1 Samuel 11

1 Samuel 11

Days into his reign, Saul was put to the test. Jabesh was threatened by the Ammonites, and the Ammonites thought they had secured a victory. They promised to destroy Jabesh if they did not commit to serve them. They were almost willing to give in immediately not considering all of their options. Instead of seeking advice from others or from God, they decided to be servants to the Ammonites in order that they might live. There were some men among them, however, that asked for a few days to think about their decision, and the Ammonites allowed them the time. Immediately some men from Jabesh sent word throughout Israel that they were about to be overtaken, and Saul heard of the Ammonites’ plans.


So Saul had to decide how he was going to handle his first challenge. In 1 Samuel 11 we see the spirit of God coming upon Saul again, and from that moment on he was led by God in all the decisions he made. God had promised that the beginning of Saul’s reign would be victorious, that he would deliver Israel, but in the end Israel would regret their decision to ask for a king. That being the case, Saul was given the ability to overtake the Ammonites. He sent word throughout Israel requesting that all the tribes send men for battle or lose their oxen. Israel listened to his commands, and he gathered all of Israel together. Together they numbered 300,000. While his tactics could be questioned and appear to be threatening, Saul was actually accomplishing two things in doing so: he assembled a great army that could not be defeated and he helped unify Israel.

The Ammonites did not stand a chance when they went up against Israel. Only a few of the Ammonites actually survived the battle, and they all fled in different directions. Jabesh was delivered, and Saul was victorious in his first battle as the new leader of Israel. But not all of the Israelites were happy. Because of his questionable tactics some questioned his position as king. They were ready to kill all who had supported that decision, which would have included the nation that had asked for him and Samuel who had chosen him. However, Saul defended himself and shifted the focus to God. He showed the Israelites how God had protected them and given them the victory. He did not take any of the credit himself. He assured the people that all he had done prior to the battle was for the nation of Israel. In the end, Saul, along with Samuel’s help, was able to reunify Israel. They were once again brought together as one, and Saul was officially pronounced as the king of Israel. They sacrificed to God, thanking Him for answering their prayers and providing a king. So at the end of 1 Samuel 11, Israel was content with their king. They no longer had any worries about the decisions Saul had made, and they were happy. What is sad is that they might have forgotten what God had told them about the future of Saul’s reign. Although things were going great then, and the people were truly unified as they worshipped God, Samuel knew it would not always stay that way.

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