Chapter 13 introduces Saul’s character and who he relies on for help in time of need. As you read through this chapter, ask yourself if you would have done the things Saul did. If your answer is that you would not have, explain why you believe you are above his sins. Many of us refer to 1 Corinthians 10.13 as a promise to us that we don’t have to fall and that God won’t place us in a situation where we would fall. However, the context explains something else. First Corinthians 10.12 warns that if we are proud and do not think we would commit a particular sin because we are not vulnerable to it, it is there we will fall. Then, the promise of verse 13 is ineffective because we placed ourselves in that position, not God.
Verse one is not a complete text in the Hebrew and after studying the text and various translations there is no real solution for what the verse says. This is not problematic due to the nature of the verse. It contains no theology, merely a dating reference. The structure of the Hebrew suggests that the first number is how old Saul was when he began to reign. The second number mentions how many years he reigned up to an event. Looking at the verse this way, we can read the verse this way: Saul was x years old (we know he was not a young man because his son, Jonathan was of fighting age-verse 2) when he began to reign and he reigned two years over Israel when and an event took place, some view the event as the anointing of David as king in chapter 16. I view it as the stand against the Philistines in this chapter and the next two chapters. Acts 13.21 informs us that Saul reigned forty years. Some look at the number forty merely as a long period of time and not an actual number of years based on how they translated 1 Samuel 13.1. Again, it is not a matter of theology but a matter of chronology.
Up to this point, Saul may merely have been ruling over the Benjamites. This chapter now proclaims that all Israel is following him in war and accepting his leadership. The kingdom as not united before he became the king, it was united during his reign.
This chapter, as mentioned above, shows us the true character of Saul. Saul enjoys great popularity and military victories at the beginning of his career as seen in chapter 11 and later chapters.
The men are frightened because of the sheer number of Philistines with chariots, horses, and weaponry. They hide wherever they can, and tremble. This is where Saul’s fatal flaw of pride shines through. He is to wait for Samuel to come and offer sacrifices. He refuses to wait for him to offer the sacrifices and places on himself the responsibility of the priest. This is against Jewish law. He is not only a king from a non kingly line but appoints himself as a priest from a non priestly line. This Benjamite attempts to rule but is not from Judah and attempts to give sacrifice but is not from Levi. This is true arrogance. He places himself above the laws of God and make himself a law unto himself.
His impatience led him to do things he should not have done. His lack of trust in God’s Word and God’s man will lead to his destruction. He feared that God would not be able to keep the army together, that God would not bless them, that they would be defeated if he didn’t break the commands of God. How often do we do what we know to be wrong because of our impatience, pride, and lack of trust in God? This is humanity. This is Saul. We are this.
The moment he offers the sacrifice Samuel arrives. Saul makes an excuse for his sin and blames it on Samuel. Sounds like Adam and Eve. It is here that God rejects Saul and, in two chapters, will choose a man after His own heart to be king and replace the house of Saul.
The Israelites, who are under the oppression of the Philistines, muster themselves for war. But, they have no weapons due to this oppression. This small army is preparing itself for an ill-equipped war, outnumbered, and with a leader who was just rejected by God. And, we find out later, they won! It is not by our might, our deeds, our self that victory comes but, rather, by Him who indwells us (1 John 4.4 and 5.1-5).
This side note: Saul’s family was never intended to be the permanent kingly line for it was not of the tribe of Judah. God had answered the cries of the people for a king with what they thought would be a good king (tall and wealthy). God had planned for a king to come from Judah and to establish him on the throne, and that king will be David. In order to bring this about the line of Saul had to be cursed and rejected by a sin of Saul’s choosing. Although God had foreordained David’s kingship and Saul’s rejection, Saul willingly chose to sin against God and bring these consequences on his family.
