Scripture

“How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord your God would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. Your kingdom must end for the Lord has sought after a man after his own heart.”

Observation

Saul’s son Jonathan leads a troop of 1000 men to victory over the Philistines. As a result, the Philistines hate the Israelites and plan a great counter-attack.

As the Philistines assemble, Samuel sends a message to Saul telling him to wait 7 days until Samuel can get there. Samuel doesn’t come when he said he would, so Saul sacrifices the offerings himself. Then Samuel arrives, and he rebukes Saul for his action. The kingdom will be handed over to a man after God’s own heart.

Application

It seems that Samuel was delayed in getting to the army camp, but not by much. Motivated by fair and perhaps arrogance, Saul offers the sacrifices himself.

The issue here is not the sacrifices, but Saul’s heart. He was tested and found wanting, so the kingship would be removed from him and passed on to someone after the Lord’s heart.

In many ways, Saul was a good king, but his heart was not surrendered to the Lord. David made many mistakes as king, but his heart was always close to the Lord.

This is so important to us in our walk with Jesus. The Lord doesn’t care whether you are successful in the ways of the world or not. He is not looking for history-makers and world-changers. He wants sons and daughters who give everything they are back to him.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the knowledge that all you want from me is to yield my life to you. Please help me to trust you with everything I am and all that I have. Amen.