SAUL’S FALL

Time with Jesus - Saturday, 09 February 2013

Hi all,

God has many advantages over His creation. One of the greatest must surely be his omniscience and understanding of the human heart. You and I cannot see into the heart of men and women. We do not know what will happen to any infant when he/she is born. Some will go on to be wicked criminals. Others will be among those who seek to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. God knows and has always known the future of each individual before birth!

In the case of Saul, the Benjamite and son of Kish, we have an example of a man who looked good on the surface. Good enough for the people to demand from God, he be made king. Sadly, the inner man was nothing like what the people needed from a king. Nevertheless, God acquiesced and Saul became king. I can’t help thinking God was giving the people what they wanted, in much the same way, as He had provided them with quail in the wilderness. So they got King Saul. He was a disaster.

We must always be careful when we ask the Lord for something. If we keep on insisting on getting what we want, He may decide to grant the request and allow us to live with the consequences.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland 

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Saturday, 09 February 2013			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
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INTRODUCTION			DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	Saul’s Fall
There’s something tragic about the death of King Saul. He had been an impressive young man, standing head and shoulders above most of his countrymen. Handsome, strong and modest, he was exactly what the people demanded; a king similar to the surrounding nations. Samuel went to God and apologetically “told” God, the people didn’t want Him as their king. They wanted someone they could see and follow. Samuel had warned them what would happen if they insisted on making Saul their king. God consented. But even as I read God’s consent, I am reminded of what happens when God’s people demand their own way. 15 And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul. Psalms 106:15 KJV. I can’t help thinking God was saying something like, “They want a king? Try this one for size.” Something like what happened in the wilderness when the people didn’t want manna. The wanted meat. They got quail! For a whole month they ate quail, until it was “coming out of their ears”. They were nauseated with it. It’s a very real danger when we “bellyache” for something from God. He just might agree with terrible consequences. Moses had pointed out; one day God would give them a king from the tribe of Judah. Probably God had already started making preparations for David. God’s only begotten Son would someday be called the Son of David. But the people couldn‘t wait for God’s timing. They were impatient. They sowed impatience and reaped an impatient man. For forty years, Saul was on the throne. For most of these years, Saul treated the people much as Samuel warned them their king would behave. But it was too late. They were stuck with him. An ancient Proverb states, “Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad”. The comment is not Scriptural but it’s what happened to Saul. His mind crumbled. He experienced fits of madness, senseless jealousy and melancholy. He became a periodic lunatic. Finally, desperate to hear something – anything from God, he consulted the witch of Endor. It’s interesting to note, she was the only known witch, who survived his earlier attempt, to rid his kingdom of idolatry and witchcraft! Finally, he died by falling on his own sword. The Philistines beheaded his corpse and hung his body on the walls of their city. His kingdom was taken over by a red headed youngster, who conquered a giant with a pebble and a slingshot. A Man descended from the tribe of Judah. In spite of all his faults, David was God’s chosen King. God saw Saul’s and David’s hearts. Saul went insane and failed. David went on to be the most loved king the Jewish people have ever known. Only those who have met King Jesus know a better King. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the One who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. 5 But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world." John 9:4-5 NLT 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven. "Write this," it said. "Blessed are the dead who die as believers in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Holy Spirit. "They will rest from their labour. What they have done will not be forgotten." Rev 14:13 NIrV 17 In the grave, sinful people don't cause trouble anymore. And there those who are tired find rest. Job 3:17 NIrV 15 Samuel asked Saul, "Why did you disturb me by conjuring me up?" Saul answered, "I'm in serious trouble. The Philistines are at war with me, and God has turned against me and doesn't answer me anymore-either by the prophets or in dreams. So I've called on you to tell me what to do." 1 Sam 28:15 GW 10 Whatever turns up, grab it and do it. And heartily! This is your last and only chance at it, For there's neither work to do nor thoughts to think In the company of the dead, where you're most certainly headed. Eccl 9:10 MSG 17 It is not the dead who praise the LORD, those who go down to the place of silence; 18 it is we who extol the LORD, both now and forevermore. Praise the LORD. Psalm 115:17-18 TNIV 6 My life is coming to an end, and it is now time for me to be poured out as a sacrifice to God. 7 I have fought the good fight. I have completed the race. I have kept the faith. 8 The prize that shows I have God's approval is now waiting for me. The Lord, who is a fair judge, will give me that prize on that day. He will give it not only to me but also to everyone who is eagerly waiting for him to come again. 2 Tim 4:6-8 GW 9 Therefore, a time of rest and worship exists for God's people. 10 Those who entered his place of rest also rested from their work as God did from his Heb. 4:9-11 GW	King Saul was a Benjamite. A son of Kish was he. The people had selected him. His genealogy, Disqualified from kingship, this tall and handsome man. But when the people wanted him, God told them, “Yes you can!” But it was a disaster. He set off rather well. But when he did a task that God reserved for Samuel, The kingdom was torn from him. He’d broken God’s command; And he was on the downward slope to losing all his land. Of course he didn’t abdicate. He tried to carry on. But in the fullness of the time, his kingly power was gone. His final act was played out, when He went to Endor. He went to see the local witch, to hear from her, his score. She conjured up a person who looked like Samuel. Who said his days were over. Today was his death knell. He’d die next day in battle, along with all his sons. The Philistines would win the day; his army’s day was done. And this is just what happened. Saul’s reign was at an end. This king was going to the grave. Too late to make amends. The Bible makes it very clear, one day we all shall be, Taken to a lifeless grave; the dead can’t hear or see. The grave takes all men captive; and they will be at rest, Waiting for the day they will arise at Christ’s behest. Until our certain ending, the best thing we can do, Is anything that comes to hand, to challenge me or you! There in the silence of the grave, each one of us must wait, Until the Master comes again. That’s when we’ll hear our fate. Christian “believers” will arise to their reward. Those who have resisted Him shall perish by His sword. But what about the “others”. Those who are unprepared? The Word of God tells plainly, they too will not be spared. They’ll join the unbelievers and share their frightful lot. It is the judgement’s sentence. Like it or like it not! I wish that I could change it. I wish I could repent, For those who thought God’s judgement, for them just wasn’t meant. But I have no authority. The Lord God has it all. I’d love to tell all nations the outcome of the fall. I’d love to take them with me. I wish that I could share, The love of the Lord Jesus for sinners everywhere. Jim Strickland  Written 9th February 2012