The instruction to
Saul was as clear as daylight. Wipe out the long-standing provocation of the Amalekites.
Samuel also
made it clear that Saul should leave nothing behind. Everything had to go.
He stalked the
city of Amalek with 200,000 infantrymen and laid in wait until dawn, but drove
away the Kenites who had always dealt kindly with the Jews.
Then he attacked and
routed the city. They did indeed destroy everything. The battle raged all the way
to the northern stretches of Egypt.
However, he kept Agag
the king alive, which was not the end of the world as it was probably his
intent to deal with Agag in a more fitting way.
The greater concern
was that he took spoils of the best of their oxen, sheep and poultry.
God described his
extreme displeasure to Samuel. Saul had effectively been given a second chance,
but he was recidivistic.
Samuel confronted him
with the famous words, “what is this bleating I hear?” That confirmed the main
concern.
Saul tried to blame
his soldiers, but Samuel would have none of that. The weak excuse that it was
so they could sacrifice it to God was lost on the High Priest.
“Obedience is better
than sacrifice” was the retort.
Saul tried to recover,
but Samuel was in no mood and as Saul turned away he grabbed his mantle,
tearing it: a prophetic pointer to the future rending of Israel.
Then Samuel exacted
his wrath on Agag by hacking him to shreds. He was very angry that such a
persistent poison could be treated with such familiarity.
Saul retreated to
Gibeah to lick his wounds and Samuel went home to Ramah, never to face Saul
again. It was the beginning of the end for a bad ruler.
God had another plan (Chapter 16)
God has never had a
plan A or Plan B. He has too much foresight for that. His only plan was to bring David to the throne as the royal
line had to pass through Judah not Benjamin.
Saul was what the people
prayed for. They wanted a man’s man and God fully understood the sentiment of
their prayers. He also gave them what they wanted.
I suggest that God needed to prepare David and the people for David's rule, so it was useful to have an interim king and the lessons that went with that.
But be careful how you
pray and never wear God down. He may give you what you ask for and you may live
to regret it. Rather seek His will.
The contrast between the
two was simple: Saul was larger than life, stood head and shoulders above his
equals and was a mighty man, a man that men would follow.
But he was a weak
leader. David on the other hand was the least obvious choice.
He was young,
innocent, slight, albeit capable of being the king’s armor-bearer – well not
really, he rattled inside Saul’s armor when he faced Goliath.
God sent Samuel off to
Bethlehem-Judea, the house of bread, the ancestral home of Ruth and Boaz. He
was told to go to Jesse.
He went with a
sacrifice, but such was his stature that the town trembled when he arrived. All was well though, and soon he stood before Jesse’s sons.
The oldest was impressive
in build and features, but he had fallen for the very thing that obscured Saul’s
darker heart. They worked through 7 sons, before God said: “he is not
here”.
Jesse confirmed that
the youngest was out herding the sheep, so they fetched him. Then he saw that
red-headed, handsome face of the future king of Israel and anointed him.
David’s journey had
begun. Immediately the spirit of God fell on him and departed Saul. From
then on an evil spirit haunted Saul.
So Saul found out that
David’s music could calm the evil spirit, which left such an impression on Saul
he loved David.
The face-off with Goliath
(Chapter 17)
The Philistines
gathered against Israel in Schochoh, part of Judah. Two hills separated the two
armies. Then their champion appeared: the last of the Anakim.
Opinion is divided on
whether he stood 4 or 6 cubits high, which translates into 6’6 or 9’6 feet
high. Given that the average man stood 5½ feet, 6’6 was impressive, still is.
Well, his proposal was
simple: send one man to beat us in battle and if he does, we will serve you
else you will serve us.
The spiritual implications were far more serious. Saul accepted the terms, as he didn't have much choice. Had Goliath prevailed, God's hand over Israel would have been tied.
A standoff resulted
and it went on for days, maybe weeks, with no Jew willing to compromise his
people on a loss to what seemed a pretty invincible foe.
But David saw it when
he brought food to his brothers. He had already faced a lion and a bear in
defending his sheep and was not about to bow to an uncircumcised Philistine.
He had almost certainly also spent many hours slinging stones at real and imagined enemies, a skill that was honed to perfection.
The king’s armor was
offered, but wouldn’t fit. Instead he drew five smooth stones from a brook and
walked confidently toward Goliath, then released his sling.
It took only one shot
and the stone opened Goliath’s mind to some great new ideas. His head followed.
Then Israel routed the Philistines.
What a powerful story.
David was immediately a national byword, the heir-apparent to the doomed reign
of Saul. It is one of the greatest of all bible stories.
(c) Peter Missing @ bethelstone.com
