Better Things...Than the Prophets

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. Hebrews 1:1-3

From earliest human history, God has made Himself known to those who are willing to know Him. At various stages of human civilization, He has used different methods of communication. His primary spokesmen in the times of the patriarchs of Israel were prophets who were chosen and appointed by God the Father to make His will understood by His chosen people. God the Father is the subject of verses 1 and 2 of Hebrews chapter 1. He, the Father, spoke to the patriarchs by certain prophets. The human test of a true prophet of God was: does the prophecy come true? If not, the prophet is false (Deuteronomy 13:1-4). That test rules out most of those who have been called prophets, whether self-designated or popularly acclaimed. If the man or woman claiming to proclaim God’s truth turns out to be “mistaken,” he or she can be dismissed as demon motivated. Such standards were especially important in the period before the Word of God was preserved in writing. After the writing of the scriptures, comparison with that was the best test. It still is, actually.

There was also a checkpoint, even for those whose prophecies seemed to be true: does the “prophet” advise you to seek “higher knowledge, greater wisdom, spiritual fulfillment” in any other source than the One True God? If so, ignore him and stop listening to his words. He is a false prophet. We have enough trouble navigating life in this world, without being led astray by that which is false. That way lies destruction. There were then and there are now popular teachers, writers and “spiritual” advisers who actually do claim to represent the truth of God, and who are liars, plain and simple. If they deny the inerrancy of the written Word of God, they are liars. If they recommend other methods of “spiritual growth” besides what God has given in His Word, they are liars. If they deny the deity of and the finished Work of Jesus Christ, they are liars whose objective is to confuse you and obscure the Gospel of Christ.

“These last days” – the dispensation of the Church, the Body of Christ. He (God the Father) has spoken by His Son (Jesus Christ), whom the Father has made the heir (the One Who inherits) all things. The Father made this appointment by divine decree in eternity past. Jesus was always the heir of all things. It is we Christians who are Johnny-come-latelies to an understanding of the perfect plan of God.

Jesus, God the Son, was not only always the heir, He was the actual creator of the universe. The Son eternally IS, just as the Father and the Holy Spirit eternally ARE. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are the three persons of the holy trinity. He is three and He is one. He manifests Himself to mankind in one of these three persons at any given time, in whatever circumstances we need to relate to Him. No matter which person of God we are relating to, His character is the same. He is Sovereignty, Righteousness, Justice, Love, Eternal Life, Omniscience, Omnipotence, Omnipresence, Veracity and Immutability. I list His immutability last, because to me it underscores all the other characteristics, in that He is all these things, and these truths about Him NEVER CHANGE (they do not mutate—immutable).

We can better understand God by assigning personalities to Him. Simplistically:

God the Father (spirit—never seen, heard or felt) made the plan for creation, restoration, salvation of the human race. 

God the Son (eternal spirit who became flesh in the incarnation, God and man in one person forever, Hypostatic Union) executed the plan for creation, restoration, salvation of the human race. 

God the Holy Spirit (never seen, sometimes felt) is He Who awakens our souls to the need to know God, and Who quickens our human spirit and continues to guide and teach us after we have believed in the finished Work of Jesus Christ.

Verses 2-3 Subject: Jesus Christ. He is God. He is creator. He is savior. He is the exact representation of God’s glory. All creation is in His total control. How? “By the word of His power (omnipotence)!”

“omni” means all. “potence” means power. He has it all and controls it all. The orderliness of the universe depends upon one being: Our Lord, the God-Man.

Not just a kind, humble teacher. Not just an obedient, noble Son. Jesus Christ is Sovereign God of the universe, and our Only Savior.

The Word we receive from Him is better than that which was received from the prophets, because He has finished the Work He came to do, and our salvation is superior to the religion of the patriarchs, who could only sense a distant glimmer of the life that we have been given IN CHRIST. 

Blackout of the Believer's Soul

Saul had already demonstrated his tendency to second-guess God and to disobey God’s direct orders, so God had decided to replace Saul as Israel’s king. David’s anointing took place in I Samuel 16.

And Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. I Samuel 15:28

In I Samuel chapters 17-18 we see the development of Saul’s and David’s relationship. David was still quite young, and Saul’s reversionism had not yet reached saturation. David began the grooming process for kingship by becoming Israel’s hero and a close family friend to Saul. As Saul descended into self-induced insanity, David was a comfort to him, at first. That was before Saul became jealous of David’s popularity with the people.

Saul gave his daughter to David as wife, not out of love for David, but because of Saul’s paranoia. He hoped his daughter Michal would become David’s undoing, and he actually set David up for a bloody conflict with the Philistines, which David aced, adding to Saul’s fear and frustration. His intention was that David would be killed.

While David continued to prove himself a hero with integrity and humility before God, and deep respect for God’s anointed (King Saul), Saul spiraled deeper into reversionism, characterized by his insane jealousy of David and general paranoia. Saul was a lame-duck king, and David’s enemy. David spent several years in hiding from Saul’s murderous intentions, though he maintained respect for Saul’s position as king.

Principle: God had promised David the throne, but God had not yet removed Saul. David would not presume to overthrow the sitting king. History would take its course. God was in control. David could wait.

Saul was a mentally disturbed, emotional mess when Samuel died, too proud to confess his sin and renew his fellowship with God and too afraid to move on without divine help. He was bitter, angry and incapable of making a decision. God doesn’t communicate with reversionists (carnal believers), so Saul came up with a plan to seek demonic help. Reversionists are always irrational in their thinking. Powerful reversionists have others under their control. Saul had banned the soothsayers from the land, in accordance with God's law. Now, he decided he was in need of one. We see this in modern society, when Christians abandon the consistent intake and application of Bible Doctrine, but will look for guidance in horoscopes or visit mediums (fortune tellers) for advice. Such "guidance" is always a sham, and leads to disaster. 

Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. And Saul had put the mediums and the necromancers out of the land. The Philistines assembled and came and encamped at Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa. When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. And when Saul inquired of the Lord, he Lord did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets. Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a medium at En-dor.”

So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you.” The woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?” But Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As the Lord lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.”  Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.” I Samuel 28:3-12

You see, she didn’t expect to really PRODUCE Samuel. It was supposed to be a demon disguised as Samuel, to appease the fool who came to her for this séance. People in her business survive by trickery, and God is not in the habit of bringing back those who have died, just to reassure a fear-crazed lunatic. This case was different. God had an important message for Saul, and this was one way to make sure he heard it. It frightened the witch to see Samuel appear. She realized she had been tricked.

The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” He said to her, “What is his appearance?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage.
Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul answered, “I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.” And Samuel said, “Why then do you ask me, since the Lord has turned from you and become your enemy? The Lord has done to you as he spoke by me, for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. Moreover, the Lord will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me. The Lord will give the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.”

Then Saul fell at once full length on the ground, filled with fear because of the words of Samuel. And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night. I Samuel 28:13-20

Please notice, v. 19 : “tomorrow you and your sons will be with me.” Samuel was in paradise with God. That’s where Saul and his sons would also be. Saul was carnal (fleshly, self-willed), but a believer. He belonged to God, as did his sons. He lost his temporal fellowship with God because of his disobedience. He lost his kingdom because of his obstinance. He lost his rationality. He did not lose his salvation.

Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa.  And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers. Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together. I Samuel 31:1-6

The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. So they cut off his head and stripped off his armor and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines, to carry the good news to the house of their idols and to the people. They put his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. But when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, all the valiant men arose and went all night and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh and burned them there. And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh and fasted seven days. I Samuel 31:8-13

I Chronicles 10:3-6 The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was wounded by the archers. Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and mistreat me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died. Thus Saul died; he and his three sons and all his house died together.

From the eyewitness accounts, it appears that Saul committed suicide. In his despair, that is exactly what he meant to do. The Bible, however, gives us another explanation of what happened.

It is called the sin unto death:

So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance.  He did not seek guidance from the Lord. Therefore the Lord put him to death (KJV-slew him) and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse. I Chronicles 10:13-14

The sin unto death removes from earthly life the believer who is so contaminated by his own unconfessed sins that he can no longer function as God’s representative in the world. He is not seeking to recover his fellowship with God and rehabilitate his thinking; he is seeking relief from his self-induced misery, born of habitual sin. Such a person has become a liability to himself and others, and he hinders the Holy Spirit’s ministry to his own soul that would enable him to see the divine viewpoint of life. His life serves only as a bad example to others. Repeat: this is experienced by born-again believers who knowingly continue in sin, against all the warnings of scripture. 

Our omniscient, sovereign, just God knows when a believer or a client nation is beyond restoration to fellowship. In such a case, that person or nation will be removed from the earth. The greater the sphere of influence, the greater the responsibility to demonstrate obedience to God's laws of divine establishment. God's own Name is the issue. He will not be mocked or misrepresented by His own people. He does not disown. He removes.

There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. I John 5:16 KJV

The Failures of Saul

Saul started out looking and acting the part of God’s representative and Israel’s king. He was physically imposing, attractive, seemed humble before the Lord and obediently dependent upon Samuel for spiritual guidance. He took his job seriously, as Israel’s champion against the Philistines. He led a successful military campaign against them in his earliest years as ruler.

Samuel had instructed Saul to wait for him seven days at Gilgal, where Samuel would meet him to perform the burnt offerings and sacrifices. That was the duty of the priest. It wasn’t for just anyone to do. Here’s where we begin to see Saul’s true character. He loved and respected Samuel, but was impatient. Samuel didn’t appear exactly when Saul expected him to, so Saul decided to take it upon himself to perform the priestly offerings. There was ominous precedence for such rashness, in Numbers chapter 16, when some Jews decided to challenge the authority of Moses and Aaron by making priestly offerings themselves. They reasoned that, hey, we’re all God’s people here. Who do you, Moses and Aaron, think you are? Well, who they were were God’s anointed representatives, charged with certain priestly duties which the general population were not given. This was an act of rebellion which received severe discipline against those who intruded into the office of the priesthood (Numbers 16:32-40).

I Samuel 13:8-11..He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. So Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering. As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him. Samuel said, “What have you done?”

There is a principle called the Protocol Plan of God. Only a right thing done in the right way is right.We humans will often rationalize that since what we think needs to be done is a seemingly good thing, we should just go ahead with it, even if it isn’t within God’s prescribed procedure. Especially since we’re such wonderful, blessed people. God loves me so much, if I do it, it must be acceptable; honorable, even. I’ll probably get extra points for knowing how to perform the burnt offerings that Samuel is not yet here to do. NOT! It is arrogance to intrude into the office that God has given to His chosen representative. It is rebellion.  Saul started with his rationale:

And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” I Samuel 13:11-12

Well, you see, it was the people’s fault. They were scattering. And it’s your fault, Samuel, because you did not arrive on time. I was afraid I’d be attacked before I could seek God’s blessing. I just had to go ahead and make the offering. Samuel’s instruction in chapter 10 verse 8 had been to wait seven days, but that wasn’t all. The final word was “until I come to you.”

And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.” I Samuel 13:13-14

Rashness, impatience, arrogance, ignoring the protocol of God; all these are indications of a man not capable of ruling according to God’s plan and purpose. This was only the beginning of Saul’s disobedience. He would have many more opportunities to obey God’s commands, and he would continue to allow his own human viewpoint to determine his behavior. The issue is, at any point in Saul’s descent into reversionism and blackout of the soul, he could have simply confessed his sin to God and repented (changed direction). Recovery was always possible, if he had wanted to recover his relationship to God and keep his throne. Saul was a religious man, an emotional man, a presumptuous man, and he was wrong.

Another opportunity: I Samuel 15:1-3 And Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the Lord. Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”

Amalek had been a bitter enemy of Israel throughout their history. The Amalekites were descendants of Amalek, who was a direct descendant of Esau, and they had viciously harassed and opposed Israel to try and prevent her possession of Canaan, when God had specifically given that land to Israel. God plainly stated in Deuteronomy chapter 9 and other scriptures that He was driving out the pagans because of their wickedness. Now the kingdom was established, and it was Saul’s assignment to wipe out the Amalekites because of that wickedness. Modern society is horrified by the “every living thing” mandate, because modern society has become blind to the reality that when demonism is allowed to flourish in a culture, even the animals are affected by it, and the children born in such a culture will carry the tendencies into the following generations. There comes a time when such a people must be destroyed. God doesn’t have to explain His orders, however. He gave the command. Saul’s duty was to obey.

He began well. He warned the Kenites who were in the area to move on out, and then he proceeded to defeat the Amalakites. Too bad he didn’t finish the job:

And Saul defeated the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction. I Samuel 15:7-9

Saul thought his own judgment was better than God’s! The order was to utterly destroy. No, let’s show mercy to their king while killing all the “despised and worthless.” (!) In whose opinion? Saul was never given that option. Saul just took that liberty. There it was again. Arrogance.

In verses 10-16, we see a chain of consequences of Saul’s arrogance.
1. God denounced Saul and announced he would be removed as king.
2. Samuel, who loved Saul in spite of his arrogance, tried all night to intercede for Saul.
3. Samuel was told Saul had set up a monument for himself in Gilgal.
4. Saul met Samuel, beaming, and declared the mission accomplished regarding Amalek
5. Samuel exposed Saul’s failure to obey God’s command and exposed Saul as a liar.
6. Saul rationalized again that he was bowing to the wishes of the people (the politician’s excuse). “They” wanted to keep some of the best livestock alive, for sacrifice. Saul insisted again that he had obeyed.

I  Samuel 15:22-23, And Samuel said, “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 listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination (witchcraft-KJV), and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.”

Please notice the comparison of rebellion and presumption to witchcraft, iniquity and idolatry. Just in case we didn’t know. These are not little discrepancies. They are sins against God.

Saul then did confess his sin and begged Samuel to stand with him and honor him before the people. At first Samuel refused, but then he relented and showed honor to Saul, who was demonstrating remorse, and who was still Israel’s king, if not for much longer. There was unfinished business, however, and Samuel was Israel’s true leader and God’s man for the task at hand.

Then Samuel said, “Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites.” And Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.” And Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.

Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel. I Samuel 15:32-35 "regretted" in v.35 is an anthropropathism. It means a human characteristic attributed to God, to enable us to understand a change of policy. 

Agag knew Samuel wasn’t an emotional wimp like Saul, but he made the attempt with “let’s let bygones be bygone.” It was a futile attempt by an evil man. What Saul, the self-righteous politician couldn’t bring himself to do, Samuel did without hesitation. It was God’s command. What God had commanded, Samuel would do, no matter how Saul and the people felt about it. “We’re all God’s children, we should just love one another” wasn’t applicable to the evil God had ordered destroyed.

There is more to Saul’s tragic story. This momentary recovery was shallow, if not superficial, and his self-importance would become full-blown insanity before his reign would finally end. His demise was a disaster of his own making.

It didn’t have to be.

Establishing the Kingdom

After having performed several rituals at several different times and locations, Samuel had Saul firmly installed as Israel’s king. He realized the temperament of the people, though, and their short attention span, when it came to gratitude and humility before God. He warned them again, without apology, to remember Whose they were in the days to come. I Samuel 12:14-15:

If you will fear the Lord and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God, it will be well. But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you and your king.

Very simply put: you can’t blame it all on your king when things start to go wrong in the kingdom. The king is not the only one answerable to God for obedience or rebellion. The well-being of the nation is the responsibility of the collective believers in that nation. Laziness, negligence of God’s Word and outright rejection of God's establishment principles will bring destruction “against you and your king.” So, Samuel laid it squarely on the shoulders of the people, indicating to me that if they’d had integrity as God’s people, they could have kept the king’s failures in check.

They recognized their sinfulness as pronounced by Samuel in v.17: ^“your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking for yourselves a king.” They confessed their sin publicly in v.19: And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.”

The Jews could really grovel, when chastised by God’s representative. Samuel reassured them that yes, they’d made a mistake. It was one for which they would be reaping consequences for generations to come, but they should remain faithful to God’s plan and purpose for them. They must not reject God’s grace toward them, for to do so would bring them into Satan’s system of evil. That would be their undoing.  There is nothing profitable there.  God’s formula for recovery from reversionism: confess the sin (admit it to God), get back with God’s program and move on toward the high ground of maturity in the faith.

And Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. I Samuel 12:20-21

V.22: For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.

It is not because Israel is so righteous, that God will not forsake them. It is for His own name’s sake. They are His people who bear His name in the earth, and He will protect them. It is a matter of God’s integrity, not their worthiness. They are decidedly UNworthy, as are we all.

“Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Know, therefore, that the Lord your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are stubborn people.”  Deuteronomy 9:5-6 

So, why does God continue to protect and provide for His people?  Because it pleases Him (v. 22). A stubborn child does not cease to be your child, he becomes your chastened child, because you love him and because he belongs to you and bears your name. Believers in Jesus Christ bear the name of Christ. We are His and it pleases Him to protect us in the world, and to provide for us in all circumstances of life. He does this, even as He must chastise us at times, for our stubborn foolishness. God keeps His Word. Always.

Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way. Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.” I Samuel 12:23-25

The people had asked Samuel to pray for them, that they might not die for their grievous sin against God. Samuel made it clear that he would not cease to pray for them; not because it was an emotional issue with him, but because neglecting to pray for them would be a sin against the Lord. That is a truth I sometimes overlook, to my shame. That is to say, I forget that it is a personal sin to neglect prayer on behalf of God’s people.  As their prophet, Samuel assured them he would also continue to instruct them in “the good and the right way.”

Samuel’s advice to Israel: you have confessed your sin to God, and determined to follow and support your king in the ways of God. Keep your promise of genuine faithfulness in service. Remember God’s faithfulness in His grace provision for you. BUT—

If you, Israel (client nation to God), continue in sin (human viewpoint stupidity), your nation, your people and your king will be destroyed. The responsibility rests on the individual believers as they walk before the Lord, as well as the collective nation as she represents the Lord in the earth. The king represents the nation.

As the believer goes, so goes the nation.

As the nation goes, so goes the king.

Saul started strong in leadership, but it didn’t last long. He quickly became a politician, making bad decisions and blaming it on following the will of the people. God gave him clear instruction, but Saul’s personal preferences got in the way of his obedience to God. Saul didn’t seem to be evil and rebellious. He was actually quite moral in his behavior, but allowing one’s emotions to have priority over God’s command IS rebellion. Morality is not spirituality. Don't confuse the two. If an unbeliever can do it, it is not the Christian way of life. A person can be agnostic, atheist, pagan, or a carnal-minded baby believer and be moral. You cannot be any of those things and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Spirituality requires knowledge of and obedience to the Word of God (Bible Doctrine). Also known as the Mind of Christ. Also known as divine viewpoint. Thinking truth! 

Saul became a sanctimonious, arrogant, presumptuous phony who squandered the position and abused the authority God had given him. This could not end well.

It didn’t.

King Saul

Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him and said, “Has not the Lord anointed you to be prince over his people Israel? And you shall reign over the people of the Lord and you will save them from the hand of their surrounding enemies. I Samuel 10: 1

The people demanded a king. God gave them a king. He was to be their champion, leading them to victory against the heathen Gentile nations which surrounded them, and which practiced the abominations Israel was warned against in Deuteronomy 18. Samuel knew God’s choice for the first king of Israel, so he anointed Saul before the people knew who it would be.

Anoint: to consecrate or make sacred in a ceremony that includes the token applying of oil. To dedicate to the service of God. 

After that you shall come to Gibeath-elohim, where there is a garrison of the Philistines. And there, as soon as you come to the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and lyre before them, prophesying. Then the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. Now when these signs meet you, do what your hand finds to do, for God is with you. Then go down before me to Gilgal. And behold, I am coming down to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, until I come to you and show you what you shall do.” I Samuel 10:5-8

Having been anointed, Saul would receive from God a new spirit, enabling him to prophesy with the prophets, temporarily, as a validation of God’s anointing. Saul was God’s choice to be Israel’s first human king. Notice Samuel’s instruction that Saul should WAIT for Samuel to come and show him how to proceed. Saul was meant to be Israel’s champion, in the same manner as the judges had been.

When he turned his back to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart. And all these signs came to pass that day. When they came to Gibeah, behold, a group of prophets met him, and the Spirit of God rushed upon him, and he prophesied among them. And when all who knew him previously saw how he prophesied with the prophets, the people said to one another, “What has come over the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?” And a man of the place answered, “And who is their father?” Therefore it became a proverb, “Is Saul also among the prophets?” When he had finished prophesying, he came to the high place. I Samuel 10:9-13

Saul’s “new heart” from God was noticeable to the people immediately. They remarked to each other about it. This incident became part of the public perception of Saul. Apparently there were ecstatics involved in this prophesying, all of which seemed uncharacteristic of someone like Saul.

Samuel refreshed their memories one more time about God’s care for them and their rejection of His perfect care. They had demanded a king, just as the Lord foreknew, and they were now being given a king. There must be a public ritual of presenting the tribes before the Lord, to witness the choosing of the man who would serve as Israel’s king. Since God had already chosen, and Samuel had already anointed the man, this ritual would serve as confirmation of God’s choice.

Now Samuel called the people together to the Lord at Mizpah. And he said to the people of Israel, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.’ But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses, and you have said to him, ‘Set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your thousands.”

Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its clans, and the clan of the Matrites was taken by lot; and Saul the son of Kish was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found. So they inquired again of the Lord, “Is there a man still to come?” and the Lord said, “Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage.” Then they ran and took him from there. And when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen? There is none like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!” I Samuel 10: 17-24

Saul was of the tribe of Benjamin, Jacob’s youngest son. Saul was suddenly paralyzed by humility and fear of being given such a huge responsibility, so he hid. When he was recovered and brought before the people, they were greatly impressed by his physical stature, and the majority were eager to install this tall, imposing man immediately as their king. Yes, God looks on the heart, but mankind is easily influenced by outward appearance. Good looks and an air of authority can take a man a long way in politics.

Then Samuel told the people the rights and duties of the kingship, and he wrote them in a book and laid it up before the Lord. Then Samuel sent all the people away, each one to his home. Saul also went to his home at Gibeah, and with him went men of valor whose hearts God had touched. But some worthless fellows said, “How can this man save us?” And they despised him and brought him no present. But he held his peace.  I Samuel 10:25-27

Samuel was not about to allow Israel or Saul to forget what the king’s duties were. He wrote them in a book and made it public to the nation. The ritual was over. The King was chosen. Most people approved of God’s choice. BUT…(v.27)…some were skeptical and pessimistic . They had no confidence in “this man.” They despised him (had contempt for him). They had no respect for the Lord’s anointed.

Thus, we see political polarization from the first day of Israel’s new king. Some people just will not be led. They are proud, arrogant and do not trust anyone to have the wisdom to rule. The anointing oil had not had time to settle into Saul’s hair before the people’s loyalties were divided. It seems that this human trend toward rebellion is entrenched in the nature of the species, until we are raptured and leave our old sin natures behind.

Saul started his reign with God’s approval and Samuel’s mentorship. He had everything going for him, including the general admiration of the nation. He would soon prove himself to be the authoritative champion the nation so desperately wanted. All he needed to do was to continue in obedience to God’s ordinances of the kingdom.

That was all he needed to do.