"...turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; And turn ye not aside for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain." I Samuel 12:21-22
On Saul's coronation day, Samuel scolds Israel for demanding a king, and gives them this stern warning. How quickly do the people and their king "turn aside from following the LORD"; how quickly do they turn from serving the LORD to wanting the LORD to serve them; how quickly do they look to vain things for deliverance...
Two years into his reign, Saul forms an army of 3,000 men. Saul keeps 2,000 of the men with him at Michmash and sends 1,000 with Jonathan at Gibeah. Jonathan attacks the Philistines at Geba. "And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines." It sounds like an underhanded way to start a war. First a military buildup, with 1/3 of your army commanded by your son, whose attack on a garrison is justified after the fact by the vague suggestion of provocation ("Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines").
The Philistines respond with such an impressive show of force, that the people of Israel become distressed and hide! Meanwhile, Saul and his trembling followers are waiting at Gilgal for Samuel, but when Samuel doesn't show up at the appointed time, the people scatter from Saul. So Saul "forces himself" to offer a burnt offering to God. When Samuel confronts him, Saul says, "Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering." (I Samuel 13:12)
It looks like Saul started a little war with the Philistines, gets a reality check, and suddenly wants to talk to God after-the-fact about the situation. Saul isn't following the LORD; He's asking the LORD to follow him.
Samuel rebukes Saul for not keeping God's commandment. "And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee." (I Samuel 13:13-14)
Saul usurped his position as king by performing a task reserved for the priests. This was clearly a violation of God's commands. But Samuel's rebuke also specifically addresses the heart, so God has a heart issue with Saul as well.
Saul turns aside to vain things for deliverance. Saul performs the mechanical routine of "worship" by offering the burnt offering. But it was merely an outward routine, not a meeting of the hearts. That's what God desired from the "captain over his people", a heart-to-heart meeting, not a performer of rituals. That's what God desires from us today - a heart-to-heart meeting. Worship isn't achieved by mechanically completing an order of service on Sunday. Worship is an inner meeting that takes place on a personal level - a meeting of my heart with God's heart. When that inner meeting takes place, it will work its way out of my heart into my outward actions. It's like fidelity in marriage - when a husband and wife share the same heart, that inner unity will work its way out of both hearts into outward actions like fidelity, commitment, honor, selflessness.
Now Saul's people turn aside to vain things for deliverance. Over the years, they've been completely disarmed by the occupying Philistines, so all they can do is take their farming implements to the Philistine blacksmiths to have them sharpened. These common folk know that a battle is brewing, so they're sharpening whatever they can find to defend themselves. They're trusting in vain things for deliverance; simple farmers and their sharpened implements will never defeat armed Philistines. The power of God can certainly defeat armed Philistines - and He can use the most unlikely tool to do it - even simple farmers and their sharpened implements. But make no mistake, it's the power of God that wins the victory - not farmers and implements.
Saul turns aside to another vain thing for deliverance. While his people are frantically sharpening tools to defend themselves, Saul tarries under a pomegranate tree with 600 men. And who is with him, dressed in the priestly garments? None other than Ahiah, a descendent of Eli, whose corrupt line was cursed by God at the time God raised up Samuel as the true prophet of Israel. Ever since this time, God has been speaking to Israel through Samuel. But Saul isn't seeking spiritual counsel of God's true prophet, Samuel. Probably because Samuel rebuked him. Saul has selected instead someone who won't rebuke him - a descendent of the tolerant Eli, whose line was cursed by God when Eli refused to "restrain" his sons. This "priest" who will not rebuke or restrain is Saul's choice for spiritual counsel. In Ahiah, Saul has turned to yet another vain thing that cannot profit or deliver Saul or Israel. Neither the favor or power of God is available through Ahiah - his line has been rejected by God.
On Saul's coronation day, Samuel scolds Israel for demanding a king, and gives them this stern warning. How quickly do the people and their king "turn aside from following the LORD"; how quickly do they turn from serving the LORD to wanting the LORD to serve them; how quickly do they look to vain things for deliverance...
Two years into his reign, Saul forms an army of 3,000 men. Saul keeps 2,000 of the men with him at Michmash and sends 1,000 with Jonathan at Gibeah. Jonathan attacks the Philistines at Geba. "And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines." It sounds like an underhanded way to start a war. First a military buildup, with 1/3 of your army commanded by your son, whose attack on a garrison is justified after the fact by the vague suggestion of provocation ("Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines").
The Philistines respond with such an impressive show of force, that the people of Israel become distressed and hide! Meanwhile, Saul and his trembling followers are waiting at Gilgal for Samuel, but when Samuel doesn't show up at the appointed time, the people scatter from Saul. So Saul "forces himself" to offer a burnt offering to God. When Samuel confronts him, Saul says, "Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering." (I Samuel 13:12)
It looks like Saul started a little war with the Philistines, gets a reality check, and suddenly wants to talk to God after-the-fact about the situation. Saul isn't following the LORD; He's asking the LORD to follow him.
Samuel rebukes Saul for not keeping God's commandment. "And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee." (I Samuel 13:13-14)
Saul usurped his position as king by performing a task reserved for the priests. This was clearly a violation of God's commands. But Samuel's rebuke also specifically addresses the heart, so God has a heart issue with Saul as well.
Saul turns aside to vain things for deliverance. Saul performs the mechanical routine of "worship" by offering the burnt offering. But it was merely an outward routine, not a meeting of the hearts. That's what God desired from the "captain over his people", a heart-to-heart meeting, not a performer of rituals. That's what God desires from us today - a heart-to-heart meeting. Worship isn't achieved by mechanically completing an order of service on Sunday. Worship is an inner meeting that takes place on a personal level - a meeting of my heart with God's heart. When that inner meeting takes place, it will work its way out of my heart into my outward actions. It's like fidelity in marriage - when a husband and wife share the same heart, that inner unity will work its way out of both hearts into outward actions like fidelity, commitment, honor, selflessness.
Now Saul's people turn aside to vain things for deliverance. Over the years, they've been completely disarmed by the occupying Philistines, so all they can do is take their farming implements to the Philistine blacksmiths to have them sharpened. These common folk know that a battle is brewing, so they're sharpening whatever they can find to defend themselves. They're trusting in vain things for deliverance; simple farmers and their sharpened implements will never defeat armed Philistines. The power of God can certainly defeat armed Philistines - and He can use the most unlikely tool to do it - even simple farmers and their sharpened implements. But make no mistake, it's the power of God that wins the victory - not farmers and implements.
Saul turns aside to another vain thing for deliverance. While his people are frantically sharpening tools to defend themselves, Saul tarries under a pomegranate tree with 600 men. And who is with him, dressed in the priestly garments? None other than Ahiah, a descendent of Eli, whose corrupt line was cursed by God at the time God raised up Samuel as the true prophet of Israel. Ever since this time, God has been speaking to Israel through Samuel. But Saul isn't seeking spiritual counsel of God's true prophet, Samuel. Probably because Samuel rebuked him. Saul has selected instead someone who won't rebuke him - a descendent of the tolerant Eli, whose line was cursed by God when Eli refused to "restrain" his sons. This "priest" who will not rebuke or restrain is Saul's choice for spiritual counsel. In Ahiah, Saul has turned to yet another vain thing that cannot profit or deliver Saul or Israel. Neither the favor or power of God is available through Ahiah - his line has been rejected by God.
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