It was too late for the Israelites to retreat. The Philistines had quickly amassed a massive army that wanted only one thing: revenge over Saul's son destroying one of their garrisons in Geba. (1 Samuel 13). At the time, Saul's plan seemed to go off without a hitch. Because of the Philistines defeat in Geba, many Israelites were thrilled and appeared eager to join the cause. Saul rallied troops in Gilgal, reminding them that they had no other choice but to fight for their lives. Emotions were high. It was an exiting time indeed, until word spread over how strong, swift, and merciless the retribution of the Philistines would be. Fear cut through the Israelites passionate hearts like butter and instead of fighting with dignity, many hid in cowardice among caves and thick brush. Some even weaseled their ways into tombs and wells!
King Saul remained in Gilgal with a terrified and dwindling army. He remembered that the prophet Samuel told him to wait for him for seven days and then he would come and offer burnt offerings to God (1 Samuel 10). Truly, God would be pleased with the offerings, but it looked as if Samuel would be a no show! Saul's anxious thoughts betrayed him; Samuel told me to wait! For what purpose? Why should I wait until all my soldiers have fled?! We will die before he comes! I must perform the offering myself. It's the only way. Saul hastily commanded his men to bring the offerings to him and no sooner than he had offered them up, Samuel appeared.
“Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the LORD.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the LORD your God, with which he commanded you. For then the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought out a man after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you (1 Samuel 13:11-14 / ESV).”
Hastiness is one of the devils ploys in causing people to fall into despair. For the Christian, he will face anxious thoughts of how he must be continually active for the kingdom of God or he is not growing in holiness. This view is bolstered by preachers who spout out a message of haste and self reliance. They say that one's devotion today must be stronger than it was yesterday or their backsliding! That one must prove their devotion to God by doing many things for Him, or they are not sold out Christians. Run, run, run. Do this, do that. Roll up your sleeves and show God how much you love Him! This kind of talk breeds religious pride and inevitably leads to spiritual failure.
God said in Psalms 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” Stillness is a hard lesson to learn, but it is so needful. To stop and rest in the Lord is what many believers have not learned to do (Psalms 37). They do not realize that in slowing down and sitting at His feet, all the demands and burdens of this life begin to melt away in the light of His presence. When we wait upon God, we are not sitting idly by, but we are trusting in His timing, purpose, and power! Before Paul said, “I press toward the mark,” he declared, “That I may win Christ...That I may know Him (Philippians 3:8, 10, 14)!” Satan wants nothing more than for you to buckle under the pressures of this life and react in hasty, halfhearted efforts. Learn to trust. Know that holiness is more about complete availability than constant activity.
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