To obey is better than sacrifice…

Saul’s Unlawful Sacrifice…

Read 1 Samuel 13:1-23

The Cost of Impatience

Saul’s story in 1 Samuel 13 offers a powerful lesson in obedience, patience, and trust in God.

In times of fear and desperation, Saul chose to lean on his understanding, leading to his downfall.

This chapter serves as a reminder that true faith involves trust in God’s timing, obedience to His commands, and the wisdom to acknowledge His authority.

Verses 1-2: Saul’s Reign and Military Organization

In the first two verses, Saul’s kingship and military strength are described.

Saul chooses three thousand men from Israel; two thousand are with him in Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand are with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin.

The rest of the people he sends home.

Verses 3-4: Jonathan’s Victory and Its Aftermath

Jonathan, Saul’s son, strikes down the Philistine outpost at Geba, and Saul summons the Israelites for war by blowing a trumpet throughout the land.

Israel hears the news that Saul has defeated a Philistine garrison and that Israel is now detestable to the Philistines, causing the people to be summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.

Verses 5-7: Fear among the Israelites

The Philistines assemble to fight Israel with a force as vast as the sand on the seashore.

They camp at Michmash, east of Beth Aven. The men of Israel see that they’re in trouble and, afraid, they hide in caves, thickets, among rocks, in tombs, and in pits.

Verses 8-10: Saul’s Unlawful Sacrifice

Saul waits seven days for Samuel to come and offer the burnt offering, as per the time set, but Samuel does not come.

Saul, feeling pressured as his men begin to scatter, takes matters into his own hands and offers the burnt offering himself.

Verses 11-14: Samuel’s Prophecy of Saul’s Rejection

When Samuel arrives, he questions Saul’s actions.

Saul defends himself, blaming his act on Samuel’s tardiness, the scattering of his men, and the Philistine threat.

Samuel rebukes Saul, telling him that his kingdom won’t last because he hasn’t obeyed God’s command.

God would have established his kingdom over Israel forever, but now, He seeks a man after His own heart.

Verses 15-23: Israel’s Disadvantaged Position

Samuel departs from Gilgal, and the rest of the people follow Saul to meet the army, going from Gilgal to Gibeah in Benjamin.

No Weapons for the Army

13:16-23. The remainder of the chapter presents an informational aside to describe the position the rag-tag Israelite army faced.

First, we learn that they were just about surrounded. The Philistines sent out three raiding parties to control three of the roads that provided access to Micmash (13:17-18)..

Later, a Philistine detachment moved to Micmash (13:16).

These actions not only secured their positions at Micmash, but also sealed off Saul’s camp from receiving reinforcements (Bergen, 154).

If this wasn’t bad enough, we learn that the weapons arsenal held by the Israelites was technologically inferior.

The Philistines controlled the metal trade and charged high fees to sharpen and repair plowshares, mattocks, axes and sickles (13:20).

They refused to make iron or bronze weapons for the Israelites (13:19).

Only Saul and Jonathan had swords and spears. The rest of the army had weapons made of wood or stone—arrows, slings, clubs, or stone knives.

The situation appeared hopeless.

Israel is in a weakened position, with no blacksmiths in the land to make weapons, and the Philistines controlling the iron trade.

On the day of battle, only Saul and Jonathan have weapons, highlighting Israel’s dire situation.

The lesson here is that we are to obey God’s commands in all circumstances.

Saul lost his kingdom because he disobeyed God.

Saul was pressured to act before all his men deserted.

His lack of patience cost him everything.

SELAH (let us pause and calmly think about these things)
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Tuesday, August 27
Worthy Brief

SPIRITUAL BLACKSMITHS ARISE!

“Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears: But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock. Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads. So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.”
— 1 Samuel 13:19-22

This interesting passage speaks of a time when Israel had no blacksmiths to make weapons and was without any armament to defend themselves.

The enemy had succeeded to disarm Israel by removing their weapons, and those who forged them!

He’s attempting the same tactic today!

A blacksmith is someone who works with raw material and fire, and who knows how to form and shape liquid metal into powerful weapons.

Anyone who works skillfully and accurately with the word of God is a spiritual “blacksmith”.

The enemy, who is constantly attacking the word of God, the sword of the Spirit, also seeks to silence or remove the spiritual blacksmiths of this world.

If he can get rid of them – the battle is over.

We need to pray for God’s blacksmiths because the enemy is after them.

Together with the fire of the Holy Spirit they forge the raw material of His word into powerful weapons which shape and mold God’s people into His image and equip them for spiritual warfare and fruitfulness.

But we are all called to be strong in the word, and to take it up as our primary weapon.

Every spiritual blacksmith, himself started out as raw material which was shaped and formed by the fire of God to fight in this battle with Satan.

So, as the battle rages, pray for the protection of God’s “blacksmiths”, even as you submit to His process of shaping you into one, yourself.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George, Baht Rivka, Obadiah and Elianna (Missouri)
(Baltimore, MD)
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