A Tale of Two Kings part four

In chapter thirteen of 1 Samuel, we see the seeds of destruction in Saul’s character which lead to his downfall – he feared the people and wanted their respect and honor instead of God’s so he lies in verse four and says “Saul had smitten a garrison of the philistines” when it was actually Jonathan who had done it. Saul wanted the credit for it to look good in the eyes of the people and this same attitude has destroyed many a Pastor and has led to today’s denominational form of religious Christianity. Many have had their ministries go the way of Saul, with the Glory departing from them, because of pride and fear of man. In verse six, we see a snapshot of what is happening today – many of God’s people are “distressed and hiding in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks and in high places and in pits”. Many today are spiritually in this same condition, living in fear and hiding from the enemy instead of confronting him. In verse 11, Saul disobeys God “because I saw that the people were scattered from me”. Oh how many pastors have chosen to disobey God because by doing so they would lose members! How many look to the people, trying to please them and not God! The result of his disobedience is found in verse 14 “thy kingdom shall not continue, the Lord hath sought Him a man after his own heart” and God is doing this today. He is replacing pastors who fear man more than God with leadership after His own heart. David’s are even now arising all across this world!
From here on out, Saul does what all pastors and churches do after God rebukes them and withdraws from them – they keep right on doing what they always do, with or without God’s blessing. Saul kept right on ruling as king, with no repentance at all.
In chapter 14, we see an example of true faith set by Jonathan – Saul’s son. Listen to him in verse six “come and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will work for us: for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few”. He goes on to defeat a whole garrison by himself (with his armor bearer). Folks, if you get a hold of the faith of Jesus Christ – by yourself you can route whole legions of the enemy! Jonathan here is a type of David and I believe he would have inherited the kingdom if not for his father’s foolishness. In verse 20, we see the fruit of being under Satan’s dominion “every man’s sword was against his fellow and there was a very great discomfiture”. This is an accurate picture of religious Christianity; every man’s sword is against his fellow. Just put ten “Christians” from ten different denominations in a room together and ask them to agree with each other and work together and love one another and they’ll soon pull out their doctrinal swords and start stabbing each other. Yet because of two men’s obedience the whole nation was saved (just as through one man’s obedience the whole world was saved). In verse 24, we see Saul cursing the people and starving them. This too is a fact of life in many religious churches today. The leadership will curse their own flock. How many times have I heard a pastor rebuke his flock nothing because nothing ever spiritual happens and they keep losing people. They never look to themselves to find fault, all the while starving the people for true spiritual manna that only the Holy Spirit can bring. Saul’s own son eats, not knowing about the curse and this could be why his life becomes forfeit later.
In verse 27 he eats of a honeycomb and “his eyes were enlightened”. He then sees the truth about his own father – “my father hath troubled the land”. Many children born into dead, denominational churches with ungodly leadership are beginning to see this – my father, my church, my pastor or denomination has troubled the land. They’re beginning to see, to become enlightened and they’re recognizing Babylon as opposed to the New Jerusalem. They’re discerning the tares from the wheat, those who are of “the synagogue of satan”. In verse 31 we see the fruit of Saul’s leadership, of his doctrine – “and the people were very faint” they were in no condition to do battle with the enemy and this describes most churches today, the people are too weak to fight. In verse 35 we see the first time Saul builds an altar to the Lord. He should have done this long before but he waits until after a victory. Learn this lesson well – do not wait until God works a mighty victory in your life to Praise and thank Him, rather do it when things look bleak and hopeless. This will please Him no end. If the Israelites had praised God on the other side of the Red Sea, before He defeated the entire Egyptian army for them, if they had praised Him with as much exuberance when things looked hopeless, they would not have spent 40 years in the wilderness perishing because of their lack of faith and unbelief.