1 Samuel 13 - Where the end begins.....

Saul, was hand picked by God to be King. But in this chapter we see where the end of his reign began.

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.

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 for ever.

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.

BTW if one was to look to where the number 13 became so negative verse 13 should be added to the pile.

Gill writes

1 Samuel 13:13

And Samuel said to Saul, thou hast done foolishly,.... Not by intruding himself into the priest's office, with that he is not charged, but not waiting the full time till Samuel came; which showed his impatience, disregard to Samuel, and distrust of God; and though he thought he had acted wisely, and taken the proper precautions in his circumstances, yet he acted foolishly; and though a king, Samuel being a prophet of the Lord, and in his name, spared not to tell him so:

thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee; by his prophet, that he should wait seven days for his coming, who would then offer sacrifices, and tell him what he should do; and not to keep the commandment of God was acting a foolish part:

for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever; that is, for a long time, on his son, and son's son; and then, according to promise and prophecy, it would come to one of the tribe of Judah; but now seeing he had acted such a part, it should not continue long in his family, no longer than his own life, and quickly come into other hands.

It's curious to consider....even the role of God's Soverignty in this....action by Saul. We might never have had the line of David through the tribe of Judah to Jesus Christ our savior if this had not happened. Ultimately everything has a purpose in God's timing.

Also, there is a lost doctrine in the Church today, call the Regulative Principle of Worship. Our morning bible study has plans to pull this out, (Owen's wrote on it, as others), but it's rarely taught today. Lately I've seen more and more examples like the above which fall it this concept. One early one is the Golden Calf... Aaron explained.:

Exo 32:4  And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

Note that even in this twisted scripture...the intent was to worship God...who brought the people out of Eqypt...this is the true God. But it is twisted to make God plural (gods) like those of Egypt, and worshiped through an idol.

Likewise, you see another example of a false way to worship God...via the high places here:

2Ki 15:1  In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.

2Ki 15:2  Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem.

2Ki 15:3  And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done;

2Ki 15:4  Save that the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places.

Maybe it is as simple as:

Isa 55:8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

Looking forward to my study. Any resource suggestions are appreciated.