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Israel’s Request for a King
The book of 1 Samuel takes place in the 1000s BC. Israel is transitioning from a loose collection of tribes to a united nation under a monarchy. The people, disillusioned with the leadership of the prophet Samuel due to his age and his corrupt sons, request a king to lead them in battle, like the surrounding nations. Despite the people’s superficial desires for a king who embodies outward qualities, such as height, wealth, and good looks, God grants them Saul, knowing this is not the kind of king they truly need.
God Looks at the Heart
God looks beyond external appearances and judges the heart. In choosing leaders, what the world values—such as physical attributes—doesn’t necessarily align with the qualities God values in a spiritual or servant leader.
The Lessons for Spiritual Leadership
God tries to teach Saul three important lessons in his role as a king and spiritual leader. The first lesson is that Saul must understand God’s love for him. This is foundational for his leadership and for any believer's life. Saul’s insecurity and pride are problematic, as he often seeks affirmation from people rather than finding his worth in God’s love. The second lesson is that the people Saul leads belong to God, not to him. Saul struggles with control issues, often forgetting that his role is to be a steward of God’s people, not to dominate them. The third lesson is about trust: Saul must listen to God and trust Him to provide what is needed. Instead of focusing on the difficulties around him, Saul needs to rely on God’s promises.
Saul’s First Victory and Early Mistakes
The story moves to Saul’s first victory as king, which occurs soon after he is anointed. The town of Jabesh Gilead is threatened by King Nahash of the Ammonites, who demands that the citizens allow him to gouge out their right eyes. In response, Saul, under the influence of God’s spirit, becomes angry and rallies the people for battle. He sends a savage message by cutting up oxen and threatening the people with similar consequences if they don’t join him in battle. Although Saul wins a significant military victory, his leadership is driven by fear and anger, setting up a negative relationship with the people.
Saul’s Failures Begin
We soon see Saul’s failures as a king, starting with the account in 1 Samuel 13. Saul forms a standing army of 3,000 soldiers, led by himself and his son Jonathan. Jonathan, described as a godly and courageous man unlike his father, leads a successful attack on a Philistine outpost. However, this provokes a strong retaliation from the Philistines, who muster a much larger army with superior technology, leaving Saul and his men terrified.
Saul’s First Major Disobedience
As Saul waits for the prophet Samuel to arrive and offer a sacrifice before battle, his troops begin to desert him out of fear. Despite Samuel’s instruction to wait for seven days, Saul becomes impatient as the seventh day comes to an end. He decides to offer the sacrifice himself, an act that was strictly forbidden. Just as he finishes, Samuel arrives, and Saul’s impatience leads to his first significant act of disobedience. Saul failed to internalize the importance of trusting God’s timing, recognizing that leadership is about serving God’s people, and relying on God’s love rather than seeking human validation. Today’s spiritual leaders should see the importance of these principles.
Saul's Rationalization and Samuel's Confrontation
Samuel confronts Saul about his actions. Instead of admitting his mistake, Saul tries to justify his behavior by blaming his soldiers, Samuel, and the Philistines. He argues that his men were deserting, Samuel was late (which was untrue), and the enemy was ready to attack. Saul's inability to take responsibility demonstrates cowardice and a lack of spiritual strength, as he deflects blame rather than owning his decision.
Saul continues to make excuses for his actions, framing himself as a religiously devoted leader who forced himself to perform the sacrifice because of the circumstances. But Saul’s justification is hypocritical. While Saul claims he could "force himself" to make the offering, he couldn’t wait just 20 more minutes for Samuel’s arrival? Saul’s spiritual weakness and failure to grasp God's love and trust Him make it difficult for him to admit his faults. Unlike David, Saul struggles to acknowledge when he is wrong, which leads to deeper problems in his leadership.
The End of Saul’s Kingdom
Samuel informs Saul that because he failed to keep God’s command, his kingdom will end. God has already sought out a man after His own heart to lead Israel, someone who will follow His instructions. It’s essential to be a man or woman after God’s heart, with our core beliefs and practices centered around God’s will and investing time, energy, and resources in seeking God. This involves understanding God’s word, taking action based on that understanding, and spending time in prayer and devotion to God. Unlike Saul, who rarely prays or seeks divine guidance, a person after God’s heart regularly talks to God and seeks to please Him in all aspects of life. Saul, by contrast, is more focused on external appearances and seeking validation from others rather than genuinely following God.
Jonathan's Heroic Victory and Saul's Second Failure
The narrative shifts to Saul’s second failure. While Saul’s son, Jonathan, achieves a remarkable victory by defeating a Philistine outpost with only his armor-bearer, Saul struggles with confusion and poor leadership. The Philistines panic and begin fighting each other, but instead of pausing to seek God’s will through the ephod (a priestly garment used to discern God’s guidance), Saul rashly interrupts the priest and moves forward without divine direction. His impatience and autonomy again reveal his unwillingness to fully trust God.
Saul’s Rash Oath and Jonathan's Disobedience
In the heat of battle, Saul makes a rash vow, declaring that no one should eat until he has avenged his enemies. This causes his soldiers to suffer from exhaustion and hunger, as they fight without nourishment. Jonathan, unaware of his father’s vow, eats honey he finds on the ground, calling Saul’s command foolish. Jonathan’s disobedience is unintentional, but it highlights the impracticality and self-centeredness of Saul’s leadership. Saul’s anger and pride lead him to prioritize personal revenge over the well-being of his men, making the battle even more difficult for the Israelites.
Saul's Misguided Leadership and Jonathan's Near Death
Following Jonathan's victory, Saul becomes eager to press the attack against the Philistines, suggesting they pursue the enemy through the night. His men agree, likely out of reluctance, as they seem to see the folly in his plan. However, the priest intervenes and suggests seeking God's guidance. Saul, attempting to save face, agrees and asks God for direction, but receives no response. Saul concludes that there must be sin in the camp and vows that the guilty party—whether a soldier or even his own son Jonathan—will die.
Unaware of his son’s earlier transgression of eating honey, Saul proceeds to cast lots, and Jonathan is revealed as the guilty party. When confronted, Jonathan admits he ate a small amount of honey, questioning whether this minor infraction deserves death. Saul, in another rash and pride-driven move, declares that Jonathan must die. However, the people of Israel, recognizing Jonathan’s significant contribution to their victory, intervene and prevent Saul from executing his son, revealing how far Saul's leadership had unraveled.
The Beginning of the End: Saul’s Final Disobedience
The narrative shifts to Saul’s third and final major failure as king. Samuel delivers a message from God, instructing Saul to destroy the Amalekites, a people who had long opposed Israel since the Exodus. This command includes the directive to completely destroy all living things, including livestock, a difficult order that modern audiences may struggle with due to its implications. In context the Amalekites had deep-rooted evil practices, such as child sacrifice and ritual prostitution. God, after centuries of patience, decides it is time to judge them for their wickedness. However, the command is not about personal gain; God wants this war to be about obedience, not acquiring wealth.
Saul disobeys the command. While he leads a successful military campaign, he spares the Amalekite king and keeps the best of the livestock for himself and his men, directly violating God's instruction. This decision reflects Saul’s consistent tendency to prioritize personal benefit and pride over complete obedience to God.
God’s Regret and Samuel’s Mourning
Upon learning of Saul's disobedience, God expresses regret over having made Saul king, showing the emotional side of God’s relationship with humanity. God is grieved by Saul’s failure, not out of surprise but out of sorrow for the missed potential and the consequences of Saul's actions. Samuel is also deeply affected by Saul's disobedience, spending an entire night in anguish and prayer over the situation. He sees this as a personal failure, having been rejected by Israel as their leader and now seeing Saul fail as a king and disciple.
The next morning, Samuel seeks out Saul, only to find that Saul has gone to set up a monument to himself, showing once again his focus on pride and public image rather than genuine repentance.
Samuel Confronts Saul: Obedience over Sacrifice
When Samuel finally meets Saul, the king cheerfully greets him, claiming to have fulfilled God's command. Samuel immediately confronts him, pointing out the bleating of sheep and the lowing of cattle that prove Saul’s disobedience. Saul, again deflecting blame, accuses his soldiers of sparing the livestock for sacrifices, masking his disobedience with spiritual excuses. Samuel is not swayed and delivers one of the most important messages in the Old Testament: God desires obedience over sacrifice. He explains that ritual offerings without a heart of obedience are worthless to God. The heart matters more than superficial religious actions.
Samuel compares Saul’s stubbornness and rebellion to witchcraft and idolatry, declaring that because Saul has rejected God’s commands, God has now rejected him as king. This marks the definitive end of Saul's reign in God's eyes.
Saul’s Hollow Repentance and Samuel’s Final Rejection
Confronted with his sin, Saul admits his wrongdoing, but his repentance is shallow. He asks Samuel to forgive him and return with him to the people, not because he seeks reconciliation with God, but to preserve his reputation among the elders. His concern remains horizontal—focused on human approval—rather than vertical, seeking God’s favor. Samuel, recognizing this lack of true repentance, refuses to go with Saul. As Samuel turns to leave, Saul desperately grabs his robe, tearing it, which becomes a symbol of Saul’s torn kingdom.
Samuel declares that God has taken the kingdom from Saul and given it to someone else, a man after God’s own heart. Despite this, Saul continues to beg for Samuel’s approval in front of the people, showing how deeply entrenched his need for human validation has become. Samuel, heartbroken, never meets with Saul again, and both Samuel and God mourn the fall of Saul as king.
The Search for a New King: Samuel’s Mission to Bethlehem
The chapter closes with a shift in focus from Saul to the future. God tells Samuel that it is time to move on and anoint a new king. He instructs Samuel to go to Bethlehem to find Jesse, whose son will be the next king of Israel. Despite his fear of Saul’s reaction, Samuel obeys, signaling the beginning of a new chapter in Israel’s history. This transition sets the stage for the rise of David, the man after God’s own heart, who will eventually replace Saul as king.
Samuel’s Journey to Anoint a New King
God instructs Samuel to visit Bethlehem and find Jesse, as one of his sons is to be anointed the next king of Israel. To avoid suspicion from Saul, Samuel is told to take a heifer and perform a sacrifice as a cover for his true mission. Upon arriving, Samuel performs a purification ritual for Jesse and his sons, preparing them for the sacrificial meal. Jesse presents his seven sons, and Samuel initially assumes the eldest, Eliab, is God’s chosen one based on his appearance. However, God interrupts Samuel, reminding him that He does not judge by outward appearances but looks at the heart—a theme central to the book of 1 Samuel and the Bible as a whole.
God's Perspective on Leadership: Heart over Appearance
God rejects each of Jesse’s seven sons, despite their physical attributes, because He sees beyond what humans prioritize. Samuel, confused by the rejection of all seven, asks Jesse if there are any more sons. Jesse mentions his youngest, David, who is out tending the sheep. Though seemingly insignificant to his family, David is the one God has chosen because of his heart. Samuel insists that the meal will not begin until David arrives.
David’s Anointing: The Unexpected King
A messenger is sent to fetch David, a young shepherd who loves and serves God, unaware of the life-changing event awaiting him. David, concerned for his sheep, ensures they are cared for before hurrying to meet Samuel. Upon David’s arrival, described as dark and handsome with beautiful eyes, God tells Samuel that David is the chosen one. In a surprising turn of events, Samuel anoints David in front of his stunned brothers and father, marking the beginning of David’s journey as Israel’s future king. The Spirit of God comes powerfully upon David from that day forward, signaling God’s favor and David’s future role as a leader.
God’s Plan Unfolds
David’s anointing is very significant, representing that, God’s plan for him and Israel was unfolding. David’s lineage would lead to the birth of the eternal king, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, in the same town of Bethlehem. The story highlights how God often chooses the unexpected, the overlooked, and the humble to fulfill His purposes. David, a forgotten shepherd boy, becomes the pivotal figure in God’s redemptive plan.
Conclusion: Trusting in God’s Plan
We should trust in God’s plan for their lives, just as God had a plan for Israel and for David. God seeks individuals who are after His own heart, willing to trust in His love, listen to His guidance, and remain faithful. God often chooses those who are rejected or overlooked by society to accomplish His purposes.