Israel Prepares For Battle (1 Samuel 13:13-23)

I'd like to welcome you all to Kootenai Community Church Adult Sunday School. And once again, we will be back in 1

Samuel chapter 13. And we're going to begin again with verse 12, and we're gonna finish out the chapter,

Lord willing. So if you would, read with me from 13 .12.

Through the remainder of this chapter. Therefore, I said now the

Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal. And I have not asked the favor of the

Lord. So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering. Samuel said to Saul, you have acted foolishly.

You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which he commanded you.

For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not endure.

The Lord has sought out for himself a man after his own heart.

And the Lord has appointed him as ruler over his people. Because you have not kept what the

Lord commanded you. Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin.

And Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about 600 men.

Now Saul and his son Jonathan and the people who were present with him were staying in Geba of Benjamin while the

Philistines camped at Michmash. And the raiders came from the camp of the

Philistines in three companies. One company turned toward Ophrah to the land of Shul.

And another company turned toward Beth Horon. And another company toward the border which overlooks the

Valley of Zebulun toward the wilderness. Now no blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel.

For the Philistines said, otherwise the Hebrews will make swords and spears.

So all Israel went down to the Philistines each. So all

Israel went down to the Philistines each to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his ax and his hoe.

The charge was two thirds of a shekel for the plowshares, the mattocks, the forks and the axes and to fix the hoes.

So it came about on the day of the battle that neither sword nor spear was found in the hands of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan.

But they were found with Saul and his son, Jonathan. And the garrison of the

Philistines went out to the pass at Michmash. Let's go to the

Lord in prayer. Father, we just thank you this morning for the privilege of uniting together collectively as your people, your children.

We asked this morning, Father, that you and you alone would be lifted up and glorified as we examine and teach your word and preach your word.

And Father, we recognize our weaknesses. We recognize that we are totally and utterly dependent upon you to do anything.

And Father, we thank you that you have given us your word and you have also empowered us through the work of your

Holy Spirit. We ask this morning that your spirit would guide us, illuminate to us what this text is meaningful and how we might apply these truths to our lives.

So we just thank you now and ask that you would guide us in Jesus' precious name, amen.

Okay, for review, Saul had remained in Gilgal and he waited there for Samuel for a period of seven days.

And we're talking, he should have waited a full seven days. He was waiting for Samuel to offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice for the

Lord to gain his assistance his help in this battle.

They were outnumbered. They had only garden and farm implements to fight with.

But yet they're going against the Philistine army who was equipped with swords, spears, knives, javelins.

And also they had armor. They had horses, they had chariots.

Thousands and thousands outnumbered by these Philistine enemies.

That's what they faced. So Saul grew impatient when Samuel had not arrived in Gilgal.

He took upon himself to offer the burnt offering. We look in verses 10 and 11.

As soon as he has finished the offering, the burnt offering, and behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him.

But Samuel said, what have you done? And Saul said, because I saw that the people were scattering from me and that you did not come within the appointed days and that the

Philistines were assembling at Michmash. Therefore I said, now the

Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal. And I have not asked the favor of the

Lord. So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering. You got to remember there's seven 24 hour days.

Obviously he didn't remain faithful to God's word or to Samuel's command to him to wait.

Seems like a simple thing. And yet he reacted because of what he was seeing.

His men were scattering. They were deserters in the time of war.

So what's he do? Takes it upon himself. Perhaps his motive was good.

He wanted to seek the Lord's help, but he did so in a manner that violated

God's commands. He, as a king, should know those commands.

He should live out those commands and obey the God that he serves. So rather than showing contrition and repentance, he offers three excuses.

The first, my men were scattering from me. The second, you were tardy, you were late.

Yet the seventh day was not over. Immediately after he had offered that sacrifice,

Samuel showed up. So obviously that was an excuse, but there's no excuse for sinning against our holy

God. The third was the Philistines were assembling at Michmash. He was fearful that they would come down and attack him there.

So none of Saul's excuses were acceptable. There's no excuse for sin.

We cannot justify sin against our God. So what do we learn from Saul's sin?

Even though he'd taken upon himself to offer burnt offering, he desired to seek the

Lord. He desired the Lord's favor in this battle against Israel's enemy.

Good motive. Perhaps his motive was good since he was king over Israel and he was to protect them.

And he was seeking to overcome these enemies, the Philistines. We must remember the law of God required that if Israel was to have a king, there were specific guidelines given by which an appointed king was to follow.

They were given in Deuteronomy 17 verses 18 through 20.

And I'll just read these because Saul should have not only been aware of this, but he should have followed this command.

Now it shall come about when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law on the scroll in the presence of the

Levitical priests. It shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the

Lord, his God, by carefully observing all the words of the law and the statutes, that his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen and that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right or to the left so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel.

That was it, that was the command. Did he follow it?

No. Samuel said to Saul in verse 13, you have acted foolishly, you have not kept the commandment of the

Lord your God, which he commanded you, for now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.

Saul reminded him, as we need to be reminded, that God is interested in the motives, but more so he's interested in our heart.

Do we have a heart towards God? That's the key question that we need to ask with this text.

According to Samuel, had Saul obeyed this simple test when his kingdom would have been embraced by the

Lord and established forever? Since Saul failed to obey God's word, his kingdom would not continue, nor his family lineage would not be passed down to his generations to follow.

This was the beginning of the Lord's rejection, excuse me, of Saul, after which

Saul should have realized the depth of his disobedience to Yahweh.

This was a stinging rebuke. Can you imagine? This is Samuel, he's God's prophet, judge, and priest, and he gives him this rebuke.

It would have been convicting and stinging. It should have caused Saul to be on his knees in repentance, but no.

He left right after that. The consequences of sin always has lasting effect.

Not only would Saul's kingdom not be established to his descendants, but Saul had not been, had he not been disobedient to God's commandments, he would have had a lasting legacy.

God's people, we can see through the Old as well as the New Testament, often try to make excuses and justify their sin against our holy

God. Samuel had directed Saul to wait seven days in Gilgal.

He wanted her to be there for him. He would offer the sacrifices to our Lord. Then Saul would know what to do.

He was also going to give him instruction in the way to go. So he was going to guide him, direct him, but first offer sacrifices to Jehovah.

There was a similar sin and failure on the part of Uzziah.

In 2 Chronicles chapter 26, we read in verses 16 through 18, but when he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly and he was unfaithful to the

Lord, his God. For he entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.

Then Azariah the priest entered after him and with him 80 priests of the

Lord, valiant men. They opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, it is not for you,

Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense.

Get out of the sanctuary. You have been unfaithful and you will have no honor from the

Lord God. This man was lifted up in pride.

Like many that we find in the Old and New Testament, he sinned, he violated

God's commandments in the same way Saul did. Saul had determined to engage the

Philistines without Samuel's directions, though he had promised to show him what he should do.

Saul was not a man who had a heart towards God and he was not one that obeyed his commandments and covenants.

Saul had become self -sufficient. What a difference when Samuel first approached him and said that you will have all you need over Israel.

And he approached him and in a veiled way told him that he would become the chosen king.

And Saul was humbled. And even the day of his anointing, where was he?

He was not standing up there proud. He was hiding behind the baggage. He must've realized how much responsibility this would be.

He was going to be protecting and guiding and governing over God's people,

Israel. What an awesome responsibility. And yet he failed.

Verse 14, but now your kingdom shall not endure. The Lord has sought out for himself a man after his own heart.

And the Lord has appointed him as ruler over his people because you have not kept what the

Lord commanded you. In MacArthur's commentary, he makes this observation.

This clearly demonstrates the Lord was testing Saul's heart in this situation.

If he had remained steadfast in obeying his commandments, he would have demonstrated a heart that was committed to the

Lord. And the Lord would have established Saul's lineage on the throne of Israel for all time.

Instead, Saul proved his heart was not committed to following God as his sovereign.

And the Lord would find another man whose heart was right. That man would be

David. As we continue in verse 16, or as we look at chapter 16, verse seven, we read this, but the

Lord said to Samuel, do not look at his appearance or his height or stature because I rejected him.

For God sees not as a man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the

Lord looks at the heart. How many times have we seen in churches or heard or read of men who were articulate, great communicators, handsome, young, vibrant, who took over a church as a pastor, one of the pastors, and then became puffed up and violated

God's way so the public would see and disgraced the body of Christ.

The unregenerate world looks at these people. They look at every Christian. They don't know scripture, but they know when a

Christian is sinning. It isn't just before the world though.

God is omnipresent. God indwells us. There's no place that we can go that God is not with us.

In Acts 13, verses 20 through 22, we read, after these things, he gave them a judge until Samuel, the prophet.

Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul, the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin for 40 years.

After he had been removed, he raised up David to be their king, concerning whom he also testified and said,

I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my heart who will do all my will.

That's the man that God chose. Why? Because David had a heart towards God.

As we continue in Samuel, verses 15 and 16, then

Samuel rose and went up to Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about 600 men.

Now Saul and his son, Jonathan, and the people who were present with them were staying in Gibeah of Benjamin while the

Philistines camped at Michmash. So I had the map last week, if I can get this.

So we are, here they are in Gibeah, and then they're going to Gibeah.

And then here we have the Philistines camped at Michmash with their entire army.

They've also posted men along the way, passageway, along there and along this, both sides of the gorge.

So they had staked out men. The Philistines were tactical. They had battle -worthy soldiers.

They were trusted warriors for their leader, their king. Yet they hated the

Israelites. They disdained them. So after Saul departs from Samuel, the situation seems one of despair.

Everything is going wrong for Saul. And because of his foolish act of relying upon his own fleshly understanding, he has now disobeyed

God's law, as well as God's faithful servant, Samuel. Remember, Samuel was dedicated to God from birth.

We read in Psalm 99, this quote, and Samuel was among those who called on his name.

They called upon the Lord and he answered them. Samuel was faithful to God.

He loved God. Oh, he made mistakes, yes. But he was a man after God's heart.

He was a great prophet and a fair judge and a biblical man.

He followed God's law and he was there for the Israelites. After Saul departs from Samuel, the situation is worse.

He had disobeyed God's word. He had disobeyed his faithful servant, Samuel. When Saul had numbered those who remained with him, he had little more than a single regiment, about 600 men.

That's how many had deserted him. Remember, he had 2 ,000 men when they first started.

He sent 1 ,000 to Jonathan and Geba. Even after Saul had summoned the whole nation, there remained with him only about a third of his selected soldiers.

Saul is going to join forces with his son, Jonathan, and the soldiers under his command.

This all may have been under Samuel's leading and direction. Samuel still directed

Saul. He was still judge. He was still God's prophet.

So he did direct Saul. These small forces of Saul's foot soldiers were now facing their enemy, the

Philistines, who had far superior forces and superb weapons, and they were well -equipped.

That would be something. And yet Saul, to his credit, he was a man of valor.

He was a tactical man of war as well. Brian, amen.

What Brian was saying is that we, as Christians, have not only

God's Holy Spirit within us, but we have his word. His word is our final authority.

And yet, how many times when our circumstances are pressing, do we try to go forth in our own strength?

I don't think any of us have not failed in that area. Good comment.

The Philistines had sent out raiders in verse 17 and 18, and the raiders came from the camp of the

Philistines in three companies. One company turned to Oprah, to the land of Saul.

And another company turned toward Beth Horan. And another company turned toward the border, which overlooks the valley of Zebulun, towards the wilderness.

This was strategic, sending these raiders out. Now, who are these raiders? The Philistines sent out their raiding parties to control three roads that provided access to Mekmesh.

That's tactical. He sent out his raiders. These raiders were highly trained.

They would probably, from what I've gotten from historical background, they were similar to the

Roman centurions, faithful warriors committed to the king.

They would have jumped off a roof if they were commanded to do so by Saul.

These men were faithful. They were similar. We might make a parallel, although not with the weaponry.

These raiders would have been a special force unit, similar to our military special forces.

So they were well -trained. They weren't afraid to go to battle.

No matter what the odds. They were good with their weapons, and they were fierce warriors.

So they sent out these raiders to secure the roads that they could have access to Mekmesh, so they could bring more troops up through that road.

The Philistines had fought many years and many wars. Leaders were also skilled in warfare.

This strategy of the Philistine military leaders would not only secure the position at Mekmesh, but also sealed off Saul's camp from receiving more reinforcements.

So can you imagine? They had that corridor open. They could bring more of their troops or divert some of their troops through that road, and yet, if the

Israelites sent troops there, they would be attacked by these raiders.

Very strategic. In chapter 14, 15, we read, and all there was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among the people, even the garrison of the raiders, so that it became a great trembling.

In other words, they're showing that the raiders were used even by the Israelites. So Israelites had warriors such as the ones that Philistines had.

So we have to realize that they were both well -trained, the Israelite raiders as well as the

Philistine raiders. Difference in this situation? Weaponry. Ophrah is about 2 1⁄2 miles east of Bethel, Beth Horn, and approximately 10 miles west of Bethel.

These raiders, which were also referred to as the destroyers, would plunder the

Israelites as they traveled. If they needed food, they'd take it from the

Israelites. The Israelites feared these men. So the

Israelites were poor and without any types of weapons to protect themselves.

Along with this poverty of the Israelites, the Philistines had control over all the commerce that came into the

Israel's cities. So they also took away all the metals in order to fashion weapons for themselves.

So we read in verse 19 and 20, now no blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel, for the

Philistines said, otherwise the Hebrews will make swords and spears. So all

Israel went down to the Philistine, each to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, and his hoe.

We read in the book of Judges in the song of Deborah and Barak.

This song was written by Deborah, who was giving tribute for God's great victory.

We read this in Judges 4, verses 13. New gods were chosen.

Then the war was in the gates and not a shield or a spear was seen among 40 ,000 in Israel.

The Philistines despised Saul and took all measures that they could to keep the

Israelites from having any means or ability to even have a blacksmith. They had to go to the

Philistines for a blacksmith to have their garden implements sharpened.

What a pathetic situation the Israelites were in. But you have to think what had happened.

Samuel was their judge. They demanded a king like all the other nations. Then what?

He warned them. He said, they're going to take your fields, they'll take your crops, they'll take your sons and daughters, all for the king's use.

So the Israelites who could farm no longer could do so for themselves or for their own profit.

Their profit went to the king. So we see how desperate the

Israelites were at this point. Apparently this had been carried out by the

Philistines for a long period of time. It's not clear exactly in the records or any of the historical writings what happened between Samuel's victory at Mizpah in 1

Samuel 7 and Saul's appointment as king. In order to bring more clarity and help better understand this evident weakness of Israel at this time, some commentators suggest that the

Israelites in this area of Benjamin were close to the

Philistines. So the Benjamites were the closest to the Philistines because we saw the victory they had over the

Ammonites in chapter 11. They conquered them.

They won. They overcame. But now this area where the

Philistines have taken control of, they have depleted them, all the

Israelites, of their resources. No weapons. Only one had a weapon was Saul and Jonathan.

The Israelites were dependent upon sharpening their farm implements.

Since the Philistines controlled the metal trade and charged high fees just to sharpen the farming implements, just think about it.

They had a plowshare, mattocks, axes, and hoes. So not only did the

Philistine control the metals and other commerce coming into the Israelite cities, but they couldn't even sharpen their own farming implements.

Verse 21, the charge was two -thirds of a shekel for plowshares, the mattocks, the forks, and the axes.

Now anyone that has farmed knows what these tools are, and yet we recognize that these tools have to be maintained.

They have to be sharpened to be effective working tools. So their charge was two -thirds of a shekel, which most likely was paid in the form of coinage fashioned in silver, and for more expensive items, it would be gold for buying property or large investments.

They controlled the trade and commerce coming into them. The shekel in silver coinage was usually weighed out and measures the value, and I don't know what period this was made for, but the value of a shekel was $128 per shekel.

Broken down into smaller measurements called bekas and giras, they had smaller denominations.

The beka was $6 and something change. So what's the plowshare?

The plowshare was the iron blade mounted on a frame which was attached to the yoke of the oxen.

So they would plow their fields, and the plowshare was the key blade that went through it.

So they used that as a weapon. They sharpened it. I can't see how they would wield that as a weapon even.

Those were heavy, bulky, and not really designed for war. The mattocks, similar to the mattocks that we have today, had a broad end on one end and then a pick on the other end, similar to what we have.

But they didn't even have files or tools to sharpen. They did have some sharpening stones which are similar to what we have seen today in some of the antiques probably.

Big stones with a wooden shaft and then a pedal -driven stone so that would turn and they could sharpen their axes, their swords, all those things.

So it was crude, and yet they would have had the ability to take care of their own farm implements, but they didn't have that.

They had to go down and pay for that to the Philistines. So the farmers, they all farmed.

They would grow their own food for their families, and they had the other farmers who had wheat fields and other crops, they needed those tools.

Of course, that's what the Philistines wanted to do. They wanted to punish them on every level. Don't let the commerce come in that they could use.

Don't let them have something to make weapons with. Don't let them have something to sharpen their farm implements with.

It was a wicked nation. Verse 22, so it came about on the day of battle that neither sword nor spear was found in the hands of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan, but they were found with Saul and Jonathan.

Saul and Jonathan both had a sword and a spear. Now the swords that the Hebrews had were more fashioned after the oriental nations.

They were shorter and broader, whereas the Philistines or later on the

Roman soldiers had a longer sword that was sharp on both sides.

So it was a superior weapon. The foot soldiers of both

Saul and Jonathan were armed only with clubs and farming instruments. Their clubs would have been a piece of wood fashioned in a tapered form where they could hold on to the smaller end and wield it.

And it was a weapon, but they didn't have any spear that would keep off a soldier.

They didn't have arrows that they could shoot at them from a distance. All of that the

Philistine had. And one of the Israelites were fearful.

There was neither sword nor spear in the land of any of the soldiers who were under Saul's command.

The Philistines had various forms of armor for their soldiers. Now, when we look in chapter 17, we can see what type of armor that the

Philistines had in verses five through seven, which is a vivid description of Goliath's armor.

We read this. He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was clothed with scale armor.

Now, scale armor was thin metal, like metal plates, that they would make and fashion armor for their soldiers.

It wasn't impenetrable because they could pierce through the, between the armor, but it was a good safeguard.

In normal combat, that would be fierce to try to overcome. He also had a bronze greaves on his legs.

That was another armor form on his legs, and a bronze javelin between his shoulders.

The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and the head of his spear weighed 600 shekels of iron.

And his shield, his shield carrier also walked before him.

So not only did they have armor, but they had shield carriers going before the soldiers.

They would carry the metal shields. Yes, Mythel. I should have that information.

I will get back. The question is this. What is the weaver's beam? So if anyone is aware of that, let me know.

I'll find out. Sorry. No, it's okay. Verse 23, and the garrison of the

Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash. So when the Philistines heard that Saul had 600 men and had joined forces with Jonathan at Geba, the placement of the

Philistine soldiers above the passage at Michmash that we looked at would allow a larger body of Philistine troops through the gorge in order to attack

Saul. And by placing these soldiers in the passage, it would not only give the

Philistines high ground, but also strategically it allowed them to bring many troops through there for their own defense.

They did not know that God had chosen Israel. Philistines hated him, but they didn't know that that was

God's chosen people. They could win with many or few with God's help.

Philistines were proud, they were arrogant, and now they were overconfident.

These Philistines, the 600 and the few that Jonathan may have as they gather in Geba, they could have overtaken him had they not been so arrogant because when they were going through this passage, they could have ordered a regiment to come in and annihilate him.

They didn't. That's under God's sovereignty. Though Saul did not have a heart for God, Samuel, who was

God's priest, prophet, and judge, he was their intercessor. Remember, in the closing of that address that he gave in chapter 12,

Samuel said this, moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the

Lord by ceasing to pray for you, but I will instruct you in the good and right way.

This promise given by Samuel was followed with a command and an admonition.

I will pray for you, only fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart, for consider the great things he has done for you, but if you still do wickedly, both you and your king will be swept away.

That exhortation clearly must have gave them encouragement, but the admonition should have caused them to tremble.

They should have desired to obey God. They remembered when

Moses had his back to the sea, Red Sea, and Pharaoh's army was coming after him.

God delivered him. Part of the sea, they went across in dry land. Soon as Pharaoh's army came, the sea devoured them, all of them.

God did mighty miracles, and that's what Samuel was pointing to. Remember what God has done.

Do we remember what God has done? Sent his only son, our

Lord Jesus Christ, to suffer and die on the cross for all those who would turn to him.

In faith, they would be saved. God would save them, he would sanctify them, and ultimately glorify them.

So this is the promises that we need to look at as Christians. We're not just here because we're waiting to go to heaven.

We're here to fulfill God's purposes, each in whatever manner

God directs and gives you. But we are to be faithful to God as we do so.

We can't be casual with sin. God's word is pure, it's perfect, it is inspired, plenary, inerrant word of God.

We have everything we need for life and godliness through God's word. But more so, we have

God's Holy Spirit within us. He indwells us. Yes, we're tempted daily.

So were the Philistines, so were the Israelites. Philistines didn't care. They were serving their god,

Satan. Question we might ask ourselves as Christians is

God's word, the scriptures, our absolute authority? If you can't say yes to that, you really need to go to the

Lord. It is our final authority for everything. Everything that we do, we base on biblical truth.

So as we close this section, the next time we come together, we'll be looking at this battle and we'll see

God's hand on his people. More so, God loved

Israel. More so, we consider what God did for us as Christians.

We have the privilege of the entire Old Testament and New Testament. And it was pointed out earlier by Brian, how often do we pass by and not even consider going to the

Lord in prayer when we're faced with a trial or difficulty? He is there for us.

He wants us to honor him, obey him, and to serve him. Let's go to the

Lord. Father, we just thank you and praise you this morning. We thank you, Father, for this wonderful privilege that we still have to gather collectively as your people.

We recognize, Father, in different parts of the world, people are being persecuted and even killed for your sake.

We don't know where we are headed in this country, but we know that we have a

God that loves us, a God that died for us, a God who sits at the right hand of the

Father, who will always take care. We may not be able to avoid persecution or suffering, but we know ultimately that we will be with you.