Friday
Friday
Saul’s Early Promise
Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the man the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.”
1 Samuel 10:24
Israel’s first king was Saul. He started well. To begin with, he had an impressive physique, being described as “a head taller” than all his contemporaries (9:2; 10:23). He was also young, handsome, brave, and popular.
In addition, Saul was a patriot. He was incensed by the incursions being made into Israelite territory by the surrounding nations. Near the beginning of his reign he heard that Jabesh Gilead, east of the River Jordan, was being besieged by Nahash, the Ammonite leader. His response was immediate. He mustered a large Israelite army, made a bold dash across the Jordan, and rescued the town’s inhabitants. It was such a signal victory that the people reaffirmed Saul as their king with a great celebration.
Saul was not so successful, however, in overthrowing the Philistines, who maintained military garrisons on Israelite soil, from which they sent out raiding parties. It was a constant humiliation to Israel. Yet two Israelite exploits are singled out for mention. First Jonathan, Saul’s son, performed a brilliant feat; he climbed up a steep cliff, using his hands and feet; overpowered the Philistine outpost; and secured the pass. The other exploit was, of course, young David’s dramatic defeat of Goliath.
Instead of recognizing these and other exploits, however, and giving credit where credit was due, Saul was filled with an insane jealousy. At the beginning of his reign he seems to have had a genuine spiritual experience. For the Spirit of God came upon him in power and changed him into a different person (10:6). But this early promise did not last. He was unable to control his emotions. “An evil spirit from God came forcefully upon Saul” (18:10), and anger, bitterness, and jealousy engulfed him.
For further reading: 1 Samuel 9:1–2, 15–17