The Beginning Of The End
The Philistines assembled to fight Israel, with three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore…
Saul remained at Gilgal and all the soldiers with him began to quake with fear. He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal and Saul’s men began to scatter. So he said, “Bring the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering. Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.
“What have you done?” asked Samuel, Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the LORD’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”
“You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said, “You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; If you had, He would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after His own heart and appointed him ruler of His people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command.”
Saul remained at Gilgal and all the soldiers with him began to quake with fear. He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal and Saul’s men began to scatter. So he said, “Bring the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering. Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.
“What have you done?” asked Samuel, Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the LORD’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”
“You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said, “You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; If you had, He would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after His own heart and appointed him ruler of His people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command.”
I Samuel 13:5-14.
Saul started off as a humble ruler who would not even come out of hiding to assume the kingship of Israel. He had to be dragged out for his first public appearance. But somehow, this humble start quickly faded away. Pride quickly set in when he became king.
Against the clear instructions of Samuel the prophet, Saul’s impatience led him to assume a role which was strictly reserved for the priesthood. Saul rejected the command of God concerning burnt offerings and impatiently offered a burnt offering to God because Samuel had delayed in coming. This violation of the divine rule, was the first fatal mistake of his kingship and served as the beginning of the end for Saul.
Divine judgement was swift: “You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; He would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now, your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after His own heart and appointed Him ruler of His people.”
In our dealings with God, disobedience is always the beginning of the end. God cannot trust us if we are not obedient to His word. God will always test our obedience to see whether we are capable of handling the blessings He has for us. God will never elevate us to the next level if we show ourselves to be untrustworthy through disobedience. No amount of pressure is worth succumbing to if it causes us to disobey the clear instructions of God. Disobedience is always the beginning of the end. Stick with obedience and watch God establish your blessings forever.
Against the clear instructions of Samuel the prophet, Saul’s impatience led him to assume a role which was strictly reserved for the priesthood. Saul rejected the command of God concerning burnt offerings and impatiently offered a burnt offering to God because Samuel had delayed in coming. This violation of the divine rule, was the first fatal mistake of his kingship and served as the beginning of the end for Saul.
Divine judgement was swift: “You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; He would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now, your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after His own heart and appointed Him ruler of His people.”
In our dealings with God, disobedience is always the beginning of the end. God cannot trust us if we are not obedient to His word. God will always test our obedience to see whether we are capable of handling the blessings He has for us. God will never elevate us to the next level if we show ourselves to be untrustworthy through disobedience. No amount of pressure is worth succumbing to if it causes us to disobey the clear instructions of God. Disobedience is always the beginning of the end. Stick with obedience and watch God establish your blessings forever.