Sacred Duties Usurped

When Saul was first anointed king of Israel, he had received from Samuel explicit directions concerning the course to be pursued at this time.

‘Thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal,’ said the prophet; ‘and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and show thee what thou shalt do.’ 1 Samuel 10:8.” But Samuel was late! Saul could have humbly prayed for strength.

He could have encouraged belief among the men that God would fight beside them and exercised faith himself. He did none of those things.

With his army now numbering only six hundred men, thousands of Philistines only 11.5 miles away, and no prophet in sight, Saul now feared not only for the nation but his own safety. “The time for the proving of Saul had come. He was now to show whether or not he would depend on God and patiently wait according to His command, thus revealing himself as one whom God could trust in trying places as the ruler of His people, or whether he would be vacillating and unworthy of the sacred responsibility that had devolved upon him.” “In detaining Samuel, it was the purpose of God that the heart of Saul should be revealed, that others might know what he would do in an emergency. It was a trying position in which to be placed, but Saul did not obey orders. He felt that it would make no difference who approached God, or in what way; and, full of energy and self-complacency, he put himself forward into the sacred office.” “God had directed that only those consecrated to the office should present sacrifices before Him. But Saul commanded, ‘Bring hither a burnt offering;’ and, equipped as he was with armor and weapons of war, he approached the altar and offered sacrifice before God.” When you are in a tight spot, to whom do you turn?