WHEN SAUL TURNED 30

WHEN SAUL TURNED 30 AND BECAME ISRAEL’S FIRST KING

What were you doing the day you turned thirty? When Saul turned 30 he became the first King of Israel. That is a huge responsibility to take on by the age of 30. Yet; He was thirty when he was anointed King.

Would you be able to run a country with what you knew when you were only three decades of age? The problem is pretty clear. When you are that young, you have no concept of what you will learn later. How many times did you change your mind about life and it’s processes between thirty and fifty? Almost everyone who passes age thirty changes and improves with time and experience. The only safe way to get through those years of absolutely no firm life-experiences is to go there with God.

Saul reigned over Israel for the next forty-two years. He began this reign just as Samuel had led the nation into repenting for this choice to follow the ways of men instead of following God. The whole nation listened to Samuel. In fear they realized their sins and repented. It was a pattern we have seen over and over with Israel. How long would God be patient with them?

How long will God be patient with us? Often we tend to place many of our own ways above God’s ways as we live out our modern-day lives. How long will we let this pattern of humanity continue? Are we just another link in the chain of sin and repentance? Which generation will take the important step of turning and not turning back? We must get there if we wish to be overcomers.

WELCOME

Welcome to the COME AS A CHILD BIBLE STUDY from The IN SEASON Lifestyle. We are slowly walking through 1 Samuel together. If you missed our last lesson; you can review it here: https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/samuel-confirms-saul-to-israel/.

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Today’s lesson is taken from 1 Samuel, Chapter 13.

GOD IS ALWAYS PREPARING HIS PEOPLE

Now Israel had a King who was a man like all of the rest of the world. Even in this state, God was working to prepare His people for better days.

Becoming King at thirty was quite a responsibility.  There were three thousand men chosen by Saul to be his followers.  This number included two thousand who were with him at Mikmash and in the hill country of Bethel, plus one thousand led by Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. We know that Jonathan was Saul’s son. Many of the volunteers were sent back home.  These three thousand men were known as the best of the best of Israel’s army.

JONATHAN

It was Jonathan, Saul’s son, who attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba.  Saul had a trumpet blown to make the announcement.  The words proclaimed were: “Let the Hebrews hear!  Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel has become obnoxious to the Philistines.” I suppose this was comparable to a special news bulletin of today. It was a way to let the people know they were at war.

All the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.  The Philistines heard about this. They quickly responded by assembling for battle with Israel.  These Philistine warriors had three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore.  They camped at Mikmash, which was east of Beth Aven. 

HIDING FROM THE PHILISTINES

The Israelites realized their situation was critical. They began to hide in caves, thickets, rocks, pits and cisterns.  Some of the Israelites even went on to cross the Jordan. By doing this they were putting a river between themselves and the enemies.  They lodged with the people of Gad and Gilead.

Saul remained at Gilgal. All his troops trembled with fear.  He waited for seven days. This time of waiting was a prearranged plan between Saul and Samuel. The men of Israel never went into battle without first offering sacrifices up to God. During this time of worship they prayed for Him to help in a victory over their enemies. Samuel was the presiding priest who was supposed to officiate over the sacrifices and offerings to God before this battle took place.

SAMUEL IS DELAYED

However, Samuel did not show up at the end of those seven days.  Some of Saul’s already frightened men began to scatter and dessert him.  They didn’t want to go into battle without offering a sacrifice unto God. Only Samuel was qualified to offer such sacrifices for the troops.

I could not read this passage of 1 Samuel 13 without thinking of a similar situation in the history of Moses. Remember when Moses went up on Sinai to receive the Commandments of God? The people became restless. They thought Moses wasn’t going to return. So, they built an idol of a golden calf and sinned greatly before God. When Moses returned he was so upset. In his great anger and frustration he smashed the commandments into a million pieces. Moses had to go back and plea for the forgiveness of the people. Then, he had to ask God to restore them with another set of commandments.

Some patterns of humanity never seem to change. Will the people of God today become too impatient waiting for Yeshua to return? Can we not put away our sin as He has trusted us to do? When will we learn from our past mistakes? Why can’t we turn and change? So many generations have repeated the same old sinful actions. When will we learn?

SAUL SHOWS HIS HUMANITY

Much like many of us today, the young King Saul was a victim of his own flesh. Without thinking about it, he operated out of his own human reasoning. As the army waited beside him, he made his first fatal decision as Israel’s first King.

King Saul became impatient.

He worried that more men would leave his ranks as they waited on Samuel.  Saul demanded that the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings be brought to him in Samuel’s absence.  Then, Saul proceeded to offer the sacrifices which a priest of God should have offered. 

Just as Saul finished making the offerings, Samuel appeared.

SAMUEL REBUKES SAUL

Saul went out to greet Samuel.

When Samuel realized Saul had made the offerings in his place, he was appalled.  Samuel asked Saul what he had done.  When Saul explained his impatient actions, Samuel rebuked him. 

When we read 1 Samuel 13:13-14 we hear these words from Samuel to Saul: “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 the people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”

ARE WE NOT LIKE SAUL?

Has there ever been a time in your own life when you clearly heard the voice of God telling you to go one way, but your flesh and humanness pulled you into the other direction?

Again, I will mention discernment. I do not mention it because I’ve learned to completely master it. This is a weakness most Christians struggle with. Thank God for grace and mercy, but we should love God enough not to demand those traits from Him every five seconds.

So many times in my own life I have fallen short. Unfortunately, I’ve chosen the human side instead of the spiritual side of God’s way much too often. It is easy to see when you begin to look back over your past.

We all are guilty, but that doesn’t make it right. Mature Christians learn how to discern what is of the flesh and what is of the spirit. They know to sacrifice that portion of flesh in order to walk in The Spirit of God. It is the only way to be victorious in the battle against the power of evil that wants to prevail against us. Our soul and our spirit must be moving together in the ways of God. They should stay safely in obedience so we can conquer evil and join with God in good efforts to restore the world.

It appears that Saul had much to learn about being a godly King.

NO WEAPONS FOR THE ISRAELITES

Samuel left in disgust. 

Saul went back to count his men.  There were only 600 left.

So, while Saul with his son, Jonathan, and 600 of their men were staying in Gibeah, in Benjamin, the Philistines were camped at Mikmash. 

Raiding parties of the Philistines left their camp and went to three different destinations.  One group turned toward Ophrah.  Another group turned toward Beth Horon.  The third group turned toward the border of the Valley of Zeboyim which faced the wilderness. 

PHILISTINES HAVE THE MONOPOLY ON SWORDS

It seems the Philistines had a monopoly on the iron market in the area.  They had a reason for this.  In 1 Samuel 13: 19 we read:  Not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!”  So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plow points, mattocks, axes and sickles sharpened.  The price was two-thirds of a shekel for sharpening plow points and mattocks, and a third of a shekel for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads.”

Had God not warned them not to intermingle with the Canaanites? The Philistines had a monopoly over the trades that truly mattered. They had even used the money from Israel to supply the army which they used to fight against Israel. Why had Israel neglected working to provide their own army with the things they needed the most?

One could look at the fact that they had good judges and less battles when God led them and they had been obedient. Everyone hopes to never have to use weapons or enter into battles with their enemies. However; that doesn’t stop the enemy from planning attacks. When it happens, we need to be ready and prepared.

A KING PREPARED FOR BATTLE?

Was Saul prepared for battle? It seems he had a problem of being much to hasty. He had not waited to submit the battle to God when he had rushed the sacrifices that Samuel should have offered for the people. It is more important to be spiritually prepared in battle than to be physically prepared. Yet; both traits matter.

This question about being prepared is a good question to ask of our own nations. Israel had defeated themselves before the battle ever began by giving their enemies power over them when they didn’t need to do so.

Are we also supplying our enemies with what they need to destroy our own people? To quote the famous words of Samuel to Saul: “You have done a foolish thing.”

If you want to dive a little deeper into some of these things; here is a good video message: https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?&q=youtube.com+1+samuel+chapter+13&&mid=D84764B15BD9CD1B69FDD84764B15BD9CD1B69FD&&mcid=9EA82EC555C74C089DF040F15ADB52A7&FORM=VRDGAR.

WISE LEADERS DO NOT DO FOOLISH THINGS

Any nation must learn how to listen to God’s will through leaders who lead from God’s commandments. This is the only way to achieve victory, and even more, peace on earth.

Because they had no iron and no skilled blacksmiths, the Israelites did not have one sword or a spear in their possession.  Saul and Jonathon were the only two in the crowd who owned swords.

Next week we will see how a battle that starts without God’s ways goes. We will discuss how a good warrior should be equipped for battle.

Israel’s new King had much to learn. Time will tell if he repents. Will he swallow his pride and turn and give God the glory for everything that His kingdom has to offer?