A Taste of Honey

A summary: Saul’s son Jonathan helps him in battle (yes, more war tales), being instrumental in Israel’s latest victories. Saul tells the soldiers not to eat anything until he has. Jon didn’t know this, has a taste of honey to sustain him, Saul finds out and says he cannot live. Saul is willing to kill own son, thinking this would please God. The soldiers come to his defense and he gets to live.

Confession # 86: Geeze, I am glad I didn’t live during Old Testament days (that I know of – wink).

“All the days of Saul there was bitter warring with the Philistines.” Yea, we get it.

Confession #87: I continue to be struck by the monomania for martial events in this document. Was there not ANYTHING else going on of import? Local issues, family dynamics, farming disputes, artistic endeavors, advances in medicine, food production.

Next, God tells Samuel to tell Saul to attack the Amalekites (for old grievances coming out of Egypt) and kill every man, woman, child, infant, and donkey (poor donkey)!

Confession #87: This stuff is really getting hard to read. If you haven’t read it yourself, I do NOT suggest adding to your Beach Reading List this summer.

So, Saul does this, except he keeps some of the finer livestock he says to offer to the Lord. God is furious that he didn’t follow command to the letter and Saul doesn’t get it, thinking he was doing an honorable thing. Saul begs forgiveness, but Samuel rejects him and another is named to replace him.

Confession #88: I think Saul meant well, but I didn’t think much of him as a leader. Funny, too, because God chose him for this position. I guess even when a leader thinks he was “chosen” (again dub-ya.) he can let the big guy down.