Saul Couldn’t Wait
In 1 Samuel 13, Saul was preparing for war with the Philistines. Samuel, the prophet, was to come and offer sacrifices on behalf of the people of Israel before the fighting began. He had been told to wait for 7 days for Samuel’s arrival, but people started leaving and he began to worry they were losing too many troops.
While it would be unlawful for Saul to offer sacrifices himself, he also believed that it would be worse for his army if the offering were delayed any longer. Therefore, he disobeyed the commands of God in an effort to gain his favor anyway.
Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “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 against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.”
1 Samuel 13:11-12
Not Honored
God, however, is not honored by ritual offered in disobedience. Instead of bringing a blessing he brought a curse.
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
Saul had thought to observe visual obedience to God so that he could convince his men to take heart for battle. However, in doing so he demonstrated his faith was in the number of his army and not the strength of God.
Jonathan Is Different
In the very next chapter (14) we are told how the Philistines, who had worried Saul so much, were actually defeated. His faith was the exact opposite of that of his father.
Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the Lord will work for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few.”
1 Samuel 14:6
While Saul thought that it was better to dishonor God than to lose too many soldiers, Jonathan thought the number of soldiers was irrelevant as long as one trusted in God.
One man and his armor bearer were able to fight their way through about 20 of their soldiers and cause such confusion in the camp that the men started fighting one another out of confusion caused by the sudden attack.
And that first strike, which Jonathan and his armor-bearer made, killed about twenty men within as it were half a furrow’s length in an acre of land. And there was a panic in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and even the raiders trembled, the earth quaked, and it became a very great panic.
1 Samuel 14:14-15
When Saul saw that the Philistine camp was in confusion he rallied his troops and even some of the men who had deserted returned to help drive them out. They easily routed the army, who had begun to flee already due to the confusion caused by only 2 men.
2 Chapters, 1 Family
Within just two chapters (1 Samuel 13-14) we see the difference demonstrated by these two men from Saul’s family. One was trusting in worldly might and thought God could be used as a means to maintain that strength. The other was trusting in God and took action with seemingly almost no worldly strength at all.
There are few contrasts in life this stark! Do you offer up time to God only as an obligation after resting in your own strength, wealth, or position, or do you do what God has called you to even if it seems impossible in your own strength?
It can be very easy to fall into the trap of thinking there’s a “natural life” and that God can simply be tacked on to maybe improve it in some way. However, the life of a Christian is one lived before the face of God. God’s not an addition. Rather, everything in this life is something which God adds to a life lived first for him.
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Matthew 6:31-33
