1 Samuel 13:14, commentary and pictures

At Gilgal Saul was tested by Samuel's delay and the scattering of his fearful army, and instead of waiting and trusting God he presumptuously forced himself into the priest's office to offer the burnt offering. Because he did not keep what the Lord commanded, his kingdom would not continue and be established forever, and his descendants would lose the throne. The Lord had sought another to replace him, David the humble shepherd, and commanded him to be captain over His people to govern according to Heaven's will. Being a man after God's own heart does not mean faultlessness, but relying on God, being guided by the Holy Spirit, giving oneself wholly to Him, and submitting to reproof and correction when sinning. The verse therefore calls for constantly looking to the Lord and waiting to learn His will instead of making duties out of one's own schemes, for even a conscientious-looking religious act done against God's command reveals the heart and weakens one beyond the help God would give.

Saul's Presumption at Gilgal

At Gilgal a test came when Samuel was held back until the last hours of the appointed seven days while the Philistines threatened and the men scattered and hid in fear, and Saul grew impatient, fretted over the delay, and decided to move independently of Samuel. He reasoned as king that he was equal to any office, and rushed into the performance of a sacred work God had never given him to do. Instead of looking to God, trusting Him, waiting, and offering humble prayer which would have been accepted, he looked at outward appearances and became passionate and presumptuous.

He forced himself into the priest's office to offer the burnt offering, an unbidden sacrifice and act of presumption in a sacred work never committed to him as king. By making the offering against the Lord's command he disobeyed a direct command and revealed his heart, showing what he would do in emergency. A religious service performed against God's command may look conscientious but is not genuine piety, and it weakened him and put him beyond the help willing to be given, while by his example he opened the way for others to blur the sacred and the common.

His earlier humility gave way to pride and self-confidence after success, so he lost sight of his dependence on God, took honor to himself instead of recognizing God as the one who had worked through him, and presumed on his position. When Samuel reproved him he did not admit his error but stubbornly justified himself, defended himself, and blamed the prophet. Accepting the reproof with humility and willingness to be set right, even though he did not see his own sin, could have helped restore him to favor, guarded him from repeating the same sin, and guarded him from future failure.

Because he did not keep what the Lord commanded, his kingdom shall not continue, would not be established over Israel forever, and would not be continued to his descendants, for he lost a lasting dynasty and the honor of continuing as king and commanding Israel's armies. The Lord had sought another man after His own heart and commanded him to be captain over His people, even David, to lead Israel in his place and to govern according to Heaven's will. Saul showed himself unfit to rule as God's representative, so the kingdom would be entrusted to one who submitted to God's authority and God's purpose would be carried out through another ruler.

Israel's monarchy could prosper only while king and people remained subordinate to God's supreme authority, and God could continue to rule and defend them only while they remained subordinate to Him. Saul's conduct in taking responsibilities that did not belong to him was presumption that set his people a ruinous example. Because of this sin God did not give Saul the honor of commanding Israel's armies against the Philistines but worked through Jonathan and his armor-bearer instead, so that God's name rather than Israel's righteousness, courage, or wisdom would receive glory for the victory.

Saul knew the Lord had rejected him and repeatedly foretold that he would be dethroned, another would rule in his place, and his descendants would lose the throne because of his sins. Yet his errors at Gilgal in failing to trust God and obey His command, which brought dishonor on God's service, were not yet beyond recovery, and God would give him another opportunity to learn unquestioning faith and obedience. He had been designated king for his tall, well-proportioned, prepossessing appearance though in experience and character he was not fitted for the work. The Lord changed his heart by the operation of His Spirit, made him a converted man, gave him influence with the armies of Israel, and set him right in the work, and he would have continued with grace given him if he had cultivated humility and the fear of God, trusted God, learned His will, received the Word of the Lord from old faithful standard-bearers and done the will of God, and not exalted himself above others and presumptuously followed his own judgment.

A Man After God's Heart

The man after God's own heart is David, the humble shepherd chosen to replace Saul and fitted to guide Israel in worship and rule as a generous and wise king who opposed idolatry and was beloved and honored. Being after God's heart does not mean faultlessness, but relying on God, being guided by the Holy Spirit, submitting to reproof and correction when sinning, giving oneself wholly to God, and using one's abilities to do good and help secure the salvation of others rather than pursuing worldly gain. While faithful he showed sincere devotion, fidelity, reverence, humility, justice, firmness, and trust in God.

The description was true of David when he was pure and walking in God's counsel, and it does not mean God approved or excused his later grievous sins. When he departed from God and broke His commandments he was no longer a man after God's own heart until he repented and returned to the Lord. Past righteousness and divine favor do not excuse or safeguard later disobedience, and God rebuked and punished him, sending Nathan to rebuke him.

As a standard for personal character, it calls for firm purpose and indomitable determination, remaining devoted to God and unshaped by harmful influences. Such a one is unmoved by worldly honors, threats, or allurements, keeps a spiritual sense of right and wrong, resists contamination, and exerts a saving influence that raises the standard of Christianity. Each person answers to God for himself, and Christ's faultless life is the perfect pattern, so another's faults or choices do not excuse one's own guilt.

It means an experience that makes one less trustful of self and more dependent on God, humble enough to accept counsel and restraint and to put self aside. It means standing faithfully at the post of duty, with a changed life and a manner of addressing people that pleases God. It means having feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, feeling converting power upon the soul every day, receiving grace to govern strength and feelings, and letting the Holy Spirit take possession of the mind to make one gentle, compassionate, tender, loving, and more Christlike rather than self-willed and rigid.

Waiting, Humility, and Obedience

The verse teaches the need to look constantly to the Lord for instruction, to wait on the Lord and learn what He wants, instead of making duties for oneself out of one's own schemes, plans and contrivances, which amount to nothing. Saul lost his kingdom because he became impatient when Samuel did not come at the expected time, fretted over the delay, and decided to move independently of Samuel. He rushed into the performance of a sacred work that God had not given him to do, reasoning that as king he was equal to any office. Failing to wait on the Lord and to keep what the Lord commanded brings loss.

God tested him by detaining Samuel until the last hours of the appointed seven days at Gilgal while the Philistines threatened and his people scattered and hid in fear. Instead of looking to God, trusting Him, waiting, and offering humble prayer which God would have accepted, Saul looked at outward appearances and grew impatient, passionate and presumptuous. He forced himself into the sacred office of priesthood to offer burnt offering, an office never given to him as king. His disobedience revealed his heart and showed what he would do in emergency, and by his example opened the way for others to blur the sacred and the common. His sacrifice looked conscientious, but a religious service performed against God's command was not genuine piety; it weakened Saul and put him beyond the help God was willing to give. If he had obeyed under all circumstances the orders given through God's appointed agency, his kingdom would have been established upon Israel forever, but now it shall not continue, and the Lord has sought a man after His own heart to be captain over His people.

Saul was designated king of Israel for his prepossessing appearance, tall and well proportioned, though in experience and character he was not fitted for the work. The Lord changed his heart through the operation of His Spirit, making him a converted man, and the effect of divine grace on his heart was accompanied by a visible change in his spirit that gave him influence with the armies of Israel. He would have continued with grace given him if he had cultivated humility and the fear of God, trusted in God, learned His will, and not exalted himself. He failed by exalting himself and presumptuously following his own judgment instead of God's will. His failure warns against choosing men for the ministry because of prepossessing appearance without close seeking of the Lord to know His will, and shows that a man as inexperienced as Saul will not fail as Saul did if he will receive the Word of the Lord from old faithful standard-bearers and do the will of God.