Sermon Tone Analysis

The Failure of Saul

24 gOnly fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart.

For consider hwhat great things he has done for you.

25 But if you still do wickedly, iyou shall be swept away, jboth you and your king.”

English Standard Version Chapter 12

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 vyour kingdom shall not continue.

The LORD has sought out a man wafter his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be prince2 over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you

If you will fear the LORD and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God, it will be well.

15 But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you and your king.

24 Only fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart.

For consider what great things he has done for you.

25 But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.”

English Standard Version Chapter 13

“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 over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”

“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, t“You have done foolishly.

uYou 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 vyour kingdom shall not continue.

The LORD has sought out a man wafter his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be prince2 over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”

18 So Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God here.”

For the ark of God went at that time with the people6 of Israel.

19 Now uwhile Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the camp of the Philistines increased more and more.

So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”

20 Then Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and went into the battle.

Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening and I am avenged on my enemies.”

9 mBut Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves2 and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them.

All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.

If you will pfear the LORD and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God, it will be well.

15 But qif you will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then rthe hand of the LORD will be against you and syour king.

For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, cbut the LORD looks on the heart.”

A King after God’s Own Heart

Saul has been rejected by God to be King because of his disobedience.

God has promised to replace Saul as king with “a man after His own heart”

David

Why did God make Saul King?

Why not start with David, a man after God’s own heart?

I believe God made Saul king first so that we would compare them and better understand David’s heart, and God’s promises to David in contrast to Saul.

God’s Rejection of Saul

A kingship of works

 Only fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart.

For consider what great things he has done for you.

25 But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.”

Saul and the people were commanded to obey the lord, but they failed.

The Sins of Saul

Disobedience

In the sacrifice

in not devoting All of the Amalekites to destruction

Foolishness

His rash vow

Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening and I am avenged on my enemies.”

Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening and I am avenged on my enemies.”

Fearing man more than God

He gave into the people to not kill Jonathan even though he had made a vow to God.

39 For las the LORD lives who saves Israel, mthough it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.”

4. Reliant on human wisdom

Reliant on human wisdom

Chapter 14:18 So Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God here.”

For the ark of God went at that time with the people6 of Israel.

19 Now uwhile Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the camp of the Philistines increased more and more.

So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”

20 Then Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and went into the battle.

18 So Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God here.”

For the ark of God went at that time with the people6 of Israel.

19 Now uwhile Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the camp of the Philistines increased more and more.

So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”

20 Then Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and went into the battle.

5. False Piety

Saul was a man of compromise in his relationship to God.

He claimed to follow God and did many of the outward signs of following God But his heart was not sincere.

Reading through the Story

Now we are going to read how God is going to pick his new king, it will be a man who unlike Saul is a man after God’s own heart.

Saul was a king that fit the peoples standard for a King but David will have the characteristics that God alone sees.

Which is a heart that loves Him.

16 The LORD said to Samuel, r“How long will you grieve over Saul, since sI have rejected him from being king over Israel?

tFill your horn with oil, and go.

I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, ufor I have provided for myself a king among his sons.”

16 The LORD said to Samuel, r“How long will you grieve over Saul, since sI have rejected him from being king over Israel?

tFill your horn with oil, and go.

I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, ufor I have provided for myself a king among his sons.”

Samuel had truly wanted to see Saul succeed.

Even though he told the people it was evil of them to want a king he earnestly prayed that the people and their king would remain faithful to God.

Samuel is deeply sad over the Saul’s disobedience but God reassures him that God’s purposes and plans will not falter because of Saul’s disobedience.

For God says “I have provided for myself a king”.

God is always able to provide for himself the people he desires to accomplish his will.

People will fail us, as Saul failed Samuel, but God does not fail.

4 Samuel did what the LORD commanded and came to Bethlehem.

The elders of the city xcame to meet him trembling and said, y“Do you come peaceably?” 5 And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.

zConsecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.”

And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

6 When they came, he looked on aEliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him.”