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In the previous teaching, we saw Samuel announces Saul as Israel’s king, and, in response, Saul hiding in the baggage. While many Israelites welcomed his kingship, some doubted his ability to lead, partly due to his humble origins from the small tribe of Benjamin. This skepticism leads into what we read in 1 Samuel 11, where Saul faces his first military challenge as king against King Nahash of Ammon. When Nahash threatens the town of Jabesh Gilead, demanding to gouge out the right eye of every citizen as a sign of disgrace, the town pleads for a seven-day reprieve to seek help. The messengers reach Saul, who, though still humble and working in his field, is filled with the Spirit of God and angered by the Ammonite threat. He calls on the people to fight by threatening to destroy their livestock if they refuse, and he successfully leads Israel to victory in a surprise attack. Despite the initial doubts of some about his leadership, Saul's triumph earns him respect, and he forbids the people from executing those who initially opposed his reign.
Saul’s Character and Early Failures
While Saul was initially humble as King, he also used fear and coercion to mobilize the people to fight. This introduces a pattern of Saul's leadership relying on fear rather than persuasion or trust in God. Moving into 1 Samuel 13, Saul’s second military campaign involves a battle against the Philistines. His son, Jonathan, achieves a victory over a Philistine garrison, but the Philistines regroup with a powerful army, causing Saul’s soldiers to flee. Saul grows anxious while waiting for Samuel to offer a pre-battle sacrifice, and, in his fear, he unlawfully performs the sacrifice himself, violating God's command. Samuel rebukes Saul for his disobedience and tells him that his kingdom will not endure. Saul's fear-driven decisions, stemming from insecurity and a lack of trust in God, are seen as the beginning of his downfall.
Jonathan’s Courage and Contrasts to Saul
1 Samuel 14 shows us the contrast of Jonathan’s faith with his father’s fear. Jonathan and his armor-bearer venture to attack a Philistine outpost. He expresses confidence that God can grant them victory, whether they have many warriors or few. This statement highlights Jonathan’s faith in God's power, unlike Saul’s insecurity. Jonathan devises an unusual plan: they will reveal themselves to the Philistines, and if the Philistines challenge them to come up, they will take it as a sign from God to attack. Despite the illogical nature of this tactic, Jonathan and his armor-bearer successfully kill around twenty Philistines, causing panic in the enemy camp. Saul's soldiers see the confusion and join the battle. Saul, however, makes a rash vow that no one should eat until his enemies are defeated, further reflecting his self-centered leadership. When Jonathan, unaware of this oath, eats honey and refreshes himself, Saul is prepared to execute him for breaking the vow. However, the people intervene, recognizing Jonathan’s role in securing victory, and prevent his execution.
Saul’s Decline and Continued Success
Despite these leadership flaws, Saul continues to win military victories, including a successful campaign against the Amalekites. However, the narrative foreshadows that Saul’s moral compromises and disobedience to God's commands will ultimately lead to his downfall. Despite Saul’s success, God’s withdrawal from Saul’s life signals a tragic future, where Saul’s victories do not align with God’s favor. God prepares to raise up a new leader, someone after His own heart, indicating that Saul’s time as king is nearing its end.
Saul’s Disobedience and God’s Regret
Saul continues to fail in the campaign against the Amalekites, where he disobeyed God’s explicit command to destroy everything belonging to the Amalekites, including their livestock. Saul and his men spared the best animals and King Agag. God expresses deep regret over making Saul king, stating that Saul has not been loyal or obedient. Samuel, moved to grief by this, spends the night in prayer. The following morning, Samuel confronts Saul, who greets him cheerfully, believing he has fulfilled God’s command. Samuel rebukes Saul, highlighting his disobedience and the self-deception that led him to believe he had obeyed God’s will. Despite Saul’s insistence that the animals were kept for sacrifice, Samuel emphasizes that obedience is more important to God than offerings, making clear that Saul’s failure lies in his disobedience to God's voice.
The Root of Saul’s Failure: Insecurity and Fear
Saul’s failures as a king are rooted in his insecurity and fear. Although outwardly he appeared humble, Saul was plagued by a profound sense of inadequacy. This insecurity drove his actions, leading him to make decisions out of fear and desperation. Insecurity damages not only the individual but also those around them. In Saul’s case, his insecurity led him to draw people to himself rather than to God. This became evident when he sought to prove his authority even if it meant harming those closest to him, such as his son Jonathan.
Saul’s Use of Manipulation and His Growing Jealousy
Saul’s insecurity manifested itself in several harmful ways. First, he used manipulation, even exploiting his daughter Michal’s love for David to try and control David by marrying her to him. Saul hoped Michal would serve as a trap for David. Additionally, Saul grew increasingly jealous of others, especially as Jonathan and David began to gain more admiration from the people. Saul’s jealousy was sparked when the people celebrated David’s victories more than his own, leading him to anger. Jealousy and resentment are signs of deep-seated insecurity, noting how people in such situations may become consumed by bitterness and blame others for their problems. This bitterness can destroy relationships and lead to isolation.
Impatience and Self-Deception
Another consequence of Saul’s insecurity was impatience, as seen in his premature sacrifice before battle when Samuel was delayed. Saul’s inability to wait on God’s timing was rooted in his fear of losing control. Our insecurity can lead to self-deception, where people, like Saul, create a false sense of confidence to mask their doubts and fears. Saul convinced himself that he was acting in line with God’s will, even when he directly disobeyed. This delusion blinded him to the truth of his disobedience and made it difficult for him to accept responsibility for his actions, leading to further poor decisions.
Jonathan’s Boldness in Contrast to Saul
In contrast to Saul’s insecurity, Jonathan is portrayed as confident and bold in his trust in God. Jonathan’s declaration before his armor-bearer that the Lord will help them reflects a deep faith and fearlessness that was absent in Saul. Jonathan was willing to take risks, not out of a sense of entitlement, but from a place of trust in God’s power. People followed Jonathan out of love and loyalty, rather than out of fear, further highlighting the difference between his leadership and that of his father.
Escaping Saul’s Fate: Security in God’s Love
We can avoid the tragic fate of Saul by finding security in God’s unmerited love. Saul’s greatest flaw was that he sought validation outside of God’s grace, trying to make a name for himself apart from the Lord. In contrast, God’s love is not conditional on what we do but is rooted in His own nature. This love is unchangeable and should be the foundation of our identity, freeing us from the need to prove ourselves through actions or performance. Edmund Clowney illustrates the concept of God’s unconditional love through the analogy of a man explaining to his wife why he loves her. He loves her simply because he loves her, just as God’s love for His people is unconditional and not based on their merits. This foundational security in God's love is what Saul lacked, ultimately leading to his downfall.
Finding True Security in God's Love
Saul’s downfall came from his failure to root his self-worth in God’s love. When we try to base our identity or self-worth on external achievements, status, or performance (like Saul did), we inevitably become trapped in a cycle of having to maintain these aspects. If any evidence contradicts our desired self-image, we feel compelled to suppress or ignore it. This is what happened to Saul, who, despite being elevated by God to the status of king, could never truly accept this role due to his insecurity and need for self-validation.
In contrast, Jesus Christ, though truly powerful, humbled himself to serve others. His humility shows us that it is only by recognizing our own smallness and limitations that we can receive God's grace. God opposes the proud but exalts the humble, offering grace to those who see themselves as they truly are. We should joyfully accept God's view of ourselves, rooted in His unconditional love, rather than striving to prove our worth through worldly means.
Conforming Our Self-View to God’s View
Although God elevated Saul to the position of king, Saul could never embrace this status as a gift of God’s grace. Instead, he tried to prove himself through his own strength and accomplishments. We should strive to see ourselves as God sees us—loved and valued simply because of His grace. When we align our self-perception with God's view, we find security in His love, and this prevents us from falling into the same traps that Saul did.
If we do not deal with our insecurities and fears, as Saul failed to do, we risk becoming disobedient to God and potentially facing tragic consequences in our spiritual lives.