) now fully disarmed would HAVE TO rely on God. The results ? Chapter 14 .
QUESTIONS
Feel free to add your thoughts in Comments section
Feel free to add your thoughts in Comments section
1. King Saul clearly oversteps his role and God-given responsibilities. Why did he do this ? Can you think of modern examples whereby God-given roles are overstepped ?
2. King Saul has full excuses for why he did what he did. Why did he not just take responsibility for his actions ? Can you think of a situation where someone DID take humble ownership of their faults ?
3. The Hebrew People ‘lose’ every earthly defence. Yet – you can imagine what will happen – God alone will triumph. Can you think of a situation where a person, nation or community group or faith community was divested of ‘ self ‘ and had to rely on God ?
Posted by Fr Keith Wallace
ReplyDelete1. King Saul did not trust Samuel and by extension, God to do what he said he would do. King Saul's men were deserting him and he knew the Philistines were preparing to battle with him, he knew a sacrafice was necessary so wrongly decided to go ahead instead of waiting for Samuel.
ReplyDeleteThe family is designed by God with roles that both man and woman are to hold. Society has told women that they can do everything that a man can do and that is not the way God has designed it. Each has a role to play and each is important..but not the same.
2. King Saul has the same reaction to his sin as Adam and Eve...shame and blame. By blaming it on other factors, it makes him think he is justifying his wrong actions...but it certainly does not show repentance.
Some in the public domain have "confessed" their mistakes in a very public way and I guess only God can judge if the repentance is sincere or if they are sorry that they got caught. I do know of some that have taken humble ownership of mistakes with no excuses.
3. Perhaps the Jewish people who have survived the holocaust would be an example of a people who only had God to trust and rely on.
1. King Saul was afraid and lost his faith. He lost control of the people (“they hid themselves away”) and, after waiting for Samuel to come, he loses patience. He diminishes Samuel role when he performs the offerings himself, and God is not pleased (neither is Samuel!). As for modern examples, I think that anyone who uses their status and influence to get what they want at the cost of the people is over-stepping their God-given roles. People put faith and trust in these individuals and it is misused for their own selfish ways and not the common good. An example of this may be a “religious leader” who manipulates people through religion to participate in acts of terrorism.
ReplyDelete2. I think that King Saul panicked when he realized that what he did was wrong and he made up excuses (trying to take the blame off of him and make it someone else’s fault). I have seen someone taken ownership of his mistakes. It can be a very difficult thing to do, since there is a lot of pride at stake. People tend to look down on those who do wrong, rather than see the good in the person for admitting their mistakes. After all, we are all human and we all sin!
3. I think that when people lose everything including family (eg. Survivors of natural disasters) they would need to rely on God. Also, when circumstances are beyond their control (eg. families of unsolved crimes (missing people), medical issues (coma patients, stage IV cancer patients)) people should turn to God.