STILL ON KING SAUL..

Saul and the Amalekites assignment

Saul was given an express institution to destroy the amalekites and all they had 1samuel 15:3. It was spelt out “man, woman, infant, suckling, ox, sheep, camel and ass” but Saul had a better idea, he spared Agagi the best livestock and all that was good, what was his explanation/reason. “The people spared the best livestock to sacrifice the lord thy God”, this was his answer to Samuel when confronted. The question now is “who is in charge?” who should guide the people to obey God’s instruction? Is it not the king? Samuel’s response is one of the best passages on obedience in the Scripture.

“To obey is better than sacrifice

           To hearken than the fat of rams

           Rebellion is as the sun of witchcraft

           Shibborners is as iniquity and idolatry”

 

          LESSON:

God places a high premium on obedience, obedience by leaders especially. When God gives an instruction, he wants you to follow it to the letter as a leader. Moses was to speak to the rock, rather, he struck the rock, it cost him his dream of stepping into the Promised Land. Saul disobeyed, it cost him the kingdom.

How often do we as leaders assume that it does not matter if we make changes here and there to the express command of God? Yea God will not mind, after all I am the leader, I am in charge. The Bible says God abhors disobedience just as he abhors witchcraft, idolatry and other sins.

Jesus gave an illustration when a man becomes free from evil spirit, the heart is swept clean and free but if the evil spirit comes again and see the heart free and clean, he comes back, bringing in more evil spirits and the man becomes worse than his original status. Because of persistent disobedience the spirit of God left Saul, and evil spirit took over.

LESSON: If we are not careful and we continue to sin against the Holy Spirit persisting in sin we, gradually become sold to the devil and our later days can be worse than the former.
 

Saul obviously sank into depression and his countries had to look for someone who would play the harp to left him out of his ill mood. David was chosen and this may sound accidental or by chance but this was the hand of God to bring David close to the seat of power. It was also another training ground for Saul’s successor (David).

The rest of the life of Saul was plagued with the symptoms of a man who has lost touch with God.

The Philistines rose against Israel and when Goliath challenged the Israelites, the same Saul who rose against the Ammonites in anger because of their threats to the people of Jabesh culead was now afraid. 1samuel 17:11, for forty days, Goliath challenged Israel and Saul the leader could only hide while promising a rich reward to anyone who is able to fight with the giant.

David however came, took up the challenge in full assurance of faith and he killed Goliath. The women sang songs and Saul became jealous. Jealousy, the green eyed monster so consumed Saul that he tried to kill David. Twice he tried with his javelin, but David escaped. This was the beginning of an endless plan to terminate the life of David. From the plot to have David marry his daughter and be killed in the process of getting the bride price to the many other attempts like trying to pin to the wall with the javelin again, Saul pursued David’s life like a madman. He pursued David to Nob where he committed the abominable. He ordered the death of Ahimelech, eighty-five other priests and everyone, men, women, children and livestock living in Nobs. Only Abiathar, Ahimelech’s son escaped.

LESSON: whenever through continuous disobedience to God or envy we gradually begin to sin into willful sin, the spirit of God leaves us, our conscience becomes seared and we like monsters who can commit any dastard act without feeling bad about it.

Jonathan unlike his father loved David; he affirmed that David was going to be King of Israel after his father. What a contrast, Jonathan the apparent heir, whose place David was going to take, never hated David but loved him as his own soul. He was willing to be second in command to David 1samuel 23:17.

 

LESSON: As leaders, we should always cooperate with divine providence, even when it seems not to be in our favor.

Saul never gave up, he came after David again in the desert of Engedi, Saul played into the hands of David who could have killed him in the cave but for the fear of God that David had. Saul seemed sober after that and blessed David 1samuel 24:16. He seized from pursuing David. Not too long after this, the Ziphitescame to inform Saul that David was hiding in the hill Hachilah. Saul, forgetting his promise not to seek after David’s life again rose up with three thousand soldiers to go after David. For the second time, Saul’s life was placed in the hands of David. In fact Abishai pleaded with

 

LESSONS FROM SAUL THE FIRST KING OF ISRAEL.

LESSON – How often do we as administrators after few years in office become so secured in our positions that we begin to take abrogate powers/amburity that does not belong to us to ourselves. Remember Saul. This singular act of disobedience made him to lose the kingdom.  

Arbitrariness 1samuel 14:24 – Soldiers to fast, why?

Saul mandated that all the soldiers must fast as they fight the Philistines so that “he could be avenged of his enemies”. Is this not arbitrariness, to ask soldiers who are fighting, running after their enemies to go without food, with what strength are they supposed to fight. The consequence; they would only do so much as their strength can carry, in terms of destroying the philistines. Even Jonathan lamented that would have been able to slaughter more of the Philistines had they had the strength from food. Jonathan was not part of the decision to fast because he was not there when the decision was made; he tasted honey and was refreshed. Saul got to know and he was ready to sacrifice Jonathan for that offence.

 

LESSON: 

Leaders should not be arbitrary in decision making especially decisions that can affect the lives of their followers. Some decisions can be made of the spur of the moment, but decisions that are unnecessary or that can affect the lives of the lives of the followers should not be made.

1^st disobedience: “because people scattered from me”

2^nd disobedience: “because the people spared the best to sacrifice to God”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SAUL; THE FIRST KING OF ISRAEL

Saul started well, an obedient son born to the man “Kish” the son of Abiel, the son of Zewr, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power.

Saul obeyed His father and went in search of the lost asses. Saul was a handsome young man, tall and in fact from his shoulders, he was taller than any among his people. He had the physical features of a would-be King, someone others would look up to fit to be a King in terms of his stature.

 

Saul cared about his father, after they had NAMED from mount Ephraim through the land of Shalisha, Shalium and had come to Zuph; Saul thought it was time to return home so that his father would not become worried about them.

He understood the priesthood system in his nation, He reminded the servants that they needed to bring something to the prophet they were going to consult.

Saul was humble, he declared his pedigree to the prophet, “I am a Benjamite of the smallest tribe of Israel, and you cannot rate me so high”.

After he was anointed the spirit of God came upon him, he was indeed chose of God and he prophesied. Saul was discrete; he kept the information about the Kingdom to himself even when his uncle prodded him for information.

His humility was displayed again when he hid himself as at the time he was to be presented to Israel as their new King.

Saul was courageous, Nahash, the Ammonite threatened to pluck out the eyes of the people of Jabesh culead despite the fact that these people have promised to serve the Ammonites. Saul heard this and rose up in anger; He fought the Ammonites and conquered them. The Israelites then rose up in support and confirmed his kingship. Yes we now have a King, who has all that it takes to lead us. Hurray we are now like other nations! We are secured.

All was well, God even promised to be with the Israelites and their new King if they will fear Him and obey Him. He promised not to forsake them in this new dispensation. 1samuel12:13-24.

Saul reigned successfully for two years and then war broke out between the Philistines and the Israelites. Jonathan had attacked the garrison of the philistines and here they are 30,000 chariots, 6,000 horsemen, and multitude of soldiers ready to attack the Israelites. The Israelites became afraid, where is the trust they had in their King, the store of trust was depleted. Many Israelites went into hiding, some fled to Gilead and the few left with Saul were trembling. By the seventh day, the few left with Saul started to disperse and still Samuel had not showed up as promised.
 

Saul could bear it no more, “I am King, I can as well offer the burnt offering, I am in charge, the buck stops on my table”. He who at the time he was looking for the lost asses would not approach a prophet empty handed now threw caution to the wind and took up the work of the priest. According to 1samuel 13:12, Saul said “because the people were scattered from me and the Philistines had gathered, I forced myself to offer the burnt offering”. Saul had failed the first test, he disobeyed God because he could not wait, and he assumed the prerogative that was not his because of a lack of faith. His kingdom would have been established forever but alas he failed.

LIFE AND TIMES OF THE KINGS; LESSONS FOR TODAY'S ADMINISTRATORS.

Lessons from the Kings

The Lord had been King over Israel, right from the time Abraham was called and asked to go to a land where God would show him.

All through their History from Abraham to Isaac to Jacob and His 12 sons, Through the slavery in Egypt and the appointment of Moses to lead them out of Egypt to the promised land. All through the wilderness God was leading, judging and guiding His chosen people. God led them to conquer Canaan and the fear of them was on all the inhabitants of the land. He appointed judges for them and prophets to give them directions and to serve as the middlemen between them and God.

 

 

 

 

 

And then they looked around, “we are different, we need to be like the other nations” we need a physical King who will fight our battles for us – They had forgotten the King the captain of the host of the Lord who fought for them and conquered fortified cities like Jericho – They requested for a King and God granted their request. He gave them King, and Kings and Kings, What manner of Kings? What can we learn from them – here we go!