May 27, 2025 • 22 mins
# 158 - Saul: The False Priest - In this episode of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein, Saul faces growing pressure as Israel trembles before the Philistine army, and in a moment of fear and impatience, he performs a sacred duty meant only for the prophet Samuel. This episode explores how Saul’s decision to take control rather than trust in God’s timing marks a turning point in his leadership—and in Israel’s future.
Episode 158 of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein is inspired by the Book of Joshua.
Sign up for The Chosen People devotionals at https://www.thechosenpeople.com/sign-up
For more information about Yael Eckstein and IFCJ visit https://www.ifcj.org
Today's opening prayer is inspired by Psalm 27:14, "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."
Listen to some of the greatest Bible stories ever told and make prayer a priority in your life by downloading the Pray.com app.
Show Notes:
(01:55) Intro with Yael Eckstein
(02:45) Saul: The False Priest
(15:21) Reflection with Yael Eckstein
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Previously on the chosen people.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Well, I suppose it's settled. Then you love the king,
you beg for he's here, he's grand, and oh, I'm
sure nothing could possibly go wrong.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Saul held the breastplate before him, his fingers tracing the
golden filigree. The weight of it was immense, but it
did not burden him. It emboldened him.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Now there will be no mistaking who is king.
Speaker 4 (00:34):
When I merchant a battle, take trumpets to every city.
Let all of Israel know that I have won this battle.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
The Lord has conquered kings and toppled towers for you.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
If you whine for.
Speaker 5 (00:53):
A king like children when Nahash came, you did not
call on the Lord to save you. No, you asked
for a man, and here he is the king you demanded.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
The Lord has given you what you wanted, But take heed.
If you and your king obey him, oh he'll be well.
But if you rebel, if your hearts grow proud and arrogant,
if you forget the Lord again, then he will stand
(01:33):
against both you and your king.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
For the first time, a seed of bitterness took root
in Saul's heart. He wondered if Samuel had ever truly
wanted him to be king, or if the old prophet
was secretly praying for his failure.
Speaker 6 (01:58):
What's more dangerous in me at your gates or compromise
in your hearts? Shelloh, my friends, from here in the
holy land of Israel, i'm l extein with international fellowship
of Christians and Jews, and welcome to the Chosen people.
A king, a prophet, a waiting army in the distance.
The Philistines gather their strength. Anxiety rises like smoke curling
(02:22):
into the hearts of men who hold swords in trembling hands.
This is one Samuel thirteen eight to twenty two. It's
a story of power misused, of worship corrupted, and of
fragile human pride. What happens when fear drives faith, when
authority oversteps its bounds, when warship becomes a means to
(02:44):
control instead of a way to surrender. To answer those questions,
let's turn to this episode, a moment when the weight
of a king's decision reshapes the destiny of the Chosen people.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
The name of Israel had become a bitter curse on
Philistine tongues. Before Saul's reign, the Hebrews had been scattered
nothing more than farmers and herdsmen wielding crude swords. But
Jonathan's victory at Geber had stirred something dangerous, a flame
of defiance that the Philistines would not tolerate. So they
(03:23):
answered with fire. In the weeks that followed, they raised
an army unlike anything Israel had seen before, three thousand chariots,
six thousand horsemen and foot soldiers, beyond counting warriors as
numerous as the sands of the shore. Their war cries
echoed across the land, a relentless drumbeat of approaching doom
(03:48):
and worse. The Philistines were cunning. They did not charge
blindly into battle. They struck at the heart of Israel's strength.
Before the war had even begun. Smiths were stolen away
in the night, murdered in their homes, or taken in
chains to Philistine's strongholds. The forges of Israel fell silent,
(04:10):
and her warriors were left with little more than farming
tools and hunting knives. Victory was already within reach, and
the Philistines had yet to draw a sword in battle.
Their armies swarmed into Mickmash, east of beth Avon, fortifying
their position. They moved like a predator circling its prey,
(04:30):
waiting for Israel to break beneath the weight of its
own terror. And that fear was breaking them. Men whispered
in dark corners of their homes. Some fled with their families,
vanishing into the hills of Gad and Gilead. Others hid
in caves, cringing like dogs at the sound of every
Philistine warhorn. Saul may have been adorned with glimmering armor
(04:55):
of gold, his sword may have been sharp, and his
shields stirred rudy, But in the end, fear is stronger
than steel. Saul summoned his people to Gilgal, to the
place where he had been crowned, the place where Samuel
had first anointed him. There before the Lord, a sacrifice
(05:17):
would be made and Israel would march to war. But
as the days passed, Saul saw his army thinning. Every
morning he awoke to fewer men. They were slipping away,
vanishing into the wilderness. Their courage drained like blood from
a wound. By the time he reached Gilgal, the few
that remained were restless, their hands tightening around the crude
(05:41):
weapons they had left. Their faces were pale with fear,
and the Philistines were waiting.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
This isn't good. The people are losing heart before the
battle has even begun. Where is Samuel? Will give the
men assurance that God is on our side.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Saul mounted the stone platform where he had once been
declared king. His armor shimmered beneath the sun, blinding in
its golden brilliance. He raised his sword high and let
his voice ring out across the encampment.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
Men of Israel, do not fear the war that stands
at our gates. The prophet of God is coming. He
will call upon the Lord. We shall descend upon the
Philistines like a star. Believe in me, as your king,
I shall deliver you.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Saul's speech did little to stir them. It lifted their spirits,
but only for a moment. Saul knew they would not last.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
Blast it, Tavvy, Do you have any word on Samuel?
Has he sent any messengers?
Speaker 5 (06:55):
He said he would arrive on the seventh day.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Every hour that passes without saying Amnuel's arrival is another hour.
The men spend whispering in fear.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
And with every whisper Saul felt control slipping from his grasp.
By the seventh day, the appointed day of sacrifice, Samuel
was still nowhere to be seen. Saul walked the length
of the camp, watching his men with growing unease. They
avoided his gaze. Their hands twitched at their sides, itching
(07:30):
to run, grab their families and flee to the hills.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
They're going to leave me. They're losing hope in God.
They're losing hope in me.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
His heart pounded in his chest. The crown on his
head felt heavier than ever. Samuel had promised he would come,
but the sun was beginning its descent, and still the
prophet's donkey was nowhere on the horizon. Saul's gave flickered
to the altar.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
The people need to see me with the favor of God.
They need to know I am anointed.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
His fingers twitched at his sides.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
If they do not see the sacrifice, they will run.
They will leave me as a king without a kingdom.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
The sun inched lower.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
Samuel has abandoned.
Speaker 7 (08:32):
Me.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
It's a to me and me alone.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Saul exhaled sharply and turned to his servants. His voice
was steady, but there was something frantic in his eyes.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Bring me the burnt offerings and the peace offerings.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
My King, are you sure?
Speaker 5 (08:56):
Is that not a priest's roll and a priest's roll alone.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
I'm the King. I will be and do whatever is
necessary for the people. If I must be a priest
or a prophet, so be it.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
Bring me the offerings.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
The offerings were brought forward, and the fire was prepared.
Saul stepped before the altar, his golden armor gleaming, his
hands steady, but his heart a storm of paranoia. He
butchered the animal as a soldier, not a priest. His
blade was swift, but there was no reverence in the movement.
(09:36):
He slashed and cut without ceremony, his lips murmuring empty prayers,
words spoken not to honor God, but to comfort the people.
Speaker 7 (09:46):
God of Abraham and Jacob, Lord of the Earth and Sky,
receive this offering.
Speaker 8 (10:00):
Give us your favor against the Philistines. Make us mighty,
like like Joshua who toppled the walls at Jericho. Give
us the strength of the great hero Sampson, who slew
a lion and grants you're king the strength to lead
as your right arm.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
Saul needed the men to see him as holy. The
sacrifice burned, and the smoke rose high into the sky.
Saul turned, watching the men's faces as they looked upon him.
For the first time in days, they seemed calm. Slowly
they began to cheer. They praised God and praised Saul,
(10:44):
confident cries lifting along with the smoke. Saul's face turned
upward and he lifted his fists in the air.
Speaker 7 (10:52):
Ha ha ah.
Speaker 4 (10:53):
Yes, yes, the Lord is with us, He's strong and
courageous brother.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Saul turned and shouted at the burnt offering. It was
a war cry, not a song of worship. And as
Saul dipped his head in satisfaction, he saw the figure.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
On the hill.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
Samuel had arrived. Samuel stood at the crest of the hill,
his staff in hand, his robes catching in the wind.
The sun had not yet set. He was there on time.
The old prophet moved slowly toward the altar, his steps deliberate,
His eyes did not stray from Saul did not waver
(11:37):
as he stepped into the camp. He was winded from
his journey, but he did not slow his pace. And
then he saw the altar, the smoldering remains of the sacrifice.
Saul stood before it, basking in the approval of his men.
Samuel's blood burned, his grip tightened on his staff, his
(12:01):
fingers whitening around the wood. As the sacrifice burnt out,
the people began to scatter, leaving Saul alone. As Samuel approached,
Saul wiped his hands on a cloth, knocking a coal
from the altar. The rag caught fire, immediately burning up
in an instant. The coals beneath it cooled black and lifeless.
(12:24):
Saul turned, meeting Samuel's gaze. The king smiled as if
nothing had happened.
Speaker 4 (12:31):
Samuel, the Lord, bless you and keep you.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
The words were hollow, as empty as the sacrifice that
still smoldered behind him. Samuel did not return the blessing.
Saul reached out to place a hand on the prophet's shoulder,
but Samuel batted it away. The old man straightened. Though
he was shorter than Saul, his presence loomed larger than
(12:56):
the king. His voice when he spoke, sharp as a blade.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
What have you done?
Speaker 1 (13:03):
Saul's smile faltered. He gestured to the altar with forced nonchalance.
Speaker 4 (13:09):
Oh, you mean the sacrifice. The people were losing heart, Samuel.
They were scattering from me. You had not come when
you said you would, so I took action.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
Samuel's expression did not change. Saul shifted nervous beneath the
weight of the prophet's silence.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
The Philistines have gathered a nicknash. I could not go
into battle without seeking the Lord's favor, could I? I've
forced myself to take on the role of priest.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Samuel's eyes darkened.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
Forced yourself, Yes, Samuel, I did what needed to be done.
Speaker 5 (13:49):
You are a fool.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Saul flinched. Samuel's voice was not a whisper, now it
was thunder.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
You have disregarded the command.
Speaker 5 (14:00):
Of the Lord, your God.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
Had you obeyed, your kingdom would have been established forever.
Speaker 5 (14:06):
But no, no, your kingdom shall not continue.
Speaker 4 (14:12):
Oh ah, come now, Samuel, it's no big deal. My
people needed a bit of encouragement as their king.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
Who thinks they are your people?
Speaker 5 (14:23):
Your God is people's soul, not yours.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
Was I not coronated on this very hill? Do I
not have a responsibility as king?
Speaker 5 (14:37):
Don't give me that soul?
Speaker 2 (14:39):
Remember, and a sheer see right through you, and what
exactly do you see?
Speaker 4 (14:47):
Your heart?
Speaker 2 (14:48):
That is why the Lord has sought another to replace you.
A man after his own heart, king who will seek
the favor of God rather than the price of men.
His kingdom will endure yours not.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
Saul said nothing, his brow softened from a furrow to
an arc. He could only watch as Samuel turned and
walked away, leaving him alone. Before the dying flames, Samuel
clenched his jaw. He may have lost God's favor, but
he would not lose his throne.
Speaker 6 (15:35):
Saul is such a tragic figure. He was so pious
and so dedicated to serving the chosen people. But Saul
just didn't have the excellent leadership ability that the head
of state needs to have, especially the leader of Israel.
And then Saul's truly fatal error takes place. In this episode,
(15:56):
Samuel had specifically commanded Saul not to perform the offer
service until he Samuel, the Prophet of God, arrived, but
Saul got nervous, He got scared. He saw that Israel
was outnumbered by the Philistine army, and so Saul decided
to perform the offering before going to war.
Speaker 3 (16:15):
Well.
Speaker 6 (16:16):
In doing so, Saul crossed the line by not obeying
the words of God's prophet, By not following God's word
and it's because of this specific action. Jewish tradition teaches
that Saul ultimately lost the kingship. A leader of the
chosen people must follow the word of God. This is
(16:38):
an important lesson for all of us today, isn't it.
We no longer have direct prophecy as the Israelites did
in Samuel, but we do know what God expects from us,
and we know it from reading this very Bible that
we're studying together every day. Me here in Israel, the
land of prophecy, and you spread out as God's chilldren
(17:00):
all across the world. But here's the question, why would
Saul do this? Why would he follow the word of
God when it doesn't make sense to him. Well, tradition
teaches that fear is often the root of sin, Fear
that God won't show up, fear that his promises won't hold,
fear that drives us to grasp what we were meant
(17:23):
to receive. Letting go of that fear and trusting God
is hard, isn't it. Waiting on God is one of
the most difficult acts of faith, and Saul's failure calls
us all to reflect, are we willing to wait on God?
Even when his timing feels unbearable. The tragedy of Saul's
(17:44):
decision is not just that it was wrong. It's that
it revealed a heart unaligned with God. He wasn't just
a king who made a mistake. He was a king
who forgot who's throne he sat beneath. In stepping into
Samuel's role, Saul acted as though the kingdom were his
to say, cure. This is the core of his sin.
(18:05):
He forgot that he was a steward, not a sovereign.
He saw the sacrifice as a transaction way to invoke
God's favor, as if God was just a tool to
be used or a weapon to be wielded, rather than
our creator to be worshiped. But here's the deeper insight.
God's delays are not denials, their invitations. They invite us
(18:31):
to grow in trust, to let go of our need
for control, to remember that God's ways are not our ways,
and his timing it is perfect. Look at the arc
of scripture. Abraham waited twenty five years for the sun
God promised. Joseph sat in prison for years, forgotten by
(18:51):
those he helped. Even David, the man after God's own heart,
will spend years fleeing from Saul before he could take
the throne. This is the pattern of faith. Waiting isn't
wasted time. It's sacred time, time when God shapes us,
ownes us, and reminds us that we are not the
(19:12):
authors of our own story, and each of us we
all have a little bit of Saul in us, don't we.
We step into rolls that aren't ours. We grasp for
control when we should be surrendering, and in our impatience,
we lose sight of the bigger picture. The world teaches
us that waiting is weakness, that success is about taking charge,
(19:35):
making things happen, and pushing forward no matter the cost.
But Saul's story tells us something different. It tells us
that true strength is found in surrender. True power is
found in submission to God's timing. Have you ever sent
a text message on your phone and watched those three
little dots appear just waiting for a response. Have you
(19:58):
felt the anxiety of waiting for answer to a job application,
maybe waiting for a medical test. We live in a
culture of instant gratification. We're waiting feels kind of like
a punishment. But what if our waiting isn't a punishment,
but a gift, a chance to grow deeper roots of faith.
(20:20):
So here's my encouragement for you today. You don't have
to carry the weight. You don't have to always be
in control. God will carry our weight. God is in control.
He is faithful even when we're not. His timing is
perfect even when it feels slow, and his plans they
(20:41):
are good even when they don't make sense. So, my friends,
I encourage you now, trust him, wait for him, and
when fear creeps in, remember the throne is not ours
to secure. It never was, It has all and it
will always belong to God.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
You can listen to The Chosen People with Yle Eckstein
ad free by downloading and subscribing to the prey dot
com app today. This preydog comproduction is only made possible
by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina, Max Bard,
Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of
(21:25):
the Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, edited by Alberto Avilla,
narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton,
Aaron Salvado, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwald, Sylvia Zaradoc,
Thomas Copeland Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and the opening prayer is
voiced by John Moore. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written
(21:50):
by Aaron Salvato, bre Rosalie and Chris Baig. Special thanks
to Bishop Paul Lanier, Robin van Ettin, Kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller,
and the team at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.
You can hear more Prey dot com productions on the
Prey dot com app, available on the Apple App Store
and Google play Store. If you enjoyed The Chosen People
(22:12):
with Yile Eckstein, please rate and leave a review,
Previously on the chosen people.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Well, I suppose it's settled. Then you love the king,
you beg for he's here, he's grand, and oh, I'm
sure nothing could possibly go wrong.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Saul held the breastplate before him, his fingers tracing the
golden filigree. The weight of it was immense, but it
did not burden him. It emboldened him.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Now there will be no mistaking who is king.
Speaker 4 (00:34):
When I merchant a battle, take trumpets to every city.
Let all of Israel know that I have won this battle.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
The Lord has conquered kings and toppled towers for you.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
If you whine for.
Speaker 5 (00:53):
A king like children when Nahash came, you did not
call on the Lord to save you. No, you asked
for a man, and here he is the king you demanded.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
The Lord has given you what you wanted, But take heed.
If you and your king obey him, oh he'll be well.
But if you rebel, if your hearts grow proud and arrogant,
if you forget the Lord again, then he will stand
(01:33):
against both you and your king.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
For the first time, a seed of bitterness took root
in Saul's heart. He wondered if Samuel had ever truly
wanted him to be king, or if the old prophet
was secretly praying for his failure.
Speaker 6 (01:58):
What's more dangerous in me at your gates or compromise
in your hearts? Shelloh, my friends, from here in the
holy land of Israel, i'm l extein with international fellowship
of Christians and Jews, and welcome to the Chosen people.
A king, a prophet, a waiting army in the distance.
The Philistines gather their strength. Anxiety rises like smoke curling
(02:22):
into the hearts of men who hold swords in trembling hands.
This is one Samuel thirteen eight to twenty two. It's
a story of power misused, of worship corrupted, and of
fragile human pride. What happens when fear drives faith, when
authority oversteps its bounds, when warship becomes a means to
(02:44):
control instead of a way to surrender. To answer those questions,
let's turn to this episode, a moment when the weight
of a king's decision reshapes the destiny of the Chosen people.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
The name of Israel had become a bitter curse on
Philistine tongues. Before Saul's reign, the Hebrews had been scattered
nothing more than farmers and herdsmen wielding crude swords. But
Jonathan's victory at Geber had stirred something dangerous, a flame
of defiance that the Philistines would not tolerate. So they
(03:23):
answered with fire. In the weeks that followed, they raised
an army unlike anything Israel had seen before, three thousand chariots,
six thousand horsemen and foot soldiers, beyond counting warriors as
numerous as the sands of the shore. Their war cries
echoed across the land, a relentless drumbeat of approaching doom
(03:48):
and worse. The Philistines were cunning. They did not charge
blindly into battle. They struck at the heart of Israel's strength.
Before the war had even begun. Smiths were stolen away
in the night, murdered in their homes, or taken in
chains to Philistine's strongholds. The forges of Israel fell silent,
(04:10):
and her warriors were left with little more than farming
tools and hunting knives. Victory was already within reach, and
the Philistines had yet to draw a sword in battle.
Their armies swarmed into Mickmash, east of beth Avon, fortifying
their position. They moved like a predator circling its prey,
(04:30):
waiting for Israel to break beneath the weight of its
own terror. And that fear was breaking them. Men whispered
in dark corners of their homes. Some fled with their families,
vanishing into the hills of Gad and Gilead. Others hid
in caves, cringing like dogs at the sound of every
Philistine warhorn. Saul may have been adorned with glimmering armor
(04:55):
of gold, his sword may have been sharp, and his
shields stirred rudy, But in the end, fear is stronger
than steel. Saul summoned his people to Gilgal, to the
place where he had been crowned, the place where Samuel
had first anointed him. There before the Lord, a sacrifice
(05:17):
would be made and Israel would march to war. But
as the days passed, Saul saw his army thinning. Every
morning he awoke to fewer men. They were slipping away,
vanishing into the wilderness. Their courage drained like blood from
a wound. By the time he reached Gilgal, the few
that remained were restless, their hands tightening around the crude
(05:41):
weapons they had left. Their faces were pale with fear,
and the Philistines were waiting.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
This isn't good. The people are losing heart before the
battle has even begun. Where is Samuel? Will give the
men assurance that God is on our side.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Saul mounted the stone platform where he had once been
declared king. His armor shimmered beneath the sun, blinding in
its golden brilliance. He raised his sword high and let
his voice ring out across the encampment.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
Men of Israel, do not fear the war that stands
at our gates. The prophet of God is coming. He
will call upon the Lord. We shall descend upon the
Philistines like a star. Believe in me, as your king,
I shall deliver you.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Saul's speech did little to stir them. It lifted their spirits,
but only for a moment. Saul knew they would not last.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
Blast it, Tavvy, Do you have any word on Samuel?
Has he sent any messengers?
Speaker 5 (06:55):
He said he would arrive on the seventh day.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Every hour that passes without saying Amnuel's arrival is another hour.
The men spend whispering in fear.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
And with every whisper Saul felt control slipping from his grasp.
By the seventh day, the appointed day of sacrifice, Samuel
was still nowhere to be seen. Saul walked the length
of the camp, watching his men with growing unease. They
avoided his gaze. Their hands twitched at their sides, itching
(07:30):
to run, grab their families and flee to the hills.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
They're going to leave me. They're losing hope in God.
They're losing hope in me.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
His heart pounded in his chest. The crown on his
head felt heavier than ever. Samuel had promised he would come,
but the sun was beginning its descent, and still the
prophet's donkey was nowhere on the horizon. Saul's gave flickered
to the altar.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
The people need to see me with the favor of God.
They need to know I am anointed.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
His fingers twitched at his sides.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
If they do not see the sacrifice, they will run.
They will leave me as a king without a kingdom.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
The sun inched lower.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
Samuel has abandoned.
Speaker 7 (08:32):
Me.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
It's a to me and me alone.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Saul exhaled sharply and turned to his servants. His voice
was steady, but there was something frantic in his eyes.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Bring me the burnt offerings and the peace offerings.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
My King, are you sure?
Speaker 5 (08:56):
Is that not a priest's roll and a priest's roll alone.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
I'm the King. I will be and do whatever is
necessary for the people. If I must be a priest
or a prophet, so be it.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
Bring me the offerings.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
The offerings were brought forward, and the fire was prepared.
Saul stepped before the altar, his golden armor gleaming, his
hands steady, but his heart a storm of paranoia. He
butchered the animal as a soldier, not a priest. His
blade was swift, but there was no reverence in the movement.
(09:36):
He slashed and cut without ceremony, his lips murmuring empty prayers,
words spoken not to honor God, but to comfort the people.
Speaker 7 (09:46):
God of Abraham and Jacob, Lord of the Earth and Sky,
receive this offering.
Speaker 8 (10:00):
Give us your favor against the Philistines. Make us mighty,
like like Joshua who toppled the walls at Jericho. Give
us the strength of the great hero Sampson, who slew
a lion and grants you're king the strength to lead
as your right arm.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
Saul needed the men to see him as holy. The
sacrifice burned, and the smoke rose high into the sky.
Saul turned, watching the men's faces as they looked upon him.
For the first time in days, they seemed calm. Slowly
they began to cheer. They praised God and praised Saul,
(10:44):
confident cries lifting along with the smoke. Saul's face turned
upward and he lifted his fists in the air.
Speaker 7 (10:52):
Ha ha ah.
Speaker 4 (10:53):
Yes, yes, the Lord is with us, He's strong and
courageous brother.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Saul turned and shouted at the burnt offering. It was
a war cry, not a song of worship. And as
Saul dipped his head in satisfaction, he saw the figure.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
On the hill.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
Samuel had arrived. Samuel stood at the crest of the hill,
his staff in hand, his robes catching in the wind.
The sun had not yet set. He was there on time.
The old prophet moved slowly toward the altar, his steps deliberate,
His eyes did not stray from Saul did not waver
(11:37):
as he stepped into the camp. He was winded from
his journey, but he did not slow his pace. And
then he saw the altar, the smoldering remains of the sacrifice.
Saul stood before it, basking in the approval of his men.
Samuel's blood burned, his grip tightened on his staff, his
(12:01):
fingers whitening around the wood. As the sacrifice burnt out,
the people began to scatter, leaving Saul alone. As Samuel approached,
Saul wiped his hands on a cloth, knocking a coal
from the altar. The rag caught fire, immediately burning up
in an instant. The coals beneath it cooled black and lifeless.
(12:24):
Saul turned, meeting Samuel's gaze. The king smiled as if
nothing had happened.
Speaker 4 (12:31):
Samuel, the Lord, bless you and keep you.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
The words were hollow, as empty as the sacrifice that
still smoldered behind him. Samuel did not return the blessing.
Saul reached out to place a hand on the prophet's shoulder,
but Samuel batted it away. The old man straightened. Though
he was shorter than Saul, his presence loomed larger than
(12:56):
the king. His voice when he spoke, sharp as a blade.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
What have you done?
Speaker 1 (13:03):
Saul's smile faltered. He gestured to the altar with forced nonchalance.
Speaker 4 (13:09):
Oh, you mean the sacrifice. The people were losing heart, Samuel.
They were scattering from me. You had not come when
you said you would, so I took action.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
Samuel's expression did not change. Saul shifted nervous beneath the
weight of the prophet's silence.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
The Philistines have gathered a nicknash. I could not go
into battle without seeking the Lord's favor, could I? I've
forced myself to take on the role of priest.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Samuel's eyes darkened.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
Forced yourself, Yes, Samuel, I did what needed to be done.
Speaker 5 (13:49):
You are a fool.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Saul flinched. Samuel's voice was not a whisper, now it
was thunder.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
You have disregarded the command.
Speaker 5 (14:00):
Of the Lord, your God.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
Had you obeyed, your kingdom would have been established forever.
Speaker 5 (14:06):
But no, no, your kingdom shall not continue.
Speaker 4 (14:12):
Oh ah, come now, Samuel, it's no big deal. My
people needed a bit of encouragement as their king.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
Who thinks they are your people?
Speaker 5 (14:23):
Your God is people's soul, not yours.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
Was I not coronated on this very hill? Do I
not have a responsibility as king?
Speaker 5 (14:37):
Don't give me that soul?
Speaker 2 (14:39):
Remember, and a sheer see right through you, and what
exactly do you see?
Speaker 4 (14:47):
Your heart?
Speaker 2 (14:48):
That is why the Lord has sought another to replace you.
A man after his own heart, king who will seek
the favor of God rather than the price of men.
His kingdom will endure yours not.
Speaker 1 (15:10):
Saul said nothing, his brow softened from a furrow to
an arc. He could only watch as Samuel turned and
walked away, leaving him alone. Before the dying flames, Samuel
clenched his jaw. He may have lost God's favor, but
he would not lose his throne.
Speaker 6 (15:35):
Saul is such a tragic figure. He was so pious
and so dedicated to serving the chosen people. But Saul
just didn't have the excellent leadership ability that the head
of state needs to have, especially the leader of Israel.
And then Saul's truly fatal error takes place. In this episode,
(15:56):
Samuel had specifically commanded Saul not to perform the offer
service until he Samuel, the Prophet of God, arrived, but
Saul got nervous, He got scared. He saw that Israel
was outnumbered by the Philistine army, and so Saul decided
to perform the offering before going to war.
Speaker 3 (16:15):
Well.
Speaker 6 (16:16):
In doing so, Saul crossed the line by not obeying
the words of God's prophet, By not following God's word
and it's because of this specific action. Jewish tradition teaches
that Saul ultimately lost the kingship. A leader of the
chosen people must follow the word of God. This is
(16:38):
an important lesson for all of us today, isn't it.
We no longer have direct prophecy as the Israelites did
in Samuel, but we do know what God expects from us,
and we know it from reading this very Bible that
we're studying together every day. Me here in Israel, the
land of prophecy, and you spread out as God's chilldren
(17:00):
all across the world. But here's the question, why would
Saul do this? Why would he follow the word of
God when it doesn't make sense to him. Well, tradition
teaches that fear is often the root of sin, Fear
that God won't show up, fear that his promises won't hold,
fear that drives us to grasp what we were meant
(17:23):
to receive. Letting go of that fear and trusting God
is hard, isn't it. Waiting on God is one of
the most difficult acts of faith, and Saul's failure calls
us all to reflect, are we willing to wait on God?
Even when his timing feels unbearable. The tragedy of Saul's
(17:44):
decision is not just that it was wrong. It's that
it revealed a heart unaligned with God. He wasn't just
a king who made a mistake. He was a king
who forgot who's throne he sat beneath. In stepping into
Samuel's role, Saul acted as though the kingdom were his
to say, cure. This is the core of his sin.
(18:05):
He forgot that he was a steward, not a sovereign.
He saw the sacrifice as a transaction way to invoke
God's favor, as if God was just a tool to
be used or a weapon to be wielded, rather than
our creator to be worshiped. But here's the deeper insight.
God's delays are not denials, their invitations. They invite us
(18:31):
to grow in trust, to let go of our need
for control, to remember that God's ways are not our ways,
and his timing it is perfect. Look at the arc
of scripture. Abraham waited twenty five years for the sun
God promised. Joseph sat in prison for years, forgotten by
(18:51):
those he helped. Even David, the man after God's own heart,
will spend years fleeing from Saul before he could take
the throne. This is the pattern of faith. Waiting isn't
wasted time. It's sacred time, time when God shapes us,
ownes us, and reminds us that we are not the
(19:12):
authors of our own story, and each of us we
all have a little bit of Saul in us, don't we.
We step into rolls that aren't ours. We grasp for
control when we should be surrendering, and in our impatience,
we lose sight of the bigger picture. The world teaches
us that waiting is weakness, that success is about taking charge,
(19:35):
making things happen, and pushing forward no matter the cost.
But Saul's story tells us something different. It tells us
that true strength is found in surrender. True power is
found in submission to God's timing. Have you ever sent
a text message on your phone and watched those three
little dots appear just waiting for a response. Have you
(19:58):
felt the anxiety of waiting for answer to a job application,
maybe waiting for a medical test. We live in a
culture of instant gratification. We're waiting feels kind of like
a punishment. But what if our waiting isn't a punishment,
but a gift, a chance to grow deeper roots of faith.
(20:20):
So here's my encouragement for you today. You don't have
to carry the weight. You don't have to always be
in control. God will carry our weight. God is in control.
He is faithful even when we're not. His timing is
perfect even when it feels slow, and his plans they
(20:41):
are good even when they don't make sense. So, my friends,
I encourage you now, trust him, wait for him, and
when fear creeps in, remember the throne is not ours
to secure. It never was, It has all and it
will always belong to God.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
You can listen to The Chosen People with Yle Eckstein
ad free by downloading and subscribing to the prey dot
com app today. This preydog comproduction is only made possible
by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina, Max Bard,
Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of
(21:25):
the Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, edited by Alberto Avilla,
narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton,
Aaron Salvado, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwald, Sylvia Zaradoc,
Thomas Copeland Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and the opening prayer is
voiced by John Moore. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written
(21:50):
by Aaron Salvato, bre Rosalie and Chris Baig. Special thanks
to Bishop Paul Lanier, Robin van Ettin, Kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller,
and the team at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.
You can hear more Prey dot com productions on the
Prey dot com app, available on the Apple App Store
and Google play Store. If you enjoyed The Chosen People
(22:12):
with Yile Eckstein, please rate and leave a review,
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!