The Lord Rejects Saul as King Lesson Passages 1 Samuel 15:1-3, 7-15, Lesson for July 9 10, 2016 Dr. James Patterson

Transcription

1 The Lord Rejects Saul as King Lesson Passages 1 Samuel 15:1-3, 7-15, Lesson for July 9 10, 2016 Dr. James Patterson INTRODUCTION Randall had a good paying job. He made plenty of money, but it irritated him that he had to pay income tax at the rate of 25%. In time, he negotiated a generous business deal, whereby he leased some equipment to a company. The government gets enough of my money, he thought. Therefore, he never reported the proceedings from this deal as income on his tax return. Years went by. One fateful day, Randall received a letter from the IRS. He was going to be audited. At the audit, the Internal Revenue Service zeroed in on his unreported income from the equipment lease. Why are you focusing just on that? Randall exclaimed. I have dutifully paid my taxes on all of the rest of my income. His partial obedience to the tax law was not going to keep him from suffering the consequences of his deliberate evasion of the tax on his extra income. In today s lesson, King Saul finds himself in a similar situation, where--like Randall Saul was only partially obedient and was forced to pay the consequences. BIBLICAL/HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The people of Israel had demanded a king, and God gave them what they wanted. The prophet, Samuel, anointed Saul to be the king in 1 Samuel 10 and publically introduced him to the people. Unfortunately, Saul was not the best choice for this important position. In fact, he would essentially be a failure. Whoever was to be king of Israel needed to be the spiritual leader as well as a political and military leader. To his discredit, Saul practiced selective and partial obedience to the commands of the Lord--a pattern that amounts Page 1

2 to disobedience. As we arrive at chapter 15, Saul is still king, but the judgment for his failure is near. LESSON PASSAGE 1: The Assignment 1 Samuel 15:1-3 1 Samuel said to Saul, I am the one the Lord sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the Lord. 2 This is what the Lord Almighty says: I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. 3 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys. Verse 1 The Lord communicated to Saul through the prophet, Samuel. As Samuel said, listen to the words of the Lord. Consequently, if Saul disobeyed Samuel, he was disobeying God. Verses 2-3 Samuel s instructions were precise. Saul was to utterly destroy the Amalekites. This included people of all ages. Samuel even listed the animals Saul was to destroy. For good measure, Samuel ordered Saul to destroy all that belongs to them. These marching orders were clear, with no room for individual interpretation. Why Would God Order the Complete Destruction of a Nation? At first glance, this sentence seems unbelievably harsh. However, it is imperative to remember that the Amalekites were descendants of Esau and had been long time enemies of Israel. They held a deep-seated grudge against the Jews and were a constant threat. Perhaps much of the motivation for this hatred was jealousy over Jacob s birthright blessing, which was originally slated for Esau. Centuries earlier, the LORD said He would bring this kind of judgment against Amalek. When Israel fled from Egypt, the Amalekites were the first Page 2

3 group to attack them. Israel was weak and vulnerable as they fled Egypt. With no provocation, the Amalekites attacked them from behind. They did this for no reason except violence and greed. In Exodus 17:14 God had told Moses, Write this in a book as a memorial, and recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under Heaven. Deuteronomy 25:17-19 repeats the point: Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you were coming out of Egypt, how he met you on the way and attacked your rear ranks, all the stragglers at your rear, when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God. Therefore, it shall be, when the LORD your God has given you rest from your enemies all around, in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance, that you will blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. You shall not forget. All this had happened more than four hundred years before, but this demonstrates an important principle. Time does not erase sin; time cannot atone for sin. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can erase sin. For over four centuries, the Amalekites were mercifully given the opportunity to repent, but they did not repent. The hundreds of years of hardened, unrepentant hearts made this generation even more guilty than their ancestors. In some ways, this extermination is as much an act of Divine mercy as it was Divine justice. One could assume that the young Amalekites went to the Lord immediately upon their death, likely saving their eternal souls by not giving them time to become "utterly sinful" like their parents. In addition, all of the future generations that would have arisen from this perverse culture, were likewise spared from damnation. Likewise, the world was spared from their unholy influence and aggressive behaviors. Sometimes the Lord ordered the killing of enemies in Old Testament times to ensure that the future messianic line would remain intact. Satan had long begun his attempt to destroy God's people through the original sin in the Garden of Eden and by corrupting the world prior to Noah's Flood. Later, he tried to destroy Israel from the outside with attacking armies. Perhaps even more insidious, perverse cultures infiltrated Israel through intermarriage and interbreeding and encouraged God s people to sample idolatry, child sacrifice, and ritualistic sex. Page 3

4 If these competing civilizations had remained unchecked, it could have hindered the family line through which the Messiah was coming. So, God was ensuring the arrival of the Messiah via the destruction of the ungodly. Finally (and most importantly), the Divine Creator has the lawful right to render judgment upon anyone. The Bible clearly states that all people have sinned against God and are under his righteous judgment. Therefore, the execution of the Amalekites is neither arbitrary killing nor murder. It is simply Divine Judgment on a portion of His creation. Some of these thoughts are expressed on the Internet site, LESSON PASSAGE 2: Partial Fulfillment 1 Samuel 15:7-9 7 Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, near the eastern border of Egypt. 8 He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. 9 But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed. Saul only partially obeyed the Lord s command. He completely destroyed most of the people, but he spared Agag, their king. He killed most of the animals, but the superior Amalekite animals were also spared. Although Scripture does not reveal Saul s rationale, it is not unreasonable to see sinful greed and self-interest at play in Saul s decision to disobey God. "Partial obedience is complete disobedience. Saul and his men obeyed as far as suited them; that is to say, they did not obey God at all, but their own inclinations, both in sparing the good and destroying the worthless. What was not worth carrying off was destroyed, - not because of the command, but to save trouble." (Maclaren; Page 4

5 This plunder aspect was particularly grievous, because Saul and his soldiers were not reflecting God's heart in His judgment. When they came home happy and excited because of what they gained from the battle, they implied there was something joyful or happy in the midst of God's judgment. They took advantage of the circumstances to acquire property. This behavior dishonored God and sullied the result God intended to achieve. LESSON PASSAGE 3: Samuel s Confrontation 1 Samuel 15: Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel: 11 I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions. Samuel was angry, and he cried out to the Lord all that night. 12 Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, Saul has gone to Carmel. There he has set up a monument in his own honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal. 13 When Samuel reached him, Saul said, The Lord bless you! I have carried out the Lord s instructions. 14 But Samuel said, What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear? 15 Saul answered, The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but we totally destroyed the rest. 16 Enough! Samuel said to Saul. Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night. God's heart was broken over Saul's disobedience. The man who started out humble and submissive to God was now boldly going his own way in disobedience to God. Page 5

6 Saul s behavior grieved the Lord and made Samuel furious. The prophet spent the entire night in anguished prayer. It hurt God to reject Saul, and it hurt Samuel to see him rejected. Ironically, the next morning, Saul was off building a monument to himself as if he had just completed a glorious and heroic task. Saul did not grieve over his sin. He apparently was not even aware of it. It has become quite clear by this point that Saul is not on the same spiritual page as Samuel and the Lord. Saul's heart was so dead he could directly disobey God and then set up a monument for himself to celebrate the occasion. Samuel tracked Saul to Gilgal to set up the decisive confrontation. Saul greeted Samuel with enthusiasm, expecting (no doubt) some affirmative words, because in his own eyes he had carried out the Lord s instructions. Then, in possibly the most sarcastic statement in the entire Bible, Samuel said, So what s this I m hearing this bleating of sheep, this mooing of cattle? (The Message) Saul first tried to shift the blame to his soldiers. Then, he attempted to rationalize his actions by stressing that only the best livestock was spared, with the remainder destroyed. These points made no headway with Samuel. Finally, Saul played his final defensive card, claiming that the plundered cattle were simply taken to be used later as sacrifices to God. By this time, Samuel had heard enough, and he cut off the progression of excuses. He revealed to Saul what the Lord had stated the preceding night. LESSON PASSAGE 4: Obedience Trumps Sacrifice 22 But Samuel replied: 1 Samuel 15:22-23 Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. Page 6

7 23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king. Verse 22: Giving Saul the benefit of the doubt for the time being that he and his men had taken the plunder to be used only for sacrifice, Samuel asked the rhetorical question: Does the Lord prefers sacrifice or obedience? His answer was that obedience surpasses sacrifice, as obedience is the highest honor that we can give to God. Sacrifice is merely ceremonial, while obedience is moral. Sacrifice assumes committed sin, for which sacrifice is offered. Obedience shows compliance with the will of God and does not presume anything sinful. Therefore, obedience is clearly superior to sacrifice. Verse 23: Samuel pinpointed the essence of Saul s disobedience. It was rebellion against God. When we disobey God, we defy Him and refuse to honor Him as sovereign. We treat His word as either untrue or unimportant. In effect, we pass judgment of God s edicts. This is a serious enough offense as to be compared to the sin of divination association with the demonic spirit world. It is also compared with idolatry. When we disobey the Lord, we make ourselves our own god. When Samuel explained that Saul was guilty of these two major sins, he was telling the king that his deeds were inexcusable. The penalty, as pronounced the night before by God, was a Divine rejection of Saul s kingship. Saul would continue to serve in that position for a number of years, but in God s eyes, Saul s reign was over. The Bible in Context: The Aftermath Saul s response to Samuel was a plea for forgiveness. However, Samuel spoke clearly when saying in verse 28: The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors to one better than you. Samuel, himself, then killed Agag, and left for Ramah, never to see Saul again. 36 And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel. Page 7

8 LIFE APPLICATION The Lord does not give us the option to cherry pick which commands to obey and which to ignore. Nor do we have the freedom to obey His commands partially. We have a responsibility to be fully obedient, and God expects complete obedience to His directives. God is more concerned about obedience than our worship practices. Saul had not learned this principle. There are many benefits resulting from strict obedience to God s Will. 1. Growing Faith: We begin to see how God operates, and we develop an enlarged view of God. We build a greater relationship with God. The more we obey, the more we love Him. 2. Rewards: Blessing always follows obedience. God chooses the nature of the reward, often matching it to the area of our obedience. Alternatively, a state of disobedience will block a positive response to our prayers. Consider the following verses: John 9:31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the Godly person who does his will. James 4:3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. Proverbs 28:9 He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, Even his prayer is an abomination. Psalms 66:18 If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; 3. A positive impact on other peoples lives: As people learn of our blessings that came to us as a result of an obedient life, we become role models to others both believers and non-believers 4. A motivation for future obedience: Obedience and enjoying the consequences brings about more obedience (and additional favorable Page 8

9 consequences). As we proceed in this fashion, we begin to detect increasingly clear and more specific instructions. We develop an awesome reverence for His faithfulness. We become amazed at the details that He has worked out. 5. A sense of security. Our reasons for worry diminish. If God is for us, who can be against us? He has assumed responsibility for all the consequences of obedience. God has promised to make secure those who obey His Word, saying He will accompany and help us every step of the way through our trials. We learn to lean not on our own understanding. When there is sin in our lives, fear and doubt are sure to follow. The Lord s protection is available to everyone, but the prerequisite is obedience to His Word. We cannot expect God s blessing, if we are living in rebellion. On the other hand, obedience will result in courage and contentment regardless of our circumstances. 6. Suffering for Christ s sake: Scripture tells us that those who lead Godly lives in Christ Jesus will suffer. We may have to quit a job, terminate a friendship, or give up a relationship in order to live completely for Christ. We may have to eliminate totally a hobby or a lifelong habit that has become an obstacle to our Christian walk. Remember, the destruction of the Amalekites was to be total, not partial. Anything less was viewed by God as disobedience. Occasionally, we may become the object of scorn when we speak out against sin. There may be conflict with the world, but we must be willing to leave the consequences to Him. No matter how much temporary loss we feel at the time, we can take comfort in Matthew 5: Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Part of the information on this list came from the Charles Stanley CD Series, Passion for God, Disk 2. Page 9

10 CLOSING PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help us to be more obedient in our walk with you. Bring it to our minds when we are only partially obedient. Lead us to be more consistent and complete. Lord, we choose obedience, and we leave the consequences to you. Help us to understand clearly there is only one way, and that is Your way. We ask these things in the Holy name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.. Page 10