Samuel also said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now, therefore, heed the voice of the words of the Lord. 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. Now go and attack 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.’ ” 1 Samuel 15:1-3
Are you as obedient as Moses was? Or do you think you can relate to Saul more? Or are you a little of both? Is obedience a day to day struggle for you? Do you think it is hard to always be submissive to God?
From the verses above, what was Saul told to do? Whose words of instructions where these? God or Samuel? Let’s read on to verses 5, 7-9.
” And Saul came to a city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley. And Saul attacked the Amalekites, from iHavilah all the way to Shur, which is east of Egypt. He also took Agag king of the Amalekites alive and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 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.” Did Saul obey God? Why do you think about this? Here is a little historical insight, The Amalekites were descendants of Esau’s grandson Amalek. They lived in the Sinai Peninsula and the Negev Desert south of Israel. They stood under God’s judgment for their unprovoked attack on the Israelites in Moses’s time (Exodus 17:8-16; Deuteronomy 25:17-19
Partial obedience is disobedience. Boy does that make a change on outlook to things!
Let’s move on to the next passage, Verses 10-15 of 1 Samuel 15.
Now the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, “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. 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.” Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the Lord! I have performed the commandment of the Lord.” But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?” 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.”
Did God regret making Saul king? What evidence of Saul’s pride and hypocrisy do you see in this passage? What is the evidence that Saul did not fully carry out what God asked Saul to do? What tactics did Saul use to attempt to explain his actions? Do you use these tactics?
Read the rest of 1 Samuel 15. Saul tried to spiritualize his disobedience and then he blamed others. Then he did admit what he did was wrong, however, he still made excuses. Verses 22-23 gives the bottom line of God’s perspective. Here are some things to remember about obedience that we learn from Saul.
- those who boast about their obedience may be trying to hide their disobedience
- Nothing is more important to God than obedience
- Disobedience reveals a rebellious heart
- the littlest of disobedience is no small matter. Rebellion opens us up to the realm and influence of Satan. Look at verse 23a
- Disobedience brings consequences.
- God doesn’t want to hear us say, “I will do anything but_______________.
Are you willing to let God examine your heart and where you are at with obedience?
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for being a forgiving God. Thank you for giving precise instructions on how to obey you. I pray that we will take the time to have you examine our hearts and where each of us stands on obedience. I pray that we will desire and to put to action a heart of obedience to you.
In Jesus Name
Amen
