THE DISOBEDIENCE OF SAUL
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
In 1 Samuel 8 we find an incident that forever changed Israel's course - and it was a change for the worse.
In 1 Samuel 8 we find an incident that forever changed Israel's course - and it was a change for the worse.
1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 Now the name of his first-born was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah: they were judges in Beer-sheba. 3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice. 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah; 5 and they said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. 6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto Jehovah. 7 And Jehovah said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them.
They rejected God as their King and wanted to be like the nations around them.
By the way, that is a major problem in the church today
Evidently, many have ignored the words of Paul...
14 Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement hath a temple of God with idols? for we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you, 18 And will be to you a Father, And ye shall be to me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Israel, after their request, were warned of the results of this kind of rebellion ...
18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye shall have chosen you; and Jehovah will not answer you in that day. 19 But the people refused to hearken unto the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay: but we will have a king over us,
Saul was the choice to be the first king
Saul was the choice to be the first king
Saul's reign was filled with one indiscretion after another
But, Saul's error in 1 Samuel 15 was the straw that broke the camel's back - this caused his rejection by God
Samuel gives the Lord's instructions to Saul
Samuel gives the Lord's instructions to Saul
1 And Samuel said unto Saul, Jehovah sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of Jehovah. 2 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, I have marked that which Amalek did to Israel, how he set himself against him in the way, when he came up out of Egypt. 3 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.
Samuel begins his instruction to Saul by reminding him where his kingship came from and that his total loyalty belonged to God
Samuel tells Saul how the Lord remembered the Amalekites' evil deeds toward Israel, and wants them exterminated
The command...
3 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.
Saul makes ready for the battle
Saul makes ready for the battle
4 And Saul summoned the people, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. 5 And Saul came to the city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.
Saul gathered 210,000 men to battle ...
Saul laid in wait in a valley outside Amalek
The battle was completed, but not as ordered
The battle was completed, but not as ordered
6 And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for ye showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 7 And Saul smote the Amalekites, from Havilah as thou goest to Shur, that is before Egypt. 8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 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 everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
Saul and company came and smote the Amalekites
But notice what is said in...
8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 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 everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.
Saul won the battle, but he didn't do everything the Lord said. He decided he would do it his way.
God declares Saul's disobedience to Samuel
God declares Saul's disobedience to Samuel
10 Then came the word of Jehovah unto Samuel, saying, 11 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 Samuel was wroth; and he cried unto Jehovah all night. 12 And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning; and it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a monument, and turned, and passed on, and went down to Gilgal.
God tells Samuel that He is very grieved with the fact that Saul, whom He appointed king, would not follow Him
Saul was disobedient
Some might say, "The ends justify the means," but God says it is simply disobedience
This grieved Samuel and cried in prayer unto the Lord all night.
Have we ever done this?
Are we grieved by sin, liberalism, lukewarmness...
Samuel rises up to meet Saul and is told he is in Gilgal
Saul is confronted about his disobedience (1 Samuel 15:13-23)
Saul is confronted about his disobedience (1 Samuel 15:13-23)
First, notice the lies that are told by Saul in...
13 And Samuel came to Saul; and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of Jehovah: I have performed the commandment of Jehovah. 14 And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? 15 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 Jehovah thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.
After the lies told by Saul, Samuel proceeds to rebuke Saul for not obeying the commands of God. Samuel says, after all that God has done for you - why have you committed evil in the His sight
Notice Saul's reply ...
20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the devoted things, to sacrifice unto Jehovah thy God in Gilgal.
He lies to himself and blames the people
How often do we lie to ourself...
Samuel then responds to Saul's lies and excuses...
22 And Samuel said, Hath Jehovah as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
Saul pleads for mercy (1 Samuel 15:24-31)
Saul pleads for mercy (1 Samuel 15:24-31)
Still making excuses, notice how Saul begins his plea for mercy ...
24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of Jehovah, and thy words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
Saul begs Samuel to stay to help him go to the Lord to ask for forgiveness
Samuel said NO. He says, "You rejected God, now God rejects you"
Consider what is said in...
27 And as Samuel turned about to go away, Saul laid hold upon the skirt of his robe, and it rent. 28 And Samuel said unto him, Jehovah hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor of thine, that is better than thou. 29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent.
God has rent the kingdom from Saul just like Samuel's coat was torn
God will not change in this matter
Let us now consider some of the valuable lessons we learn from Saul's disobedience
Let us now consider some of the valuable lessons we learn from Saul's disobedience
DISCUSSION
SAUL BLAMES THE PEOPLE
SAUL BLAMES THE PEOPLE
14 And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? 15 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 Jehovah thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.
20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the devoted things, to sacrifice unto Jehovah thy God in Gilgal.
The Lord told Saul what was required of him
The Lord told Saul what was required of him
3 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.
When he was confronted about his disobedience - he blamed the people
This is an age old problem:
This is an age old problem:
"Passing the Buck"
It is the "I am never to blame attitude”
People blame society, their upbringing, their situation - but they do not want to place blame on themselves
Do you remember when this problem first occurred? It was found in the garden of Eden.
Do you remember when this problem first occurred? It was found in the garden of Eden.
In Genesis 3 the serpent tempted Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit - she did and gave also to Adam
As a result their eyes were open to their nakedness, and they hid from God
Notice what happened in...
9 And Jehovah God called unto the man, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. 11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? 12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 13 And Jehovah God said unto the woman, What is this thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
Adam blamed Eve
Adam blamed God … “the woman YOU gave me”
Eve blamed the serpent
How do people "pass the buck" today?
How do people "pass the buck" today?
Blame others for their not coming to worship, etc.
Blame others for what is not being done, when they themselves are doing little or nothing
By always passing responsibility on to someone else
Remember, when you point the finger there are three more pointing right back at you.
In the day of judgment there will be no "passing of the buck"
In the day of judgment there will be no "passing of the buck"
48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my sayings, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day.
10 For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
NEGLIGENCE IS SIN
NEGLIGENCE IS SIN
19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of Jehovah, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah? 20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of Jehovah, and have gone the way which Jehovah sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
Saul evidently thought that doing only part of God's command was alright
Saul evidently thought that doing only part of God's command was alright
Samuel informed Saul that to do a part of God's will to the neglect of other commands is doing evil
Samuel informed Saul that to do a part of God's will to the neglect of other commands is doing evil
There are many in the world who think they are doing the good, but are only partially obedient - therefore do evil.
There are many in the world who think they are doing the good, but are only partially obedient - therefore do evil.
Many denominations do some good things, but they also do evil in neglecting many of God's commands; for example:
Neglect to teach God's complete plan of salvation
Neglect to worship as God has authorized
Neglect to have the proper organization
There are many in the Lord's church who are involved in "cafeteria style religion"
Doing some good things is not enough
Remember the parables in Matthew 25 - they were all lost because of something they neglected to do
Remember the parables in Matthew 25 - they were all lost because of something they neglected to do
The foolish virgins neglected to be prepared
The one talent man neglected his responsibility
The goats neglected to do good
Are we obeying parts of God's law to the neglect of others? If so, we are involved in evil. Are we involved in evil by:
Are we obeying parts of God's law to the neglect of others? If so, we are involved in evil. Are we involved in evil by:
Not telling others of Christ and His church?
Not opposing error”
Not encouraging one another?
Giving as we have been prospered?
Attending faithfully? etc. ...
GOD DESIRES OBEDIENCE RATHER THAN SACRIFICE
GOD DESIRES OBEDIENCE RATHER THAN SACRIFICE
22 And Samuel said, Hath Jehovah as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
Saul disobeyed God, but thought it was alright since it was done to worship Him
Saul disobeyed God, but thought it was alright since it was done to worship Him
The sheep and oxen were used to worship God
But God said destroy all
From this we see that simply worshipping is not enough
From this we see that simply worshipping is not enough
It must be done in obedience
Worship not prescribed by God is rejected
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
We “must” worship - but in the correct way
Worship with the correct attitude
7 A God very terrible in the council of the holy ones, And to be feared above all them that are round about him?
4 For great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised: He is to be feared above all gods.
Worship God according to truth
17 Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth.
17 And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
SAUL FEARS THE PEOPLE AND NOT GOD
SAUL FEARS THE PEOPLE AND NOT GOD
24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of Jehovah, and thy words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
This is one of the reason there is so much error in the world today - because man fears man instead of God
This is one of the reason there is so much error in the world today - because man fears man instead of God
Saul blamed his error on fearing the people - what about today?
Saul blamed his error on fearing the people - what about today?
Afraid of losing friends, or not being popular
Afraid of losing social status
Afraid of losing a promotion
Afraid of confrontation
Notice what Jesus said...
Notice what Jesus said...
28 And be not afraid of them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
25 The fear of man bringeth a snare; But whoso putteth his trust in Jehovah shall be safe.
7 and he saith with a great voice, Fear God, and give him glory; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made the heaven and the earth and sea and fountains of waters.
CONCLUSION
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that through patience and through comfort of the scriptures we might have hope.
11 Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come.
What do we learn from the disobedience of Saul in 1 Samuel 15?
What do we learn from the disobedience of Saul in 1 Samuel 15?
We can’t blame others for our sins
Negligence is sin
God demands obedience - not just going through the motions
Fear God and not man
13 This is the end of the matter; all hath been heard: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
