LESSONS FROM THE LIFE OF JACOB #81 : BENJAMIN #3
written by Pastor Christopher Choo
Lesson 3582
LESSONS FROM THE LIFE OF JACOB #81
JACOB'S PROPHECIES ABOUT THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL#16
BENJAMIN #3
APOSTLE PAUL OR KING SAUL?
Two Sauls came from the tribe of Benjamin.
King Saul, the epitome of the sin nature and its war against God, and Saul/Paul whose nature was changed by God from a murderous Pharisee to the apostle of grace.
Paul is an example of what God does for those who come to Christ in faith.
Let us flesh both characters out from the Bible.
1. Saul was a King and biblical figure born circa 1076 BC in the land of Benjamin in Israel. He became the first King of Israel circa 1046 BC where he united tribes and defeated enemies such as the Ammonites, Philistines, Moabites, and Amalekites.
But disobedience to God led to his downfall from his kingship. His downward spiral continued as he failed to eliminate all of the Amalekites and their livestock as commanded by God (1 Samuel 15:3). Disregarding a direct order from God, he decided to spare the life of King Agag along with some of the choice livestock. He tried to cover up his transgression by lying to Samuel and, in essence, lying to God (1 Samuel 15). This disobedience was the last straw, as God would withdraw His Spirit from Saul (1 Samuel 16:14).
The break between God and Saul is arguably one of the saddest occurrences in Scripture.
The final years of King Saul’s life brought a general decline in his service to the nation and in his personal fortunes. He spent much time, energy, and expense trying to kill David rather than consolidating the gains of his earlier victories, and because of this the Philistines sensed an opening for a major victory over Israel. After Samuel’s death, the Philistine army gathered against Israel. Saul was terrified and tried to inquire of the Lord, but received no answer through the Urim or the prophets. Though he had banished mediums and spiritists from the land, Saul disguised himself and inquired of a medium in Endor. He asked her to contact Samuel.
It seems that God intervened and had Samuel appear to Saul.
Samuel reminded Saul of his prior prophecy that the kingdom would be taken from him. He further told Saul that the Philistines would conquer Israel and Saul and his sons would be killed (1 Samuel 28).
The Philistines did, indeed, route Israel and kill Saul’s sons, including Jonathan.
Saul was critically wounded and asked his armor-bearer to kill him so that the Philistines would not torture him. In fear, Saul’s armor-bearer refused, so Saul fell on his own sword, followed by his armor-bearer who did the same.
2. Saul of Tarsus started with the same Benjamite spirit of a Wolf hunting down Jews who believed in Christ.
He acted as a self-righteous and legalistic Pharisee in his zeal to punish defectors from his own race.
Until he met the risen Saviour on the road to Damascus, he would have gone down in history as a genocidist or mass-murderer of believers.
Saul of Tarsus was born in approximately AD 5 in the city of Tarsus in Cilicia (in modern-day Turkey). He was born to Jewish parents who possessed Roman citizenship, a coveted privilege that their son would also possess. In about AD 10, Saul’s family moved to Jerusalem. Sometime between AD 15—20 Saul began his studies of the Hebrew Scriptures in the city of Jerusalem under Rabbi Gamaliel. It was under Gamaliel that Saul would begin an in-depth study of the Law with the famous rabbi.
It is quite possible that Saul was present for the trial of Stephen—a trial that resulted in Stephen becoming the first Christian martyr (Acts 7:54–60). The historian Luke tells us that Stephen’s executioners laid their garments at the feet of Saul (Acts 7:58), who was in full approval of the mob’s murderous actions (Acts 8:1). Saul later ravaged the church, entering the homes of believers and committing them to prison. Saul’s anti-Christian zeal motivated him not only to arrest and imprison male Christians (the “ringleaders”) but to lock up female believers as well (Acts 8:3).
While on his way to Damascus to arrest and extradite Christians back to Jerusalem, Saul was confronted by the very One whom he was persecuting (Acts 9:3–9; 22:6–11; 26:12–18). What followed was one of the most dramatic conversions in church history. Saul of Tarsus became the apostle Paul, an ardent missionary to an unbelieving world and a fine example of faithful service in the face of fierce persecution (Acts 14:19; 16:22–24; 2 Corinthians 11:25–26). Saul’s education, his background as a Pharisee, his Roman citizenship, and his unflagging zeal all contributed to his success as a missionary, once those credentials and traits had been subjugated to the lordship of Christ.
Today's lesson posits a choice between two role models who were Benjamites - King Saul who started well but ended badly or the apostle Paul who started badly but ended well.
The choice is obvious but have we really got out of the wolf spirit? Have we been transformed into a new creation that is led by the Holy Spirit?
