Saul's Slippery Slope (Part 3)
It was too late for the Israelites to retreat. The Philistines had quickly amassed a massive army that wanted only one thing: revenge for the destruction of one of their garrisons in Geba (1 Samuel 13). At the time, Saul’s plan seemed to go off without a hitch. Because of the Philistines’ defeat in Geba, which was at the hands of Jonathan, many Israelites were thrilled and appeared eager to join the cause. Saul rallied troops in Gilgal, reminding them that they had no choice but to fight for their lives. Emotions were high. It was an exciting time indeed, until word spread of how strong, swift, and merciless the retribution of the Philistines would be. Fear overtook the Israelites’ once emboldened hearts, and instead of fighting with dignity, many hid in cowardice in caves and thick brush. Some even weaseled their way into tombs and wells!
King Saul remained in Gilgal with a terrified and dwindling army. He remembered that the prophet Samuel told him to wait for him for seven days, and then he would come and offer burnt offerings to God (1 Samuel 10). Truly, God would be pleased with the offerings, but it looked as if Samuel would be a no-show! Saul’s anxious thoughts betrayed him: Samuel told me to wait! For what purpose? Why should I wait until all my soldiers have fled? We will die before he comes! I must perform the offering myself. It’s the only way. Saul hastily commanded his men to bring the offerings to him, and no sooner had he offered them up than Samuel appeared.
1 Samuel 13:11-14 states, “Samuel said, 'What have you done?' 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.' 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” (ESV).
Hastiness is one of the devil’s ploys in causing people to fall into a trap. It often arises because of personal anxieties or prideful ambition. None of which is good for the heart of a believer. God said in Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” Stillness is a hard lesson to learn, but it is so needful. To stop and rest in the Lord is what many believers have not learned to do (Psalm 37). They do not realize that in slowing down and sitting at His feet, all the demands and burdens of this life begin to melt away in the light of His presence. When we wait upon God, we are not sitting idly by, but we are trusting in His timing, purpose, and power! Before Paul said, “I press toward the mark,” he declared, “That I may win Christ... That I may know Him” (Philippians 3:8, 10, 14)! Satan wants nothing more than for you to buckle under the pressures of this life and react in hasty, half-hearted efforts. Learn to trust. Know that holiness is more about complete availability than constant activity.
