What Might Have Been
At one time or another most of us have made an appointment to meet an old friend or conduct business at a restaurant. If we arrive first, we wait with anticipation. As the clock moves toward the appointed time, we start wonder if they forgot or were delayed. Then a time of indecision begins. How long should we continue to wait? If we leave and then they arrive, we will see it as a lost opportunity. But if they are not coming, we are wasting time. Sooner or later a decision has to be made and we will find out later whether it was wise or foolish.
This was King Saul’s dilemma. In the second year of his reign a crisis occurred with the Philistines. Saul then gathered the army of Israel to Gilgal to wait. “He waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come” As he waited “thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude” approached (1Sam 13:1-15).
When “Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him”, the pressure was enormous. God did not reveal if Saul was anxious or frustrated as he waited, but he was in a difficult position. How could he know what had happened to Samuel and if he would come at all? So as the time neared to make a decision, two avenues opened to him. He could “trust in the Lord with all his heart” by trusting in God’s providence and continue to wait for Samuel. His second choice would be to “lean upon his own understanding. He could retreat from the battle and wait for Samuel. He could pray for God’s blessings and prepare for battle hoping Samuel might arrive in time.
But Saul chose a far different path. Not only did he refuse to “trust in the Lord with all his heart”, but he took on a responsibility that only Samuel could do. When “Saul said, ‘Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.’ And he offered the burnt offering,” It was not just lack of faith or even weakness, but pride and presumption. It is amazing that his mind would go in that direction.
Think of a nurse who is waiting for the surgeon. When he doesn’t arrive on time, she decides to take the scalpel and do the brain surgery herself. Think of the flight attendant who seeing the pilot will be late decides to fly the plane. What was Saul thinking? All Israel knew that only the Levitical priests descended from Aaron could offer sacrifices to God. If Saul thought this would bring God’s favor and help in battle, he was sadly mistaken. By this act he revealed his lack of faith, lack of respect, lack of reverence, and lack of submission. In short he proved himself completely unworthy to be Israel’s king. “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, ... the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart”
Most people learn from their mistakes, but Saul didn’t. The next time Samuel gave Saul a command from the Lord (1Sam 15:1-4) he did exactly the same thing. Instead of trusting in the Lord with all his heart he again leaned upon his own understanding(15:7-8). Once again the problem centered on the sacrifice. The first time, it was who gave the sacrifice and the second time it was what was sacrificed. Saul allowed the people to spare the animals God commanded to be “utterly destroyed.” He brought them back to Gilgal (same place as the previous sin). Samuel’s rebuke covered both sins.
Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king. 1 Sam. 15:22-23
So what do we learn from this? First, when God commands, keeping it exactly as he gave it is the only way to trust in the Lord with all your heart. The moment we allow outside pressure (including peer pressure from our generation to conform to their practices) to justify a change, we fall into the same trap that destroyed Saul. When we think enjoyment in worship is more important than God’s command, remember “to obey is better than sacrifice.” All changes are seen as rebellion and to God “rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft.” In God’s eyes, when Saul offered the burnt offering he was as evil as those practicing witchcraft. The next time we are tempted to compromise truth we need to remember Saul.
This was King Saul’s dilemma. In the second year of his reign a crisis occurred with the Philistines. Saul then gathered the army of Israel to Gilgal to wait. “He waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come” As he waited “thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude” approached (1Sam 13:1-15).
When “Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him”, the pressure was enormous. God did not reveal if Saul was anxious or frustrated as he waited, but he was in a difficult position. How could he know what had happened to Samuel and if he would come at all? So as the time neared to make a decision, two avenues opened to him. He could “trust in the Lord with all his heart” by trusting in God’s providence and continue to wait for Samuel. His second choice would be to “lean upon his own understanding. He could retreat from the battle and wait for Samuel. He could pray for God’s blessings and prepare for battle hoping Samuel might arrive in time.
But Saul chose a far different path. Not only did he refuse to “trust in the Lord with all his heart”, but he took on a responsibility that only Samuel could do. When “Saul said, ‘Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.’ And he offered the burnt offering,” It was not just lack of faith or even weakness, but pride and presumption. It is amazing that his mind would go in that direction.
Think of a nurse who is waiting for the surgeon. When he doesn’t arrive on time, she decides to take the scalpel and do the brain surgery herself. Think of the flight attendant who seeing the pilot will be late decides to fly the plane. What was Saul thinking? All Israel knew that only the Levitical priests descended from Aaron could offer sacrifices to God. If Saul thought this would bring God’s favor and help in battle, he was sadly mistaken. By this act he revealed his lack of faith, lack of respect, lack of reverence, and lack of submission. In short he proved himself completely unworthy to be Israel’s king. “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, ... the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart”
Most people learn from their mistakes, but Saul didn’t. The next time Samuel gave Saul a command from the Lord (1Sam 15:1-4) he did exactly the same thing. Instead of trusting in the Lord with all his heart he again leaned upon his own understanding(15:7-8). Once again the problem centered on the sacrifice. The first time, it was who gave the sacrifice and the second time it was what was sacrificed. Saul allowed the people to spare the animals God commanded to be “utterly destroyed.” He brought them back to Gilgal (same place as the previous sin). Samuel’s rebuke covered both sins.
Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king. 1 Sam. 15:22-23
So what do we learn from this? First, when God commands, keeping it exactly as he gave it is the only way to trust in the Lord with all your heart. The moment we allow outside pressure (including peer pressure from our generation to conform to their practices) to justify a change, we fall into the same trap that destroyed Saul. When we think enjoyment in worship is more important than God’s command, remember “to obey is better than sacrifice.” All changes are seen as rebellion and to God “rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft.” In God’s eyes, when Saul offered the burnt offering he was as evil as those practicing witchcraft. The next time we are tempted to compromise truth we need to remember Saul.