1 Samuel 13: Taking Matters Into Our Own Hands

"And Saul said, 'When I saw...'" 1 Samuel 13:11b

When's the last time you decided to take the matters of a situation in your own hands? Perhaps the authority over you (parents, bosses, etc.) told you to wait for their guidance, but you thought that your way was best. How did that work out for you? Were you right? Well, perhaps you were, but in relation to God, we must never take matters into our own hands, because his way is always best.

In 1 Samuel 13, we see Saul committing the great sin of taking matters into his own hands. To make a long story short, Saul decided to offer sacrifices to the Lord on his own instead of waiting for Samuel, when in fact waiting for Samuel was the very thing he was commanded to do. Saul saw the great Phillistine army approaching and his fellow Israelites fleeing from battle, and he thought he had to do something. Rather than getting on his knees and praying to God, he took matters into his own hands and offered sacrifices to God before he was commanded to. Saul's sin here was not his offering of sacrifices, but his disobedience and faithlessness. Samuel had directly commanded Saul to wait for him (see 1 Samuel 10:8), yet Saul got impatient. Furthermore, Saul could have trusted that God was on his side even though he could not see it, yet he decided to trust in what he saw rather than have faith in the promises of God.

Perhaps by the words I have already italicized you can see the point that I am trying to get at this morning. When we take matters into our own hands, we commit the great sin of faithlessness, that is, trusting in what we see rather than the promises of God. This was the great downfall of Saul, and will be the great downfall of you as well if you do not heed this great Biblical instruction. We ought to trust in the promises of God rather than the circumstances around us. If we trust in the circumstances around us, we will be hopeless and destitute. However, if we trust in God, we will be fully hopeful in every situation even when all we can see is destruction.

So, how can you better trust in the promises of Jesus this morning, rather than take matters into your own hands? How have you been living a life of faithlessness rather than trusting in your Savior? Christian! Flee these things with all of your heart, for they are the root of destruction. Don't trust in your circumstances, trust in the God who is sovereign over your circumstances, and have hope.

"If men believed the promises [of God] more, they would never be afraid." - J. C. Ryle, Thoughts for Young Men