Opening illustration: Picher, Oklahoma, is no more. In mid-2009, this once-bustling town of 20,000 went out of business. In the first quarter of the 1900s, Picher was a boomtown because of its abundant lead and zinc. Workers extracted the ore, which was used to help arm the US during both World Wars.
The town faded as the ore began to run out - but the biggest problem was that while the lead and zinc brought wealth, they also brought pollution. Because nothing was done to deal with the pollution, Picher became a toxic wasteland, and the government condemned the land.
What happened to Picher can happen to people. Prosperity can look so good that it’s hard to think about possible downsides. Actions that are detrimental to long-term spiritual health are accepted, and unless the problem is corrected, destruction follows. It happened to King Saul. He began as a good king, but in seeking success he failed to see the damage he was doing. Turning his back on God’s commands, he acted “foolishly” (1 Sam. 13: 13) and lost his kingdom (v.14). (Illustration by Dave Branon, Our Daily Bread)
Let us turn to 1 Samuel 13 and check out the foolish and toxic living of Saul and its consequences.
Introduction: Saul, though patriotic enough in his own way, was more ambitious of gaining the glory of a triumph to himself than ascribing it to God. He did not understand his proper position as king of Israel; and although aware of the restrictions under which he held the sovereignty, he wished to rule as an autocrat, who possessed absolute power both in civil and sacred things. This occasion was his first trial. Samuel waited till the last day of the seven, in order to put the constitutional character of the king to the test; and, as Saul, in his impatient and passionate haste knowingly transgressed (1 Samuel 13: 12) by invading the priest’s office and thus showing his unfitness for his high office (as he showed nothing of the faith of Gideon and other Hebrew generals), he incurred a threat of the rejection which his subsequent waywardness confirmed.
What formulates toxic living?
1. Impatience (not waiting) ~ vs. 7-8
This order Saul broke. He staid till the seventh day yet had not patience to wait till the end of the seventh day. Perhaps he began to reproach Samuel as false to his word, careless of his country, and disrespectful of his prince, and thought it more fit that Samuel should wait for him than he for Samuel. We are not told wherein it was that the people of Israel offended God, so as to forfeit his presence and turn his hand against them, as Samuel had threatened (chap. 12: 15); but doubtless they left God, else he would not have left them, as here it appears he did; for, I. Saul was very weak and impolitic, and did not order his affairs with discretion. Now, with the remainder of his army quaking in fear, Saul decided to take matters into his own hands. After all, he had waited the full seven days which Samuel had instructed him to wait. Who really knew why Samuel hadn’t come? Maybe something dreadful happened to him … But Samuel had again, on this later occasion, made an appointment at the end of seven days. It seems to have been as a trial of faith and obedience, under which, this time, Saul unhappily broke down.
(a) Like Saul, when we are hard pressed by the crises in our lives, we all have a natural tendency toward panicking and taking things into our own hands. It might be not paying your tithes because you are in a financial crisis, or marrying an unbeliever because God didn’t send you a godly prospect in your allotted timeframe; many times, I have seen Christians repeat Saul’s tragic mistake.
(b) In this story we also find the frustration (and mystery) associated with trying to understand God’s timing. When Samuel did not show up in seven 24-hour days, Saul immediately took matters into his own hands.
In my own experience, I have found it is almost impossible to understand the timing of God. What I think is going to happen “tomorrow” sometimes takes years. On the other hand, what I would like to put off for “years” seems to come into my life on the very day I am trying to avoid it the most.
In reality, it has far more to do with obeying God than knowing the exact details of God’s timing. His promises to you will be fulfilled in His time, not yours.
© What seemed to be a simple act of impatience would eventually cost Saul his entire kingdom. It would cost him both his kingdom and his destiny, because he would destroy it himself by taking matters into his own hands instead of waiting on God.
Do we understand? When we do not wait on God, in reality we are trying to play God, because we are attempting to do what only He can do for us.
Illustration: Pastor Joel Gregory tells the story of a seminary professor who taught the Christian graces of love and forbearance for forty years until he retired.
Occupying himself in his retirement years, he poured a new concrete driveway to his house. Finished, he went in to rest and get a glass of ice tea. Returning later to view his proud achievement, he discovered that the neighborhood kids were putting their footprints all in the wet concrete. The angry professor chased the kids down in a rage and beat the tar out of the ones he could catch.
Hearing the commotion, the professor’s wife rushed into the yard, saw the angry professor thrashing the kids, and began to reprimand him: "What a shame," she said. "For forty years you have taught love, forgiveness and forbearance. Now look at you. You’ve lost your testimony." To which he replied: "That was all in the abstract. This is in the concrete."
2. Disobedience (to God) ~ vs. 9-10 (ref. v. 13)
It matters not whether the thing commanded is greater or less, it is disobedience to the command that is the sin, and is resented: this might seem a small thing, since to offer the sacrifice was not criminal; but doing it before the time, a little before it should have been done, not waiting long enough for the prophet; yet it being against the command of God, or in neglect of it, it was sinful, and severely chastised; and the rather, that it might be an example to all succeeding kings how they offended, or broke the least of God’s commandments; and this being the first king of Israel, he was made an example of to the rest.
Instant obedience is the only kind of obedience there is; delayed obedience is disobedience. Whoever strives to withdraw from obedience, withdraws from Grace. - Thomas Kampis.
Illustration: I always liked the story told about the great preacher Charles Spurgeon. Charles was raised on a farm. When he was a young teen, he was behind the family barn on day sneaking a cigarette. His dad surprised him, by coming up upon him Charles attempted to diffuse the situation by using an approach all youth use when dealing with adults- misdirection. Charles said to his fuming father, “Pops, the circus is in town. Do you think we can go?” His father, with a look like he had a rabbit is in his gun sight, said, “Son, don’t ask your old man for something with a smoldering disobedience in your hand.” If you want to go to the circus, drop the smoldering disobedience. If you want to see God, confess your sins, be humble before God.
3. Excuses & Justifications (for our actions) ~ vs. 11-12
That when he was charged with disobedience he justified himself in what he had done, and gave no sign at all of repentance for it. It is not sinning that ruins men, but sinning and not repenting, falling and not getting up again. He would have this act of disobedience pass for an instance of his prudence, and as a proof of his piety.
Here he offers three excuses for his conduct:
i. The people were fast leaving his standard.
ii. Samuel did not come at the time, at the very commencement of the time he did not come, but within that time he did come.
iii. The Philistines (enemy) were coming fast upon him.
Saul should have waited out the time; and at all events he should not have gone contrary to the counsel of the Lord.
Results (consequences) of Toxic living ~ vs. 13-14
(a) Acted foolishly (unwisely)
Samuel charges Saul with being an enemy to himself. Those that disobey the commandments of God, do foolishly for themselves. Sin is folly, and the greatest sinners are the greatest fools. Our disposition to obey or disobey God, will often be proved by our behavior in things which appear small. Men see nothing but Saul’s outward act, which seems small; but God saw that he did this with unbelief and distrust of his providence, with contempt of his authority and justice, and with rebellion against the light of his own conscience. Not by intruding himself into the priest’s office, with that he is not charged, but not waiting the full time till Samuel came; which showed his impatience, disregard to Samuel, and distrust of God; and though he thought he had acted wisely, and taken the proper precautions in his circumstances, yet he acted foolishly; and though a king, Samuel being a prophet of the Lord, and in his name, spared not to tell him so: by his prophet, that he should wait seven days for his coming, who would then offer sacrifices, and tell him what he should do; and not to keep the commandment of God was acting a foolish part.
(b) Lost everything
(i) He shows that there is no sin little, because no little god to sin against; but that every sin is a forfeiture of the heavenly kingdom, for which we stood fair. (ii) He shows that disobedience to an express command, though in a small matter, is a great provocation, as in the case of our first parents. (iii) He warns us to take heed of our spirits, for that which to men may seem but a small offence, yet to him that knows from what principle and with what disposition of mind it is done, may appear a heinous crime. (iv) God, in rejecting Saul for an error seemingly little, sets off, as by a foil, the luster of his mercy in forgiving such great sins as those of David, Manasseh, and others. (v) We are taught hereby how necessary it is that we wait on our God continually. Saul lost his kingdom for want of two or three hours’ patience.
Application: In our attempts to find success, we need to watch out for spiritual pollution that comes when we fail to follow God’s clear scriptural guidelines. Godly living always beats toxic living.
The Lord has given us commands
And told us to obey;
Our own designs are sure to fail
If we neglect His way! —Bosch
No one can be a real success without God.
