“When Sha’ul saw
the army of the P’lishtim,
he became afraid —
it struck terror in his heart.”
-1 Samuel 28:5
Wanna know what the ultimate source of confidence is?
It’s knowing you have obeyed God’s commands and are in good standing with your Creator.
A person who has lived a holy life possesses a confidence that will keep him through all the inevitable trials and tribulations that come our way this side of heaven.
I’m referring to the man who has remained faithful to his wife and family throughout their marriage.
Or the businessman who has upheld the highest integrity, even at the cost of temporary profits.
Or the person who despite the many temptations to commit idolatry and abandon Adonai has stayed strong in the faith.
Such people possess a quiet fortitude and strength that will not break when challenges arise.
See, here’s the thing.
To achieve success, you must feel deserving of it.
If deep down inside you feel you don’t deserve success or blessings because of your sins, that guilt will hinder you big time.
For example, take a man who has spent a good portion of his youth binging on porn and prostitutes.
Do you think he’ll have the confidence to propose marriage to a woman later in life?
Or take a man who has constantly slacked off at work for many years?
Do you think he’ll have the confidence to ask his boss for a raise?
See, your conscience is a powerful thing.
You may have lied about your behavior to your spouse, friends, or accountability partners.
But you can’t lie to yourself about the sins you KNEW were wrong or destructive.
Many folks try to fool themselves into thinking their destructive behavior isn’t a big deal.
But at the end of the day, their conscience knows and will convict them in due time.
And of course, it’s not just their conscience.
God Himself will convict and make sure you reap what you have sowed.
He doesn’t delight in doing this, but His Holiness demands a justice that cannot be negotiated away.
Why do I bring this up?
This was exactly what Saul had to face when he faced the Philistine army at Gilboa.
He went into a full-blown panic when he saw the soldiers arrayed against him.
Why?
Because he was condemned and his tormented conscience knew it.
Just as the plague of utter blackness had engulfed the land of Egypt during the exodus, so too had darkness overtaken Saul’s soul.
What would happen when the sun rose tomorrow and the two armies attacked each other?
Saul had no confidence that he and his men would prevail.
Why?
Because it had finally sunk in that God was no longer with Him.
Saul may have been victorious over the Philistines in the past.
But this time he was filled with feelings of despair and terror he could not shake.
I imagine his past sins flashing back through his mind like a giant wave crashing on the seashore…
The time he ignored God’s command to destroy the Amalekites…
Or the many other times he thumbed his nose at God’s commands.
And it will be the same with you or any other person at the end of life.
You’ll wake up in the morning, stare up at the ceiling, and deep down inside, your conscience will either convict or acquit you.
Did you live your life for God and His Word?
Or did you live your life for fleshly pleasure and the things of this world?
You’ll realize all of the beautiful women you had sex with in Thailand (or any other country)…
Or all of the money you lusted after and made…
Or all of the businesses you created or the corporate promotions you sought after…
You’ll realize all of these false idols you chased after were pure meaningless.
At the end of your day, you’ll conclude as King Solomon did that it was all…
“Meaningless!
Meaningless!
Everything is meaningless!”
Man, if this doesn’t convict you to do all you can to get right with God and obey His Word, I don’t know what will.
Ya feel me?
Unfortunately, for Saul, it was too late for repentance.
When he was alive, Samuel made it clear to Saul that God had left him, and nothing Saul did could change that.
Understand in those days, it was common for a nation at war to consult their gods before firing even one arrow toward the enemy.
So for sure, the Philistines had already consulted with their chief deity Dagan, and were confident of winning.
But what about Saul who now had no God to turn to?
What does a godless man due when feeling desperate?
That’s what we’ll find out the next time we meet.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“They show that the requirements
of the law are written on their hearts,
their consciences also bearing witness,
and their thoughts sometimes accusing them
and at other times even defending them.”
-Romans 2:15
“Now this is our boast:
Our conscience testifies that we
have conducted ourselves in the world,
and especially in our relations with you,
with integrity and godly sincerity.”
-2 Corinthians 1:12
“For God has set a day when
He will judge the world
with justice by the man
he has appointed.
He has given proof of this
to everyone by raising
him from the dead.”
-Acts 17:31
Feeling ya loud and clear here at Kenya 😉
Saul is about to do what most of us do in panicking mode, more mess. During that accident instead of calling the name of Adonai, we call uor mums. Instead of cutting left we cut more right. Instead of braking, we add more gas.
He could have remembered David. He could sent for his help but as you have noted he is going to move from the flying pan to the fire. We have a similar phrase in our country ; when the day has arrived for the monkey to die, every tree becomes slippery.
Keep em Com Rich.