BIG IDEA:
LEADERSHIP OPERATING ON THE BASIS OF EXPEDIENCY RATHER THAN OBEDIENCE CAN WIN SOME IMPRESSIVE BATTLES BUT STILL FORFEIT THE ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE
(:1-2) INRODUCTION: BEGINNING OF THE REIGN OF SAUL
Attempts to unify the nation and defeat the Philistines
Objective: Establishing the kingdom which God had entrusted to Saul. Looking for long-term success and the blessing of God.
A. (:1) Timing and Extent of Saul’s Reign
“forty years old when he began to reign”
“and he reigned thirty-two years over Israel”
B. (2) Preparation for Battle – Selection of Dependable Troops
1. Those Selected
“chose for himself 3,000 men of Israel”
– “of which 2,000 were with Saul in Michmash, and in the hill country of Bethel”
– “while 1,000 were with Jonathan at Gibeah of Benjamin”
2. Those Rejected
“But he sent away the rest of the people, each to his tent”
Gordon: “Prior to the monarchy, the Israelites looked to their citizen militia in times of crisis, but Saul’s establishment of a cadre of three thousand men … provides Israel with a standing army (cf. 14:52). The immediate concern was the expulsion of Philistine forces from the very heart of Saul’s kingdom, for all the places mentioned here were in Benjaminite territory. Michmash lay a few miles to the south-east of Bethel.”
I. (:3-7) WAKING A SLEEPING DOG – BOLD ATTACK BY JONATHAN —
ISOLATED SUCCESSFUL ATTACK ON GEBA PROVOKES THE PHILISTINES TO MARSHAL ALL THEIR TROOPS TO ROUT THE ISRAELITES AT MICHMASH
(Principle of counting the cost when you go into battle so that you are sure you are prepared with the necessary resources to finish the job. Cf. the man building a tower … you don’t want to end up with it half built; need to plan ahead)
A. Jonathan’s Surprise Attack on Geba –
“And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba”
1) 1 Possibility: Doing the Right Thing at the Wrong Time –
Possibly this impulsive attack was launched without consulting the Lord and waiting on Him for counsel as to the proper timing.
2) More Likely: Commendable Bold Faith on Jonathan’s Part
But faith must be followed up by faith … Saul did not follow up properly
Blaikie: “No doubt there were faint-hearted persons in the host of Israel who would bring hard accusations against Jonathan for disturbing the equilibrium between Israel and the Philistines. They would shake their heads and utter solemn truisms on the rashness of youth, and would ask if it was not a shame to entrust a stripling with such power and responsibility. But Jonathan’s stroke was the beginning of a movement which might have ended in the final expulsion of the Philistines from the territories of Israel if Saul had not acted foolishly at Gilgal. In this case, it was not the young man, but the old, that was rash and reckless. Jonathan had acted with courage and vigour, probably also with faith; it was Saul that brought disturbance and disaster to the host.”
A. The Reaction of the Philistines – Anger and Revenge
“and the Philistines heard of it”
“Israel had become odious to the Philistines”
vs. 5 – Philistines marshal all their resources to attack at Michmash
B. The Reaction of the Israelites – Fear and Hiding
1. Initially Saul was Proud of His Son’s Bold Victory
“Let the Hebrews hear”
“And all Israel heard the news that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines”
2. Boasting soon Turned to Desperation
“The people were then summoned to Saul at Gilgal”
3. (:6-7a) Desperation Turned to Panic and Fear — Many of the troops Ran or Hid
4. (:7b) Saul was nervously waiting for Samuel at Gilgal – He had been given instructions previously
“But as for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.”
II. (:8-12) SOME FAST TALKING AND POOR EXCUSES —
CHOOSING EXPEDIENCY RATHER THAN OBEDIENCE
A. (:8-10) Taking Matters Into Your Own Hands
1. (:8) Saul Tried to Wait for Samuel but the Pressure Got to Him
2. (:9) Saul Minimized the Severity of His Disobedience and Took Action
3. (:10) Saul Knew Immediately That He Had Blown it Big Time
B. (:11-12) 3 Rationalizations for Choosing Expediency Rather Than Obedience
1. (:8-12) UNITY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN TRUTH
“the people were scattering from me”
A Problem with the People of God
The ship is falling apart. No one will be left. Therefore, I can sacrifice truth to do what I think will best preserve and promote unity. Unity is a good goal, but it can never be made an end in itself to justify not obeying God’s instructions in other areas. As a Christian virtue, love is greater than faith and hope (1 Cor. 13:13), but it is not greater than doctrine and truth. In fact, true Christian love cannot thrive apart from an atmosphere of Christian truth. God is only glorified by unity in the truth just as Christ and the Father are one (John 17:21). Saul would have been much better off if all of the people had fled while he alone stood firm for the truth. Instead he gave in to the pressure and tried to rally the troops by an act of disobedience. It is interesting to note that he did not achieve the result he intended– for at the end he only had 600 men left anyway. But even if 4000 had stood with him, this would not have justified his sin.
2. GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS NO LONGER APPLY BECAUSE OF MY CIRCUMSTANCES
“you did not come within the appointed days”
A Problem with the Word of God
Are God’s instructions trustworthy, serious, imperative to follow
regardless of my circumstances? We don’t have to understand the reasons behind God’s commands to obey them.
3. THE CONSEQUENCES OF OBEDIENCE WILL BE TOO SEVERE
“the Philistines were assembling at Michmash”
A Problem with the Enemies of God
Defeat seemed to be imminent from a natural perspective
Guzik: “The whole manner of Saul’s explanation makes it clear that this was no misunderstanding. He didn’t say to Samuel, “Did I do something wrong?” He knew exactly what he was doing, and probably had thought of the excuses ahead of time.”
III. (:13-14) LOSING THE VERY THING YOU COMPROMISED TO SAVE
A. (:13a) Disobedience is Always a Foolish Decision
“You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you”
B. (:13b) Compromise is Always a Violation of Faith
“for now the Lord would have established your kingdom forever”
Trying to grab God’s promises by our own schemes rather than relying on His grace and providential care;
Surprising how quickly Saul falls. (Even though Gordon notes that “an interval of many years separates the events of this chapter from the occasion of Saul’s anointing in ch. 10.”)
C. (:14) Disobedience Cost Saul the Kingdom
“But now your kingdom shall not endure”
“because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you”
Sounds harsh and excessive to us … wasn’t Saul just trying to do his best in difficult circumstances?? Apparently not – for this was a test that God had designed to show the shortcomings of Saul’s character and pave the way for the transfer of the kingdom to David.
D. (14) Disobedience Never Annuls the Plan of God
“The Lord has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him as ruler over His people”
Never forget that it is the Lord’s Kingdom and the Lord’s People
IV. (:15-23) PREPARING FOR BATTLE AS THE UNDERDOG
A. (:15-18) Undermanned Israelites Vulnerable to Philistine Raiding Parties
B. (:19-23) Oppressed Israelites Lacked the Weapons Available to the Philistines
Monopoly over the use of iron
Only Saul and Jonathan were adequately equipped.