And as Samuel turned around to go away, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. So Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you.”
I Samuel 15:27-28
The fifteenth chapter of I Samuel needs to be carefully read and absorbed by every leader. It is basically the unraveling of King Saul.
The chapter is too detailed to explore every lesson one might extract from these verses, but the synopsis might be labeled, “Everybody is replaceable…including kings”.
Chapter fifteen underscores what we see illustrated in other places in the Bible as well…
Moses eventually dies…
Joshua does too…
Elijah is carried out by a whirlwind…
The prophets pass the torch…
Matthias replaces Judas…
And the list goes on…
No one is irreplaceable…
Not you…
Not me…
Whether we go sideways, drop the ball, disqualify ourselves, or die; everyone is replaceable.
Your presence, service, leadership, position, reputation, or wondrous acts of accomplishments will never make you irreplaceable…
The Kingdom of God marches forward with you and without you…
Saul’s problem, as it is with many, is the subtle deception that entrenches itself in the mind by telling you, “You are irreplaceable. They can’t live without you. You have too much history, success, and victories to even remotely consider your replaceability. The kingdom would fall apart without you. Your gift, your anointing, your talent, your skill is so overwhelmingly awesome that you have enshrined in perpetuity your place as irreplaceable.” At least, that is what Saul thought.
And what happens is, that irreplaceable deception causes presumption, arrogance, and pride. Saul assumes the rules for everyone else, do not apply to him. He plays fast and loose with his obedience to the Lord’s command. He presumes upon the offices of both priest and prophet. He assumes his strategic decisions are wiser than God’s explicit commands. He practices situational ethics and relativism assuming his friend the prophet will cover his witchcraft because “love covers a multitude of sins, right”? And Saul certainly qualifies for the multitude of sins part…
But there is a moment in the mind of God when patience runs out…
The Lord is long-suffering…
But He is not eternally-suffering…
He will “tear” things out of our life…
And the prophet reminded Saul of just that reality…
I always find it fascinating that when King Saul is used as an illustration, nobody ever sees themselves as Saul. If we personalize the characters around the story of Saul, we might see ourselves as a David, or a Jonathan, or even a Samuel; but never Saul. The reason is that Saul’s problems and dysfunctions are too glaring, too acute, and easily seen by everyone; everyone that is, except Saul themselves.
Here’s an important point…
As Gene Edwards once said, “There’s some Saul in everyone”.
The measure may differ…
The significant markers may be less obvious…
But we are all born with the disease of Saul…
The key is whether you see it or not…
Those who see it, reckon themselves dead, daily. (Romans 6:11)
Those who don’t…
Get kingdoms torn from their grasp…
Some learn this early and easily…
Some learn later and with profound lessons…
Some never learn and pain is all that’s left…
Wherever God has placed you, be exceedingly grateful. You are there by God’s design, providence, and sovereignty. He chose you. He is sustaining you. You may be smart, but you’re not that smart; gifted but not more than others; skilled but less than you think; and anointed but that’s from God anyway. And I will remind you (as I constantly remind myself), I am very replaceable.
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