Big Idea: God’s people can forfeit their privilege and blessing by foolishly disobeying the Lord’s word.

Understanding the Text

As chapter 12 concludes, one hopes and may even expect that Saul will succeed. After all, empowered by the Lord’s Spirit, he defeated the Ammonites, and the rebellious people responded positively to Samuel’s call to covenantal renewal. Yet there was unfinished business. The Ammonites have been defeated, but the Philistine problem remains. The Lord announced to Samuel that the new king would deliver Israel from the Philistine threat (9:16). When Samuel commissioned Saul, he indicated that Saul, once empowered by the Lord’s Spirit, should take action against the Philistines, then proceed to Gilgal and wait for Samuel to arrive and give him further instructions (10…