God delights in bringing greatness out of small beginnings; for in this way, God (and not man) receives the glory.
What a difference we see between Saul and David. One impressed men by his exterior appearance; the other impressed God by the condition of his heart.
In this chapter, Saul illustrates the sin of willful rebellion and God’s reaction to this sin. Saul’s rebellion leads to God’s rejection of him as king of Israel.
In this lesson, we learn from Jonathan’s faith in God and his bravery in battle. We also learn from Saul’s fearfulness and his foolishness in making an unreasonable oath.
Both the sin of Saul in sacrificing and the absence of smiths (blacksmiths) in Israel point to the danger of fighting God’s battles according to the ways of man and the world
