Overcoming a destructive heritage (1 Samuel 11)
1 Sam 11:1-13
A friend of mine had a very critical mother who constantly censured her for the way she dressed, talked, and acted. Although she understood as an adult that her mother’s reproaches arose out of a desire to improve her, my friend vowed never to do as her mother did. Yet, she was shocked to realise one morning as she was lecturing her own daughter that she had become just like her own mother! It is hard to escape our background, the patterns of behaviour we observed at home or the thoughts we were raised with. Some aspects of our heritage are harmless or positive and we may be grateful that acquiring certain habits comes without effort because we were raised with them. None of us, however, are entirely free of ‘baggage’, simply because human beings are not sinless. Yet, we have the option of breaking the chain of wrong beliefs and practices.
Although the story of Saul does not explicitly talk about his heritage, there are a number of oblique references to it, especially in our passage. First, we know he is a Benjamite, a tribe that was particularly well-known for its feisty, fighting qualities (1 Sam 9:1; Judg 20:40, 46).[1] Secondly, he is from Gibeah (1 Sam 10:26; 11:4), the site of unbelievable atrocity during the time of the judges, where local Benjamites took advantage of a vulnerable travelling Levite and gang-raped his concubine (Judges 19). The rest of the tribe refused to condemn their act thus becoming a party to their sin and plunging the country into civil war that all but eliminated the tribe (Judges 20). These events are particularly evoked in Saul’s action cutting up a yoke of oxen and sending its pieces to the tribes to call them into battle, which is reminiscent of the Levite cutting up his concubine’s body and sending the pieces to the tribes to appeal for justice (1 Sam 11:7; Judg 19:29-30). In the earlier incident, Jabesh Gilead was the only city that did not join Israel in battle against Benjamin suggesting an indifference to the course of justice, whereas now they face abuse and call Israel for help (1 Sam 11:3; Judg 21:8-9).
Despite his dark heritage, Saul proves himself to be a model king along the lines that God had intended. Saul is in tune with God’s Spirit and is outraged at what might happen to Jabesh Gilead even though this city was earlier uncaring about the abuse suffered by others (1 Sam 11:6). Saul, on the other hand, cares for justice and calls the tribes to aid the vulnerable. Saul’s generous attitude after the battle towards those who formerly mocked him also shows inner strength (1 Sam 11:12-13). He rises above his earlier insecurities and does not take the insults personally. His ability to do so derives from the conviction that the deliverance came from the Lord (1 Sam 14:13), not from him, and on such a day of rejoicing over God’s saving act, there is no place for personal vendettas. This is the high point in Saul’s reign, where he acts in defence of the weak, refuses to use his power for personal revenge and demonstrates his submission to God’s rule who gives victory.
Saul started out with certain disadvantages. He carried the dark heritage of his tribe’s propensity for violence against the weak and lived in a family that was potentially wealthy and/or of fighting stock. Together with his own powerful physique, all this would have created a strong temptation to rely on himself, as well as to use power for his own advantage. His possible insecurities also made him vulnerable to responding inappropriately to those who doubted him. Yet, when he was in step with God’s purposes and Spirit, he was capable of overcoming his weaknesses. Although Saul failed in the long run, this episode highlights that no matter what baggage we carry, God can enable us to rise above the things in our heritage that pull us down. When we are engaged on the true King’s business and respond to His leading, we can become His instruments for good.
[1] The whole of Judges 20 is on the civil war that resulted from the gang rape of the Levites’ concubine and describes how Israel was only able to defeat Benjamin after several attempts and heavy losses.
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