1st Samuel 13 WHAT HAST THOU DONE? There are going to be times in out lives when we are faced with a crisis and have to decide how to face this issue and act if the right way. A man of the flesh doesn't take time to pray and seek God's will. Behind this attitude is a self-confidence, and in self-confidence the fleshly man acts in the same way as other people around expect us to. There are at least three "perils" that are found in 1st Samuel. In chapter 4:3 there is the peril of ritual and formalism. In this chapter the peril that Saul fell under was that of impatience. Late in chapter 15 we learn the peril of partial obedience. In chapter 13 we learn that impatience leads us to organize our response to a matter rather than agonize in prayer over a serious matter. To do this, limits us to only human plans and shuts God out of our decision-making process.
Saul's son, Jonathan, was different that his father and acted in faith counting on God to bring about the victory that was needed and the best possible result to the pressures of the enemy. He knew what God's will was and acted in faith leaving the outcome with God. He knew what needed to be done and trusted God to accomplish the best result. In faith instead of cautious fear like Saul who depended on human forces, Jonathan did what needed to be done and the battle was done. Saul, in pride, took credit for the victory Jonathan had won. Pride has a way of growing and destroying. Taking credit for that which others have accomplished is evidence of pride taking control of one's life. The only way to deal with that tendency is to give credit where credit is due, and whatever the outcome, to give God all the glory.
Saul blew the trumpet instead of waiting on God for guidance as to the time and action to take. When the flesh asserts itself, it starts a chain of events that cannot be stopped without divine intervention. All Israel heard that Saul had done what Jonathan really had done. When a work of God is done among His people or in an assembly of gathered saints, let us always give God all the glory!!! To think one will profit by claiming credit and prominence, will leave one on his own without God.
It seems like the flesh has a mind of its own. Saul wanted to "let the Hebrews hear" about his self- proclaimed victory. His inner attitude toward the Lord's people is exposed in this simple phrase. As far as he was concerned, God's people were just "the Hebrews." He looked at the nation over which he was king as just another one of the nations to be identified by the same name they were called by the tribes around them. The contrast between Saul and the godly leaders before him is very plain. Those previous leaders who interceded for the nation of Israel, knew these were the people of God - a special people, not just Hebrews.
This same attitude is held by many religious systems who call themselves by the names of human leaders or religious forms. The flesh is also very self-centered because of that mind-set the people were called together "after Saul." When people gather together unto a name or a man, they will not necessarily stay because their commitment is only to a mortal man. The only One who can keep the people of God together is the Lord Himself when we are gathered unto Him.
Joshua years before had met the Captain of the Lord's host at Gilgal. Israel had cut off the flesh at Gilgal. Now at the same place Saul calls the people to him but he had no moral strength to keep them together. There was nothing spiritual about Saul's attempts at leadership. He did not have what was needed to give the people courage or vision as to what God could do through them, even though they only had tools to use to defend themselves. God can use a hoe, a shovel, a mattock or a goad as well as He can use a sword. The uncertainty of the leader led to uncertainty among those who followed him. The same thing happens today to God's people when difficulties arise. Discouragement sets in and they stay away from assembly meetings to hide in their own sheltered caves of disappointment rather than meet with others who depend on the strength of the Lord.
Some who once gathered with God's people give up the walk of faith and light to go back "across Jordan" to escape and blend in with the world. The flesh is impatient. Saul could not wait seven days for the man of God had instructed him. The few who were still with Saul were trusting him instead of the Lord. Instead of waiting and doing things God's way, Saul in the energy of the flesh, took matters into his own hands and disobeyed God. He tried to do a spiritual work in the energy of the flesh, and that always fails. The sin- polluted works of the flesh may have the appearance of a spiritual work or have the name of something spiritual, but that does not make it a work of God.
When we trust in ourselves and feel we are losing control of an event, we are in danger of being impatient with God's timing. Faith waits until there is nothing to do but trust. The flesh takes matters into its own hands, and in the case of Saul, thinks that ritual is all that is needed. He substituted ritual for God and God rejected both the burnt offering and Saul who was entirely out of his place. Even God's people can be careless about the commands of the Lord and be willing to have the false forms of religion. We may substitute religious acts that appear outwardly right, but instead of blessing God's people, they are a hindrance to them. Outward appearances that look like service for God result in God's people forfeiting the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the prompting of their own consciences.
Excuses for disobedience include blaming other people for the things that go wrong, even though I am responsible for that work. It is not uncommon for some people to complain about the circumstance in their lives and saying that their failure is due to a unique situation. When Samuel confronted Saul, about the wrong he had done in offering burnt sacrifices which was a priest's work, he made it plain to Saul he had disobeyed God because he had not kept the command of the Lord and there were serious consequences for that. The penalty of disobedience could not be avoided. In the very place Saul was crowned, he hears the words of his condemnation. We cannot disobey God and think He is going to overlook our willfulness and there will be no consequences. It is our responsibility to act on what God says for us, and not impose ourselves in another person's place of responsibility.
"What hast thou done?" was the question Samuel asked Saul. Saul foolishly attempted to excuse himself and to justify his wrong action. When we are tested and fail, we learn that the flesh "profiteth nothing." God wanted a man after His own heart to lead His people, and that man would truly believe in Him and wait for God to guide him before he acted in the flesh. The place of victory when Israel first entered the land of promise was also the place of circumcision where the flesh was cut off years earlier, now becomes a place of judgment when the flesh took control. Our greatest victory may have taken place in the very spot where our greatest defeat will come. We need to be on our guard against the actions of our flesh.
Samuel left Gilgal where the sinful flesh had taken over and went to Gibeah where faith was still active and Saul followed him there though there had been no evidence of repentance or recovery. He numbered the people so he was still trusting in the flesh and the army of men, not in the Lord. In the sad picture of a helpless nation who would not trust God, and was in no position to fight in their own strength, the "Israelites went down to the Philistines." With God, they could have won victories without swords or man-made weapons. Wherever reason takes the place of faith, and forms take the place of spirituality, God's people are in a place of defeat. If we find ourselves in such a state, we should ask, "What has thou done?"