Today we arrive at a pivotal moment in Israel's young monarchy as King Saul faces battle against the vastly superior Philistine army. So great is the Philistine advantage that fear begins to grip the Israel ranks – to the point that Saul fears his troops may disintegrate before the first arrow is fired. And thus, Saul is confronted with a choice: wait (as he has been strictly instructed to do), or act of his own accord. Saul acts…, in what feels to us a very understandable way. And yet that action brings the severe judgment of the Lord. Indeed, Saul's decision will cost him a dynasty (an especially troubling punishment in light of a crime that feels far lesser than crimes later committed by David, to whom God will pledge a covenant of perpetual reign!). And with Saul's fate, we are confronted with the fundamental question of: why??? Why is Saul treated so harshly? And what does such treatment say about God and about justice and about the whole concept of earthly kingship…? They are questions hardly limited to the 11th century BC as we might ask them of ourselves today.

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Want to follow along with the biblical texts for this sermon? Here's the link: 1 Samuel 13:1-15 (NRSV).