He Goes Before Us: 1 Samuel 13:15-23
It is far too easy to evaluate situations based on our understanding rather than evaluating based on the God who fights for us! Compared to the world, we can feel so small and insignificant. Yet, if the Lord goes before us, how can we fail?
By the time the sacrifice took place, Saul’s army dwindled to six hundred men. The Philistine army continued to number like the sand of the seashore. It was so great the Philistines sent out raiding parties to cut off the roads supporting Saul’s men. These raiding parties prevented supplies and reinforcements from reaching Saul.
Do not take the numbers too literally. The author of 1 Samuel is making an allegory to the history of the Hebrew people more than giving an accurate historical recounting. To what is the author of 1 Samuel referring?
Look back to Judges 7, where God calls Gideon to attack the Midianites threatening the Hebrew people. Judges 7:12 describes the camp of the Midianites as locust and the sand of the seashore. The imagery of the sand of the seashore should sound familiar. This is the same description given to the Philistine army coming against Saul.
Gideon initially starts with an army of more than 30,000 soldiers. Through various discernment strategies, God instructs Gideon to whittle down his army to only 300 warriors. God reduces Gideon’s army by more than ninety-nine percent before having him go up to fight against the Midianites.
Saul’s army is measured at 600 warriors. Saul has twice the men Gideon had against a comparable foe. That’s the point the author of Samuel makes regarding the numbers. We are meant to compare Saul’s leadership with that of Gideon. We are meant to compare how Gideon’s faith impacts Gideon’s leadership compared to how Saul’s faith impacts Saul’s leadership.
Gideon may have needed convincing, which is why he tested God with the fleece. Once convinced he was perceiving God’s call correctly, though, Gideon obeyed every command. Gideon watched his numbers dwindle, but he knew what mattered was having God fight for the Hebrew people. With God on his side, how could he lose?
Saul, on the other hand, doesn’t have the requisite faith. When the massive Philistine army comes forth, Saul panics. Instead of relying upon the Lord, he takes matters into his own hand. He takes credit he didn’t earn, he turns the sacrifice into an attempt to force God’s hand, and he redistributes blame when it doesn’t work out.
In the end, though, Saul still has more human strength than Gideon. Saul also has the same God willing to fight with him. Had Saul been able to respond in faith, he would have known God could carry the day. What a great lesson to learn. It is far too easy to evaluate situations based on our understanding rather than evaluating based on the God who fights for us!
