The Story of Patriarchs and Prophets
by Ellen G. White
Chapter 60: The Presumption of Saul
After the assembly at Gilgal, Saul disbanded the army that
had at his call arisen to overthrow the Ammonites, reserving
only two thousand men to be stationed under his command
at Michmash and one thousand to attend his son Jonathan at
Gibeah. Here was a serious error. His army was filled with
hope and courage by the recent victory; and had he proceeded at
once against other enemies of Israel, a telling blow might have
been struck for the liberties of the nation.
Meanwhile their warlike neighbors, the Philistines, were
active. After the defeat at Ebenezer they had still retained
possession of some hill fortresses in the land of Israel, and now they
established themselves in the very heart of the country. In
facilities, arms, and equipments the Philistines had great
advantage over Israel. During the long period of their oppressive rule
they had endeavored to strengthen their power by forbidding
the Israelites to practice the trade of smiths, lest they should
make weapons of war. After the conclusion of peace the Hebrews
had still resorted to the Philistine garrisons for such work
as needed to be done. Controlled by love of ease and the abject
spirit induced by long oppression, the men of Israel had, to a
great extent, neglected to provide themselves with weapons of
war. Bows and slings were used in warfare, and these the Israelites
could obtain; but there were none among them, except Saul
and his son Jonathan, who possessed a spear or a sword.
It was not until the second year of Saul's reign that an
attempt was made to subdue the Philistines. The first blow was
struck by Jonathan, the king's son, who attacked and overcame
their garrison at Geba. The Philistines, exasperated by this [p. 617] defeat, made ready for a speedy attack upon Israel. Saul now
caused war to be proclaimed by the sound of the trumpet
throughout the land, calling upon all the men of war, including
the tribes across the Jordan, to assemble at Gilgal. This summons
was obeyed.
The Philistines had gathered an immense force at Michmash
—"thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and
people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude." When
the tidings reached Saul and his army at Gilgal, the people were
appalled at thought of the mighty forces they would have to
encounter in battle. They were not prepared to meet the enemy,
and many were so terrified that they dared not come to the test
of an encounter. Some crossed the Jordan, while others hid
themselves in caves and pits and amid the rocks that abounded in
that region. As the time for the encounter drew near, the
number of desertions rapidly increased, and those who did not
withdraw from the ranks were filled with foreboding and terror.
When Saul was first anointed king of Israel, he had received
from Samuel explicit directions concerning the course to be
pursued at this time. "Thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal,"
said the prophet; "and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to
offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings:
seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and show thee
what thou shalt do." I Samuel 10:8.
Day after day Saul tarried, but without making decided efforts
toward encouraging the people and inspiring confidence in God.
Before the time appointed by the prophet had fully expired, he
became impatient at the delay and allowed himself to be
discouraged by the trying circumstances that surrounded him.
Instead of faithfully seeking to prepare the people for the service
that Samuel was coming to perform, he indulged in unbelief
and foreboding. The work of seeking God by sacrifice was a most
solemn and important work; and God required that His people
should search their hearts and repent of their sins, that the
offering might be made with acceptance before Him, and that His
blessing might attend their efforts to conquer the enemy. But
Saul had grown restless; and the people, instead of trusting in
God for help, were looking to the king whom they had chosen,
to lead and direct them. [p. 618]
Yet the Lord still cared for them and did not give them up
to the disasters that would have come upon them if the frail arm
of flesh had become their only support. He brought them into
close places, that they might be convicted of the folly of depending
on man, and that they might turn to Him as their only help.
The time for the proving of Saul had come. He was now to show
whether or not he would depend on God and patiently wait
according to His command, thus revealing himself as one whom
God could trust in trying places as the ruler of His people, or
whether he would be vacillating and unworthy of the sacred
responsibility that had devolved upon him. Would the king
whom Israel had chosen, listen to the Ruler of all kings? Would
he turn the attention of his fainthearted soldiers to the One in
whom is everlasting strength and deliverance?
With growing impatience he awaited the arrival of Samuel
and attributed the confusion and distress and desertion of his
army to the absence of the prophet. The appointed time came,
but the man of God did not immediately appear. God's providence
had detained His servant. But Saul's restless, impulsive
spirit would no longer be restrained. Feeling that something
must be done to calm the fears of the people, he determined to
summon an assembly for religious service, and by sacrifice
entreat the divine aid. God had directed that only those consecrated
to the office should present sacrifices before Him. But Saul
commanded, "Bring hither a burnt offering;" and, equipped as he
was with armor and weapons of war, he approached the altar
and offered sacrifice before God.
"And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end
of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul
went out to meet him, that he might salute him." Samuel saw
at once that Saul had gone contrary to the express directions that
had been given him. The Lord had spoken by His prophet that
at this time He would reveal what Israel must do in this crisis.
If Saul had fulfilled the conditions upon which divine help was
promised, the Lord would have wrought a marvelous deliverance
for Israel, with the few who were loyal to the king. But Saul
was so well satisfied with himself and his work that he went out
to meet the prophet as one who should be commended rather
than disapproved. [p. 621]
Samuel's countenance was full of anxiety and trouble; but to
his inquiry, "What hast thou done?" Saul offered excuses for his
presumptuous act. He said: "I saw that the people were scattered
from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed,
and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at
Michmash; therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now
upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the
Lord: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.
"And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou
hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which
He commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established
thy kingdom upon Israel forever. But now thy kingdom shall
not continue: the Lord hath sought Him a man after His own
heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over
His people. . . . And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal
unto Gibeah of Benjamin."
Either Israel must cease to be the people of God, or the
principle upon which the monarchy was founded must be maintained,
and the nation must be governed by a divine power. If
Israel would be wholly the Lord's, if the will of the human and
earthly were held in subjection to the will of God, He would
continue to be the Ruler of Israel. So long as the king and the people
would conduct themselves as subordinate to God, so long He
could be their defense. But in Israel no monarchy could prosper
that did not in all things acknowledge the supreme authority
of God.
If Saul had shown a regard for the requirements of God in
this time of trial, God could have worked His will through him.
His failure now proved him unfit to be the vicegerent of God
to His people. He would mislead Israel. His will, rather than
the will of God, would be the controlling power. If Saul had been
faithful, his kingdom would have been established forever; but
since he had failed, the purpose of God must be accomplished by
another. The government of Israel must be committed to one
who would rule the people according to the will of Heaven.
We do not know what great interests may be at stake in
the proving of God. There is no safety except in strict obedience
to the word of God. All His promises are made upon condition
of faith and obedience, and a failure to comply with His [p. 622] commands cuts off the fulfillment to us of the rich provisions of the
Scriptures. We should not follow impulse, nor rely on the judgment
of men; we should look to the revealed will of God and
walk according to His definite commandment, no matter what
circumstances may surround us. God will take care of the
results; by faithfulness to His word we may in time of trial prove
before men and angels that the Lord can trust us in difficult
places to carry out His will, honor His name, and bless His
people.
Saul was in disfavor with God, and yet unwilling to humble
his heart in penitence. What he lacked in real piety he would
try to make up by his zeal in the forms of religion. Saul was not
ignorant of Israel's defeat when the ark of God was brought
into the camp by Hophni and Phinehas; and yet, knowing all
this, he determined to send for the sacred chest and its attendant
priest. Could he by this means inspire confidence in the people,
he hoped to reassemble his scattered army and give battle to the
Philistines. He would now dispense with Samuel's presence and
support, and thus free himself from the prophet's unwelcome
criticisms and reproofs.
The Holy Spirit had been granted to Saul to enlighten his
understanding and soften his heart. He had received faithful
instruction and reproof from the prophet of God. And yet how
great was his perversity! The history of Israel's first king
presents a sad example of the power of early wrong habits. In his
youth Saul did not love and fear God; and that impetuous spirit,
not early trained to submission, was ever ready to rebel against
divine authority. Those who in their youth cherish a sacred
regard for the will of God, and who faithfully perform the duties
of their position, will be prepared for higher service in afterlife.
But men cannot for years pervert the powers that God has given
them, and then, when they choose to change, find these powers
fresh and free for an entirely opposite course.
Saul's efforts to arouse the people proved unavailing. Finding
his force reduced to six hundred men, he left Gilgal and retired
to the fortress at Geba, lately taken from the Philistines. This
stronghold was on the south side of a deep, rugged valley, or
gorge, a few miles north of the site of Jerusalem. On the north
side of the same valley, at Michmash, the Philistine force lay
encamped while detachments of troops went out in different directions
to ravage the country. [p. 623]
God had permitted matters to be thus brought to a crisis that
He might rebuke the perversity of Saul and teach His people a
lesson of humility and faith. Because of Saul's sin in his
presumptuous offering, the Lord would not give him the honor of
vanquishing the Philistines. Jonathan, the king's son, a man who
feared the Lord, was chosen as the instrument to deliver Israel.
Moved by a divine impulse, he proposed to his armor-bearer that
they should make a secret attack upon the enemy's camp. "It
may be," he urged, "that the Lord will work for us: for there is
no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few."
The armor-bearer, who also was a man of faith and prayer,
encouragement the design, and together they withdrew from the
camp, secretly, lest their purpose should be opposed. With
earnest prayer to the Guide of their fathers, they agreed upon a
sign by which they might determine how to proceed. Then
passing down into the gorge separating the two armies, they
silently threaded their way, under the shadow of the cliff, and
partially concealed by the mounds and ridges of the valley.
Approaching the Philistine fortress, they were revealed to the view
of their enemies, who said, tauntingly, "Behold, the Hebrews
come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves,"
then challenged them, "Come up to us, and we will show you a
thing," meaning that they would punish the two Israelites for
their daring. This challenge was the token that Jonathan and his
companion had agreed to accept as evidence that the Lord would
prosper their undertaking. Passing now from the sight of the
Philistines, and choosing a secret and difficult path, the warriors
made their way to the summit of a cliff that had been deemed
inaccessible, and was not very strongly guarded. Thus they
penetrated the enemy's camp and slew the sentinels, who, overcome
with surprise and fear, offered no resistance.
Angels of heaven shielded Jonathan and his attendant, angels
fought by their side, and the Philistines fell before them. The
earth trembled as though a great multitude with horsemen and
chariots were approaching. Jonathan recognized the tokens of
divine aid, and even the Philistines knew that God was working
for the deliverance of Israel. Great fear seized upon the host,
both in the field and in the garrison. In the confusion, mistaking
their own soldiers for enemies, the Philistines began to slay one
another. [p. 624]
Soon the noise of the battle was heard in the camp of Israel.
The king's sentinels reported that there was great confusion
among the Philistines, and that their numbers were decreasing.
Yet it was not known that any part of the Hebrew army had
left the camp. Upon inquiry it was found that none were
absent except Jonathan and his armor-bearer. But seeing that the
Philistines were meeting with a repulse, Saul led his army to
join the assault. The Hebrews who had deserted to the enemy
now turned against them; great numbers also came out of their
hiding places, and as the Philistines fled, discomfited, Saul's
army committed terrible havoc upon the fugitives.
Determined to make the most of his advantage, the king
rashly forbade his soldiers to partake of food for the entire day,
enforcing his command by the solemn imprecation, "Cursed be
the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be
avenged on mine enemies." The victory had already been gained,
without Saul's knowledge or co-operation, but he hoped to
distinguish himself by the utter destruction of the vanquished army.
The command to refrain from food was prompted by selfish
ambition, and it showed the king to be indifferent to the needs
of his people when these conflicted with his desire for self-exaltation.
To confirm his prohibition by a solemn oath showed
Saul to be both rash and profane. The very words of the curse
give evidence that Saul's zeal was for himself, and not for the
honor of God. He declared his object to be, not "that the Lord
may be avenged on His enemies," but 'that I may be avenged on
mine enemies."
The prohibition resulted in leading the people to transgress
the command of God. They had been engaged in warfare all
day, and were faint for want of food; and as soon as the hours
of restriction were over, they fell upon the spoil and devoured
the flesh with the blood, thus violating the law that forbade the
eating of blood.
During the day's battle Jonathan, who had not heard of the
king's command, unwittingly offended by eating a little honey
as he passed through a wood. Saul learned of this at evening. He
had declared that the violation of his edict should be punished
with death; and though Jonathan had not been guilty of a willful
sin, though God had miraculously preserved his life and
had wrought deliverance through him, the king declared that the
sentence must be executed. To spare the life of his son would [p. 625] have been an acknowledgment on the part of Saul that he had
sinned in making so rash a vow. This would have been humiliating
to his pride. "God do so, and more also," was his terrible
sentence: "thou shalt surely die, Jonathan."
Saul could not claim the honor of the victory, but he hoped
to be honored for his zeal in maintaining the sacredness of his
oath. Even at the sacrifice of his son, he would impress upon his
subjects the fact that the royal authority must be maintained. At
Gilgal, but a short time before, Saul had presumed to officiate
as priest, contrary to the command of God. When reproved by
Samuel, he had stubbornly justified himself. Now, when his
own command was disobeyed—though the command was
unreasonable and had been violated through ignorance—the king
and father sentenced his son to death.
The people refused to allow the sentence to be executed.
Braving the anger of the king, they declared, "Shall Jonathan
die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God
forbid: as the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall
to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day." The
proud monarch dared not disregard this unanimous verdict, and
the life of Jonathan was preserved.
Saul could not but feel that his son was preferred before
him, both by the people and by the Lord. Jonathan's deliverance
was a severe reproof to the king's rashness. He felt a presentiment
that his curses would return upon his own head. He did not
longer continue the war with the Philistines, but returned to his
home, moody and dissatisfied.
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Those who are most ready to excuse or justify themselves
in sin are often most severe in judging and condemning others.
Many, like Saul, bring upon themselves the displeasure of God,
but they reject counsel and despise reproof. Even when convinced
that the Lord is not with them, they refuse to see in themselves
the cause of their trouble. They cherish a proud, boastful spirit,
while they indulge in cruel judgment or severe rebuke of others
who are better than they. Well would it be for such
self-constituted judges to ponder those words of Christ: "With what
judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure
ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." Matthew 7:2.
Often those who are seeking to exalt themselves are brought
into positions where their true character is revealed. So it was in [p. 626] the case of Saul. His own course convinced the people that kingly
honor and authority were dearer to him than justice, mercy, or
benevolence. Thus the people were led to see their error in
rejecting the government that God had given them. They had
exchanged the pious prophet, whose prayers had brought down
blessings, for a king who in his blind zeal had prayed for a curse
upon them.
Had not the men of Israel interposed to save the life of
Jonathan, their deliverer would have perished by the king's
decree. With what misgivings must that people afterward have
followed Saul's guidance! How bitter the thought that he had
been placed upon the throne by their own act! The Lord bears
long with the waywardness of men, and to all He grants
opportunity to see and forsake their sins; but while He may seem
to prosper those who disregard His will and despise His warnings,
He will, in His own time, surely make manifest their folly.
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"Saul Rejected"
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