Study In1 Samuel

Saul’s Early Success

Chapter 11v1-15

IntroductionHave you ever been haunted by a throwaway remark? “He’ll never get the marks needed for university”. “She’ll never amount to much coming from that family!” “I hope you don’t have children you’d make terrible parents”. “There’s no place for you in the work of God”. “Your church has no future!” Words, whether overtly voiced or, softly murmured, can have a devastatingly, undermining effect. They can cast a long shadow over our aspirations, dash dreams, unsettle convictions and discourage faith. Ask Saul, who was chosen by God and anointed king of Israel. For no sooner had the echoes of “Long live the king” died down, when a more discordant, murmuring campaign began in 10.27, “how can this fellow save us.” His coronation was overshadowed ‘by critical words’.

IntroductionSaul, God’s anointed king, was not universally received by Israel. Some were thinking, “God

has got it wrong. He cannot be trusted to provide present blessing or future safety.”

These serious charges are answered in Ch.11 which reveals not only the vindication of God’s anointed but more importantly the vindication

of God:

1. The anointing is vindicated in the process of history.

2. The anointing is vindicated by the Spirit’s ministry.

3. The anointing is vindicated when God is glorified

In The Process Of HistoryGod is at work in the historical process. We see this in the choice of the geographical

location, in the timing of events, and in the manner in which evil is allowed to express

itself. The town of Jabesh Gilead, was a strategic gateway city on the N. East of Israel. The

Ammonites, under the leadership of Nahash, were intent upon capitalising upon

any sign of vulnerability in their Israeli neighbours. And because Saul, was not yet established as king, nor was he universally

accepted as the ruler, it seemed a propitious time to launch an attack against

Israel.

Jabesh Gilead

In The Process Of HistoryIncidentally, believers who all clearly have a God-given mandate to establish Christ’s rule in their lives need only begin to question his right to rule, and the enemy forces sensing this spiritual vulnerability instantly march

out against them. Let me commend John Bunyan’s ‘Holy War’ to you for a helpful and detailed description

of this particular stratagem.

In The Process Of HistoryNow the declining spiritual health of the

inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead is immediately apparent. No sooner were they surrounded by a foreign power than they were willing to

sign a surrender document cf. v1 “make a treaty with us and we will be subject to you”.

This symptomatic of spiritual declension. These people have little concern for God’s

work, little confidence of victory and so tamely capitulate to enemy rule. The writer of the letter to the Hebrews speaks into a

similar situation saying, “you have not resisted to the shedding of your

blood”Heb.12v4. Are you a pushover!

In The Process Of HistorySecondly, we find that spiritual declension is marked by poor spiritual perception. The folk in Jabesh Gilead were unwilling to serve the God who had redeemed them but they are

ready to serve a king who would enslave them and so settle for anything that

contributes to a peaceful life. Nashan is seen as a benevolent overlord!

Now at this point Nahash has won! He does not need to do anymore! But a simple victory is not enough. Here, as is so often the case in

the historical process, God allows evil to overstep itself! Nahash wanted more than a

subjugated people.

In The Process Of HistoryHis aim was to ‘bring disgrace upon all

Israel’v2. He wanted to humiliate Israel, Israel’s king and Israel’s God! That is

always a foolish strategy! Do you remember how the Philistines gouged out Samson’s eyes, reducing Israel’s hero to an object of ridicule.

‘Let’s laugh at Samson’s expense,’ they said, knowing that in laughing at Samson they were laughing at Samson’s God and this was laughter that certainly brought the house down! In both situations evil

overplayed its hand.

In The Process Of HistoryGod used the severity of Nahash’s demands to awaken the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead. The

prospect of losing an eye prompted them to look for deliverance. They saw that serving another was not as pain free as they had supposed. At long last they were ready to engage in battle.

God was poised to vindicate his anointed. Nahash obviously thought his position was unassailable so he gave the besieged city

permission to, “Send messengers for help.” He was confident that Saul could not rally a rabble. This is the kind of over confidence that causes

God to laugh cf. Ps.2. Time and again the enemies of Christ’s kingdom have been premature in the celebrations and have failed to grasp that God is totally committed to vindicating his people and

his work.

By The Spirit’s MinistryWhere is Saul in all of this? Not ruling from a throne but working in the fields. He does not

even have a small standing army. Is he biding his time waiting on God to make his move?

Immediately, Saul heard the news of his people’s plight what happened? Cf v6 “the Spirit of God came upon him in power”. He was equipped to behave in a manner that reflected his anointing. For this reason we should not be surprised that his response is significantly different from the

other inhabitants of Gibeah. Their response was passive and tearful v4. They lamented what was

happening in Jabesh Gilead. They shed their tears but were not prepared to shed their blood. Did

they think they would soon share the fate of Jabesh-Gilead, ‘What about, our families, our

livelihoods, our eyes?’

By The Spirit’s MinistryNo one is asking, “What about God’s purposes,

God’s honour, God’s glory?” Their tears were of a people who had accepted defeat. Have

you discovered that when your confidence in God and your assurance of his favour is eroded

then you struggle to meet the challenges confronting your faith. The Reformation

Latimer wrote:

“When I have a settled and strong assurance about the state of my soul, I am as bold as a

lion; I can laugh at trouble, no affliction daunts me! But when I am eclipsed in my comforts, I

am of so fearful a spirit that I run into a mouse-hole.”

By The Spirit’s MinistrySaul is not found trembling in a mouse-hole. God’s Spirit fell on him and

shaped his response in v6 “the Spirit of God came upon him in power and he burned in anger”.

A response that foreshadows Ps.69v9 “for zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.”

A text that the gospel writers use to explain Jesus’ outburst of anger towards the temple authorities. who showed scant disregard for God’s

glory and honour.

By The Spirit’s MinistryWhat made Saul angry?

1. Was it the Ammonites who sought to bring shame upon Israel and Israel’s God.

2. Was it the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead who so easily capitulated and who only in

their extremity sent for help? 3. Was it Saul’s own townspeople, whose

concern for their personal safety outstripped their concern for God’s glory?

It could well be a combination of all three.

Do we need to pray that God’s Spirit would fall upon us and make us angry in these days

when his church is being besieged by those intent on dishonouring God’s name and

holding it up to public ridicule?

By The Spirit’s MinistrySaul’s anger led to action and to a compelling

conscription method as he set about assembling an army from a people who had proved themselves to be spiritually content.

How would you react if part of a dismembered animal was put through your letterbox v7? It

shook up the Israelites.

It further reminded them of their covenant responsibilities towards their embattled

brethren. This Spirit-inspired call to arms was not plucked out of the air by Saul but was rooted in scripture [Deut.28.31]. This

summons from the anointed king set in motion a process that raised an army of 330,000 men.

Now follow the momentum of victory:

By The Spirit’s MinistryFirst, “the terror of the Lord fell on the

people.v7” a reaction which is not to be confused with a craven fear. Israel’s awe of

God was so overwhelming that it completely enveloped their fear of physical harm in battle. This is accompanied by a renewed obedience,

and a remarkable courage.

Gospel obedience is linked to our awe of God. It explains the tremendous courage shown by many of the Iranian church leaders an others

today who are living with a death penalty hanging over their heads.

When God’s Spirit has fallen it times of revival this same sense of awe has been there!

By The Spirit’s MinistrySecondly, we read that Saul’s army “turned out

as one man.v7”. For them, this was an unmatched display of unity. They are a body and not a collection of disparate members.

Since they had entered Canaan, Israel had never known such a sense of national unity. Do you

see what God has done? The Ammonite threat has united Israel under Saul in a way that

nothing else could!

We find this same Spirit induced cohesiveness reflected in the early church cf. Acts 4.32 “all

the believers were one in heart and mind”. That is what the people of God need to repel the

enemy attack. In both cases it was their unity that contributed to their success. God’s work suffers when his people cannot agree on the

way forward.

By The Spirit’s MinistryThirdly, Saul, who knew more about farming than military strategy, formulated a plan that resulted in victory cf v9-11. The Spirit of God

does not require leaders to have years of experience in order to deliver fruitful results.

And so radical was their victory that we read of the enemy forces that, “no two of them were

left together”v11. There was no doubt about the victory. Do you see what has happened? God’s

anointed king when he yielded to the Spirit [that’s what the oil anointing by Samuel

symbolised] has secured such a decisive victory that Israel could conclude God doesn’t make mistakes. The victory did more than vindicate Saul it vindicated the God who anointed him.

God never anoints, never sets apart for service without providing all that is necessary for the

accomplishment of that task.

When God Is GlorifiedWhat difference did this victory make?

The people are agreed that God got it right. They would commit to Saul as king. And it is now that we see Saul at his very best. Do not

allow your knowledge of what Saul will become in the future to detract from the stature of the

king in these verses. Indeed, some see Saul here as a type of Christ.

Both were rejected by those who ridiculed their God-appointed office, both were content to work in humility until God’s timing for public

service, both were equipped by God’s Spirit, both were zealous for God’s glory, both had a unifying effect upon God’s people, both were

triumphant in battle. And then in v12-15 there are three further features to comment upon.

When God Is GlorifiedFirst, we find Saul, God’s anointed, reflecting God’s own mercy. In the aftermath of victory

there was a move to kill those who had earlier undermined Saul’s position and questioned his

authority 10v27... And so Samuel the judge, who knew all about justice, was invited by the

people to decide on the matter.

But before Samuel could speak Saul interjects, “no one shall be put to death today” v13. He grants clemency. He administers mercy. They were forgiven! Saul refused to satisfy the vengeance of his supporters. He clearly

subscribed to the Pauline teaching that the way to eliminate enemies is to turn them into allies

[Rom.12.20].

When God Is GlorifiedSecondly, Saul displays a remarkable humility. He points from himself to the Lord as the Rescuer of Israel v13... It easy for leaders to luxuriate in the praise of others and so effectively rob God of his

glory. But Saul kept the spotlight on God, the author of their success.

Sadly, Saul would later lose sight of the importance of doing so and it was then that

pettiness, jealousy and pride crept in; cf. 1Sam 18.7ff "Saul has slain his thousands but David his

tens of thousands." Saul should have remembered the day of his first victory under

God and argued as every Christian worker ought to argue, “Whether God uses me or another, it is God who is the ultimate author of success and it

is he alone who is worthy of all the glory”.

When God Is GlorifiedThirdly, after the victory there is a service of

reaffirmation. Saul’s kingship is nationally and wholeheartedly acknowledged. This service

took place at Gilgal and not at Mizpah where Saul was originally crowned. Why Gilgal?

This site has special significance. It was associated with God rolling away of Israel’s shame and guilt cf, Josh. 4v20ff… cf. 5v9,

“I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt”. The reproach of Egypt was the spirit that

infected the bulk of God’s delivered people during their wilderness wanderings. They

thought, ‘God can’t really deliver, the opposition is too great; we can’t follow

God’s lead. Surely God has got it wrong!’

When God Is GlorifiedAnd so there was a stone cairn raised at Gilgal that said, “God got it right”. And so when Saul is taken there to have his rule confirmed much

more was happening.

Israel was saying, ‘God knows what he is doing’. Israel is brought to a place of recommitment.

They are ashamed that it took an enemy attack to awaken her to her spiritual senses. And so

the vindication of Saul becomes the vindication of God - The Lord is king in Gilgal - and that will

always be an occasion for great joy.

ConclusionGod’s choice of Saul certainly struck

many as strange - a man from a small tribe and obscure family –

But he was God’s choice.

A wilting violet who hid among the baggage rather than stand on a

podium –

But he was God’s choice.

And God vindicates his anointed here just as he would one day vindicate

the rejected King of Kings.

ConclusionNow there is also a sense in which every believer is God’s anointed. Paul reminds us that we are chosen in Christ, ‘to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do’. That choice may be ridiculed and criticised by men. We are ordinary people in

the hands of an extra-ordinary God. A people indwelt and anointed by God to fulfil the purpose

for which we have been chosen. Do not belittle your calling or let others do so. God never gets it wrong! He will shape history,

outmanoeuvre evil, construct providences, impart wisdom and employ his Spirit to ensure that you accomplish the purpose of your calling.

And by so doing God not only vindicates his choice, he brings a great revenue of glory to

his name.