LITTLE IN OUR OWN SIGHT -- Tomorrow:
"And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?" (1 Samuel 15:17)
It was a significant time when Saul was made king over Israel. The people had rejected the leadership of God, growing discontent with the unmatched leadership of Samuel, the last judge. They said to him, "Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations" (1 Sam 8:5). The saying "displeased Samuel," and he had poured his heart out to the Lord. God allayed the sorrow of Samuel saying, "Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them" (8:6-7).
Even though Samuel was to do what the people demanded, the Lord told him to solemnly warn them, showing them "the manner of the king that shall reign over them." Moving away from the dependency upon the Lord they had been enjoying, a king would force their sons to be his servants and military men. He would make some military leaders, while others would plow his ground and reap his harvest. He would make others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He would make their daughters to become perfumers, cooks, and bakers for the government. He would also take the best of their fields, and tax them heavily (8:11-17). The warning did not dissuade the people. They still wanted a king like other nations.
There was a man in Israel whose name was Kish. He had a choice son who was more handsome than any of the other children of Israel. He was also tall, standing head and shoulders above the other men. His name was Saul, and God directed Samuel to anoint him king over the people. At first Saul remonstrated, saying he was a member of the smallest of all tribes, and, as well, a family that was the least of that tribe (9:21). He was humble at that time.
Our text moves us forward about seventeen years. Saul has been commanded to "go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey." Failing to carry out the command of the Lord, "Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them" (1 Sam 15:3-9). Now Samuel is standing before Saul once again, but this time it is not a good message that he brings. God told Samuel he had now rejected Saul as king because of his disobedience. It so grieved Samuel that "he cried out to the LORD all night." He then went to Gilgal to meet Saul, upbraiding him for his flagrant disobedience, and announcing his rejection by God. In that confrontation Samuel reminded Saul of his beginnings, when he was chosen to be king. Then he was "small" in his own eyes, and for that reason was blessed by God. Now he had "set up a monument for himself," and acted with pride, ignoring the commandment of the Lord.
Saul was not the last man who began humble with God – "little in his own sight" – only to degenerate into pride and disobedience. It is good to learn from king Saul to remain little in our own sight, always deferring to the good will of God. When men, especially those who are serving the Lord, become significant in their own eyes, they have fallen into the snare of the devil. Let us be sober and watchful.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, show Me Yourself, Your Son, and Your will more fully. I know that the vision will produce the humility in which You delight.