Saul's Second Sin

Last week, we saw Saul rushing God and offering sacrifices without Samuel, God’s chosen one. This sin resulted in Saul and his family losing their kingdom. No longer would Saul’s family be in the line for leader over Israel. If we think about it, it was nothing more than simple disobedience that led to the downfall of the house of Saul. When Samuel gives God’s Word to Saul, he states the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart.

What was God looking for? Someone who was perfectly in tune with His will and commited to doing God’s Will. Paul gives an account of this in Acts 13

Acts 13:15–22 ESV

15 After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.” 16 So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen. 17 The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. 18 And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. 19 And after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance. 20 All this took about 450 years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. 21 Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’

Saul was chosen by Israel. David was “raised up” by God. Saul failed Israel. David saw Israel prosper. Man’s choice failed. God’s choice flourished.

God was looking for someone who would simply obey. Not overthink and put their own faith in themselves. He needed someone who had God’s own heart - for the people of Israel - and to see them return fully to God. I it was as simple as this, Saul did not have his heart set on the ways of God. Saul was looking to make himself look big…and instead saw himself crumble.

Matthew 6:21 ESV

21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Saul’s treasure was only in himself. We see this same self centered, deluded king as he heads into battle with the Philistines. Jonathan, his son, was a fearless leader compared to his father. He and his armor bearer decided to test the Philistines, depending on how they were greeted. If they were told to wait, they would not go but if they were told to come up to them Jonathan used that as a sign to enter and slay the garrison of Philistines. Long story short, they routed the garrison and put fear in all around. In the chaos, Saul sends his men to count a census and see who is not there and it was found that his son and armor-bearer were those missing. Saul asked for the ark of God to be brought to him. As the battle increased, Saul then gathered his men and went into battle. It was a resounding rout and all those Israelites that hid in the hills, caves, wells, came and followed them in the battle. God had again delivered Israel under the direction of Jonathan his son and again Saul comes in a day late and a dollar short claiming credit. It is what happens after this that brings Saul to his second major sin against God.

Saul’s Insane Edict

1 Samuel 14:24–26 ESV

24 And the men of Israel had been hard pressed that day, so Saul had laid an oath on the people, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening and I am avenged on my enemies.” So none of the people had tasted food. 25 Now when all the people came to the forest, behold, there was honey on the ground. 26 And when the people entered the forest, behold, the honey was dropping, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.

You see, Saul was just seeking revenge against the Philistines, at no point in time had he consulted God. Now, Saul gives this command that no person could eat food until evening. Unfortunately, fasting right before and during a battle is probably not the smartest thing that could be done. They are getting ready to expend a huge amount of energy as they fight this battle against a superior army. It makes no sense why Saul would give such a command. But, his soldiers still were loyal to the king, none of them ate.

Interestingly enough, there was a huge temptation on their way to battle. There was honey all around them. High sugar, high energy, quick surge, it would have been perfect for the pick me up right before war, but they feared the king and what he would do if they failed to follow his command. Except, not everyone heard the king’s command.

Jonathan Does Not Heed Daddy’s Command

1 Samuel 14:27–28 ESV

27 But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath, so he put out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes became bright. 28 Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food this day.’ ” And the people were faint.

Now imagine if you had been out all day, working, strenuous, you were hot, thirsty, hungry. What would you do if you looked and wild honeybees had honey filled comb hanging from the trees? You would eat! That is exactly what Jonathan did, as he had not heard what his father had said, and could not be held responsible for knowing he was breaking his fathers command.

Now, doesn’t this fit into Saul’s pattern, go into battle without waiting on the Lord’s instructions, now giving an order that doesn’t make sense either. Let’s curse anyone who eats anything before that evening… What in the world? He didn’t want anyone to eat before they had conquered the Philistines. He was self-centered, and was not thinking as a king.

Showing the need for food, when Jonathan ate the honey scripture says his eyes became bright. They were in need of food. Saul placed his soldiers in a desperate place simply because of his own selfishness. But then someone sees Jonathan eating the honey and tells him of his father’s command.

That’s Dumb

1 Samuel 14:29–35 ESV

29 Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. See how my eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies that they found. For now the defeat among the Philistines has not been great.” 31 They struck down the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. And the people were very faint. 32 The people pounced on the spoil and took sheep and oxen and calves and slaughtered them on the ground. And the people ate them with the blood. 33 Then they told Saul, “Behold, the people are sinning against the Lord by eating with the blood.” And he said, “You have dealt treacherously; roll a great stone to me here.” 34 And Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people and say to them, ‘Let every man bring his ox or his sheep and slaughter them here and eat, and do not sin against the Lord by eating with the blood.’ ” So every one of the people brought his ox with him that night and they slaughtered them there. 35 And Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first altar that he built to the Lord.

Jonathan very quickly criticizes his father’s command. The LSB translates this “My father has troubled the land”. He recognized how ignorant this command was, and he wasn’t afraid to call out his father, the king!

What had started out as Jonathan seeking out the Lord as he and his armor-bearer test the Philistines started a rout that led to confusion, and earthquake, and the return of the deserters of Saul’s army. It turned into to a selfish father interjecting a command that almost led to defeat. Jonathan even states the slaughter among the Philistines has not been great! Daddy had messed everything up because he was more focused for selfish desires than seeking and waiting on God to give direction. Saul again opposed the will of God by not thinking of what the Lord wanted for His people.

This led to another sin, from the Israelites. When the day was over, the soldiers were so hungry they butchered the animals and ate them without draining the blood.

Leviticus 17:14 ESV

14 For the life of every creature is its blood: its blood is its life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off.

Deuteronomy 12:16 ESV

16 Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it out on the earth like water.

Deuteronomy 12:23 ESV

23 Only be sure that you do not eat the blood, for the blood is the life, and you shall not eat the life with the flesh.

Saul did not realize that his command to not eat would cause the moral failure of the army. Then all the sudden, Saul becomes religious. The people are sinning against God eating this meat with blood! He never thought that this sin was all because of him! He sent people to tell all the soldiers to bring the animals to him and slaughter them properly so they would not sin against God. Then, too little too late, he starts the construction of an altar to the Lord but as with many things it was not properly thought out and was not completed because he was ready to go back to battle.

Now That You’re Nourished…FIGHT!

1 Samuel 14:36–37 ESV

36 Then Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until the morning light; let us not leave a man of them.” And they said, “Do whatever seems good to you.” But the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.” 37 And Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?” But he did not answer him that day.

Now, Saul is constructing an altar and then almost like a squirrel moment, decides to chase after the Philistines again hoping for a total rout.

Saul is staying true to form, forsaking the will of God and pursuing his own selfish desires. The priest Ahijah (Not Samuel) reminds Saul of his need to ask God’s Will… Again Saul spoke to the Lord, but he did not receive an answer.

Pride over Sense

1 Samuel 14:38–39 ESV

38 And Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the people, and know and see how this sin has arisen today. 39 For as the Lord lives who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But there was not a man among all the people who answered him.

Saul concluded that God’s silence was caused by someone’s violation of the oath against eating, and he suspected that his son was the guilty party.

He foolishly decides he could not go back on his word and he must put his son to death.

The People Speak

1 Samuel 14:45 ESV

45 Then the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As the Lord lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.” So the people ransomed Jonathan, so that he did not die.

The people had more sense than their king. They argued that it was Jonathan that spearheaded the attack that led to the defeat of the Philistines and WHY would they kill the success story? They argued Jonathan’s case, that it had been Jonathan who had brought victory over the Philistines. And they strongly insisted that Jonathan not be executed, going so far as to declare that not a hair of his head would be touched. Their opposition won the case, forcing Saul to rescind his order and to let Jonathan live. But the chance to pursue and wipe out the enemy was now lost. Saul’s misguided zeal, his preoccupation with carrying out his unwise oath against his own son, kept him from delivering a fatal blow to the Philistines.

Closing