Losing God in the Middle - Lessons From King Saul

Losing God in the Middle Lessons From King Saul

 

 

1Samuel 13: 11-12 "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 Micmash, 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."

 

Saul was the first King of Israel. His life tells a sad story of promise and failure. His life is presented in three segments in the Bible. The first is humble beginnings, where he knew who God was and gave all honor and glory due Him. The ending is where he had failed the test of prosperity, and began to believe his own press clippings, honoring himself over God. The middle portion of time is captured in the verses above, where we see a lesson in how we too can begin to fall out of line with the mind and heart of God. This middle story shows a typical pattern we too can fall into as believers if we are not careful in our own walk.

 

At the beginning Saul was a humble man. In fact when first approached by the Prophet Samuel to be the one that "all the desire of Israel" would turn to, this was the response from the man who would be king:

 

Saul answered, "But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?" 1Samuel 9: 21

 

There were no ego problems with Saul in the early going. He was surprised that he would be selected at all. In fact when Samuel would publicly select Saul, he would try hiding amongst the baggage (1Samuel 10: 22). But Saul would be King and early on the Lord granted him success. He triumphed over the Ammonites and after his victory; he was afforded an opportunity to put to death any who had opposed his Kingship. His reply showed he still understood from whom all victories flow:

 

But Saul said, "No one shall be put to death today, for this day the LORD has rescued Israel." 1Samuel 11: 13

 

This is the day the Lord has rescued Israel, not Saul. Unfortunately, Saul would grow in stature and within his own mind. The Lord would reject Saul as King after an incident involving the Amalekites. The Lord had decided to use Saul to punish the wicked Amalekites and he gives him strict orders to kill everything; do not spare anyone or any animal. After the Lord gave him victory again however, Saul ignores the orders of the Lord and keeps the Amalekite King, Agag, as well as the choicest plunder. He keeps the best cattle, sheep, lambs, and calves. When the Lord sends Samuel to deal with Saul, this is what he is told: