1 Samuel 13:9

1 Samuel 13:9

Saul is an instance of a man whom God blessed and proved, whom He put on his trial, and who, like Adam, was found wanting. If he had waited one hour more before offering the sacrifice, he would have been saved this sin; in other words, he would have succeeded in his trial instead of failing. He was disobedient, and in consequence he forfeited God's favour. We are, like Saul, favoured by God's free grace; we are all tried in one way or another, and many of us fall like Saul.

I. How many are there who, in distress of any kind, in want of means or of necessaries, forget, like Saul, that their distress, whatever it is, comes from God; that God brings it on them, and that God will remove it in His own way if they trust in Him; but who, instead of waiting for His time, take their own bad way, and impatiently hasten the time, and thus bring on themselves judgment.

II. Again, how many are there who when in unpleasant situations are tempted to do what is wrong in order to get out of them, instead of patiently waiting God's time.

III. How many are there who, though their hearts are not right before God, yet have some sort of religiousness, and by it deceive themselves into the idea that they are religious. Saul in his way was a religious man, in hisway, but not in God's way; he considered his very disobedience an act of religion. He offered sacrifice rather than go to battle without a sacrifice. Thus he deceived himself, and thus many men deceive themselves now, not casting off religion altogether, but choosing their religion for themselves and fancying they are religious without being obedient.

IV. How many are there who bear half the trial God puts upon them, but not the whole of it, who go on well for a time and then fall away. Saul bore on for seven days, and fainted not; on the eighth day his faith failed him. It is not enough to get through one temptation well; through our whole life we are on trial.

V. How many are there who, in a narrow, grudging, cold-hearted way, go by the letter of God's commandments, while they neglect the spirit. Saul fulfilled Samuel's directions literally and rigidly, but not in the spirit of love. With a word Samuel reproved and convicted, silenced, and sentenced him.

Plain Sermons by Contributors to "Tracts for the Times,"vol. v., p. 188 (see also J. H. Newman, Parochial and Plain Sermons,vol. viii., p. 33.

Reference: 1 Samuel 13:13. A. Blomfield, Sermons in Town and Country,p. 219.