Do you know anyone looking for a job? What if you saw this help wanted sign.
Wanted: to hire a person for a cushy job with high pay, no experience necessary.
That may be some peoples view of what it would be like to be king. It might look like a cushy job with high pay. Saul is Israel’s first king, and he finds out at the beginning that this will not be a cushy job. It is going to be very tough.
Saul begins his monarchy with a bang. He is off to a great start. We see the positive traits Saul has to be a good king. Saul has the physical outward traits that Israel could look to. He was handsome tall being head and shoulders above everyone else. He had some excellent leadership qualities.
This particular study of the life of Saul shows Saul at his best. A humble and decisive leader who is willing to give God the glory.
After Saul has been anointed king and given kingship publicly, we find him out with his father’s fields. He comes back to discover a national crisis. The people are weeping because of an Ammonites have made a harsh threat.
Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty with us, and we will be subject to you.” 2 But Nahash the Ammonite replied, “I will make a treaty with you only on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace on all Israel.” 3 The elders of Jabesh said to him, “Give us seven days so we can send messengers throughout Israel; if no one comes to rescue us, we will surrender to you.” 4 When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and reported these terms to the people, they all wept aloud. 5 Just then Saul was returning from the fields, behind his oxen, and he asked, “What is wrong with everyone? Why are they weeping?” Then they repeated to him what the men of Jabesh had said.
The Israelite city of Jabesh Gilead has been besieged by the Ammonite enemy and they need help. The Israelite city is being forced to surrender and the terms are unthinkable. They have 7 days to agree to the terms of surrender under disgraceful conditions. All the men would have their right eye gouged out under the surrender terms.
They wait 7 days and put out a plea for someone to rescue them. This was the Ammonite way of disgracing not only Jabesh Gilead, but all of Israel. When no one came to their rescue it would only add to their shame.
The Ammonites felt that Israel was too weak and too loosely organized for anyone to rescue Jabesh Gilead. They fought with their shield in their left hand. The people of Jabesh if they only had one eye would be able to serve the Ammonites but they would not be fit for war.
How would Jabesh Gilead escape this disgrace? The answer is King Saul would rescue them when the Spirit of God comes powerfully upon him.
Just then Saul was returning from the fields, behind his oxen, and he asked, “What is wrong with everyone? Why are they weeping?” Then they repeated to him what the men of Jabesh had said. 6 When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he burned with anger. 7 He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel, proclaiming, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel.” Then the terror of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out together as one. 8 When Saul mustered them at Bezek, the men of Israel numbered three hundred thousand and those of Judah thirty thousand. 9 They told the messengers who had come, “Say to the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘By the time the sun is hot tomorrow, you will be rescued.’” When the messengers went and reported this to the men of Jabesh, they were elated. 10 They said to the Ammonites, “Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and you can do to us whatever you like.” 11 The next day Saul separated his men into three divisions; during the last watch of the night they broke into the camp of the Ammonites and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together. (1 Samuel 11:5-11)
During the Judges period Israel was loosely organized. The monarchy is brand new and this is King Saul’s first test. Could Saul pull Israel together and rescue Jabesh Gilead. The Ammonites sure did not think it could be done. This would take a turnaround that would put a sports coach in the hall of fame. This is much more than a sporting event or a brilliant general making a strategic battle plan, this is the Spirit of God working powerfully upon King Saul. This is God’s battle.
There was a righteous anger burning in King Saul. Saul had a clear call from God and a sense of mission and purpose. Saul did not have experience as a leader or as king, but he had something more important, the Spirit of God upon him.
Many wonderful things can be accomplished when God’s leader submits to God. This is a prerequisite to any leadership position in the Lord’s work. The Holy Spirit empowers God’s Leaders.
Samson struck down a thousand men with the jawbone of a donkey when the Holy Spirit came upon him.
Then the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him. He went down to Ashkelon, struck down thirty of their men, stripped them of everything and gave their clothes to those who had explained the riddle. Burning with anger, he returned to his father’s home. (Judges 14:19)
As he approached Lehi, the Philistines came toward him shouting. The Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him. The ropes on his arms became like charred flax, and the bindings dropped from his hands. (Judges 15:14)
Saul sent the grim warning throughout all Israel. He cut oxen to pieces and sends throughout Israel as the waring. He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel, proclaiming, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel.” Then the terror of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out together as one. (1 Samuel 11:7)
The terror of the Lord fell on the people and they turned out as one man. They were not acting like a lose federation of 12 tribes anymore. Now they are united behind the promising new King, Saul. There were 300,000 men of Israel and 30,000 men of Judah.
Word was sent to the people of Jabesh Gilead. Tomorrow you will be delivered. Saul devises a battle plan where the troops are divided into 3 divisions. They launched a surprise attack at night. They slaughtered the enemy until the heat of day.
Whoever was surviving this attack was totally scattered. Saul’s first action was dramatic. Saul found out right away that being King was not a cushy job. In a symbolic act he rallied the people. He devised a battle plan, and he carried it out.
God gave Saul success. Could there be any doubt now Saul would be the promising king that Israel longed for? It is a dramatic story of how Saul by the Spirit of God rescued Jabesh Gilead. He rescued them from mutilation and disgrace and saved all of Israel from shameful injustice.
With this amazing victory Saul is reaffirmed as king. It is not surprising that Saul was overwhelmingly popular following this battle victory.
The people then said to Samuel, “Who was it that asked, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Turn these men over to us so that we may put them to death.” 13 But Saul said, “No one will be put to death today, for this day the LORD has rescued Israel.” 14 Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingship.” 15 So all the people went to Gilgal and made Saul king in the presence of the LORD. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings before the LORD, and Saul and all the Israelites held a great celebration. (1 Samuel 11:12-15)
This is like a national championship for Saul. The people dumped a whole thermos of gator-aide on Saul figuratively speaking. They held a great celebration. It really was like a ticker tape celebration.
Now there was another unresolved issue. Saul had been silent about the opposition but waited to demonstrate the Lord’s support of his cause.
But some scoundrels said, “How can this fellow save us?” They despised him and brought him no gifts. But Saul kept silent. (1 Samuel 10:27)
Now the crowds were calling for the death of Saul’s opposers. But it would be a day of joy, not a day of death because it was the Lord who brought deliverance. But Saul said, “No one will be put to death today, for this day the LORD has rescued Israel.” (1 Samuel 13)
Saul was willing to give credit where credit was due. The glory was all to God. Saul is at his finest operating by the Spirit of God and giving glory to God. The Lord will use a leader who is humble, obedient and gives glory to God.
They saw that Saul was successful not because he was tall and impressive, but because of the Lord. This is the last positive move in the life and leadership of Saul. Soon his failure will follow. It is a lesson for all of us to walk humbly with God, live in obedience to God and give all the glory to God.
