Thursday after the Fourth Sunday after Trinity Sunday

Scripture: 1 Samuel 13:1-14 (NKJV)

13:1 Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, 2 Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mountains of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent away, every man to his tent.

3 And Jonathan attacked the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!” 4 Now all Israel heard it said that Saul had attacked a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel had also become an abomination to the Philistines. And the people were called together to Saul at Gilgal.

5 Then the Philistines gathered together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude. And they came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth Aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in danger (for the people were distressed), then the people hid in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in holes, and in pits. 7 And some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.

As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

8 Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. 9 So Saul said, “Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.” And he offered the burnt offering. 10 Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.

11 And Samuel said, “What have you done?”

Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, 12 then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord.’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.”

13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”

Devotion

Saul takes upon himself an authority that has not been given to him. He was charged to be king of the people of Israel. But Samuel had the spiritual authority over the people. Saul, in his impatience and fear of the Philistines, does not wait for the man of God to come and perform his duties, but rather usurps that role for himself. By this he incurs the wrath of God, who will now rip the kingship from him and give it to someone else.

The kingship will be given to David, from whom will come the Messiah, our Lord Jesus. David is described as a man after the Lord’s own heart. He desires and does what the Lord desires to be done. He lives his life according to the commands and statutes of the Lord God.

David may be the man that supplants Saul, but this prophecy is really about our Lord Jesus. He is truly a Man after God’s own heart, for He is true God, and true man. He does all things according to God’s Law and will. He fulfilled the Law of God for all mankind, since we are unable to keep the Law on account of our inborn sin.

Our Lord Jesus is King, and Priest, and Prophet. Therefore, He has authority over both the physical and spiritual realms. He cares for all of creation, but He especially cares for His Church, wherein He nourishes all of us who cling to Him in faith through the means of grace.

We pray: Grant, O Lord, we beseech Thee, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by Thy governance that Thy Church may joyfully serve Thee in all godly quietness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.