Resumo de Samuel I Ii

For king Saul, the Amalek debacle proved to be the beginning of the end. For reasons best known to him, Israel's first monarch had decided to snub the One who catapulted him from the ranks of the unknown to the throne. His orders were to annihilate the Amalekites from the the least to the greatest. It is a historical fact that the leaders of Israel that achieved the most outstanding successes were the ones who obeyed God totally.

Although Saul achieved a pyrrhic victory by slaughtering the Amalekites, he lost his mandate to continue as king by sparing Agag and a few animals. This king had failed to carry out to the letter the orders he was given. Justifiably, Samuel was incensed at Saul's conduct and one can only imagine how disappointed the prophet would be having tried to give the king all the necessary support all along. Although the king continued to have the throne and the crown, he had lost the backing of heaven. It was not just Samuel that he disobeyed it was the Almighty.

From the time Saul lost the backing of heaven, his life and rulership were never quite the same again. He had also lost in Samuel a great friend, an adviser per excellence, a consultant and an elder statesman. As in difficult situations he had no one of Samuel's spiritual calibre to turn to, he ended up consulting mediums and wizards.

However, in appraising Saul, one may need to look at his situation in the context of his time. Also one may have to understand where he was coming from. In the first place and from all indications, he was not really God's choice for the leadership of the nation at the time. He was the result of arm-twisting by the people. They forced God's hand to produce someone as king because they wanted a king at all costs at the time. Therefore, his kingship was sudden having had no grooming of any kind. Though in fairness to Israel's last Judge, Samuel provided every support. The account states, ' Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the Lord.'

Nevertheless and despite everything, no one can fail to recognise Saul's contribution to the nation of Israel especially militarily. He started with the liberation of the people of Jabesh-gilead. He also fought and won several other wars. In a tear - inducing eulogy to Saul and his son, the military genius who became his worthy successor had this to say, ' From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.'

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