What Saul SAW
In I Samuel 13 Saul has 2,000 scared Israelite soldiers waiting to face the formidable army of the Philistines, who had amassed an army with 30,000 thousand chariots and 6,000 horses and innumerable foot soldiers. He is scared and his army is scared. Over the next seven days, Saul's Israelite soldiers begin to desert by the THOUSANDS (I Samuel 13:2,15). What is Saul's hold up? Only that Samuel hasn't arrived to offer the sacrifice to secure the blessing of God for the battle. Based on what Saul SAW in front of him, he concludes that he must do SOMETHING to salvage his dwindling army.
What Saul DID
He decides to offer the sacrifice himself in order to rally his troops and secure the blessing. His mindset revealed a "lucky charm" approach to God very similar to when the Israelites had marched God's Ark into battle, thinking that would assure them victory over the more powerful Philistines. Now, not so many years later, Saul's trust was also misplaced in a ritual of invoking blessing because his heart was far from God.
What Saul SAID
Even as Saul is having the animals prepared for sacrifice, Samuel is walking the last mile or two and arrives as the fire is still smoldering on the altar. Very similar to God's tone to Adam in the Garden of Eden when He calls His first leader to account, He now addresses His first appointed king over His people through the voice of Samuel:
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"
And like the first leader in the Garden, Saul's answer shows a lack of sorrow over his disobedience to God and disregard for His ways. Notice the subjects of Saul's answer:
"THE PEOPLE...were scattering."
"YOU...didn't come in time."
"THE PHILISTINES...were assembling."
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"
And like the first leader in the Garden, Saul's answer shows a lack of sorrow over his disobedience to God and disregard for His ways. Notice the subjects of Saul's answer:
"THE PEOPLE...were scattering."
"YOU...didn't come in time."
"THE PHILISTINES...were assembling."
The question to Saul was an opportunity for him to confess his disregard for God's clear commands and own up to his disobedience.
Instead he deflects the focus onto those around him and defends what seems right to him.
What had seemed so right and logical to Saul based on what he saw in front of him was actually the most foolish decision he had made in his life. When God told Saul that the kingdom would now be taken from him because of his disobedience and given to a "man after His own heart" it was not a "one strike and you are out" situation. Rather, it was the commentary on an anointed and appointed leader who had an unrepentant heart toward his own sin.
When God brings our sin to light through a question or rebuke, a repentant heart will cry out and say, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me!" (Psalm 51:10)
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