Of all the Old
Testament character’s in the Bible; none so often bring to mind feelings of
regret and ruined potential then King Saul. Israel’s first king was chosen by
God (1 Samuel 9: 2, 15, 16) to free his people from Philistine oppression and
lead them into a new era of kings. Unfortunately; Saul was too self-willed to
be effective as a God’s chosen ruler. (1 Samuel 13:11-13, 1 Samuel 14:24, 1
Samuel 15:22-23) As a result of his continued rebellion; what should have been
a blessed reign over God’s chosen people ended in tragedy (1 Samuel 31:1-7)
The Lord’s command
2 Thus says the Lord of
hosts: ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to
Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. 3 Now
go and attack[a] Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they
have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing
child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ”
King Saul’s rebellion
7 And Saul attacked the Amalekites,
from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is east of Egypt. 8 He
also took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the
people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and
the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings,
the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to
utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly
destroyed.
The Lord’s rejection of King Saul
10 Now the word of
the Lord came to Samuel, saying, 11 “I
greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he
has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My
commandments.” And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to
the Lord all night. 12 So when Samuel
rose early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul went
to Carmel, and indeed, he set up a monument for himself; and he has gone
on around, passed by, and gone down to Gilgal.” 13 Then
Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you
of the Lord! I have performed the commandment of the Lord.”
Prophet Samuel’s interrogation
14 But Samuel said, “What then is this
bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?”
King Saul rationalizes his sin
15 And Saul said, “They have brought
them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and
the oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; and the rest we have
utterly destroyed.”
Prophet Samuel continues his
interrogation
8 Now the Lord sent you on a
mission, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and
fight against them until they are [b]consumed.’ 19 Why then did
you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you swoop down on the [c]spoil, and do evil in the sight of the Lord?”
King Saul deflects his responsibility
as King by blaming his people
20 And Saul said to Samuel, “But I
have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and gone on the mission on which
the Lord sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have
utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But the people
took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have
been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”
God’s judgement through the Prophet Samuel
22 So Samuel said:
“Has
the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and
sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of [d]witchcraft,
And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
He also has rejected you from being king.”
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of [d]witchcraft,
And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
He also has rejected you from being king.”
Principles to learn from the tragic
story of King Saul
1) It is always better to obey God’s instructions rather that to
offer up a sacrifice to compensate for our “partial obedience”...which the Lord
sees as rebellion. (Luke 6:46, Mathew
7:24-28, Psalm 51:16-18)
2) We need to check our own motives and make sure we are not motivated by evil
desires. (2 Corinthians 13:7, James 1:13-16)
3) We need to repent of all known sin in our lives so that our ending is not
tragic like that of King Saul’s. (Lamentations 3:22-24, 1 John 1:9)
Critical thinking: Think of some instances in your own
life when you disobeyed God’s word and what was the outcome?
Take heart
and rejoice! The Bible says in Hebrews 12:6 and Philippians 1:6:
6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.”
And scourges every son whom He receives.”
6 being confident of this very thing,
that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day
of Jesus Christ;
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