Today I read 1 Samuel 13, in which Samuel rebukes Saul for making a burnt offering to the Lord and Saul’s small army did not have regular weapons. Today I considered that while waiting we can’t let fear or anything else lead us to sin before God’s plan occurs.
Lost Kingdom Out of Fear
The king had the bravery to attack but fear in the waiting caused him to sin and know he would lose the kingdom (1 Samuel 13:1-14). Saul and his son Jonathan had 3,000 men of Israel between them. Saul attacked the military base of the Philistines. The Philistines gathered 36,000 warrior and a multitude of people to fight Israel. Israelites hid themselves in caves, bushes, rocks, pits, etc. and some crossed the Jordan River. After Saul’s attack, Saul waited the seven days Samuel said to wait but the people scattered. Saul offered a burnt offering to God and right after he was finished Samuel made it there. Samuel told Saul God would not allow Saul’s kingdom to continue because he did not keep to what God commanded. God found a man after his own heart. Saul’s fear-led actions made him lose the kingdom.
Unarmed Army
The Philistines were raiding but the Israelites had no traditional weapons to fight, they had working tools (1 Samuel 13:15-23). The Philistines sent raiding parties in three groups upon the land. Israelite men could find no blacksmith in the Philistine’s land so they sharpened plow points, mattocks, axes and sickles. Only Saul and Jonathan had a sword and spear.
Questions and Thoughts for Today
Waiting for something to start, waiting for news, waiting in line, waiting in general is sometimes hard. Saul was waiting and probably losing hope, so he sinned. We have to try not to sin when we are waiting for God’s plan to manifest.
What have you been waiting for?
We also need to think outside of the box to address what we face. Saul’s army did not have swords and spears so they sharpened the tools they had to fight the Philistines.
What can you use that you currently have to keep going and address your current issues?