I SAMUEL 13 Lesson # 13
Capsule: This lesson wants us to see how crisis can often reveal whether we chose to live by faith or trust in religion. There is a subtle difference between religion and faith. This story says that subtle distinction makes all the difference in the world to God. No matter how we feel or look, God knows the real difference. This real difference will also show up in real life.
I. Introduction: Early In The Game. I Samuel 13:1
Q Have you ever seen a ball team start out well and then falter after the start?
Q What usually causes such down turns?
Q Have you ever seen something done in a panic that hurt a business or ministry?
An = After they answer, then share with them the theme of our study. The decline of Saul. It is portrayed in three moves: chapters 13, 14 and 15. Today we will look at the beginning found in chapter 13.
>>>> Have someone read chapter 13:1.
Note: Most translations have different numbers in the place of Saul’s age and the length of his reign. In the Hebrew, his age is not given and his reign is listed as two years. The best scholarship proposes that chapter 13 happens 2 years into Saul’s reign. It hints that a crucial event took place early in Saul’s reign that damaged it.
II. Setting to a Military Crisis. I Samuel 13:2-8.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 13:2-4.
Note: The text tells us that Saul is organized militarily. He may have been organized in other areas of his government, but our story is primarily concerned with military issues. It was militarily concerned because Israel wanted a king precisely because of a military threat.
Q Who starts the military confrontation?
An = It was Jonathan, Saul’s eldest son (see 14:49). It was Jonathan that precipitated the crisis, and this compelled Saul to send word to gather the nation together because he knew trouble was coming. Note, that Jonathan actually smote the garrison (13:3), but Saul was reported to have done it (13:4).
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 13:5-8.
Q How bad were things?
An = The Philistines were numerically overwhelming.
Q What was the morale like?
An = The people fled (13:7), hid (13:6), and the few remaining troops were trembling (13:7 b), and because Samuel had not come in the seven days the people were scattering (13:8).
Q Why is it important that Samuel arrive?
An = Samuel is the one close to God and having a great man pray for you before an important event is important. There is one more thing about this waiting. Notice the amount of time that is spoken of. This length of time has a great deal of importance.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 10:8.
Note: This meeting at Gilgal, where Saul was to precede and then wait seven days had never taken place yet. They had been at Gilgal to renew the ceremony, not a time when Saul went ahead for seven days to wait for instructions on what to do. This was part of Saul’s original instructions at Saul’s call. Saul seems to have been given a blue-print on how to handle crisis situations that specifically fit his kingly needs. Wait seven days for God’s prophet Samuel, the prophet will come and pray and then give divine guidance as to what to do. This seems to be why Saul assembles the people at Gilgal.
Q If you were Saul and thousands were arrayed against your diminishing troops, would you be in a panic?
Q What would you do?
III. The Loss of a Kingdom’s Endurance. I Samuel 13:9-15.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 13:9.
Q What does Saul do in this stressful situation?
An = He offers the burnt offerings and peace offerings.
>>>> Now re-read I Samuel 10:8.
Q What was the instruction to Saul in this verse?
An = He is to wait seven days.
Q What was Samuel’s part in this verse.
An = He would 1) offer burnt offering and peace offerings and 2) show Saul what to do. Go back to chapter 7:9-10 and see that when Samuel sacrifices and prays to God, the Lord delivers. Saul may have been the king, but it was God’s prophet/priest that was going to intercede for Saul (the sacrifices) and give the necessary guidance. Samuel was probably going to be used to show Saul that victory comes through trust in God’s instructions and that God would divinely give guidance. Saul’s part was to obey (act of faith) by waiting and see what the Lord was going to show Samuel. This instruction about procedures at Gilgal was given way back, early in Saul’s leadership, and it was a key part of his calling.
Q Why did Saul jump the gun?
An = 1) The text goes out of its way to show the reader that there was plenty to panic about. Faced with superior forces from the enemy and dwindling troops and morale, Saul could be seen to have reason to panic. In addition, Samuel did not come till the very end, and Saul worried he would not be “spiritually covered”. However, the message was clear: Samuel was to offer the offerings and then give Saul the necessary information that he would need. But it appears that Saul either panics and/or wants to make sure all the “ends are neatly tied up” religiously. This is our second point. 2) Saul may have been seeking some type of security or type of control in the situation instead of just crying out to God. He wants to do the proper religious things but not what God had asked. It is almost like Saul was seeking control of the situation by proper religious action, instead of humbly obeying what he knew he was to do.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 13:10-14.
Note: What now begins is one of the toughest situations presented in the book of Samuel. Why is Saul rejected? His rejection will seem to be on a very petty issue. David will make much more obvious mistakes.
Q Why was Samuel so unhappy?
An = It seems that Saul wanted to make sure they were religiously covered and so disobeyed to accomplish that. The one thing that will become very clear in the next few chapters is that Saul is indeed very religious.
Q Can we do something religious and actually be displeasing to God?
Q Do you know people who are very religious but really do not trust in God or love God?
Q Why are some people religious but not in love with God?
Note: Saul seems to pay a very high price here. He will not lose his job as king but he will lose the right to pass it along to his sons and their sons’ sons, etc. Saul will not begin a dynasty.
Q Is having a dynasty, something that goes on after you important? Is it important for men to see what they have done be passed on to their kids? Why?
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 13:15.
Q Did Samuel stay with Saul and let him know what to do?
An = No. It appears that Saul was religious, but his religion cost him the presence of God’s prophet and therefore the help of God. Davis points out that for Saul religious observance was essential, but prophetic guidance was not essential. Religion, properly performed, was necessary, but obedience to God’s Word was not (Davis, p. 130).
Note: There is real difference between praying at an inauguration and between praying for guidance that when given is obeyed in political and military situations.
IV. The Deteriorating Situation. I Samuel 13:16-23.
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 13:16-18.
Q What is happening to Israelite territory?
An = They are being raided and apparently Saul is powerless to stop them with only six hundred men. Religion has not worked and Samuel is gone (13:15).
>>>> Have someone read I Samuel 13:19-23.
Q Why do you think the author told us about this situation of the blacksmiths?
An = Iron was a fairly new invention. After all, this is the beginning of the Iron Age (which scholars usually start at 1200 B.C.). Iron weapons were vastly superior to bronze weapons and so Philistia appears to want to control “advanced military technology” much like it is done today. The author wants you to see how difficult Israel’s situation was. It faced a superior force (13:2-6), faced superior weapons (13:19-22), and what is worse, their king is into religious observance and not God (13:8-15).
Note: Israel’s greatest source of help is her Lord. However, the book of Samuel has told us all along that simple faith and obedience is how to deal with the Lord of Glory, not religious observance. Remember the religious Eli, the Ark stories, and now Saul? These are examples of religion, not faith. On the positive side, Hannah prayed in faith and obeyed by keeping her promise and received the help of God. Eli was religiously concerned, but not obedient in disciplining his sons, and when faith and good teaching was required of the sons, they were helpless to help Israel. Therefore defeat with the use of religion ensued (faith in the Ark, not in God). In addition, Eli’s sons died. The leadership was judged. Saul was successful when the God directed him through his prophet Samuel and when Saul was endowed by the Spirit. Now it seems Saul is religious (we must sacrifice before a battle), but it seems he does it for almost morale reasons mixed with superstition. Samuel sacrifices because he actually wants to honor God and actually ask for help. A subtle but crucial difference.
Q We can determine our religious actions, but can we control God’s action using religion?
Q What would the difference look life between faith in religion and true faith in God?
An = Faith in God, requires God being in control and usually requires some type of trust on our part that includes some type of risk (obediently waiting in a tough situation).
Note: Is the down fall of Saul due to a lack of faith and almost a superstitious use of religious action? We will see if that proposal is correct in the next few chapters.