Saul is a solemn and sad illustration of the possession of a gift unaccompanied by life to God, a gift poured into an unpurged, unsanctified vessel. He was the fruit of the revolted heart of Israel. It was their departure from the Lord which called him forth. And accordingly the Lord Himself (if I may so speak) and Samuel were in the secret of what manner of a king this Saul would be. (chap 8.) He could not have been a man after the Lord's heart, because he was the fruit of the people's heart and desire. David is different; he is God's gift to the people, proceeding from Himself
Saul is, however, bestowed on the people according to men's desire—duly anointed, and endowed, and turned into another man, i.e., made a gifted instrument, or a fitted vessel, for the service of Israel. (Chap. ix.)
His appointment to the kingdom is verified in the mouth of witnesses, the accomplishment of signs, and then he has to do as occasion demands, to obey the word of the Lord. (Chap. 10:7, 8.)
Thus he is set agoing. But there is no exercise of conscience, no godly acceptance of his place as under God, nothing that bespeaks a change in the “scent” or “taste” of nature; all that we get is a filled vessel, or a gifted instrument.
An occasion arises to make a demand on Saul. This is the haughty challenge of Nahash the Ammonite. It was just such an occasion as calls forth the exercise of his gift. He heads an army under the energy of the Spirit, contends with the foe, and humbles the pride of the king of Ammon. (Chap. xi.)
The people are all enthusiasm. They are for taking vengeance at once on the men who had before despised the son of Cis. For the gift in his hand had now served them, working a great deliverance from a proud oppressor, and they rejoice in the king. They shelter under his shadow, indifferent, so that it shelter them, whether it be the shadow of a bramble or a cedar.
Samuel, however, is not of that mind. This mere exercise of gift, or display of power, is not what satisfies him. Of course he owns the deliverance, and the anointing of the hand which had wrought it. But he is not all joy as the people are. There is a chastened mind in him. He cannot but remember the rock out of which this king was hewn, the word of the Lord respecting him, and the whole complexion of the present moment. He, therefore, warns the people, and speaks as intimating that they would do well to moderate their exultation. Saul's gift had been indeed vindicated. But Saul himself had not been as yet proved. An occasion had tested the gift, but the commandment had not yet tested the heart of the king. Samuel's joy is, therefore, postponed. (Chap. vii.) But the time of the commandment came and “the word of the Lord tries him.” The obedience of Saul to the Lord, and not his gift in the Spirit, was now to be assayed. (Chap. viii. 8-12.)
It was a serious moment: I feel it to be so, as I write upon it. The vessel had disbursed the treasure committed to it; but what was the vessel itself? How was the king's heart before God? His hand, in the skill and strength of the Spirit, had reduced the Ammonites; but is he himself reduced to the obedience of his divine Lord?
This is the question now. He had stood against the foe to the administration of the people, but the word of commandment has now to try how he stands with God.
This is solemn. Gift may pass beyond grace; as form may be without power. And Saul's heart toward God is found hollow, though his hand had exercised its talent to admiration.
The Lord give us to heed this!
In the times of the New Testament, the Corinthians “came behind in no gift;” but withal there was moral relaxation, and the need of a girding of themselves afresh in the life and vigor of personal godliness. Love of ease, self-indulgence in many ways, and the habits of a Corinthian nature, are much prevailing. The first epistle tells us all this.
The gifted Paul, however, was a different one from the gifted Corinthian. He kept his body under, while he preached to others. His gift was not in a Corinthian vessel. And as he says to Timothy, so we may be sure did he exercise himself, “take heed to thyself and to the doctrine, for in doing this thou shalt save thyself and them that hear thee.”
Balaam had the gift of a prophet, and so had Caiaphas the high priest, and Saul had the gift of a king. All were in the Spirit, or under the anointing; but the vessels were unclean.
It is all a serious story, and may find its moral uses now-a-days.
But further. In these chapters Saul also witnesses that there may be some attractive exercises of nature, which, however, are not to be trusted.
He owns himself as nobody when Samuel talks of the kingdom to him. He was little in his own eyes then. When the lot was casting, he hides himself in the stuff. In the day of his victory he will have none of his adversaries touched. But with all this, there was no principle of obedience in him, no heart subject to God.
It is, indeed, a solemn picture: a splendid gift in an unclean vessel, and much showy exercise of affection, without a subject heart!