"Better Is the End than the Beginning"
1Samuel 9-11
September 16, 2007
by C.W. Powell
The book of Ecclesiastes says that the end of a thing is better than the beginning thereof. Something is good only if the end of it is good. A very great number of the enterprises of life begin with promise and hope but end in disillusionment and despair. Many marriages that begin with great hope and anticipation, do not wear well, and end in failure. Businesses fail at a very high rate in the first few years of their existence. Many people flit from thing to thing and never finish what they start.Jesus told of those who put their hands to the plough and look back, not being fit for the kingdom of God. He told of the seed that was sown in the shallow ground, other seed among the thorns—neither of which produced a crop, but came to nothing. He knew what was in man, and knew that many would not endure to eternal life, because the fruit of faith would be choked out before it came to ripeness.
I would like to read a few exerpts from I Samuel 9-11 and make some comments on the life of the king that God appointed for His people. He gave them a king in His wrath, the prophet said, but God would show them the manner of the kingdom, and show them that in rejecting God to be their king, they were rejecting their true salvation. Fleshly kings, and priests, and prophets who prophesy of the world are no value to the people of God, except in temporary earthly things, and cannot avail to the salvation of the soul.
“1 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power. 2 And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.” (1Sa 9:1-2 AV)
What a great beginning Saul had. He was a beautiful young man, young as far as rulers go. He was probably in his early forties, for he had a grown son, Jonathan. He was tall and handsome, perhaps almost seven feet tall, for he stood head and shoulders over all the people of Israel.
By God’s providence, Saul had been sent with his servant to hunt for the donkeys of his father but they had been unsuccessful, but their search had brought near to where Samuel lived, and the thought came to them that they should ask Samuel where the donkey’s were. It is true that many people are much more concerned about losing their donkeys than losing their souls, and will more readily ask God where their donkeys are than about the condition of their souls. To them, the supernatural is valuable only as it pertains to earthly problems.
“15 Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying, To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me. 17 And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.” (1Sa 9:15-17 AV)
God would have us know that even though the hearts of the people were from from Him, He had not abandoned the government of Israel, and that He would choose their king. He would choose one of their best men and he would be captain over the armies and deliver them from the Philistines that seem to have been strengthened to oppress Israel again after their defeat at Mispah a number of years before. In fact, it might have been the strengthening again of the Philistines that, along with their greed and lust for pomp and power, led the elders of Israel to seek a king.
So Samuel had a surprise for Saul when he came with his servant. Saul did not know Samuel, but Sameul identified himself and honored him and brought him into a hall where some of the chief men of the city sat, prepared for a feast. Saul was seated in the place of honor and given the choicest portion of the sacrifice. Saul protested at these things, claiming that he was of one of the least important families of the smallest of the tribes, Benjamin.
“25 And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house. 26 And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad. 27 And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,)but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God. 10:1 Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?” (1Sa 9:25-10:1 AV)
After anointing Saul, Samuel gave him several signs that would take place after Saul left Samuel. Thse signs took place exactly as Samuel said. By these signs, Saul would know that his appointment was of the Lord.
There is an important thing to remember here. As Paul said in I Cor., the Jews look after a sign. This was because of their history as a natural people. The Holy Spirit would not be given in full measure until the coming of Christ, and in the Old Testament men were directed more by outward signs and such than they were by the inward working of the Holy Spirit in the hearts.
One of the signs given to Saul that day was that he would meet a band of prophets coming down from the place of sacrifice with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp. This also came to pass as Samuel has said, and we read:
“9 And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day. 10 And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them. 11 And it came to pass, when all that knew him before-time saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets? 12 And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets? 13 And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high place.” (1Sa 10:9-13 AV)
Now we must not think that this was an experience of regeneration in the sense of the words of the Lord Jesus, “Ye must be born again.” For Saul, though he had a dramatic spiritual experience that changed him dramatically, yet he was not renewed in the image of Christ or in inward godliness, as subsequent events proved.
This simply means that the ability that Saul had to be king over Israel was given to him by God, by the Spirit of God. There are men who do mighty works in the kingdom of God; Jesus speaks of those who cast out devils, prophesied in His name, and did might works, who did not know the Lord and will be rejected by Him in the last day. He will tell them, “Depart from me, I never knew you, ye workers of inquity.” Matt. 7:23
Hebrews says that it is possible to be enlightened, to taste the heavenly gift, and even be partakers of the Holy Spirit, and still fall away, for none of these things carry the promise of eternal life, which only comes from living faith in Jesus Christ as the only remedy for sin and misery.
But how marvelous was the start of Saul. How great was his beginning as the first King of Israel.
“17 And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh; 18 And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you: 19 And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and by your thousands. 20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken. 21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found. 22 Therefore they enquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff. 23 And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward. 24 And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king. 25 Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house. 26 And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched. 27 But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.” (1Sa 10:17-27 AV)
In dramatic fashion, the Lord indicated his choice of king to the people of Israel and they accepted it and hailed Saul as king.
“And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.” (1Sa 11:15 AV)
This great sacrifice at Gilgal came after a great victory of Saul over Nahash the Ammonite. He came against the city of Jabesh in Gilead, and the men of Jabesh offered to pay tribute and serve him. He responded that they must put out all their right eyes as an insult to Israel. The men of Jabesh sent to Saul at Gibeah and the Spirit of God came upon them, and Saul was very angry. He sent to all Israel and the fear of God came upon them. The message was sent in the name of both Saul and Samuel, showing that Saul was not to act independently, for Samuel was the true judge of Israel. An army was raised of about three hundred thousand strong. God gave Israel under Saul and Samuel a very great victory and the Ammonites were either killed or scattered in all directions. So Saul was confirmed as king over Israel.
So Saul had a most auspicious beginning. We are going to see that his ending was very sad indeed.
As I said at the beginning, it is the ending of a thing that is better than the beginning. The beginning in no way guarantees the ending, as this too, depends upon the gift of the Spirit of God..
Application:
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1. We must pray that God would give us of His spirit, that we may finish the task that He has set for us to do. It is only by the prayers of Christ that we receive of His spirit, and we must seek God in Him.
2. Make certain that you rest your hope of eternal life on Christ along, on his blood and righteousness.
3. But chiefly His sacrifice, for it is by the preaching of the cross of Christ that the power of God unto salvation comes, for we receive the Spirit of God by the preaching of the cross, and Paul tells us in Galatians 3.
4. It is not philosophies, or moral duties, or political theories that arm the soul to the work of Christ, but Christ Himself. We are reminded every time we eat the bread and drink the wine of the Lord’s Supper, that our spiritual strength comes from the rending of His body and the shedding of His blood, for He was made a curse for us, so that the curse might be removed from us, that the Spirit of God might flow to us, renewing us and invigorating us to the work of Christ.
5. The curse is the dam that holds back the water of life and the great stream of grace and mercy that God would pour out upon His people, justifying them, and pouring His Spirit upon them. Hence, we must never abandon the cross of Christ: this is the reason that Paul said, God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, whereby I am crucified unto the world and the world unto me.”
6. To confirm all that I have said, we should perhaps look at Matthew 25: “1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” (Mt 25:1-13 AV)
a. These young women also had a good beginning. You could not tell the difference between the five foolish and the five wise. They all had lamps; they all had oil. The difference was in the amount of oil.
b. The oil is representative of the Holy Spirit and the anointing of oil represents the giving of His gifts.
c. The wise had brought oil in their vessels with their lamps. They were prepared for the long stretch. The road would be a long one, and they were prepared for the long time. The foolish did not bring extra oil, but only had that which was in their lamps.
d. Every must have his own oil: you cannot depend upon someone else to supply you with the Holy Spirit in the day of trouble. There is an important passage in Hebrews “15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb 4:15-16 AV)
e. The throne of Christ is a throne of grace, and the oil that we need is the oil of grace, which comes to us from the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace comes to us because the curse has been removed, and comes not at all except through the removal of the curse. It is through the precious sacrifice of Christ, the breaking of his body and the shedding of His blood that we enter into the presence of God, for the rending of His flesh is the rending of the veil. It is through this grace alone that we enter into the presence of God and find mercy and help in time of need.
f. It is through the blood of Christ that we enter into the Holy of Holies, and there alone that we will receive enough oil to preserve unto the end and enable us to endure unto the end and plow to the ending of our work. Saul did not have this grace and his end was sad indeed.
g. This means that our justification through the blood of Christ is the source of all the grace that we need to endure. No second blessing; no work of the flesh—no, Christ alone and His perfect sacrifice brings to us the oil sufficient to endure to the end and supply the evidence for our faith and union with Christ.
Amen and Amen