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Topic: GAMBLE (04/14/16)
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TITLE: A Flawed King | Previous Challenge Entry
By Dot Hannah
04/20/16 -
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April 20, 2016
He gripped his sword so hard his hands hurt. Chased by a sense of terror he had never before experienced, he only wanted to warm himself and sleep, but he was troubled and could not. In a little place east of Gilgal, the tall, brawny, handsome man took a deep breath and trembled. The Philistines had assembled to fight him and his army with soldiers as numerous as the sand. Discouraged, outnumbered and inadequately armed, the situation was critical, and Saul was paralyzed with fear. The prophet, Samuel, had told him to wait seven days, and he would come and make a burnt sacrifice to God and ask for His instruction.
It had been seven days, and Samuel had not come. He thought he and his army might die. "Has the mighty God and Creator of the universe forsaken me?" As he felt panic rise, he began calculating the outcome if he offered the sacrifice himself. "What was the worst that could happen," he thought. "If I wait, I will be dead anyway. I don’t see the harm." It is a strange thing how little Saul knew about God. Make no mistake. He knew the seriousness of this disobedience, but why did he not know that God would never fail him?
As the days dragged by, Saul became like a man clinging to the rocks in rushing rapids, and his instinct of self-preservation became greater and greater. Seeing his horse standing so quietly and innocently, not bothered by any of Saul’s worries, a sense of jealousy welled up and drove him to a sudden brutal impulse. There would be no more brooding over this. He somberly reasoned as he bit his lip, “If I don’t do something, the Philistines will come down upon me. I will force myself to offer a burnt sacrifice.”
He had a fatal flaw, rebellion. Rebellion is like fire; it can be smothered only at the first spark. He should have taken his thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ, not walk the razor’s edge, staggering under the pressure. Apprehensive like all evil doers, Saul had an identity crisis. He was not of the priestly lineage, and he clearly knew he was forbidden to offer the sacrifice.
He heard movement on the narrow footpath nearby, and Samuel appeared, his much worn cloak flapping in the wind. He was weary from a long and arduous journey, and haggard lines were visible on his face. Locking eyes with Saul, he did not hold his tongue. “What have you done? You did not keep the command of the Lord your God. Now, your kingdom will not endure, and your son, Jonathon will not inherit the throne. The seeds of destruction are sown.”
Jaw set, eyes distant, and heart hardened, Saul did not drop to his knees and say, “God, I messed up,” but rather would not look up as he launched into an impassioned defense. “My army was dispirited, and the Philistines were upon us,” he anxiously said.
Samuel replied with great emotion, “Stop! You have rejected the word of the Lord, and He has rent the kingdom of Israel from you this day and hath given it to one who is better than you.” Saul had taken a significant gamble and lost. He had hardly dared to believe that God would punish his act of disobedience. Because of desperation and presumption, his future would become a sorry mess. He would inquire of the Lord many times in the coming days, but the Lord would not respond, as His Spirit had departed from him.
What is the truth? Although the Lord rejected Saul as king, He did not reject him personally. If he had repented at any time, God would have lovingly and unconditionally forgiven his sin. New life in the Spirit is conceived in the secret place of the soul. However, Saul had a haughty spirit and was not committed to the will of God with all his heart, which ultimately put him under the destructive power of evil spirits. Satan now had a hold on this man. He would not ever know the peace of God or the sense of joy and warmth again but rather, tormenting anguish.
“And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” (I Samuel 15:22) KJV
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Well done.
Blessings~