The
Book of First Samuel
Chapter 13
[1] Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two
years over
[2] Saul chose him three thousand men of
[3] And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the
trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.
[4] And all
1) Initial Attack (V
1-4)
Saul assembles an army in
2000 are with Saul in Michmash
and 1000 are with Jonathan in Gibeah
Jonathan led a successful attack and wins a
great victory
This victory merely weakened the
Philistines oppression and made them mad
Eph 6:12 Our enemy is fine as long as we are subject to him, but if we rise up, we are an abomination
·
Do you want peace
with the devil or victory in the Lord ?
Saul blew the trumpet to spread the news
It was told that Saul won the victory, and he
would not give credit to his own son
* It might be said that when Saul blew the
trumpet that he was “tootin’ his own horn”
[5] And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with
[6] When the men of
[7] And some of the Hebrews went over
2) Innumerable
Army (V
5-7)
The Philistines gather a
huge army to crush the resistance form their Israeli servants
30,000 chariots, 6,000 horsemen and an
innumerable army
The Israelites are afraid
They aren’t bold enough to take a stand
against the enemy
They begin to hide and flee.
In fact, a few still follow Sau,l but faintheartedly &
with much trembling
* They thought a king will make a difference,
he will fix our problems, but problems still exist!
[8] And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had
appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the
people were scattered from him.
[9] And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings.
And he offered the burnt offering.
[10] And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the
burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he
might salute him.
[11] And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul
said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the
Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;
[12] Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I
forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.
3) Inexcusable Actions (V 8- 12) -
(Disobedience)
Samuel must have told Saul to wait for him &
then Samuel would offer sacrifice to prepare
Saul was to wait 7 days, (Like I Sam 10:8) but
he begin to feel that time was his enemy
Saul offered the sacrifice
As a king he is disobedient to do the work
only a priest can do, He was disobedient to God’s law
Samuel arrives just as Saul finishes the
offering
The
last moments of waiting are the most difficult, tempting us to take matters
into our own hands
Saul went out to salute him or to bless him ?
·
Saul acted as if
he could do well without the man of God OR that Saul was equal
·
Some think the
Lord will not come as He promised
Samuel asks “What have you done?”
Saul says the people lost confidence in me,
you weren’t here and the enemy grows stronger
We needed God’s help now so I felt like I had
to offer sacrifice....... It seemed like it was right
* Saul could have
prayed and called on God with a humble heart for the nation
* Instead he gave in
to feelings, emotions and right here HE SINNED
* This was no
misunderstanding, He had preconceived his excuses
[13] And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the
commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the
LORD have established thy kingdom upon
[14] But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man
after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his
people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.
4)
Invisible Authority (V 13-14)
Samuel says that the king
has done foolishly and acted in disobedience to God.... Therefore judgment
We see the outward actions of Saul, but God
sees his heart and it’s rebellion and wickedness
For this action, you are rejected and your
kingdom is cut off and God will appoint a new king
* Saul was the man after
Honoring Gods Will, Enthroning
God as King, Repentant Heart, Lover of People
* Cut off, although Saul would
continue to reign for 20 more years, but with little power
Saul could have repented here, but did not
[15] And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal
unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people
that were present with him, about six hundred men.
[16] And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with
them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the
Philistines encamped in Michmash.
[17] And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three
companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth
to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual:
[18] And another company turned the way to Beth-horon:
and another company turned to the way of the border that looketh
to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
5) Insubordinating Account (V 15-18)
Samuel arose and Saul numbered the
people...... 600 left out 3000..... 1/5 or 20% remained
The enemy is branched
out in 3 directions (the world, the flesh and the devil) I Jn
2:16
They are plundering and
raiding
[19] Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the
Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:
[20] But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man
his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.
[21] Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the
forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads.
[22] So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor
spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan:
but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.
[23] And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.
6)
Inferior Appearance (V 19-23)
The Philistines, in control, would not allow
the Israelites to have weapons of iron
Only farming equipment could be used and only
then at Philistines discretion (i.e.
axes, mattocks)
Only Saul and Jonathan had a sword or
spear......w/no availability,
The only way