Doom, Desperation, and Disobedience
Most of us are familiar with the phrase, "Desperate Times call for Desperate Measures." The phrase originated from the Ancient Greek Physician, Hippocrates. This is the same man from whom we derive the Hippocratic oath that doctors, upon entering the practice of medicine, are required to recite. Hippocrates said, “For extreme diseases, extreme methods of cure, as to restriction, are most suitable.” In 1 Samuel 28, we see the tragic and desperate measures of a man with an incurably extreme disease, the disease of fear. Saul, the once mighty but now desperate king of Israel, is now forced to disguise himself and seek out a witch to tell him the bad news he already new, that his disobedience and fear had cost him the kingdom. It's all found in 1 Samuel 28-31.
Highlight:
1 Samuel 28 & 29
Explain:
In 1 Samuel 28 & 29 we see God actively at work in some strange situations. The drama that had become Saul and David’s relationship had fomented to such a point that now David, the once heralded musician in Saul’s palace turned boyhood hero, was now a fugitive on the run from the insensitive and incompetent king. This sends David behind enemy lines for refuge among the Philistines. He got here because of his own fear of Saul. Rather than trust God’s obvious care of him (remember the incident at David’s house that eventually left Saul looking like a fool disrobed and prophesying in the streets). Nonetheless, David’s fear had caused the death of Amminidab and his family because of Doeg’s ratting him out to Saul. All of this carnage caused by David’s fear had now put him on the side of the Philistines. He had faked insanity to escape their sword but now had gained their trust or at least Achish the king’s trust. Now all their armies had gathered to attack Israel.
Meanwhile, Saul, the king exhausted from chasing a new deposed would be king in David, is quivering in fear at the impending battle with the Philistines. His is a sad case of having nowhere to turn for guidance. After having repeatedly disobeying the Lords command (at first not waiting for Samuel to sacrifice), then refusing to completely obey the Lord by destroying the Amalekites, Saul’s track record of not listening has now landed him in a tight spot.
Desperate and no where to turn, Saul seeks out the help of a medium to supposedly summon Samuel to ask his advice. The sad turn of events has now left the king, because of his own edict, disguising himself and breaking the law to find out news he already knows from a man whose already told him what would happen to him, not once but twice! This is the sad song of a man who won’t listen to God and then when He is in trouble and is now ready to listen, the Lord has no word for him. Traditional channels haven’t worked and so now Saul is going to less than ethical extremes to find out news he already knows. The end is near, his life will be destroyed along with his sons, the kingdom will be handed over to the young boy who would listen to God.
With that in mind, we learn in 1 Samuel 29, how God protected this young boy from himself. He’d been so noble at the cave, refusing to kill God’s anointed, but now after his fear had gotten the best of him, he seems quite willing to attack God’s people with the Philistines. He has intentions on tasting the revenge that he so long had resisted. After all, what had he done but serve the king? He had handle his injustice so well until his fear had overtaken him, and now a Benedict Arnold of sorts, he’s ready to attack all of God’s people. But God in His care of David protects him from himself by the leaders of the Philistines feeling uneasy about David’s motives in his readiness for battle. While David’s motive may or may not have been nefarious, his hand is prohibited from taking Goliath’s sword and taking vengeance for God. God has designs on vanquishing Saul, but He will do it in His own way and He will not allow to dishonor the throne by personally killing the King. David’s life and kingship is too important to the storyline of Jesus for it to be tainted and derailed by a momentary lapse in judgment, a quest for revenge motivated by unmitigated fear.
When we come to 1 Samuel 31 we see the sad end of the King in the most tragic of circumstances. Falling on His sword a final desperate act of a desperately insecure man whose fear continually ruled his life. Hiding among the stacks when he was coronated king, impatiently sacrificing because his army was retreating, summoning a spirit long dead to hear news he had already heard, and now falling on his own sword in suicide. What a tragic story.
Apply:
How do we apply this?
When you don’t listen to God when He speaks, don’t expect Him to speak when you need to listen. We need to listen to the Lord on His terms and obey Him if we expect Him to hear our prayers of desperation.
If you don’t listen, don’t expect God to tell you something else. Saul had already been told his kingdom would end and he would die in disgrace and yet now He is doing desperate things hoping God will change HIs mind. We often do this. God is not a God who will change His mind in the midst of our disobedience. Like children, we do desperate things hoping God will change His mind in the midst of judgment or punishment. We need to obey the first time.
God will protect you from yourself sometimes. It would have been very easy for David to have been upset over the Philistines rejecting him for battle. But God was protecting David in the midst of his own foolishness and stupidity. When things don’t go our way at times, leave yourself open to God protecting you from yourself and your own desperation.
Obey God. Always obey God. Don’t allow fear to rule your life as David and Saul both battled with our own fear it led to tragic consequences over and over again. Obedience is always the best policy.
Respond:
Jesus thank You for all the marvelous lessons in this story. Help me to listen to Your word and obey it always so that You will guard my steps, hear me when I need you, and protect me from myself.
