“Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt. And he took Agag the 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, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.”
1 Samuel 15:1-9 KJV
“It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night. And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal. And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD. And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine 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 of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed. Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on. And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel? And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD? And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Hath 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 hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, He hath also rejected thee from being king. And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD. And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou. And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent. Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God. So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped the LORD. Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal. And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.”
1 Samuel 15:11-33, 35 KJV
When Saul was reproached by Samuel, note his attitude. It was not one of conviction and repentance; he saw nothing wrong with what he had done. Once he realized that there was something wrong he instantly turned to blaming the people of which he was to lead. We should note that God holds those who are supposed to be heads or leaders responsible (to some degree) of those to whom they are leading. Fathers are responsible for their children, husbands responsible for their wives, and pastors for their flocks. This is not to mean that each individual is not responsible for their own actions. I am a strong believe in individual soul liberty/ responsibility. King Saul instead of taking responsibility for his actions plays the coward and shifts the blame.
I believe we are given some insight into Saul’s heart here. He saw value in that which God wanted destroyed. Today, Christians find value in things God hates, and wants removed from our lives. They destroyed all that which was vile to them, but they kept the goodly. I instantly go to the TV. There is very little that is Godly that comes from that thing. Just like the lambs and ox, in and of themselves they are not vile. It is because God commanded them to be destroyed that should have made Saul and the Israelites hate and destroy them. The TV could be used for good and could edify God, however most Christians are not in control of their TV and even the slightest filth that is allowed into the home by it grieves God’s heart. That is just one of many examples that could be given.
The food we bring in, the “smart” phones that never get put down, the radio or music in general, the computer, the friends we keep, the books we read or have, the magazine that are allowed into the sanctuary of our homes should be scrutinized and when God declares something to be vile, no matter how much our flesh likes it, or how good of an argument we can make to keep it, it should be utterly destroyed and removed from our lives.
After Saul realized he was wrong, he did not repent. He did not fall on his face and beg for mercy. Saul’s heart was lifted up with pride and even in the face of his failure he was unwilling to acknowledge his state before God and beg of His mercy. If Saul had done that, at this time and the first time Samuel rebuked him, then we might have had a completely different dynasty in our Bibles. Instead, Saul wanted to keep his status with men over a relationship and clear conscience with God. Saul wanted Samuel to worship with him, he wanted Samuel to honor him so that the elders would still respect him.
Maybe he should have realized that many people respect someone who can admit their faults, ask for forgiveness and strive by God’s Grace to do better moving forward.
God commands us to seek his face. Psalm 119 tells us over and over again in various ways, that if we seek God’s face, we will receive God’s favor and blessings. When we start to care more about what people think of our choices and of us, it is an indication that we are lifted up with pride, as Saul was lifted up. We are no longer little in our own sight, and we are not seeking the favor of God. Instead, we think we can accomplish all that is needed if we only have the favor of men. It is possible to have both, but only if God shows it. If we seek God’s favor we may get man’s favor as a byproduct, but it should never be our driving force. Whose favor are we seeking? Man’s or God’s?
“Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, And that seek him with the whole heart.”
Psalm 119:2 KJV
“With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, That I might not sin against thee.”
Psalm 119:10-11 KJV
“Many seek the ruler’s favour; But every man’s judgment cometh from the LORD.”
Proverbs 29:26 KJV
S.T.
I Thessalonians 5:24
"Faithful is he..."
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