The Parting of the Ways

And Samuel announced God’s judgment: “He has rejected you as king.”

Saul’s face changed. It started stony. Fierce. And then it thawed. Panic blossomed in his eyes. His lips pressed together. They shook. “I have sinned!” He finally blurted. “I violated the Lord’s command and your instructions! I was afraid of the people and so gave in to them!”

Tears leaked from the prophet’s eyes. This was the great man that was supposed to save the nation? This begging man who didn’t take responsibility? Listen to him crumble. Listen to him blame the people he was supposed to lead.

Saul begged, “Now I beg you, forgive my sin. Come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord!” He glanced behind him, where his men were gathering, waiting for him, waiting to see what the prophet and their king were discussing.

Samuel shook his head. The king didn’t care about the Lord. He wanted to look good in front of his men. “I will not go back with you,” Samuel said, tears rolling down his cheeks now, but his voice firm. “You have rejected the Word of the Lord. The Lord has rejected you as king over Israel.”

And he turned to leave. He felt a tug on his robe as he stepped away. It must have caught on something. Samuel pulled. Yanked. He heard a tear. And then he looked behind.

Saul was holding onto his torn robe.

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The pity in Samuel burned away into anger. “The Lord has torn the kingdom away from you today and given it to one of your neighbors. To one better than you.”

Saul flinched at the words.

Samuel continued, “He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind.”

Yes. The glory of Israel wasn’t the king. It wasn’t Saul. It was the God that Saul had rejected.

The prophet spat, “He is not a man, that he should change his mind.”

No. God would not change his mind. Saul would not be king. He was rejected.

Saul fell to his knees. “Please. Come back with me. I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel. Come back with me, so I may worship the Lord your God.”

Samuel glanced up at the hills. At all the people watching. What would happen if he walked away? What would happen if they all knew that God had rejected Saul?

The nation would fall apart.

They couldn’t know. Not until the new king was chosen. Not until later.

So Samuel went to the sacrifice. And there, he righted what Saul had done. He killed the king that Saul had not been king enough to slaughter. And after the sacrifice, Samuel went home.

Until the day Samuel died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned for him. And the Lord was grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.

This story is based on I Samuel 15:23-35