1 SAMUEL 11

You know, it’s hard not to think of David when we read about Saul. Knowing how the story is going to unfold, and knowing that it’s David (not Saul) who was eventually called “a man after God’s own heart,” it is hard for me to let Saul’s story just be Saul’s story. Somehow, it always just feels like the prolonged prelude to the story of David. And, in many ways, perhaps it is.

However, from 1 Samuel 11, it is clear that Saul was a good king—at least he started out that way. He certainly gave Israel a decisive victory over the Ammonites (something they were concerned about). But I was really struck by what happened at the end of the chapter, when some of Saul’s subjects inquired as to what should be done about those who had been critical of Saul’s appointment: "The people then said to Samuel, 'Who was it that asked, "Shall Saul reign over us?" Turn these men over to us so that we may put them to death.' But Saul said, 'No one will be put to death today, for this day the Lord has rescued Israel.'" (vs 12-13)

Wow, talk about a man after God’s own heart! Here, Saul was demonstrating the unwillingness to destroy people who had talked openly against him. At least at first, he started out as a man who would forgive his enemies, not use his power and position to force people to follow him.

To me, this says that, in choosing a first king for Israel, God really chose a good man. To us, this might seem surprising, since God was definitely unhappy about the course Israel chose for themselves. He didn’t want them to have a king. In fact, back in 1 Samuel 8, He described it as a personal rejection. So, God had been dumped by His people, but instead of retaliating against them and finding some awful, terrible ogre to make their lives miserable, He gave them the very best that was available.

(I’m not sure I would have been that gracious. After being dumped but still in the position of choosing a king, I might have said, "Okay guys, you want a king? Oh, I’ll give you a king alright. I’ll make sure you’ll be sorry you ever asked for one!")

Unfortunately, in the lives of both Saul and David, history bore out the fact that power and position are often corrupting influences too strong to resist. And both kings—although David’s heart remained fundamentally true to the Lord—engaged in their fair share of power abuse. However, in acquiescing to the demands of Israel for a king, God proved that He is not a sore loser. When He doesn’t get His way, when He doesn’t get what He wants, He still works to bring us the very best He can under the circumstances.

No matter what we choose, He is always trying to bless us.