Saul’s Great Sin

Intro:

Narrative takes place in Gilgal

Where they made Saul king before the Lord

Erected a monument… contrasting the stone of Ebenezer

The Command

Given by God through the lips of Samuel

It was a delayed fulfilment of God’s punishment upon them

Exodus 17:14–16 “14 Then the Lord said to 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.” 15 Moses built an altar and named it The Lord is My Banner; 16 and he said, “The Lord has sworn; the Lord will have war against Amalek from generation to generation.””

Deuteronomy 25:17–19 “17 “Remember what Amalek did to you along the way when you came out from Egypt, 18 how he met you along the way and attacked among you all the stragglers at your rear when you were faint and weary; and he did not fear God. 19 “Therefore it shall come about when the Lord your God has given you rest from all your surrounding enemies, in the land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance to possess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; you must not forget.”

Let’s call it was this is: a massacre

God is punishing the Amelekites, many of whom weren’t ALIVE when the Exodus happened

But time does not erase sin

If anything they were given time to repent!

Man & woman, child & infant

Makes us tremble

Yet we are MEANT to feel the difference of atmosphere between their time and ours

We are MEANT to see how God deals with an unholy people that loves Him not

But we are NOT meant, to question God’s divine choice, or His right to do it

God brings for life, therefore who are we to question the justice and judgement of God?

Do we not deserve the same thing?

1. The Disobedience

1-9

Partial obedience is complete disobedience

He was kicking against the goats… like another Saul in Acts 26:14.

2. The Excuses

10-21

Samuel’s prayer was not done in vain

Prompted his submission unto God… and strengthened his boldness, conviction against Saul

I have preformed the commandment of the Lord! (Verse 13)

The people spared (Verse 15)

Depicts him as a weak ruler that can’t keep his people in check

How easy it is to shift the blame to something, rather than dealing with the consciousness of our sin

Oh it was this! Oh it was that!… Oh it was you!

The Lord YOUR God (verse 15)

I DID obey! (verse 20)

May we not lie to God about our obedience

May we not put forth excuses for our own sin

May we repent & plead for God’s forgiveness, for no sin is hidden from His sight

3. The Punishment

22-end

To obey is better than sacrifice

He uplifts the surrender of the will over the rite itself. Submission unto God rather than vain sacrifices in which God is not pleased

Psalm 51:16–17 “16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”

Romans 12:1 “1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”

To spare Agag is to spare the sin in our lives.

David would feel the guilt of sin, Saul wouldn't. David was a man after Gods own heart, Saul wasn't

David would feel the guilt of sin, Saul wouldn’t period. David was a man after God‘s own heart, saw wasn’t.