LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
The Breaking of the Soul
Saul and David represent two principles of service in the House of God.
Rubén Chacón
The first book of Samuel, with the exception of the first twelve chapters, is entirely dedicated to the life of Saul, the first king of Israel: 31-12 = 19 chapters in total. Second Samuel, on the other hand, is dedicated entirely to the life of David, the second king of Israel: 24 chapters in total. If we add to these 43 chapters, the first two chapters of 1 Kings that still talk about king David, we have a total of 45 chapters dedicated to the first two kings of Israel.
When we move on to the two books of Kings, we observe the following: that 20 chapters of the first book of Kings (22-2 = 20) and the 25 chapters of the second book of Kings, that is, 45 chapters in total are dedicated to all the remaining kings of Israel and Judah. So we find 45 chapters dedicated to only two kings, against 45 chapters to register the history of the 39 remaining kings.
What does this mean? That the inspiration of the Holy Spirit above all wanted to record the life of these first two kings of Israel in a more exact way. Why? Because Saul and David are two prototypes or models of kings. Indeed, one can say that all the other kings were either according to the order of Saul or according to the order of David. Therefore, for God there are only two classes of king: those according to Saul's pattern or those according to the pattern of David. When we apply this to our context, we can say that Saul and David represent two principles of service in the house of God. There are, therefore, only two classes of pastor in the house of God, only two forms of leadership, two types of minister.
Saul and David were two men who had many things in common but who nevertheless had a very different end. While the first one was rejected by God, the second on the other hand, never left the mercy of God. What made the difference between the two? Let's see.
Things in common
1. Both were young when they were used by God.
2. Both were handsome (1 Sam. 9:2; 16:12, 18).
3. Both came from families of little esteem (1 Sam. 9:21; 16:1; comp. Micah 5:2; 1 Sam. 18:18, 23).
4. Both were considered unworthy of being kings (1 Sam. 15:17; 18:18, 23).
5. Both ended up being kings of Israel.
6. Both were anointed with the anointing oil by Samuel (1 Sam. 10:1; 16:13).
7. The Holy Spirit came upon both with power (1 Sam.10: 6-7,10; 16:13).
8. Both were around thirty years old when they began to reign (1 Sam.13: 11; 2 Sam. 5:4).
9. Both reigned over Israel for forty years (Acts. 13:21; 2 S. 5: 4-5).
10. Both had the opportunity that God would prolong their reign (1 Sam. 13:13; 2 Sam.7:11-13).
11. Both died aged around seventy years old.
12. Both did great things for God.
13. Both committed great sins against God.
14. Both began well (1 Sam. 11; 14:47-48; 17)…
But, Saul finished badly (1 Cr. 10:13-14) and David finished well (1 Cr. 29:28). Where was the difference?
The difference
The difference between the two stems from a fact that wasn't common to both. Saul jumped immediately on to the throne after being anointed with the Holy Spirit. David, on the other hand, having been anointed with the Spirit of God, had to wait approximately one decade before he ascended to the throne. Why this difference? If God had already rejected Saul, and Samuel, under the instruction of the Lord, had anointed David as king, and the Holy Spirit had come upon him immediately, didn't that perhaps indicate the fact that in a very short time David would ascend to the throne? Moreover, had it not happened this way with Saul? But it was not to be so this time. Strange as it may seem to us, God did something different: he left Saul on the throne for around ten more years, even though he had already been rejected and David had already been anointed. What was the intention of God in His sovereignty? To create something in David that was lacking in Saul: that he would be prepared by God to reign.
This way, God would demonstrate that there are two classes of leader in the work of God: the kings according to Saul's order and the kings according to the order of David. The first, act with the power of the Holy Spirit, but know almost nothing of the life of the Spirit. The second also have the power of the Holy Spirit, but, on top of that they have been transformed into the character of Christ. To get this last type, God has prepared a school: the school of David. There are very few who want to enter this school and still less who actually graduate. The school of David is the school of breaking, where God tries with our pride, arrogance, self-sufficiency, trust in ourselves, impatience, disobedience, wrong motives and bad character. Because it is one thing to be used by God and its another very different thing to be approved by him. One thing involves the power of the Spirit and the other is to do with the fruit of the Spirit. The first is charisma and the second, character.
Saul's reign was a clear demonstration of this difference. Amid his big feats he showed fatal flaws in his character. Indeed, when he was tested by God to see if He would establish his Kingdom over Israel forever, Saul demonstrated a flaw that disqualified him from being an authority of God: he didn't know how to trust in nor wait on God. The order had been: "wait for seven days, until I come to you…"; but Saul, not being able to wait, made the effort himself and offered sacrifices (1 Sam. 13: 8-12). The effort without trusting in God and independent behaviour disqualify the servant of God. His authoritarianism and extreme carnality were other demonstrations of his lack of preparation for the throne. Indeed, while in full battle he had subjected the people of Israel to a fast under oath which would become a curse if they broke it. This caused the people to end up sinning against God by eating meat with blood. What's more, instead of recognizing his error, he almost killed his own son who, without knowing about the oath, had eaten honey (1 Sam. 14: 24-45). A carnal man is just so: inflexible and difficult to please.
But Saul still lacked a more important virtue: obedience. This lack of obedience meant that he was finally rejected by God as king of Israel. When he was sent by God to make war against Amalek with clear instructions in this respect, he couldn't hold to them and instead, carried them out his own way (1 Sam. 15). Reigning then, invested with the power of the Spirit but without a broken heart, will finally cause us to lose what we have. In the case of Saul, the Spirit of the Lord finally left him (1 Sam. 16:14).
For that reason, how badly do we need the school of David!
In the school of David we will learn how to cry and to depend totally on God; we will learn how to wait on him and to strengthen ourselves in God; to be patient and meek; we will learn how to ask for forgiveness and to forgive; we will learn how to pray, sing to and praise God amid tribulations; in short, we will learn how to love God and find our soul's satisfaction in him alone. Those that graduate from this school leave as broken vessels and emptied of themselves.
The kings according to Saul's order can divide their life into only two stages. Saul came into the Kingdom at approximately 30 years of age and then governed it for 40 years. In David's case and the kings according to the order of David, three stages can be distinguished. David the shepherd, David the broken and David the king (20, 10, and 40 years respectively).