The KING rejects a king Yesterday, I wrote about how the Israelites wanted to be like other nations around them and have a King. Impatience had taken over the hearts of the Israelites once again. They demanded to have a king of their own like other nations even though God was their King. They rejected God. “And the Lord told him: ‘Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.” 1 Samuel 8:7 God was speaking to Samuel because Samuel was grieved by the decisions the Israelites were making. Saul was identified as the Israelites king. Soon after, Samuel was getting old, and gave a farewell speech due to his age. In this speech found in 1 Samuel 12, Samuel is reminding the people of how they had turned their back on God, and rejected Him as their King. “But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we want a king to rule over us’ - even thought the Lord your God was your king.” 1 Samuel 12:12 Saul was appointed by Samuel, and chosen by God. In Samuel’s farewell speech, he warns the people… “If you fear the Lord and serve and obey Him and do not rebel against His command, and if both of you and the king who reigns over you follow the Lord your God - good! But if you do not obey the Lord, and if you rebel against His commands, His hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers.” 1 Samuel 12:14-15 Israel had gotten what they wanted, a king. The people acknowledged that they had sinned by requesting a king (1 Samuel 12:19b). Everything seemed to be going ok. At the end of Chapter 12, Samuel gives one last encouragement. “But be sure to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you. “ 1 Samuel 12:24 It wasn’t long before the Israelites great king, Saul began to forget the warnings from Samuel. In 1 Samuel chapter 13, Saul gets impatient and decides to offer a burnt offering to God, even though Saul was instructed to wait for Samuel. In Chapter 15, Saul was instructed by God to destroy the Amalekites, and I mean destroy everything. God wanted to punish the Amalekites for what they had done to Israel. “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. 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. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.” 1 Samuel 15:1-3 Saul goes to war against the Amalekites and he defeats them, but he decides to keep the best of the sheep and cattle, and spared the king, Agag. Saul was again disobedient. Samuel confronts him and Saul begins to sound like a child with excuse after excuse. 1. “The Lord bless you! I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.” 1 Samuel 15:13 - This was a complete lie, and it was said by Saul to Samuel as Samuel approached him after the battle. It was like a parent walking up on a guilty child, and the child immediately scrambles to help focus the attention on their good behavior and not the bad. 2. 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.’” 1 Samuel 15:15 - this was Saul’s response to Samuel hearing the bleating of sheep and lowing of cattle. When a child gives an excuse for disobedience, doesn’t it usually begin with a “But…” 3. “’But I did obey the Lord,’ Saul said. ‘I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. The soldiers took the sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.” 1 Samuel 15:20-21 - Again, the word “but” comes into play. God asked that “everything” be destroyed, and that included the sheep, cattle and their king Agag. “Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king.” 1 Samuel 15:23b So, first the Israelites, rejected God as their King. God gave them a king, named Saul. And, now God has rejected Saul. If anything, I have learned from this lesson that obedience to God is what He desires. Saul tried to get out of his disobedience by saying the sheep and cattle were for sacrifices. “Does the Lord delight in the burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord?” 1 Samuel 15:22 Our King, God Almighty desires our obedience. Yes, we will always fail in this…we will never be fully obedient to God, and that is why in His perfect plan, God sent Jesus. Jesus’ obedience is enough, now we cloth ourselves in righteousness because of Jesus Christ’ willful obedience to God. Have a great day Facebook Friends, (sorry this was long, and I hope you got something out of it like I did.) Bert W.
Posted on: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 17:02:21 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015