READ 1 SAMUEL 9:1-10

King Saul, mostly remembered for his failures

1 sam 13 failed his first major test ... panicked when confronted by superior foes

1 sam 15 a classic example of disobedience and its consequences

1 sam 18 his vengeful wrath forces David to flee ...

1 sam 20 like a madman, he pursues David seeking to kill him ... destroying many others in the process

the overlooked side of Saul

1 sam 9:2 natural gifts ... Mr. Israel

1 sam 9:3-4 industrious

1 sam 9:5 sensitive and caring

1 sam 9:6-10 religious and sincere

1 sam 9:21 humble

but, note that these qualifications were not enough!

1 sam 10:6-9 Saul needed to be changed

--- v6 into another man

--- v9 given a new heart

--- note that natural qualifications did not automatically qualify him

WHY WAS SAUL CHOSEN BY GOD TO BE KING?

Chosen by God

1 sam 9:17 God's own choice

1 sam 10:24

quietly confident

1 sam 10:22 not self-assertive ... even shy

1 sam 10:26 neither was he assertive with others

--- note that he did not choose his men, God did

1 sam 10:27 although already publicly proclaimed King, took no personal offense at the rejection of some

godly wisdom and sensitivity

1 sam 11:1-6 sensitivity heightened by God

1 sam 11:7 wisened and strengthened by God

1 sam 11:12-13 godly wisdom and forbearance ... the mark of God's hand upon His chosen leader

leadership blessed

1 sam 11:11 the enemy clearly routed

1 sam 11:14-15 the people rejoice ... God is glorified

APPLICATIONS

Saul started out well

--- a natural candidate yet humble

--- quiet confidence in the Lord

--- mightily used

good start does not guarantee a good ending

1 sam 31:4-5 an ugly death

we all do well to be wary of how easily we can fall from lofty perches ... we need to be sensitive to the many pitfalls we can fall into which can lead to the withdrawal of God's blessing

SAUL'S FOLLY IN PERSPECTIVE

READ 1 SAMUEL 13:1-14

Saul's first big test

1 sam 13:4-7 tremendous odds stacked against them

1 sam 13:8-12 tested and found short

--- note context: ... 1 sam 10:8 ... he clearly remembered God's instructions ... he knew what was coming down

one failure after another

1 sam 14:1-15 God grants Jonathan and his armor bearer a great victory

1 sam 14:20-23 Saul's army enters the battle without orders and routs the enemy

1 sam 14:25-31 a foolish order to reassert control --- the tragic result? ... he loses control completely (vv 41-45)

--- why didn't he simply admit that he had made a mistake?

Saul's folly analyzed

1 sam 13:6-8 unsettled by the appearance of things falling apart

--- he was now king ... he had to do something !!!

--- under test, the question: who really is in control?

1 sam 13:2 trust in God slips away

--- note contrast to his quiet confidence in 1 sam 10:26 ... as confidence in self mounted, his confidence in God slipped ... he chose people for himself ...

1 sam 13:11-12 situation analysis from a human perspective

--- people were scattering ... you weren't coming ... so I forced myself

1 sam 14:33-34 instead of acknowledging error ... he 1 sam 14:44 desperately tries to cope

--- attempts to prove his personal analysis (vv 33-34)

--- the supreme folly ... you shall surely die, Jonathan (v44)

--- he meets with failure whichever way he turns ... the more he tried, the more he failed

--- note parallel to christian leaders who manipulate the elimination of " problematic " members

the ultimate folly

1 sam 14:18-19 attempting to develop a personal trust in himself, he begins to arrogantly associate his decisions with the will of God

1 sam 15:13 there is now no longer any distinction in his mind between temporal and spiritual authority

--- whatever Saul wants is the will of God

APPLICATIONS

the tragic results

1 sam 13: a lost dynasty

1 sam 15:28 a lost kingdom

--- parallel: christian leaders who refuse to repent ... they eventually lose their life's work ... their ministries are taken from them

bad leaders produce bad followers

1 sam 15:9 everything despised and worthless, they destroyed

1 sam 15:15 the people spared the best

1 sam 15:21 the people took some of the spoil

success easily corrupts, so guard your heart

--- we can all start out as well as Saul did, and also fail as ignominiously as he did

--- pride would not allow Saul to back up, admit error and start over ... it can do the same to anyone

--- used mightily by God, one can easily get puffed up

AWTozer: when God's blessing is on your work, back off ... it is God's glory now