10 A FAILURE AND ANOTHER CHANCE

We are not told how it was that the people of Israel offended God, so as to forfeit His presence and turn His hand against them, as Samuel had warned; but evidently they left God, or else He would not have left them, as evidently He did. Saul was weak and a poor administrator, and did not order his affairs wisely. He chose a band of 3,000 men, of whom he himself commanded 2,000, and his son Jonathan 1,000. The rest of the people he dismissed to their tents. If he intended for these 2,000 only to guard himself as his honorary attendants, it was unwise to have so many. On the other hand, if these 2,000 were his standing army in preparation for an attack from the Philistines, it was equally unwise to have so few.

At any rate, Jonathan attacked the garrison at Geba and we may guess that Saul had ordered this. Verse 3a says, “3 Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it.” We do not know why the next verse says that this attack was an abomination to the Philistines. Was it because in doing so, Saul broke an agreement with them, an agreement to allow the Philistine garrison to remain there? Of course, any attack would be offensive, but the narrative mentions this event as though it were particularly obnoxious to the Philistines. Why? Verse 3b and 4 says, “Then Saul had the trumpet blown throughout the land and said, ‘Let the Hebrews hear!’ 4 So all Israel heard the news: ‘Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel has become obnoxious to the Philistines.’ And the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.” Did Saul break a promise he had made to the Philistines? Later in the story of David we learn that Saul broke the agreement that Joshua had made with the Gideonites. This caused a famine in David’s day. Promises are to be kept. Treaties are to be maintained. Better not to make a treaty with an enemy than to make it and break it. Was Saul a habitual promise or truce breaker? If this line of thinking is correct, then the promise-breaking habit of Saul was working against the prayers for Israel of Samuel. This house was divided against itself would fall.

That this attack was obnoxious to the Philistines seems to indicate that Saul may have broken a promise. If Israel lacked common honesty and her word could not be relied on, we will lay the blame, not on Jonathan who made the attack, but on Saul, his king and father, who ordered him to do it. Perhaps Saul had kept Jonathan in ignorance of the truth of the matter. It certainly makes the name of Israel despicable to her neighbors to discover fraud and dishonesty in those that are called God’s people. If people, who claim to serve God, cheat, lie, break their contracts and betray their trusts, their reputation and the glory of the One whom they claim to serve both suffer for it. Whom may one trust if not an Israelite, one that, it is expected would be honest? When Saul had in this way exasperated the Philistines, then he began to raise forces, which, if he had acted wisely, he would have done earlier. But verse 3 lets us know that it was after Jonathan had attacked the garrison that Saul began his preparations. “When the Philistines had a vast army ready to pour in on him, to avenge the wrong he had done them, then Saul blew the trumpet through the land saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.” Verse 3b says, “Then Saul had the trumpet blown throughout the land and said, “Let the Hebrews hear!””

As many as thought it fit came to Saul at Gilgal, But now the generality, we may suppose, drew back either because they disliked Saul’s dishonesty and treachery or in dread of the Philistines’ power, or both. If Saul had summoned them sooner, they might have been as ready to respond as they recently were when he marched against the Ammonites. We often find that hindsight reveals many things it would have been good for us to know before we faced so many problems we encounter for not having had much foresight. Since our God knows everything, He certainly can be a great Source of Foresight. We need that. Leaders especially need that.

The Philistines appear in a very formidable body at the provocation which Saul gave them. We may guess they may have had assistance from their allies because verse 5 gives us impressive data, “5 The Philistines assembled to fight Israel, with three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Mikmash, east of Beth Aven.” If there were 3,000 chariots, we can assume there were also 6,000 horses (two per chariot) to pull them. In those times, when horses were not so much used in war as they were later, this was certainly a great body. Just reflect on the incredible number of chariots alone, 3,000 in all. Probably most of them were wagons or carriages for the baggage of so large an army, not chariots of war. But their foot soldiers were “as numerous as the sand on the seashore” (5). These preparations on their part demonstrate how jealous the Philistines were for the honor of their nation or how enraged they were at the Israelites for destroying their garrison, or both. If Saul had asked counsel of God before he had attacked the Philistines, he and his people might be either better prepared for these threatening numbers or maybe even have avoided it altogether. The Israelites under Saul, had brought this difficulty on themselves by their own foolishness.

The people of Israel were reduced to being faint-hearted, sneaking and very cowardly. Where was the confidence and joy they had when Saul was made king? Considerable numbers, may have come to Saul to Gilgal, but, hearing of the Philistines’ numbers and preparations, their spirits sank within them. Also, not finding Samuel there with Saul may have furthered their discouragement. Those who awhile ago were weary of Samuel and wished for a king, now had small joy in their king unless they could see him under Samuel’s direction. Sooner or later, men will be made to see that God and His prophets are their best friends. Now that they saw the Philistines making war against them, and Samuel not present to use his spiritual, not carnal, weapons to help them, they did not know what to do. Verses 6,7 say, “When the Israelites saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns. 7 Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear.” Many hid. Rather than run to their death among the Philistines, they buried themselves alive in caves and thickets.

See what work sin makes; it exposes men to perils, and then robs them of their courage and confidence. A single person, by faith, can say, I will not be afraid of 10,000; but here thousands of faithless Israelites tremble at the approach of a great crowd of Philistines. Guilt makes men cowards. Others fled. They went over Jordan to the land of Gilead, as far as they could from the danger, and to a place where they had just been victorious over the Ammonites. Perhaps they hoped to be sheltered where they had recently triumphed. Those that stayed with Saul were “quaking with fear,” perhaps expecting no other than to be cut off having their hands and hearts weakened by the desertion of so many of their troops. Perhaps Saul himself, though he had enough honor to stand his ground and remain there, yet did not have enough courage, confidence or faith to inspire his trembling soldiers.

Nevertheless, when he sees many soldiers deserting, Saul makes a huge mistake in presuming to offer a sacrifice which only the priests were to do. This is the big mistake that Saul makes and he loses the opportunity God gave him to show himself obedient. When Samuel arrives he is very displeased with Saul’s presumption and delivers an unwelcome message. It is in verses 13, 14 which say, “‘You have done a foolish thing,’ Samuel said. ‘You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.’” A prophet is not free to say whatever he wants or feels like saying. Samuel delivered God’s word to Saul.

Next, in Chapter 14, Jonathan, not Saul, is the hero. Jonathan does well and we see in another series, “Lessons for Leader from the Life of David,” that for many years Jonathan continued to do well. Now some time later as we move on into chapter 15 in which we find a record of Samuel giving Saul an order to obey we will see that Saul fails. Regrettably, Saul does not pass this test, but we are seeking to learn leadership principles and Samuel giving Saul this opportunity is the basis for an important lesson. God does give second chances. We will also learn of the line over which we must not step and if we do, God will let us go our own way. He cannot use a disobedient person. In the next lesson we will learn more about the importance of obedience. God cannot use a disobedient person.

The Amalekites were idolatrous, evil enemies of Israel that God intended for Israel to destroy. Finishing that task is the test God will now give to Saul. Verses 1 through 3 say, “Samuel said to Saul, ‘I am the one the Lord sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the Lord. 2 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. 3 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.”’” Samuel, in God’s name, solemnly requires Saul to be obedient to the command of God, and plainly states that He was now about to give him a test, another test, to see whether he would be obedient or not. He reminds him of what God had done for him: “The Lord sent me to anoint you to be a king. God gave you your power, and therefore He expects you should use your power for Him. He put honor on you, and now you must study how to do Him honor. He made you king over Israel, and now you must plead Israel’s cause and avenge their quarrels. Men’s advancements, such as Saul’s promotion to become king, instead of releasing them from their obedience to God, obligates them so much the more to it, to be obedient. Every promotion obligates us so much more to be obedient to the one who promoted us.

God had an ancient quarrel with the Amalekites, for the injuries they did to His people Israel when he brought them out of Egypt. We have that story in Exodus 17 and then clarified and repeated in Deuteronomy 25. Amalek attacked the weak and frail stragglers among the Israelites as they traveled from Egypt to Canaan. Israel is now strong, and the measure of the iniquity of Amalek is now full, so go and make a full riddance of that evil nation. Injuries done to God’s Israel will certainly be reckoned with sooner or later. God often patiently waits a long time to deal with those that are marked for ruin. The sentence passed is not always executed speedily. Though He bear long, He will not bear always. God chooses the instruments to do His work that are fittest for it. This was bloody work, and therefore Saul who was a rough and severe man must do it.

So we see that Saul musters his forces and makes a descent on the country of Amalek. It was an immense army that he brought into the field, 200,000 footmen. When he on his own initiative came engaged the Philistines and the success was hazardous, he had only 600 soldiers, but now that he was to attack the Amalekites by express order from heaven, in which he was sure of victory, he had thousands at his call. Saul drew all his forces to the city of Amalek, that he might provoke them to give him battle.

Saul gave friendly advice to the Kenites to separate themselves from the Amalekites while this execution was going on. He did this prudently and correctly quite possibly according to the directions Samuel gave him. The Kenites were of the family and relatives of Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, a people that dwelt in tents, which made it easy for them, to move to other lands. He acknowledges the kindness of their ancestors to Israel, when they came out of Egypt. Jethro and his family had been very helpful and useful to them in their passage through the wilderness, and had been eyes for them. This is remembered to the benefit of their descendants in Saul’s time.

When destroying judgments are happening, God will take care to separate between the precious and the evil. Don’t you agree, then, that it is dangerous to be found in the company of God’s enemies? The Jews have a saying, Woe to the wicked man and woe to his neighbor. Saul prevailed against the Amalekites, for it was rather an execution of condemned malefactors than a war with contending enemies. The issue could not be doubted when the cause was just and the call so clear. Now they paid dearly for the sin of their ancestors. They were idolaters, and were guilty of many other sins, for which they deserved to fall under the wrath of God. Yet, when God would deal with them, He focused on the sin of their ancestors in abusing His Israel as the basis of His quarrel. Lord, how unsearchable are your judgments, yet how incontestable is your righteousness!

Yet Saul did not complete the task fully. Verse 9 tells us “But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.” He spared Agag. Why? Because he was a king like himself? Of course we do not know because the narrative does not say, but why would he spare Agag? Was it in the hope to get a great ransom for him? Saul, you must learn that nothing is better than obedience. Remember, this is a test. You are failing it.

Saul spared the best of the cattle, and destroyed only the bad ones that were good for little. Many of the people, we may suppose, made their escape, and took their effects with them into other countries, and therefore we read of fewer Amalekites after this. It was Saul’s fault that he did not destroy those who came under his control and authority; those within his power. Those who were destroyed were in effect sacrificed to the justice of God, as the God to whom vengeance belongs.

For Saul to think the torn, the sick, the lame and the lean, good enough for that, while he reserved the firstlings and the fat ones for his own fields and table, was really to honor himself more than God. It is when we consider these possible selfish motives that we can see more clearly why God will judge Saul so severely for his disobedience. In the next lesson we will see this.

What are the lessons for Christian leaders? Samuel was right as God’s representative to require obedience. Saul was wrong to not fully and completely obey God’s word. Samuel passed his test; Saul failed his. Will you pass your test? The obedience test?