Audio Download

1 Samuel 13:1–23  Saul Fights the Philistines

[Study Aired March 30, 2026]

Today’s study focuses on the rejection of Saul as king of Israel. When the Philistines gathered against the Israelites as a result of Jonathan’s preemptive strike against the guard post of the Philistines, they gathered to attack Israel. In preparing to face the Philistines, Saul acted illegally as a priest and failed to wait for Samuel, showcasing a lack of faith, which cost him the rulership. The study also highlights the misery of the defenseless and disarmed people of Israel.  

Saul Fights the Philistines

1Sa 13:1 Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, 
1Sa 13:2 Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent. 

Saul reigning one year implies that He was in unity with the Lord at the beginning of his reign. This shows us that Saul is therefore a symbol of the Lord’s elect. The mention that he had reigned for two years is a negative application of the number two. This suggests that Saul’s subsequent reign as king was characterized by division, chaos and confusion which is the negative application of the number two. Verse 1 is therefore warning us that we can start our walk with the Lord as His elect, however, we have to be careful, lest we fall away and are not able to come back to repentance. Verse 1, therefore summarizes the study for today of how Saul was disqualified as the Lord’s elect.  

Heb 6:4  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb 6:5  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Heb 6:6  If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Heb 6:7  For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: 
Heb 6:8  But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. 
Heb 6:9  But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.  

Saul choosing three thousand men of Israel in verse 2 is to show us the state of the people of Israel at that time. The number three thousand in the negative context represents those who fall away in the heat of the battle against our flesh. 

Exo 32:28  And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.

Jos 7:4  So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.

What verse 2 therefore implies is that we must all fall away first, before we are given to become overcomers.

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 
2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 
2Th 2:5  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 
2Th 2:6  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 
2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

This falling away first is confirmed by the fact that out of the three thousand men, two thousand were with Saul and one thousand was with Jonathan. The number two thousand on a negative note signifies being choked by the sea. That is to say being overwhelmed by our flesh.

Mar 5:13  And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.

The number one thousand in the negative context also has to do with fleeing or running away from defeat. 

Isa 30:17  One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill. 

Jos 23:10  One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.

1Sa 13:3 And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.
1Sa 13:4 And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.

Jonathan smiting the garrison of the Philistines is the same as one of the heads of the beast being wounded in our lives, which, over time, this deadly wound gets healed as we wonder who can be able to make war with the beast or our flesh.

Rev 13:3  And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
Rev 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Saul blowing the trumpet throughout all the land of Israel is the Lord calling us to war against the beast or our flesh. The fact that the Hebrews must hear this call to war implies that every elect of the Lord is called to wage war against the flesh. Israel being in abomination with the Philistines in verse 4 means that our flesh is always at war against the spirit the Lord has given to us.

Gal 5:17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 
Gal 5:18  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

The people gathering after Saul at Gilgal is to show us the end result of this war against our flesh. We must take note that Gilgal was the place where the Israelites were circumcised when they crossed the Jordan river to begin the war against the inhabitants of the land of Canaan. Gilgal therefore represents the taking away of the flesh, which in this case signifies the Philistines. This implies that the end result of this war against our flesh is the destruction of our flesh as we are called to be overcomers of our flesh.

Jos 5:2  At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time. 
Jos 5:3  And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.
Jos 5:4  And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt. 
Jos 5:5  Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised.

Jos 5:8  And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole.
Jos 5:9 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day. 

1Sa 13:5 And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven. 
1Sa 13:6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits. 
1Sa 13:7 And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. 

The Philistines who were going to fight the Israelites had thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and they were like the sand on the sea. This is to show us the formidable opponent we face in our walk with Christ – our flesh. In addition to the multi-faceted beast we face, this beast or our flesh is also empowered by the devil. That is why the beast from the sea has seven heads and ten horns, just like the devil who is described as having seven heads and ten horns.

Rev 13:1  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 

Rev 12:3  And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

Michmash means ‘hidden’ and Bethaven represents the ‘house of vanity.’ This house of vanity is Babylon. The Philistines pitching at Michmash, eastward of Bethaven means that in the churches of this world or Babylon, the potential of our flesh to derail our pursuit of being crowned with Christ is hidden. 

The men of Israel in verse 6 represent the churches of this world or Babylon where our brothers and sisters think they cannot win the war against the flesh. We also had the same mentality at a certain stage of our walk with Christ in Babylon. As a result, the men of Israel hid themselves in caves, thickets, rocks, high places and pits. Others crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. These men of Israel are our brothers and sisters who give up the fight against the flesh because they think they cannot win the war against it. 

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Saul being at Gilgal with the people following him trembling, represent us, His elect, who are weighed down by the false doctrine of thinking that we cannot win the war against our flesh. As a result, we were fearful, yet we know that we have to war against the flesh.

Saul’s Unlawful Sacrifice

1Sa 13:8  And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. 
1Sa 13:9  And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. 
1Sa 13:10  And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.

Saul was ordered by Samuel to wait seven days for him at Gilgal. When Samuel comes, He would then offer the necessary sacrifice and show Saul what he has to do. However, Saul waited until the seventh day, yet he had no patience to wait until the end of the seventh day.

1Sa 10:8  And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do. 

In this walk with the Lord, we need to be patient for the Lord in spite of what we may be going through. Without patience, we shall miss the mark of receiving the promise.

Heb 10:35  Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 
Heb 10:36  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 
Heb 10:37  For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 
Heb 10:38  Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
Heb 10:39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Although Saul was neither priest nor prophet, he decided to offer the burnt offering. Maybe he thought that because he was a king, he could do anything. We cannot afford to be presumptuous in our walk with the Lord. This brings to mind the case of King Uzziah who paid dearly for his presumption. 

2Ch 26:16  But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense. 
2Ch 26:17  And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men:
2Ch 26:18  And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God.
2Ch 26:19  Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar. 
2Ch 26:20  And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him. 
2Ch 26:21 And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.

These are all written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come.

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
1Co 10:12  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

Samuel showing up just when Saul had completed the burnt offering is to let us know that we have need of patience that after we have done the will of the Lord, we might receive the promise.

Heb 10:36  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 

1Sa 13:11  And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; 
1Sa 13:12  Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. 
1Sa 13:13  And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel forever. 
1Sa 13:14  But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.

In Saul’s response for acting without waiting for Samuel, he did not show any remorse. Rather, he justified what he has done and blamed Samuel for not coming at the appointed time. There are many whom the Bibles describes as scoffers who think that the Lord has delayed in His coming just like Saul thought of Samuel. Although Saul waited until the seventh day, he could not wait for the end of the seventh day. There are many who are disillusioned about the coming of Christ.

2Pe 3:3  Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 
2Pe 3:4  And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.  

Saul’s reaction to Samuel’s delay in coming is the same as the servants who thought that the master has delayed and therefore they could do whatever is appropriate to them. We are warned by the Lord to watch until He comes.

Mat 24:48  But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
Mat 24:49  And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
Mat 24:50  The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, 
Mat 24:51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 

The Lord has warned us to keep watching until He comes, otherwise, we shall receive no reward. We can see that Saul lost His rulership or crown in verses 13 and 14 because he was not able to wait.

Mat 24:42  Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Mat 24:43  But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
Mat 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

It is important to note that Saul did not show any sign of repentance. Sinning and not coming to repentance is what destroys us.

Heb 12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 
Heb 12:16  Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
Heb 12:17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

What we can learn from Saul in these verses where he represents the Lord’s elect is that we must work out our salvation with fear and trembling, lest we lose our crown or rulership in an age to come when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. The pressures that Saul faced were legitimate, but he did not walk by faith. There are many who were with us, who looked so promising, but got lost along the way, and have not been able to find repentance.

1Sa 13:15  And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men.
1Sa 13:16  And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash. 
1Sa 13:17  And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual: 
1Sa 13:18 And another company turned the way to Bethhoron: and another company turned to the way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. 

The six hundred men with Saul represent the Lord’s elect. We must remember that in verse 2, the number of those who assembled to fight the Philistines were three thousand. However, many left because of the fear of the Philistines and only six hundred remained. Those who left felt that they could not win the war with our flesh.

Jdg 18:11  And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with weapons of war.

1Sa 27:2  And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 

It is instructive to note that the six hundred men were with Saul at Gibeah, which means ‘hill.’ As we have indicated in many previous studies, hills or mountains, on a positive note, represent the house of the Lord or the church of the Lord’s elect. The Philistines camping at Michmash, which means ‘hidden’, implies that many do not realize that our fleshly evil deeds are hidden until Christ reveals them to us. It is when the Lord reveals our flesh to us that we can say that we are beasts before Him. 

Psa 73:22  So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. 

The Philistines dividing themselves into three companies in verse 17 is to show us that it is through the process of judgment that the flesh is destroyed. 

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

Where each of the three companies of the Philistines went shows us some of the characteristics of our flesh. The first group was on their way to Shaul, which means ‘a pit.’ It is from within men (pit) that smoke comes to darken the word of the Lord or the sun and the air.

Rev 9:2  And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

The second group was on their way to Beth-horon, which means ‘house of the hollow.’ The house of the hollow is the church system of this world or Babylon where the flesh reigns. The third group was on their way to the wilderness where there is no food or water, which is the word of the Lord. All of these is to show us that when we are under the domain of our flesh, we cannot worship the Lord in truth and in spirit.

There were no Sword or Spear for the Fighting Men of Israel

1Sa 13:19  Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears: 
1Sa 13:20  But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock. 
1Sa 13:21  Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads. 
1Sa 13:22  So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found. 
1Sa 13:23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash. 

The sword or spear in these verse signifies the word of the Lord. When we are under the control of the flesh, it is impossible therefore, to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. Being under the influence of the flesh and receiving the word of the Lord is like the word of the Lord being sown among thorns. They end up choking the word and as a result, we become unfruitful. That was the situation the Israelites found themselves except for Saul and Jonathan, who signifies the elect. This shows us that the six hundred men under Saul who represent the Lord’s elect, represent our time in the churches of this world or Babylon, where we did not have the truth of the word of the Lord (without sword or spear). However, even in this condition, the Lord wrought some victories against our flesh (Philistines) on our behalf as we shall see in the next study.

Mat 13:22  He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

We cannot thank the Lord enough for favoring us in this age. Amen!!