Wages of Sin

"So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance. ¹⁴ But he did not inquire of the LORD; therefore He killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse."

1 Chronicles 10:13-14

Reading the Bible lately has been a testimony to the depth and wisdom of God's Word.  God has been faithful to teach me new things from familiar passages.  What joy comes from the knowledge and wisdom of God, that He brings newness from scriptures which have been in existence for thousands of years.  The Bible is distinct from all books written by men because it is the inspired Word of God which will endure forever.

I grew up in a church where the Bible was taught faithfully and raised by parents who read the scriptures daily.  For thirty years the Bible has been a close companion, but never closer to me than now.  And I am convinced I have more to learn from the scriptures than ever before!  The crazy, miraculous thing is that God still teaches me new things all the time.  This isn't because I'm special, have a level of spiritual maturity, a discerning mind, or have been trained:  it is because God is good and faithful to His promises.  He says, "Open your mouth wide and I will fill it."  Like a bird bringing food to her helpless young, God delivers the goods daily to hearts which hunger for it and will receive.

So as I read the 1 Chronicles passage today, I was struck again by fresh insight from the LORD.  As previously stated, I have always found King Saul fascinating.  How the humble become mighty and the mighty fall tragically amazes me.  The first part of Romans 6:23 explains the principle at work in the life of Saul:  "For the wages of sin is death..." Saul was unfaithful to God, did not keep God's Word, and consulted with a medium contrary to the Law.  He was the kind of man who wanted God to bail him out of a tough spot when it suited him, but had no desire to humble himself in submission.  Saul earned his own untimely death - even at his own hands - through his rebellion and unrepentant heart before God.  The wages of sin is death.

As I considered this indictment against Saul, I saw that verse 14 says Saul did not inquire of the LORD.  In fact, on the surface it might seem to contradict 1 Samuel 28:5-6:  "When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. ⁶ And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets."  When Saul was overwhelmed and afraid (because he trusted in himself!), then he sought the LORD.  Instead of repenting for his sin, Saul longed for some passive means of hearing from God.  He hoped for guidance while he slept through a dream or desired a prophet would come to him with a word from the LORD.  That word never came.  Some might even blame God for not responding when Saul attempted to inquire of the LORD.  Notice that Saul attempted to inquire of the LORD by Urim.  This leads us to consider a tragic event which made inquiring of the LORD by King Saul impossible.

Saul felt threatened by David who slew Goliath, the giant from Gath.  He considered David an enemy and sought to kill him on numerous occasions.  When David fled for his life he stopped at Nob to speak with Ahimelech, the chief priest.  Under the guise of a secret mission, David was able to procure a sword and bread.  Saul heard later from Doeg the Edomite, a man loyal to him and chief over his herds, that Ahimelech had helped David escape - albeit unknowingly.  Saul was enraged and condemned Ahimelech to death for this treason of helping David.  No one would move a muscle to carry out that wicked command.  So Saul commanded Doeg to slay the priests.  That day Doeg slew 85 priests.  He was far from done!  1 Samuel 22:19 explains further the destruction Saul allowed:  "Also Nob, the city of the priests, he struck with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing infants, oxen and donkeys and sheep--with the edge of the sword."  Saul ordered the slaughter of all of the priests.  Only Abiathar, son of Ahimelech, was able to escape and sought refuge with David.  David had the capacity to inquire of the LORD through Ahimelech, but Saul had cut off his mediator to God!

Ironic, isn't it?  God had commanded Saul to exterminate the Amalekites and all their possessions because of their wickedness towards God and Israel.  Yet Saul disobeyed and chose to save the choicest of the sheep, oxen, fatlings, lambs, and even King Agag (1 Sam. 15:9).  Everything that seemed good to him he saved alive, under the pretense of offering it to God as a sacrifice.  Saul rebelled from the command of God, and the consequence was that the kingdom was taken away and given to David and his seed.  Saul's zeal for God was overshadowed by his zeal for himself!  Feeling betrayed by the priests, Saul had them slaughtered.  He annihilated all the priests in Israel save Abiathar, and utterly destroyed Nob with the edge of the sword!  What Saul should have done he left undone, and Saul did wickedly as he never should have done!

The chief priest would use the Urim and Thummin carried in the breastplate of the ephod to inquire of the LORD.  He was the only one sanctified and anointed to stand in the gap and inquire on behalf of the king or the people.  Saul slaughtered anyone who could have fulfilled this role.  The fact that 1 Samuel 28:6 says "And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets" leads me to believe he attempted to inquire of the LORD himself.  In doing so he only added to his sin!  On one instance in 1 Samuel 13:12, Saul even offered a sacrifice which should only have been done by Samuel or a priest!  He had seen the ritual performed:  perhaps Saul thought God would regard and honor his attempt to inquire of the LORD.  But like Cain's sacrifice, it was unacceptable.

Thank God that there are two parts to Romans 6:23:  "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Jesus is our High Priest:  He did not offer the flesh of bulls or the blood of rams to atone for our sins, but allowed His own blood to be shed for our redemption.  Without Jesus as our Mediator, there is no salvation for us.  There was salvation available for the men who scourged Jesus, and there remained hope in Christ for the ones who drove the nails through His hands and feet.  If we confess our sins and repent, God is faithful and just to forgive us from all our iniquity.  Communion and fellowship can be restored if we will humble ourselves at the foot of the cross.  But he who tramples the blood of Christ underfoot robs himself of eternal life with Jesus.

Allow me to close with the comforting words of Ephesians 2:13-18:  "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, ¹⁵ having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. ¹⁷ And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. ¹⁸ For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father."  He who has ears to hear, let him hear!