1 Samuel 15
-Samuel re-enters the scene in this decisive chapter in the
kingdom of Saul over Israel. Just as the LORD sent Samuel to anoint this leader
as the man of His own choosing, He comes again with an order to go and punish
the Amalekite enemy for setting themselves against Israel 400 years prior when
they were coming up from their captivity in Egypt. The command was clear, “Now
go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him;
but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and
donkey.” Saul gathered 200,000 foot soldiers and numbered them in Telaim, which
included 10,000 men of Judah. The king came to the city of Amalek and set an
ambush in the valley. Beforehand, he warned the Kenites who were living among
the Amalekites to depart so that they would not be destroyed. They had shown
kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came out of Egypt (Numbers 24:21,
Judges 1:16). So the Kenites followed through and did depart safely (1 Samuel
15:1-6).
-Saul did fight with the Amalekites and defeated them
soundly under the direction and providence of the LORD. From Havilah as far as
Shur, east of Egypt, the Israeli army prevailed in a decisive blow. Agag, the Amalekite
king, was captured alive, and the rest of the people were utterly destroyed
with the edge of the sword. However, in direct contradiction to God’s orders,
Agag the king was spared along with the best of the sheep, the oxen, the
fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good. So the worthless things were done
away with, but the best things were not destroyed completely (1 Samuel 15:7-9).
-Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel indicating, “I
regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and
has not carried out My commands.” This news distressed the prophet, and he
cried out to the LORD all night long. Then, as a faithful spiritual soldier, he
rose early the next morning to meet Saul, who he heard was at Mt. Carmel, where
he had set up a monument for himself. But Saul had turned and headed back east
to the Jordan River Valley in Gilgal. This is where Samuel comes to the king.
Saul, in arrogance and cockiness, greets the prophet of God with these words, “Blessed
are you of the LORD! I have carried out the command of the LORD.” Samuel
sarcastic response is classic, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my
ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?” Saul tried in vain to justify
and vindicate his position by letting the prophet know that he brought them
back for a sacrifice to the LORD God of Heaven and earth, but Samuel was having
nothing to do with this after hearing directly from the Almighty. He stated, “Wait,
and let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” After Saul told him
to speak, the prophet and former judge of the land continued, “Is it not true,
though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the LORD anointed you
king over Israel, and the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go and utterly
destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are
exterminated.’ Why then did you not obey the Voice of the LORD, but rushed upon
the spoil and did what was evil in the sight of the LORD?” Saul continued to
make his defense in partial support of God and His program, and then began to
accuse the people of talking him into taking some of the spoil, sheep, oxen,
and the choice things. He again tried to justify this with the fact that they
were going to sacrifice these things to the LORD in Gilgal, even though God had
told them to do something completely different. Saul’s compromising leadership
was once again dragging him down. This time it was pivotal. His kingdom never
recovered. Samuel protested, “Has the LORD as much 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. For rebellion is as the sin
of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you
have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being
king." At this point, Saul acknowledged his sin and transgressions against
the commands of the LORD. He admitted that he feared the people and listened to
their voice above the Voice of God. He asked for pardon and for the prophet to
return with him in sight of the people that all may be shmoozed over and that
they worship the LORD together in ungenuine repentance. The discerning prophet
was unmoved. He maintained, “I will not return with you; for you have rejected
the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over
Israel.” As Samuel turned to depart, Saul seized his robe tearing the edge of
it. Samuel reiterated with this prophetic sign, “The LORD has torn the kingdom
of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than
you. Also the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a
man that He should change His mind.” In desperation now, the fallen king
reached out again to the prophet to curry his favor in the situation if not
just to pacify the moment and make him appealing to the masses of people who
had expectations for him. He said, “I have sinned; but please honor me now
before the elders of my people and before Israel, and go back with me, that I
may worship the LORD your (interesting here it’s not “my” or “our” God) God.”
Samuel obliged this request, and Saul did worship the LORD in front of the
people in a ceremonious act (1 Samuel 15:10-31).
-There was one more matter that needed to be cleared up by
the man of God. Samuel had Agag, the Amalekite king, brought to him. Agag came
cheerfully, the Bible denotes, thinking that the time for violent action had
certainly passed. In fact, he said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”
But Samuel had other thoughts planted by his Sovereign LORD. He told the
vanquished king that he indeed had made women childless, and now his mother
would be childless as well. Samuel finished the orders of God by cutting up the
king in pieces before the LORD there at Gilgal. Then he returned to his home in
Ramah. Saul went back to his house in Gibeah. And Samuel did not see Saul again
until the day of his death. Samuel grieved over Saul, and the LORD regretted
that He had entrusted the kingdom of Israel to such a man as this (1 Samuel
15:32-35). But even through much depravity, God was still working out His
salvation plan through the life of the nation of Israel. Soon a premiere king with
an enduring kingdom would arise with a heart after the LORD.
-*Application* Fear of man verses the fear of God. This is
always the great dilemma in life. Who are we going to listen to? Who are we
going to worship? Who is our God, or god? Don’t let God regret choosing us for
a call or position. We need to follow Him completely and genuinely all the days
of our lives to hear “well done good and faithful servant (Matthew 25:21, 23).”
We should take notice of all the leadership qualities, good and bad, that are
display in this lengthy sequence of events between Eli and Samuel, Samuel and
Saul, and Saul and David. Much can be learned inductively from a deep character
study on these men.
Verses to Memorize:
1 Samuel 15:11, 22-23, 28
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