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WEAKNESSES OF SAUL BEGAN TO SHOW
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6
1 Samuel 13

Proverbs 27:1-6

 

“Boast not thyself of to morrow;
for thou knowest not what

a day may bring forth.”

 

WEAKNESSES OF SAUL BEGAN TO SHOW
 
Saul was king, but he could do little without guidance from the Lord and from Samuel as God’s representative. The disadvantage of having a king was beginning to appear. Israel was a unique nation and was not to be compared with other nations. However, the people, in their pride and ignorance, had insisted that they wanted a king. Saul’s weaknesses began to show.
 
God had mercy on the nation because they were not able to judge themselves rightly. However, they soon knew that they could not rely on their own power to stand as a nation. Samuel, as a prophet of the Lord, had initially objected to their request for a king, but the Lord overruled him. God told him to acede to their request. At this point, the king was headed for failure. The Lord allowed them to learn their lesson the hard way. Samuel represented a spiritual approach to leadership while Saul represented the carnal approach.
 
The neighbouring Philistines were an immediate problem. They gathered a large army and chariots, and were determined and confident to fight and overcome the infant army of Saul. They had chariots and horsemen and a large army. They came towards Israel and were set to fight. Israel realised that they were at a disadvantage. They could not fight the Philistines. They thus hid in caves, thickets and rocks. Some of them fled beyond Jordan. Saul was in Gilgal and the people that followed him were greatly frightened.
 
Samuel was delayed in coming to Saul at the appointed time to offer burnt offerings. The people who were with Saul were scattered from him. The king was impatient and took it upon himself to offer sacrifices. It was unlawful for him to take upon himself that sacred duty.
 
THOUGHT: The leader of God’s people must not be carnally minded.

PRAYER: Father, guide our decisions in fulfilling our sacred duties.

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