2 kings 2 thrones part 2

This week, we continued the “Two Kings, Two Thrones” series examining the contrasts between Kings Saul and David in the Old Testament and what the related symbolism means to us.  Remember that God did not want Israel to have a king.  He does pick Saul to be the first king, but only because the people asked for it.  It was not His will to have them ruled by anyone but Him. He had always ruled His people and provided for His people, but the Israelites seemed to forget how good they had it. They were concerned with being just like all the other nations around them who had kings.

 

In this second part, we looked at the anointing of Saul as Israel’s first king. The person whom God chooses for this important role is Saul, Son of Kish.  He is from the smallest of the Israelite tribes.  We find in 1 Samuel 9:1-2 that he is from a wealthy and influential family in the tribe of Dan (the Amplified Bible specifically points out these traits). We are also told that Saul was tall (the Bible says he was a head taller, but one definition says greater than others from the shoulders up which could also indicate a certain heart attitude) and handsome.  He is exactly the type of person man would choose for a king.  Most political scientists agree that people are psychologically drawn to a candidate that is noticeably taller and more handsome than their opponent (assuming the candidate is male, of course).

 

There is an interesting thing we find when we read the next few verses about Saul’s background that I think illustrate a little bit of God’s sense of humor. Remember that the whole reason Israel has a king is that the people were stubborn and demand a king. When we first meet Saul, he is chasing after his father’s missing donkeys. God’s people were being stubborn “donkeys,” so He sends them someone who herds donkeys to lead them!

Now, the main premise of this series is that Saul is a picture of the law and that David is a picture of grace. This first appearance of Saul fits the narrative. He is out trying to save his father’s donkeys but is not successful. God ends up saving them himself.  Some of God’s children are “donkeys.” They are stubborn and will not follow Him as their good shepherd. The law was sent, but it was not successful in delivering those donkeys. Law does not change the hardened heart; that requires grace.

In the story, God speaks to the prophet Samuel about the man who will come to see him the following day. He tells Samuel that this man is the one to be anointed king. When Saul arrives in search of information from Samuel on finding the donkeys, Saul tells him of God’s plans for him. In this meeting, Samuel has the cooks prepare a special piece of meat for Saul. Something that gets lost in this part of the story unless you look at the original Hebrew is that the piece of meat he has prepared for Saul is that which is usually reserved for the priest.  I believe this is symbolic of a part of the authority of God being passed to man, by man’s request.

Saul then leaves and follows some specific instructions from Samuel. He meets up with some prophets. When he does, he begins to prophesy as they do. People who know him see this happen and are confounded. We are told that the Spirit came upon Saul.  I know, with Saul being a picture of the law, it may seem like we are beating up on him. We should not forget that God is choosing him. He is anointed by God for a specific purpose, and stepping into that anointing brings a change to his life. We are actually told that he became a different man after the Spirit came upon him.

We are actually told what Saul’s purpose is – that is to deliver the Israelites from the hand of the Philistines. His call is very specific. He is not going to be the redeemer of God’s people. That was not the purpose of Saul, and it was not the purpose of the law. Notice that Saul’s response, like many people when God calls them, is that he wonders whether God got the right person.  Just like Moses and Gideon, he was sure that he was not the best choice for the position.

The Philistines were an enemy of Israel that was dwelling in the land of Canaan, the Promised Land. They were to be driven out, but instead persisted and persecuted the Israelites. As I teach frequently, the Promised Land is our heart after we are born again. We are to take that territory and drive out the enemies in our hearts in order to experience the peace and rest of God and to enjoy the fruit of the land (a heart in communion with God).

When Saul is to be presented, he is found to be hiding.  Isn’t that like us too?  We are confident at first and then we are afraid of our purpose and what it might mean for us.  Once Saul is officially presented he immediately has “haters.” Two verses after he is officially made king he has detractors – those who question his right and ability to lead. Whenever you step into your purpose you will have haters. Don’t listen to them. Keep charging forward. Let them be accountable to God for what they’ve done with their lives, and you focus on making the most of yours!

Saul’s first acts are to instill fear into his people in order to get them to follow him.  Law condemns out of fear of punishment but never brings complete victory over the internal enemies.  While Saul’s purpose was to overcome these Promised Land trespassers, he was ultimately unsuccessful. This furthers the symbolism of his rulership representing the law. The law cannot bring victory in Canaan. Law does not succeed in the Promised Land. Moses, a picture of the law, could not enter into Canaan. Neither can law. 

What we see in Saul’s kingship is a back and forth of success and retreat against the Philistines, the same thing that we will experience if we try to use law to overcome the issues of the heart. We commit to “never do that again” and think we’ve won a victory only to have that same sin creep up again and again. So we buckle down with more law, but is it equally unsuccessful. We end up either becoming more and more legalistic in our approach to sin, or we end up giving up and allowing sin to win, allowing the Philistines to rob us of what is truly ours in Christ.

The only enemies Saul had true success against are those who dwelt east of the Jordan river, outside of Canaan. The first one is the Ammonites. Law can seem effective on the outside, but cannot change the heart. Saul could defeat outward enemies but struggled against inward ones. 

This helps us understand what the law is capable of, and where it falls short.  This is important for understanding the role of grace in our lives.

 

 To listen to the entire sermon go to http://ahwatukeechurch.com/media.php.  To learn more about Living Word Ahwatukee, visit http://ahwatukeechurch.com/.