1 SAMUEL 15
For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king
(1 Samuel 15:23).
We have a tendency to look at Bible characters statically, as if they never change. We think of Saul as the wicked man he turned out to be and assume he was only marginally a good man in his early years. The Bible, however, presents Saul as a new Adam, a man of humility, grace, and gifts, anointed by the Spirit and made anew, fully fitted for his tasks. Given these facts, his three episodes of unfaithfulness became all the worse.
Saul’s first fall occurred in 1 Samuel 13. Like Adam, Saul had been given a kingdom. Like Adam, he had been given a bride to protect (the nation). Like Adam, he had been given a test: He was never to offer sacrifice but was to leave that task to the prophets. When the Philistines assembled to fight Israel, Saul and his army gathered at Gilgal. Saul waited for Samuel, but for seven days Samuel did not come. The people were fleeing across the Jordan so Saul took matters into his own hands and offered sacrifice. Just as God accosted Adam shortly after he ate the forbidden fruit, so Samuel showed up the minute after Saul finished his sacrifice. Just as Adam blamed God and Eve, so Saul blamed Samuel and the people. Even as Adam lost his kingdom, so Saul lost his. Most people scattered from him; only 600 were left. But, there was still time to repent.
Jonathan is presented as a perfect judge in 1 Samuel 14, but the tragedy was that he would not become king. Jonathan started a battle designed to purge the Satanic Philistines from the land. Once it began, Saul started to consult the oracle of God, but decided not to bother (14:18–19). Instead he pronounced a foolish vow, forbidding the army to eat anything until the battle was over. This cut God’s people off from the provisions of His land. Unaware of his father’s command, Jonathan found a flow of honey and ate it. The army began to starve, left off fighting, and the battle was inconclusive.
The final and decisive fall of Saul is described in 1 Samuel 15. He was commanded to destroy Amalek completely, but he spared many sheep and King Agag. When Samuel confronted him, Saul blamed the people, and God rejected him (16:14).
CORAM DEO
Psalms 62–64
Romans 1
Like Saul, who forbad his army to eat when God had made no such command, have you sought to impose man-made rules on God’s people? Seek to command only what God has commanded, and be silent where God has been silent.
For further study: Romans 14:1–13 • Colossians 2:11–23
TABLETALK
from ligonier ministries and teaching and encouraging believers • august 1991
Do not be Conformed to this World but be Transformed by the Renewing of Your Mind
Romans 12:2
LIGONIER MINISTRIES
TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY
1971–1991
publisher Ligonier Ministries editor Robert F. Ingram assistant editor Michael S. Beates art director David K. Freeland
editorial assistant R. C. Sproul, Jr. marketing Gordon Busteed, Gretchen L. Suskovic production W. David Fox, Melissa A. Prichard
writing consultant Sharon J. Anderson board of directors Bruce Fogerty, Robert Fraley, G. Richard Hostetter, Robert C. Legler, Stephen H. Levée, Jr., C.G. Mills, Archie B. Parrish, Neil Sellers, James M. Seneff, Jr., R. C. Sproul, John A. Thompson, Luder Whitlock; Charles Colson (Director Emeritus)
Published by Walk Thru the Bible Ministries, Inc. under license granted by Ligonier Ministries, Inc. Copyright 1991, Ligonier Ministries, Inc. The Bible studies are based upon teaching material by Dr. R. C. Sproul. Unless noted, all Scripture quotations in this publication are from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishers.
member evangelical press association
Cover: To commemorate its twentieth anniversary, Ligonier commissioned calligrapher Timothy Botts to render Romans 12:2, the verse that captures the heart of Ligonier’s mission.
robert f. ingram • editor
Coram Deo
Recently I was asked, “What is your wish for the Christian church?” I responded that I wanted individual believers to engage the world until they were “in over their heads.” I elaborated with a story about my wife.
Marjean and a few friends have undertaken the enormous task of changing a new sex education curriculum in our Florida public schools. While this curriculum varies significantly from county to county, our county’s curriculum is particularly offensive to Christian values.
In all honesty I didn’t give them much chance of succeeding. They were in over their heads, plain and simple. But by being in over their heads, they had become part of a virtuous cycle that I love to watch. They were motivated to bring about a reformation in this one area because they knew this particular curriculum’s values would be diametrically opposed to a Christian world- and lifeview. In addition, they knew that Christ has commanded His people to be involved in the world to witness to the truth and to work toward reformation.
How did they come to understand the Christian world- and lifeview? Years of diligent study of Scripture, supplemented by Ligonier materials and other resources, had informed their minds. In addition to an informed mind, they had also experienced the quickening of the Spirit who inflames the heart. They were passionately committed to the truth with holy affections.
Armed with informed minds and inflamed hearts, they rightly chose to engage the world for the sake of Christ. As they got in over their heads, they realized they needed more teaching, which in turn enlarged their heart’s capacity for truth, which in turn motivated them to pursue their goal with even more vigor. The virtuous cycle began again.
This virtuous cycle is part of living life Coram Deo—being aware of God’s presence and authority in all of life, and seeking to live unto His glory. This threefold cycle summarizes Ligonier’s goal and thus serves as the foundation for this special anniversary issue of Tabletalk.
table of contents