A Cautionary Tale
I’ve been studying through the life of Samuel the last month or so in chapel at school. We are talking about Philippians 4:8 this year and Samuel seemed to be a good example to talk about “whatever is true.” But much of Samuel’s story intersects with the life of Saul, among other significant people in the Scripture. There is something about Saul’s life that is just so troubling. He had a great start. He seemed to be a good man with good intentions, but somewhere along the way things began to spiral downhill and the end was no where near as good as the beginning. Before being called as the king he was serving his father by looking for lost donkeys (1 Samuel 9:5-10). He went to God (through Samuel) for answers concerning the things he sought (9:11-21). He wasn’t exactly confident about taking over this new role. Unless I am misreading the text, his default setting seemed to be humility (10:17-24).
Then something happened. I don’t know if it was power, impatience, or pressure. But Saul changed. He started making rushed and reckless decisions — offering sacrifices even though he was not a priest (13:8-14). He started making decisions that went from foolish to completely disobedient (14:24-46; 15:1-23). He ceased to stand for God’s people and eventually became jealous of those who did (18:7-9). His jealousy escalated to paranoia and attempted murder (18:10-11). In his final days he sought out a spiritist — someone outlawed by him earlier in his kingship (28:1-25). Ultimately his sins cost him his own life on the battlefield, along with all of his sons, making it impossible for his family to carry the throne (31:1-6).
His story is tragic. The result of what sin can do in our lives. It starts with small compromises. Things that have the appearance of good, but go against the principles of the Lord. A man who started in humility, began to do things that were not his to do. Offering sacrifices and making assumptions about what he believed would be good to do. Each step leading him further from God’s way. The Psalmist gives a warning about us. It is a progression of sin in Psalm 1:1-2 “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.”
It starts with listening to the wrong voices, then making company with the wrong people, until finally you become one of the voices of wickedness—having turned against all that is good. The better path is being the one who delights in the law of the Lord — meditating on it day and night. Learning His will so you can follow His will every day. That is what the Lord desires. Saul’s is a cautionary tale of allowing the wrong thoughts in your own mind and the wrong voices around you lead you away from the one voice that matters most. Some attribute the words of Ecclesiastes 12:13 to the third king of Israel. He didn’t always do what was best either, but these words could help us take a far better path than those kings of Israel: “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole of man.” Wise words from a wise man.
Ben