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Men of the Old Testament: Saul – 1 Samuel 13  On October 31, 1938, panic set in across the United States. The reason for the panic had nothing to do with Adolph Hitler’s Nazi regime and the storm clouds gathering over Europe. It was also in no way related to the Great Depression, then a decade old. Later newspapers would report that that the panic involved people fleeing the area, and others thinking they could smell poison gas or could see flashes of lightning in the distance. So what caused this tremendous panic, nothing less than the radio adaptation of H.G. Wells War of the Worlds. Despite the fact that at the beginning and end of the broadcast CBS radio included disclaimers telling their audience that the broadcast was fictional many tuned in late or did not hear that part of the show. The style of the broadcast, which included many “news flashes” also contributed to the feeling that what they were listening to on the radio was literal coverage of an alien invasion. Reportedly action John Barrymore was so convinced that earth was subject to a Martian invasion that when he heard on the broadcast that aliens were marching down Madison Avenue he flung open the kennel which contained some twenty St Bernards, and yelled to his dogs, “Fend for yourselves!” Today we may laugh at the panic that was caused by nothing more than a fictional radio show. We can assert that we would be far more brave than John Barrymore, but if we are honest with ourselves we struggle to not react to fearful situations the same way that King Saul did in I Samuel 13. The Philistines were more mighty in number and weaponry than the Israelites, the battle was drawing near, the people were either scared or fleeing. This situation is infinitely more panic inducing than Martians marching down Madison Avenue. King Saul is ready to go to battle, in fact as military dogma dictates it was absolutely necessary for him to go to battle. Often in battle victory is won by the aggressor. Or as General George Patton was fond of saying, the three rules for fighting a battle were, “Audacity, audacity, always audacity.” 1King Saul must attack soon or risk being overwhelmed by a superior force. His soldiers know they odds are long and that is why his terrified army begins to abandon him. Yet Saul is hamstrung as a commander because the prophet Samuel has not shown up to offer sacrifices to God asking for His blessing on the battle. Rather than continuing to wait on Samuel Saul took matters into his own hands and offered a sacrifice that he was not to offer. It was Samuel’s place to offer sacrifices, not the king’s. Saul let some very real and practical fears override his faith. In place of trust in God he exhibited panic, and his panic cost him dearly. Questions for Discussion/Reflection 1. What things are there in your life right now that could cause you to panic? 2. What makes it hard to entrust those things to God? 3. Have their been times in your life that you panicked instead of trusting? What were the consequences of those times? Further Study on Joshua Bible Dictionary Entries on Saul For an explanation of the difficulty with regard to Saul’s age and the length of his reign in I Samuel 13:1 seepages 47-49 of Dr. Thomas Constable’s Notes on I Samuel Bible.org article on I Samuel 13 Map of Philistine Cities and Conquests 1This is actually an old French Proverb. Patton was not the first to say it, but it was a favorite saying of his. Staff Writer: Aaron Sharp |
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