Msg #24015a King Saul, Was He God's Mistake?

What The Bible Says, Good Samaritan's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice

Following a rousing Wednesday Bible Study/Discussion on the book of 1Samuel, I was compelled to write the following essay on topic.

When God had Saul anointed to be king of Israel, was it a mistake? Saul was “a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he” (1Sam.9:1), but look how quickly he became a disobedient failure. A resounding response is, “God makes no mistakes!” But a layer deeper we understand that God works with man, one on one, allowing man's free-will, but also bringing about his purposes. This is especially true for his bringing about those few things he decreed before the foundation of the world, i.e. His Son being Our Saviour. God did not, from all eternity, decree or “unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass”, else your upcoming week is locked in and unchangable, and so was Saul's disobedience! No! Nor was your birth, or marriage, or rejection/acceptance of God's Only Begotten Son ordained before/from the foundation of the world! (Word search and read the ten “foundation of the world” references in a KJB!) SO, God works with man, one on one, allowing man's free-will, but also bringing about his purposes; he is big, i.e. infinite; he can work through you, or around you.

And thus we can better understand God's selection and eventual discard, of King Saul; and better understand that our upcoming week will depend on our prayer-life, spiritual walk, and prayers of others, because “prayer changes things!” God gave Saul a perfect opportunity, Saul blundered so badly that eventually, to accomplish his purposes, God even sent “an evil spirit from God upon Saul”, check your Bible.

Consider also that God hardened Pharaoh's heart, and Pharaoh hardened his own heart; dare we say, dare we see that, God was “manipulating”, so Israel, … and I, would see him magnified above all the gods of Egypt. Perhaps, with King Saul, the LORD God was profoundly illustrating “man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”

Westminster Confession of 1646: “Of God's Eternal Decree … God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass.” … In the catholic confession, sure, but NOT in the Holy Bible. Just ask Abraham, Moses, or xKing Saul (2Tim.2:15).

Another Essay for week #15, Apr 14, 2024

“Journaling a Preacher's 2023 Pilgrimage to Israel” www.GSBaptistChurch.com/israel23

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