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Scripture Reading: 1 Sam. 13; 1 Sam. 14
Saul first conquered the Ammonites, and then he conquered the Philistines, Israel's most difficult enemy. Both of these conquests gave Saul the opportunity to make a name for himself. In the first conquest he behaved in a kind, humble manner, but in the second conquest he behaved in a way that caused him to lose his kingship. As we will see, Samuel's intention, which was according to God's heart, was to build the kingdom of God on earth. Saul's intention was altogether in another realm. Saul intended to build a monarchy for himself within the kingdom of God. Saul thought that it was possible to have his own monarchy; actually, it was not possible. God had no intention to build anything for Saul.
Let us now consider the details regarding Saul's conquest of the Philistines.
In 13:1-4, 6-7 we read of Saul's preparation for war against the Philistines.
In his preparation for war, Saul was assisted by his son Jonathan, who was quite good.
Saul had learned that he needed people and he blew a trumpet to gather the people. Today's politicians also realize that they need to gain the people.
Because some of the people were afraid of the Philistines, they hid themselves in caves and in pits, and some escaped into the land of Gad, east of Jordan.
In their preparation for war against Israel, the Philistines assembled 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen and "people like the sand that is on the seashore in multitude" (v. 5).
In 13:8-15a we have a word concerning Saul's disobedience. In this war Saul's intention to act on his own for the building up of his monarchy was exposed. Saul's disobedience, which was observed by Samuel, meant that he had given up God. In his first conquest Saul behaved very well in the sight of the people and before the Lord, but in his second conquest he was disobedient and actually gave up God.
Saul's disobedience was exposed in the matter of his sinful offering (vv. 8-12). Saul was disobedient, yet he still offered something to God. Today's situation is exactly the same. People offer something to God for His service, but they disobey God and do not care for His purpose.
Saul disobeyed, offering up a sinful offering, yet he complained against Samuel that Samuel had not come at the appointed time. At that time Samuel was the acting God. Saul had an appointment with Samuel, but Saul did not have the freedom to do whatever he liked. He should have been subordinate to Samuel. Apparently, Samuel was mistaken in his delay, but Samuel's delay exposed Saul.
Saul's excuse for his disobedience was that the people were scattered from him and that the Philistines assembled themselves for fighting. There was no excuse for what Saul did. He should have waited for Samuel to arrive before taking any action.
Saul's disobedience resulted in his losing his kingship (vv. 13-15a; 15:28).
Saul was condemned by Samuel for having acted foolishly and not keeping the commandment of Jehovah (13:13a). Samuel was surely right in condemning Saul.
After condemning Saul, Samuel told him that his kingdom would not continue (vv. 13b-14a).
Samuel went on to say to Saul, "Jehovah has sought a man according to His heart for Himself, and Jehovah has appointed him as leader over His people" (v. 14b). Here Samuel was referring to David, to whom God would shift the kingship.
In studying the history in the Bible, we need to learn all the different lessons. First Samuel 13—14 contains a great lesson. It may seem that Saul's disobedience in making an offering was a small disobedience. But Samuel realized that Saul would take the opportunity to usurp God's appointment to build up his own monarchy within the building up of God's kingdom. God intended to build up His kingdom on earth, not to build up a monarchy for Saul.
Samuel taught the people the custom of the kingdom (1 Sam. 10:25). Moses gave the law to the children of Israel, but before Samuel came they did not have a set of by-laws, a constitution. Samuel told the people the by-laws, the constitution, the practice, the customs, the manners, the ordinances, and the rules of how to practice the kingdom of God on earth. Saul should have practiced the kingdom life according to this constitution. Samuel, the composer of the constitution, watched Saul, and he saw a tendency with him to build up a human monarchy by usurping the practice of the kingdom of God.
The Lord's recovery today is the kingdom of God. Some have attempted to build up their work and to establish a monarchy for themselves within the recovery. Brother Nee strongly stressed this same matter when he said that some so-called co-workers were building up for themselves something separate from the recovery while they remained in the recovery. These co-workers built up their own little empires. Recently, a monarchy was built up in a certain area of this country, but the saints there refused to go along with such a monarchy. They wrote to me saying that the churches in that area were not raised up by the one who wanted to build up a monarchy, but were established and nourished by the essence of the Lord's recovery. These saints said that they wanted the recovery, the kingdom of God today.
The recovery around the globe is uniquely one. The intrinsic essence of the kingdom of God is the Body of Christ, the church of God. Through the past several decades, some brothers have worked and labored very well, and we appreciate what they have done. Yet certain of the workers carried out a work in the recovery by usurping the recovery. Today in some places there is still a tendency, under the name of the recovery, to build up something within the ministry of the recovery, usurping the advantages of the recovery and using the materials of the ministry of the recovery. There are signs that the work in these places is not a pure work — a work purely for the building up of the Body of Christ, the kingdom of God. Rather, it is a work built up for the interest of certain ones.
Six years ago a teaching came out which said that the local churches are autonomous. Some said that after the apostles establish a church and appoint elders, they should keep their hands off the church, leaving the church as an autonomy. Such a teaching of autonomy was actually the building up of a monarchy.
We practice the local churches, and each of the local churches is autonomous in business affairs. But this does not mean that the local churches are divided. In a sense they are local churches, but all the local churches on this globe are just one church. Every local church has its own freedom and jurisdiction to make decisions concerning, for example, the times of the meetings. However, this does not mean that the local churches are different. Paul taught all the churches in the same way (1 Cor. 4:17).
All the churches are the same in life, in nature, in testimony, in serving, and in expressing Christ. We may be different in nationalities and languages, but our singing and praising are the same. We are one Body, testifying the same Christ. We preach, announce, admonish, and teach concerning Christ as revealed in the Bible. We do not have different schools, different teachings, or different testimonies. Christianity has been divided because of different practices, for example the practice of baptism. But the "dictionary" in the Lord's recovery has only one word — Christ. We are not for various kinds of teachings. We are for Christ, who is for the kingdom of God. We are for the kingdom of God, which is the Body of Christ, the unique church of God.
First Samuel 13:15b-23 tells us about the situation between Israel and the Philistines.
On the side of Israel (vv. 15b-16a), Saul mustered the people who were with him, about 600 men. Saul, Jonathan, and the people dwelt in Geba of Benjamin.
On the side of the Philistines (vv. 16b-18, 23), raiders came out from the camp in three companies toward three directions.
Israel was short of sword and spears (vv. 19-22). There was no smith throughout all the land of Israel. At that time, Israel was under the strict control of the Philistines, who did not allow them to make swords or spears. On the day of battle, only Saul and Jonathan his son had a sword and a spear.
In 14:1-23 we have an account of Israel's conquest of the Philistines. Their situation was that they had no weapons. In such a poor situation, God was their unique weapon. Saul, Jonathan, and the people of Israel fought the battle by God.
Verses 1 through 15 describe the conquest under Jonathan.
Jonathan did not let his father and the people know that he was going to attack the Philistines (vv. 1-5).
Jonathan trusted in Jehovah for his victory (vv. 6-10), believing that there was no constraint on Jehovah to save by many or by few. Jonathan was assured that Jehovah would deliver the Philistines into his hand.
Jehovah delivered the Philistines into the hand of Israel (vv. 11-15). Jonathan and his helper, a young man, killed the Philistines. There was panic among the Philistines in their camp, in their field, and among all the people. Even their garrison and their raiders were in a panic, and the earth quaked.
Verses 16 through 23 describe the conquest of the Philistines under Saul.
According to verse 16 the multitude of the Philistine army was melting away, and they were going here and there.
Saul found out that his son Jonathan and his helper had gone away from him to attack the Philistines (v. 17).
In verses 18 and 19 Saul did something quite good — he sought God's leading through the priest and the ark.
Saul heard that the tumult that was in the camp of the Philistines continued to increase. He and all the people who were with him gathered together and went into the battle, while each Philistine's sword was against his companion, and the tumult was very great (v. 20).
The Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and who had gone up with them into the camp also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan (v. 21).
Even all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country followed Saul and Jonathan closely in the battle (v. 22).
That day Jehovah saved Israel from the Philistines (v. 23).
Verses 24 through 46 are concerned with the matter of Saul's rash oath. A strong person is often rash.
In the oath he laid on the people, Saul cursed any man who ate food before the evening, when Saul would be avenged of his enemies (vv. 24-26).
Jonathan did not hear his father's oath and ate some honey (vv. 27-30).
The people of Israel ate the sheep, oxen, and calves with the blood (vv. 31-35). They did this because of the heavy blitz on the Philistines and Saul's rash oath. Saul corrected the people in that sin and asked them to slay their oxen and sheep and eat before him that night. Then Saul built his first altar to Jehovah.
Jonathan's breaking of his father's oath was caught (vv. 36-46). Saul sought God's leading for him and the people of Israel to pursue after the Philistines, and God did not answer him that day (vv. 36-37). Following this, Jonathan's death crime was found out (vv. 38-44). When Saul said that Jonathan would die, the people vindicated Jonathan and saved him from the death crime (v. 45). Then Saul went up from following the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to their own place (v. 46).
Chapter fourteen concludes with a chronicle of Saul (vv. 47-52).
Saul took the kingdom over Israel and fought against all his enemies all around — Moab, Ammon, Edom, Zobah, and the Philistines (v. 47).
Saul struck valiantly the Amalekites and delivered Israel from those who had plundered them (v. 48).
In verses 49 through 51 we have a list of Saul's generations: his grandfather Abiel; his father Kish; his uncle Ner; his cousin Abner (the captain of his army); his wife Ahinoam; his father-in-law Ahimaaz; his sons Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchi-shua; and his daughters Merab and Michal.
This chapter concludes by saying that there was severe war against the Philistines all the days of Saul and that Saul took any mighty man or any valiant man for himself (v. 52).
