#423 Two Swords, Enough?

Saul lived for one year and then became king, and when he had reigned for two years over Israel,[a] 2 Saul chose three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent home, every man to his tent. 3 Jonathan defeated the garrison of the Philistines that was at Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.” 4 And all Israel heard it said that Saul had defeated the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel had become a stench to the Philistines. And the people were called out to join Saul at Gilgal.

5 And the Philistines mustered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen and troops like the sand on the seashore in multitude. They came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth-aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were hard pressed), the people hid themselves in caves and in holes and in rocks and in tombs and in cisterns, 7 and some Hebrews crossed the fords of the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul was still at Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
Saul's Unlawful Sacrifice

8 He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. 9 So Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering. 10 As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him. 11 Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, 12 I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” 13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince[b] over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.” 15 And Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal. The rest of the people went up after Saul to meet the army; they went up from Gilgal[c] to Gibeah of Benjamin.

And Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men. 16 And Saul and Jonathan his son and the people who were present with them stayed in Geba of Benjamin, but the Philistines encamped in Michmash. 17 And raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies. One company turned toward Ophrah, to the land of Shual; 18 another company turned toward Beth-horon; and another company turned toward the border that looks down on the Valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.

19 Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make themselves swords or spears.” 20 But every one of the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, or his sickle,[d] 21 and the charge was two-thirds of a shekel[e] for the plowshares and for the mattocks, and a third of a shekel[f] for sharpening the axes and for setting the goads.[g] 22 So on the day of the battle there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan, but Saul and Jonathan his son had them. 23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash. 1 Samuel 13 ESV

The last time I recall, in my Bible studies, someone stinking in the land, was when Simeon and Levi acted from ego and deceit, killing a whole city supposedly for the honor of their sister. Saul wants it known that he has defeated the Philistines, and calls for Israel to join him. I don't know, maybe it's not as suspect as it sounds, and the people come, but when they see the opposition, some lose heart. Saul is king and he feels the sting of every man that is departing his company. Some hide in the rocks, maybe waiting to see if the Lord will deliver Saul, perhaps waiting for the arrival of Samuel. Saul should wait too, he should stand fast, but instead he knee jerks, he crosses the boundary of the king, and if God were an idol, or His word a book of spells, then no harm, no foul. I have heard presidents use the Bible and give dark counsel, butchering the words of God with an interpretation holding no understanding. We can all be wrong, out of context, tackling specks, while trying to see through motes. What does not fix or correct disobedience, is the outward acts and sacraments of religion. They are signs and teachers, telling of our disobedience, of wicked and deceitful hearts; they do not move God to act on our behalf, they are not magic. So much is lost in vain repetitions, hail Marys' and all other added, extra Biblical practices. Saul is acting with impatience, and the king is not the interpreter of religion, though it is to his benefit to respect the Creator and wait upon Godly instruction. Saul is anxious and desperate, concerned more for his own honor than that of God, who has given him such an honorable position. Unfortunately, the position does not have the power to make the man honorable. He goes for the sacrifice, the king now making himself the spiritual authority as well. Then Samuel appears, and he is not happy, and Saul's response sounds more like a justification for his actions. Leaders often lower the bar, shoot from the hip, look away from sound reason and Godly instruction, and whether it makes you laugh, cry or pull out your hair, did you pray for them? God has gone out of fashion, and people are looking to politicians to lead them. The new prophets of this age are mostly false prophets, obsessed with humanism and clinging to systems and world views that do not hold up so well as they insist. Many of today's prophets claim there is no God, that the Bible is therefore not inspired by Him, and that men decide right and wrong based not upon the review of God's commandments, but upon society's ever evolving sense of civil awareness. Mankind is in no way seen by them as fallen, and in a downward spiral with the rest of creation, to them he is growing and only another step in an ascending evolutionary stair case. Well, Saul does not with this position receive the right to circumvent God's command, and this makes light of the sacrifice, just as those who without introspection or repentance, hold up a Bible, take communion or claim the name of Christ. He acts like a child when he is king, and I remember the words of an old lady when I was young and thought I could teach, thought I understood the meaning of what she said, she said, "give them what they want, make you great, give them what they need, make them great." How many pastors these days wait upon the Lord to fill the pews, how many would teach not only of God's love, but the whole counsel of God, even as the people scatter? According to God, He is the way the truth and the life, so we start with Him, continue in Him, and end with Him. Remember, those that wait upon the Lord shall mount up on wings like eagles. Straight and narrow is the path, so yes, you may find yourself in small company, but the alternative is a packed arena whose walls and balcony are heading for collapse.  

“Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God,[a] which he bought with his own blood.[b] 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. Acts 20: 25-31

I do have to apologize to some who know history better than me, and I am learning the scripture as I go, this is a running Bible study. It is far from my wish to ever be in error as regards anything, but especially God's word. I should and do look for the Author's intent, wish to conform to the image of His Son, but still speak for now as a child. That said, I have poked fun in the past at those who suggest a Christian view of patriotism, that our founding fathers were men influenced by the Bible and went so far as to use such wisdom in the shaping of our Constitution, our legal system, and our nation. There is a lot in early American writings that preserves the idea of a much more than passive incorporation of Christianity. It becomes even clearer as one studies the Scripture, that the premise for much legislation and its interpretation comes from God's word. The early Primers used to teach children how to read were filled with Christian words and influence. The people coming here thought it most important for everyone to learn how to read so that they could read God's Word for themselves as such led to great reform. Those that would take your freedom, would also have your sword, and there was not a blacksmith left in the kingdom. Saul should have rectified this straight away; he should have equipped the men of Israel against tyranny and for what lay ahead. But nonetheless, I still hold that while there has never been a nation so influenced or blessed by association with the Bible, it is not our patriotism to such a state that makes us right before a Holy God. You still must be born again, and if God cannot by His blessing make us hear, invoke our gratitude, then I pray He do whatever else it may take. This will all pass, but He will not ask for my earthly citizenship or passport. Who did you believe in? Who did you trust? Wherein lies your faith? God, please give me faith, quicken my spirit, draw me to and by Your Holy Word. Save our leaders from themselves and let every man see the value in reading the scripture for himself. 

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4: 12