1st Samuel 13
This is the beginning of the end for Saul. He has confidence from the victory at Jabesh Gilead, and he "blows his own horn" when actually, his son did all the work! Jonathan, we will see, was a kind and faithful man who didn't seek his own fame. The biggest example of this, is that he will later accept and proclaim David to be Israel's next king...not him as the heir to Saul.
Saul makes a fatal mistake, by acting as Israel's priest, and offering a sacrifice to God before all the people dispersed. We can give Saul a break, in that, he was trying to diffuse a panicked situation, and he at least did offer to God BEFORE going to battle! However, he directly disobeyed God, by not waiting for Samuel, and to let God's anointed priest to do the sacrifice.
When Samuel confronts Saul about this, he said he "felt compelled" to act in Samuel's place. Samuel wisely told Saul that he had "done foolishly" to be king and priest.
I remind my kids, that God had the tribe of Levi be the priests, and the tribe of Judah to be the kings. They were NEVER to switch or combine roles for Israel.
(v.19) At the beginning of the chapter, we see that Saul has been king of Israel for two years. Yet, they still don't have weapons of war and self defense. By the time they are panicked to go to battle, they are without weapons to fight their enemies. This is absolute negilgence by Saul.
This reminds me of the war all of us face against Satan, and I read this to my kids:
"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."
~ Eph 6:11
We are at war daily against Satan and his demons, who tempt us and try to have us fall away from God. Our biggest weapon against this is prayer. Secondly, the more we read the Word of God, the more His Word will be in our minds, and will help us defend against temptation and evil.
1st Samuel 14
Jonathan is different than his father, Saul. He is compassionate, courageous and wise. He had every opportunity to seize power, but he didn't want to defy God. In the end, he defied his earthly father and king by helping David. Jonathan loved God more than his own flesh and blood. Jesus commands this from each of us (Luke 14:26). God wants us to love Him the most, that way, we can love our family and friends with a better and deeper love.
(v.37) Saul, in his arrogance and pride, decided to make an oath. In the process, he condemned his own son to death! I show my kids that Saul asked God if He would help him in the battle, and God did not answer. There can be quite a few reasons that God didn't answer:
~God was angry with Saul, and wasn't listening to him
~He wished to have everything play out first
~God answers prayers, but not according to our timing
My kids and I discuss this, since all three options could have been the case. When we pray to God, are we only doing so when we feel we need Him? Do we think we don't want to bother Him with all the everyday things of our lives? Do we expect an immediate response from God?
In the end, God did not have Jonathan killed, because it was Jonathan who "worked with God" and not Saul.
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