When Urgency Provokes Disobedience

Saul figured he could not wait. Earlier, in response to the Philistine threat, he had amassed Israel's first standing army of three thousand men - two thousand with him and a thousand with his son, Johnathan (1 Samuel 13:1-2). According to the narrative, Israel had become an abomination to the Philistines. As along as Israel stayed a weak and subjected people, the Philistines were fine with that. However, as soon as the Israelites show some boldness in the LORD and were willing to fight against the LORD's enemies, as Johnathan had shown in an initial attack, the Philistines considered them an abomination (vv. 3-4).

The Philistine army was formidable. "Thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude . . . When the men of Israel saw that they were in danger (for the people were distressed), then the people hid in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in holes, and in pits. And some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead" (vv. 5-7). Samuel, the prophet who had months before anointed him before the people, had set a time of seven days to return to preside over sacrifices but he hid not come (v.8). Feeling he was in a crisis with a frightened people and a large enemy amassed against him, Saul did the unthinkable. He said, "'Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.' And he offered the burnt offering" (v.9).

There were two problems with this course of action. First, Saul plainly disobeyed Samuel. Second, he was a king, not a priest, and only priests were to offer sacrifices. He had no business doing what only a priest should do. When Samuel finally showed up, his first question was, "What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord [to seek His favour].’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering. And Samuel said to Saul, 'You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you'” (vv. 13-14).

What terrible consequences! We cannot allow what we deem to be urgent to take precedence over that which is right. The temptation to cut corners are many! Yes, the human mind will always try to rationalize and justify our disobedience, but the acts of disobedience remain. Undoubtedly, Saul's intentions were good but good intent that contradicts God's Word has no legs on which to stand.

God honours obedience to His Word. Had Saul remembered that, he would not have lost his kingdom and more importantly, God's favour. We are faced with the same dilemma today. Amidst the many competing priorities and decisions to be made, all not necessarily in keeping with God's standards, what choices do we make? How much are you prepared to lose?