1 Sa. 13: Sault in the Wound

1 Samuel 13:20 "So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plowshares, mattocks, axes and sickles sharpened."

This chapter is about rushing. Hurrying stuff. No sabbath or rest to be found. Saul tries to force the issue with the Philistines. Up to this point, I believe God has ordered attacks. When God has ordered attacks, attacks have been successful, with few exceptions. When God does not order attacks (as Joshua found out), attacks are unsuccessful. Same thing here. Saul goes ape-poopy on the Philistines, but they knock him around. It served only to make the Philistines mad. The Philistines assembled an huuuuge army to fight. The Israelites ran. And I don't wonder why. I do wonder why Saul took so long to realize that he needed to ask God. So, he rushes the sacrifice, not waiting for the priest. And then, it was a band-aid to slap on the complete debacle that was the Israelite military situation, not an act of submission to God.

This lack of rest...this hurry, costs Saul a lengthy reign on the throne, and God is reported to have chosen another man to take Saul's place on the throne, a "man after (God's) own heart." This leader was appointed by God as leader. So I wonder if even though Saul held the title, It was this other man who was already the leader of Israel.

Meanwhile, the Philistines had apparently eradicated all the Israelite blacksmiths, so the Israelites, in what I imagine could only be crushing humiliation, had to go to Philistine blacksmith to have their farm implements sharpened. Would they sharpen swords? Hardly! On the day of the battle, Israel had no swords or spears. Only Saul and his son Jonathan had actual weapons of war. Of course. I don't imagine this will end well. The army is in complete disarray and fear, and they have no weapons. They need God.