Saul, David, Solomon. These were the first three kings to rule over the nation of Israel in the time when the kingdom was still united. But while their title as king was a commonality, their hearts were very distinct. The Bible points out that one of these men had no heart for God or His ways. It is stated that another of these men had a heart that was fully given over to God. And the last king, as smart as he was, still only managed to give half his heart to God. Let’s attempt to do some heart surgery for a moment.
First to be king over the nation of Israel was King Saul. The Bible records Saul as one without equal, a head taller than the others of his tribe. Under the direction of God, Samuel anointed Saul as king when the people cried out for one as opposed to a judge, despite the warnings that also came. But Saul’s heart was far from God. On two specific events Saul was rebuked by Samuel for his behavior against God’s ways. The first occurrence is in 1 Samuel 13 where we read of a battle between the Philistines and Israel. Saul was in Gilgal waiting on Samuel as instructed. After seven days, Samuel had still not shown up. Saul then decided to take matters into his own hands and complete the burnt and fellowship offerings, a task only done by the priest. As he finished, Samuel came to the meeting place. Samuel was angry with Saul’s actions and spoke to him that his actions were foolish. If Saul had obeyed God, God would have established Saul’s kingdom in history. But instead, God would look for one who would obey with a whole heart.
But God gave Saul a second chance in 1 Samuel 15. We see again, though, that Saul refused to fully obey the command of God. Here Saul marched against the Amalekites. The command was to kill everything, from people to animals. Nothing was to survive. Saul’s army went out and fought, but in the end they held back the Amalekite king and some of the animals. When Samuel arrived on the scene and saw the king and heard the sheep, he questioned why Saul had not obeyed. Saul’s response was to blame the soldiers, but Samuel quickly pointed out Saul’s lack of obedience. As a result, God was now rejecting Saul as king.
Saul continued in the role of king, but God found a man whose heart was completely for Him to take the king’s place. His eyes landed on David. In the very next chapter, 1 Samuel 16, Samuel anointed David as the future king of Israel. It is soon after that David also defeats Goliath, which opens the door of jealousy in Saul over David. Vexed with an evil spirit and suffering from jealousy, Saul begins a bi-polar fit to end David’s life, rule a nation, and conquer his enemies, all with no heart for God.
David, the man after God’s own heart, was made the people’s king with the passing of Saul. One of David’s first acts as king would be to bring the Ark back to Jerusalem, as it had been with the Philistines for some time. As the Ark was coming into the city, David was dancing before the LORD. What embarrassed his wife was not his dancing, but rather what he was dancing in – his underclothes. When she confronted him about his clothing he told her that he was dancing before the LORD, not people, and he would get more undignified than he was if need be. His concern was not of how others viewed him, but rather how God viewed him.
One of the most famous stories concerning David is found in 2 Samuel 11, where David is out walking one evening and lays eyes on Bathsheba. Not only did he see her, but he liked her and ordered her to spend the night. She became pregnant with a child, and David found himself in trouble. Bathsheba was married to another man, Uriah, and David panicked that since Uriah was out serving in his army, the truth would be found out. David decided in the end to have Uriah killed in battle to hide his sin. But his sin wasn’t hidden from God. Instead God exposed it through the prophet Nathan, and Bathsheba lost the child. It was here, where his sin became known, that Psalm 51 was written, a psalm of confession and repentance from a king who still strived to serve God with a whole heart.
David would pass eventually, and the kingdom would be given over to his son, Solomon. Solomon started well, for when given the option from God of what he desired, his response was wisdom. In his early years he served God well, but in time his heart was swayed. Solomon is an example to us all that no man can serve two masters. He could not serve both God and his thirst for women without one or the other being compromised. In the end, Solomon’s choice was women, having 700 wives and 300 concubines. It is for this reason that Solomon is known for having only a half heart towards God.
But this brings us to look at ourselves. How is your heart? I am not asking you how others view your heart, but rather asking you specifically to look at your own heart. Do you have no heart for God? Is God simply pain in your backside, a prelude to a curse word, or a person that you blame when life takes a bad turn? Or is God the only one you desire, the only one you want to please, and the one you give your all too? Perhaps you are on the fence, wanting to give God some of your heart, but not the whole thing. You want to give Him enough to keep you from hell, but not the whole. After all, how will you have any fun if you don’t have some control of your heart, right? Consider this, Jesus gave His WHOLE heart for you, not none and not half. For Saul, David, and Solomon, their choices have been made and their heart conditions told, but what will be said about your heart?
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