Today’s reading opens with more war. It’s a war of Saul’s choosing. Basically, Saul takes the elite of Israel’s army and pokes the enemy’s eye. Yes, Saul succeeds in stirring up a hornet’s nest with his enemies, the Philistines! The Philistines respond by amassing a mighty army. This show of force has the men of Israel in such a state of panic that they hide in caves, thickets, rocks, and cisterns (1 Samuel 13:5-7). God’s people, hiding from the enemy—what a sight! This is certainly not one of Israel’s finest moments, thanks partly to their invention of a shiny new king—that replaced God as their king!
So, what’s a new king to do? As it turns out, Israel still needs God! Samuel tells Saul to wait seven days while he goes to visit Saul and his men with an answer from God. But during this time, Saul’s men begin scattering in fear as they see the Philistines readying themselves to march. Saul waits almost seven days but takes matters into his own hands. He disobeys Samuel and transgresses the law of God, sacrificing a burnt offering for himself. Saul does what only the priest can do in a failed effort to ask God for help. Another not-so-bright moment for the shiny new king! Notice Samuel’s response to Saul.
And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.” (1 Samuel 13:13–14, ESV)
While Saul was a massive failure and disappointment for Israel, this situation shows us a powerful lesson. There will come times in our lives as believers when we are tempted to panic and take situations into our own hands. The enemy has amassed itself! Humanly speaking, the enemy has the ability and power to march all over us! With the wrong perspective, we see an impossible-looking situation. We are tempted to act now and in our own way with devastating results.
But wait! This is when we must take our eyes off the situation and put them on God by remembering what He has told us. Saul knew he was to wait for Samuel regardless of how scary things looked, but his eyes were in the wrong place, and he panicked. How easy it is to slip into this trap! So, what has God told us?
Among the many exceeding, great, and precious promises we have been given (1 Peter 1:4), I like how the Psalmist describes what God was to him in one of these moments and how God is still this to us!
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. (Psalm 18:2, KJV)
Child of God, rejoice, and fear not—God is our refuge, and He is in control! No enemy, situation, or problem is greater than our God!
Thank you for joining with me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from 1 Samuel 13:1-14:52.