Obedience is Triumph

"Obedience is Triumph" – 1 Samuel 13:1-14 Saul began to reign alone, Samuel was no longer with him, everything began to decay. Regardless of how old Saul was, whether or not how many there were, it is well known that when one stops fighting, one's character deteriorates. The character wears out and worsens due to time, absence of passion, dedication and little passion for everything that surrounds it, that is, it doesn't matter.

I. Saul now lacked courage and political tact.

A. To put things in order, he lacked discretion.

1. Saul chooses 3,000 soldiers and puts 1,000 under the command of his son Jonathan, and he with 2,000.

2. He did not take care to raise an army, the 2,000 would be to have someone to take care of him, because for an army is not enough.

3. Much noise from the people of Israel presuming that Saul with 2,000 men was going to attack the Philistines, he became very uncourageous, ordained he had nothing, prudence to govern none.

4. Poor man, it was just a noise.

5. The Philistines had 30,000 chariots, 6,000 horsemen, and a people as numerous as the sand on the seashore.

6. The confidence he placed in this select military corps, in sending home the remnant of that brave army with which he had previously defeated the Ammonites (1 Samuel 11:811), 30,000, and 30,000 men of Judah.

7. It was an affront to the kingdom, there was general disgust, and it was the chief reason why so few came to his call when he needed them.

8. (2-3) He ordered his son Jonathan to fall upon the Philistines by surprise and destroy the garrison (troops that protect them) on the hill.

9. After he had angered the Philistines, he began to gather more strength, which he should have done sooner if he had had the necessary prudence (a virtue that leads a person to behave in a just and proper manner).

10. (5) Saul counted the crowd that was with him about six hundred men.

11. Never before had the Philistines come with such a formidable army as now, because of Saul's reckless provocation.

12. If he had consulted God before provoking the Philistines, both he and the people would have been better disposed to this threat which he had provoked by his own folly (lacking good sense, prudence, or wisdom).

13. Never have the people of Israel felt so cowardly as they do now.

14. (6) They hid themselves in caves, in ditches, in rocks (large and lofty rocks, and in cisterns), but when they heard of the preparation and number of the Philistines, their

spirits were discouraged and their morale was low, and it must be understood that Samuel was not there, and the Philistines were ready for war.

15. Those who went with Saul went after him trembling, expecting nothing but defeat, for their hands and hearts were completely weakened by the flight of so many soldiers in their troops.

16. (8) Saul's sin in offering sacrifice before Samuel arrived.

17. When Samuel anointed him, he commanded him to wait for him at Gilgal for seven days.

18. He dared to offer the sacrifice without Samuel present.

19. He resolved to begin the attack on the Philistines without receiving instructions from Samuel.

20. Saul was so confident in himself that he thought it was not worth waiting for the coming of the prophet of Jehovah to pray for him and give him counsel.

21. He sent no messenger to Samuel to know his opinion.

22. When Samuel arrived, rather than repent of what he had done, Saul boasted of it as if he had done his duty, for "he went out to meet him, to greet him as a comrade in the priestly office".

23. (11) He accused Samuel of not keeping his word: "I saw... that you didn't come within the appointed time."

24. When he accused "himself" of disobedience, he tried to justify himself in what he had done "without showing any repentance at all.

25. He turned on Samuel, blaming him for his delay.

26. (12) He passes off (11-12) this act of disobedience as an act of great prudence and piety.

27. He wanted to be regarded as very pious and prudent in not beginning the attack on the Philistines without having God on his side through prayer and sacrifice: "I said to myself, Now the Philistines will come down against me to Gilgal, and I have not implored the favor of Jehovah. So, I made an effort and offered a burnt offering."

28. (13) Sentence pronounced against Saul for this sin.

29. Samuel shows him the aggravating circumstances of his crime and accuses him of having been "an enemy of his own person" and of "his own interest."

30. "Thou hast done foolishly"—"and having been a rebel against God and his government"—"thou hast not waited for the commandment of the Lord thy God."

31. A commandment with which God wanted to test "the obedience of Saul."

32. (14) Sin is foolishness, and sinners are the greatest fools.

33. He shows him that there is no small sin, "for the God against whom one sins is not small," but that all sin is of itself, a renunciation of the rights of inheritance of the kingdom of God.

34. Saul lost his crown because he was not patient in waiting two or three hours.

35. McKay: "Saul, at a critical moment, preferred to act autocratically (self = government or power; absolute power), not theocratically (God's dominion).

36. It was this inner weakness that led him to the "great tragedy of his life." Amen.