The Soul of Saul

1 Samuel 14: 1-48

The Reformer's Fire
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Exposition by Max A Forsythe

Question 68:
What is required in the sixth commandment?
Answer 68:
The sixth commandment requireth all lawful endeavaors to preserve our own life, and the life of others.

Both this week and last you have probably wondered about the strange texts that I have been led to as we explore the complexities of the sixth commandment. I know that perhaps you would rather have heard of wicked men and women who well deserved their condemnation to hell and their being helped on their way by legal execution. While I do allow for the power of the sword to be exercised by the State for the protection of more innocent people, I do believe that it is imperative for us to comprehend our own implication in this, the most serious of the commandments!

By serious, I mean the only one whereby the the power of the sword to execute wanton criminals is rightly claimed by those appointed over us through Divine providence. In spite of regular criticisms through many years, I believe that the necessity of execution for the crime of wanton killing is necessary as a reminder of where all of our hearts may descend so easily. And having seen where we might go, we might comprehend the judicial punishment for every Covenant breaker whose heart, mind and attitude would violate every Divine precept if given half a chance.

However, with the exception of that percentage of the military and police who are required to fire weapons of destruction at enemies who are shooting back, there are precious few who comprehend the emotions related with the taking of a human life. Of course, there are and have been unfeeling and desensitized creatures who participated in the the killing camps of the Nazi's, the Communists and the Abortuaries. How such barbaric specimens of the human species created in the image of God Almighty can do such despicable things is outside the imagination of any persons who make even a minimal claim to being civilized!

Okay, there you have a statement or two of righteous indignation which offends the majority of the population. Of course, most mothers wouldn't think of killing her own children and those notorious cases that have been set before us by the Media for doing just that are uncommon. Yet, the temptations and the irresponsibilities associated with living could easily make murderers of us all. And the law of God would claim a just destruction of every human being were it not for the Sovereign Grace of our Lord God.

To comprehend the dirty deeds done dirt cheap which might lead to personal destruction, let us hear the second third of the answer to Question 135 of our Larger Catechism:

The duties required in the sixth commandment are: ... by just defense thereof against violence; patient bearing of the hand of God; quietness of mind, cheerfulness of spirit, a sober use of meat, drink, physic, sleep,labor and recreation.

Obviously Saul's campaign against the Philistine are a just defense against the violence of the enemies of Israel. However we can easily see here in 1 Samuel 14 that there is very little patience of any kind on the part of the King. And knowing of Saul's character we can see that there was even precious less quietness and cheerfulness in his relationships to others. To compound matters, his bad natured limitation of his army's need for food, water, exercise, and sleep in the midst of campaigning indicated that he was less than an inspired leader of military men.

Only labor and recreation in our catechism appear to be outside the bounds of the text before us today. Given the current educational and corporate disdain for the physical, mental and emotional well being of those under their care, we do not have to examine in too great a detail, how the very stresses of employment and education can demean and depress ordinary people to the point of affecting their health and limiting their useful lifespan. Recreational accidents this winter have taken away a bright, competent and cheerful conservative Representative as well as a member of the American liberal royalty in skiing accidents. Well should we realize that every area of living life can contribute to an early if not a late expiration.

And who amongst us, like Saul has not made some decision, or done some careless deed which could have fatal implications shortly or over a long period of time? If you enjoy cooking and used a rare spice that only one person in a thousand could die from, you would feel miserable if you knew how that person was affected even though no fault could reasonably be yours. I am reminded of a former student who was so excited by the week of Reaganomics that I shared with the class, that she left home to go out on her own and be all that she could be! I toned down my freedom of economics unit ever after that! I have also ceased any and all display of several national historic flags which apparently bring out the worst in some redneck individuals. Once when we were hauling a load of hay, we arrived home several bales less than when we started. The boys who were little at the time, couldn't appreciate the apparent danger of those bales where they might have fallen off the truck. Providentially someone profited from that loss since the bales were nowhere to be found. At least there had not been an accident! And accidents happen so easily, a friendly wave at someone walking along the road and someone else is accidentally run up on.

I hope that I haven't depressed you with the opportunities that we all have had in indirectly being implicated in another's death. Of course, by degree, some actions are more obvious and held to more account. In the last century, there was a lady who loved and lived to cook. The trouble was, she was a carrier of the dreaded Typhoid disease. Every family where she was employed died terribly. It took the authorities some time to catch up with Typhoid Mary, and even after being given court orders to never ever cook for anyone again, she remained defiant. Finally, they locked her up at an institution and kept her apart from everyone else. She even had a nice little house to live in and cook for herself. However, she was always disappointed when her friends visited her and refrained from eating!

That attitude should tell us something about Typhoid Mary, just as the passage before us should show us the true character of old King Saul. In the imposing chapter before us, Saul has rallied a handful of demoralized troops to encounter the raiding Philistines. All that he and his troops are able to do is to cower in their trenches blocking an enemy advance. However, his son Jonathan is inspired to see what the Lord will allow. So he and his armor bearer advance alone into the valley and up the enemy's hillside. The Lord does indeed allow this Mighty Warrior to lay twenty of the enemy low. In the ensuing confusion, the Philistines trample all over each other in their hurry to flee.

Saul's hour for pursuit is at hand. First he calls for the Priest to use the epod in which are kept the Urim and Thummim, to discern the Lord's will. No sooner does he ask then he decides for himself to advance against the enemies camp. In so doing he abuses the Priest of the Living God and demeans the Holy One Himself. Then, to compound his wickedness, he rashly forbids his troops to take a bite to eat until Saul's enemies are destroyed. "Let his men sweat, bleed and die! No let them starve as well and drop dead of exhaustion, for he, Saul, must have his victory!" So does Gordon Keddie describe the self-centered sinful nature of old King Saul. This sinful capriciative vow will undermine the lawful authority of Saul, endanger the hero of the hour, cause the troops to sin, diminish the victory and even expose the ungodly despotism of the king himself.

Boy, when sinful leaders get all cranked up, they can create a multitude of sins both large and small. Saul's implication here in these matters is what our teaching on the sixth commandment would confront us with today. Providentially our popular "monarch" has been kept from leading real men into battle in the immediate future and while I am one of the least dovish hawks around, I am thankful that our military have been spared another vainglorious campaign like the one's envisioned by our current leadership. However, any future destruction of someone's children by the mad man in Baghdad must eventually be put into the balance. Yes it is a mess in the Mid-East and we are so conditioned that enough manpower, money and technology can conquer any military problem, that like Saul we are impatient for bearing the hand of God.

We have to remember that God has a plan for the Mid-East and just as Israel of old had to put up with Ahab & Jezebel and all the rest of their insipid leaders, His will was and is being perfected. And until that day when His will is accomplished, we must learn to be patient and not put our hands too hastily to the sword to hurry that will along.

Our lessons here this morning have much to do with constitutional limitations of power and with our learning to be circumspect in all of our actions day in and day out. There have been many occasions in my life when those who abuse power selfishly have come to the edge of human tolerance. Oh, the temptation to reach out and give them one final push! Yet, we well understand the ability of every humpty dumpty to roll with the punches to maintain their seat of authority. Let us learn to trust in the Lord that He will provide some hint of His final justice here on earth. The mighty will fall as David later sang of Saul, and it will be within God's providential ordering. May we have the wisdom to sit by and watch that will being worked out even as we avoid enabling by our work and witness another to die physically or even worse - spiritually. Amen.

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