There is a distinct change that has takes place between 1 Samuel chapters 12 and 13. The story that concluded in chapter 12 was the start of Saul’s reign where Samuel was telling the Israelites of their disobedience against God by seeking a king to rule over them and at the beginning of chapter 13 we are told Saul was thirty years old when he became king, he reigned for thirty two years, and a war with the Philistines has been ongoing. How much time passed between the events of chapter 12 and 13? Why do we jump to this point in the reign of Saul? What happens in Saul’s reign that makes this time noteworthy?
The conflict between the Philistines and the Israelites is escalating in 1 Samuel 13. The Philistines assembled a great host of chariots, horses, and men together in Michmash to smite the Israelites. Many people in Israel became afraid and hid in the hills and areas out of sight because of the threat. The natural inclination of the people was to use their own strength to overcome the Philistines and when that failed they hid. Where is their dependance on God in these difficult moments? I always find myself in the same place where I try everything within my power before I turn to God.
Saul stayed in Gilgal and did not hide along with the other people of Israel. At first Saul was confident in God’s ability to deliver the people which is evident because he didn’t run to hide. As people around him started to leave did he become concerned and start looking upon the number of men instead of focusing on God? Saul was waiting for Samuel to arrive and offer the sacrifice to God but he became impatient and chose to offer the sacrifice himself instead. The moment Saul finished offering the peace offering to God Samuel arrives and saying, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, for now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not endure. The Lord has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him as ruler over His people because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.” 1 Samuel 13:13,14 How did these words from Samuel effect Saul? In the moments of life that we perceive a need to hurry and rush we cannot overrule God’s timing for that situation. We need to rest and trust God in the face of overwhelming foes because He is faithful to deliver us in the moment of our need. We need to remember that our perception of our moment of need may not be the true moment of need that God only knows.
Even though God had placed Saul as king over Israel it didn’t instantly free Israel from the occupation of the Philistines. The men of the Israelites were kept unarmed by the Philistines through restriction of the blacksmiths within the cities of the Philistines. It is easy to think that freedom occurred instantly for the people of Israel but instead it was a process of trust and dependance upon God to offer the deliverance. What did the Israelites believe about God? The generation of Israelites living during the time of Saul and Samuel were far removed from the time of God’s deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt and the conquest of the promised land. The memory of God working mightily had slipped from experience to history so the people had to learn again who God was just as the Israelites learned during their time wandering in the wilderness. I think the process of deliverance that the Israelites went through was paramount to the development of their faith and trust in God because the faithfulness God demonstrated continually became the foundation that was necessary for their trust and dependance.
As I have looked at and considered 1 Samuel 13 and 14 I have become very sad. We are completely helpless apart from God. Humanity thinks that we are so mighty and powerful but that is a lie. Strength is God’s alone and we need Him more than ever if we want to survive. The reading made me very introspective and I see that in my weakness I am completely useless and my strength is only found in Jesus Christ. I am thankful that Jesus Christ has died on the cross for me because without that hope life would be utterly futile. Praise be to God because through Jesus Christ we have hope for tomorrow.
