Regrets and Goodbyes
1 Samuel: The Promise of the True King • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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1 Samuel told Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over his people Israel. Now, listen to the words of the Lord. 2 This is what the Lord of Armies says: ‘I witnessed what the Amalekites did to the Israelites when they opposed them along the way as they were coming out of Egypt. 3 Now go and attack the Amalekites and completely destroy everything they have. Do not spare them. Kill men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’ ” 4 Then Saul summoned the troops and counted them at Telaim: two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men from Judah. 5 Saul came to the city of Amalek and set up an ambush in the wadi. 6 He warned the Kenites, “Since you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came out of Egypt, go on and leave! Get away from the Amalekites, or I’ll sweep you away with them.” So the Kenites withdrew from the Amalekites. 7 Then Saul struck down the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is next to Egypt. 8 He captured King Agag of Amalek alive, but he completely destroyed all the rest of the people with the sword.
Samuel came to Saul to deliver a message from the Lord. What is interesting is that typically anyone approaching the king would have to be called into his presence, Samuel took serving the Lord as more important than political niceties.
Verse 1 reads more like - “I am the one the Lord sent to anoint you as king so listen to what the Lord told me to tell you.”
Samuel emphasizes the divine origin for the message - “the Lord of Armies”.
Samuel recounts the Lord’s promise from the time of Moses (Exodus 17:8-16). This is the battle against the Amalekites where when Moses raised his hand the Israelites prevailed and when he lowered it they were losing. As the battle raged Moses grew tired so Aaron and Hur held his hands up. Joshua defeated Amalek that day and God told Moses to write this down…”I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek under heaven.”
God was giving Saul the awesome responsibility and honor of fulfilling this promise. Saul, who was noted for his military leadership was ideally suited for carrying out this challenging task.
God’s command was to attack and totally destroy the Amalekites - this kind of warfare was called herem, and was practiced only against peoples who had come under the Lord’s severest judgment. It required the destruction of all people and possessions captured in battle.
The task was a solemn and holy one since those Israelites who carried it our functioned as the Lord’s agent of judgment. The soldiers were not to profit from their assignment through the acquisition of slaves or booty. Their reward was to be the satisfaction of having fulfilled a divinely mandated mission.
Saul gathered the troops and there was 210,000 soldiers, the second largest force under Saul’s command mentioned in the Bible.
Saul set and ambush - a wadi is a ravine.
The Kenites were a tribe that were there already yet kind to the Israelites - they are actually the tribe Moses’ father-in-law came from. Saul warned them of the upcoming battle so they would not be caught up accidently, so they left.
The battle began and Saul won covering a large area to do so. The entire people of the Amalekites were struck down except one… the king, Agag.
9 Saul and the troops spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and choice animals, as well as the young rams and the best of everything else. They were not willing to destroy them, but they did destroy all the worthless and unwanted things. 10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, 11 “I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned away from following me and has not carried out my instructions.” So Samuel became angry and cried out to the Lord all night.
Saul spared king Agag - this was a flagrant violation of the Lord’s command. The verb hamal can also mean “feel compassion”. So significant was Saul’s action the wuthor recounted it two different times - when he took the king “alive” and here where he “spared” him.
Saul was not the only one who disobeyed - the army joined in by keeping the sheep, goats, cattle and the choicest animals - they destroyed all the worthless and unwanted things.
This self-serving selective obedience by both Saul and those under his command represented an early attempt - repeated countless times through out history - to pursue gain under the guise of serving God. As it always does, it would ultimately prove futile.
God sees all and knows all and He was not pleased - God spoke to Samuel.
The Lord saying He regretted making Saul king is a little misleading - for many regret indicates making a mistake but we know God does not make mistakes. Here the word regret literally means that God was “greived”.
The only other occasion where the Lord stated He was “grieved” of peoples’ actions was when He observed the wickedness of humanity that led to the universal flood.
God is aware of and responsive to choices made by people, reacting favorably only when people choose the option of obedience to the divine will.
Nothing short of strict obedience to the Lord’s instructions is acceptable; anything less produced grief in heaven and plain and loss on earth.
Samuel was troubled at the Lord’s reaction to Saul - Samuel was grieved as well and thus “cried out” all night.
12 Early in the morning Samuel got up to confront Saul, but it was reported to Samuel, “Saul went to Carmel where he set up a monument for himself. Then he turned around and went down to Gilgal.” 13 When Samuel came to him, Saul said, “May the Lord bless you. I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.” 14 Samuel replied, “Then what is this sound of sheep, goats, and cattle I hear?” 15 Saul answered, “The troops brought them from the Amalekites and spared the best sheep, goats, and cattle in order to offer a sacrifice to the Lord your God, but the rest we destroyed.” 16 “Stop!” exclaimed Samuel. “Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” “Tell me,” he replied. 17 Samuel continued, “Although you once considered yourself unimportant, haven’t you become the leader of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel 18 and then sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go and completely destroy the sinful Amalekites. Fight against them until you have annihilated them.’ 19 So why didn’t you obey the Lord? Why did you rush on the plunder and do what was evil in the Lord’s sight?” 20 “But I did obey the Lord!” Saul answered. “I went on the mission the Lord gave me: I brought back King Agag of Amalek, and I completely destroyed the Amalekites. 21 The troops took sheep, goats, and cattle from the plunder—the best of what was set apart for destruction—to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”
Samuel did not wait and got up first thing to go tell Saul what the Lord has decided but Saul was not where Samuel thought he would be.
Saul went and set up a monument for himself (not God).
The sequencing of Saul’s actions - performing acts of self-interest prior to those of devotion to God -was reflective of his entire life.
Samuel found Saul, Saul blessed Samuel and began bragging about accomplishing the Lord’s instructions.
Samuel was not impressed - his response was great - basically he said, “It you did exactly what God commanded then why am I hearing all these animals?”
Saul still has not learned to take responsibility for his actions - his first reaction was to blame the troops.
He then flipped it back to God - sure they didn’t kill them in battle but they spared them to offer as a sacrifice - now God knows the heart of man and if that was their intention God would not have regretted making Saul king.
Samuel had enough and stopped Saul from continuing to make excuses.
Samuel told Saul what the Lord said but Saul was still defiant asserting that he did follow the Lord’s commands.
The issues is that Saul did some but not all of what the Lord commanded - partial obedience is in fact disobedience.
22 Then Samuel said: Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? Look: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention is better than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and defiance is like wickedness and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king. 24 Saul answered Samuel, “I have sinned. I have transgressed the Lord’s command and your words. Because I was afraid of the people, I obeyed them. 25 Now therefore, please forgive my sin and return with me so I can worship the Lord.” 26 Samuel replied to Saul, “I will not return with you. Because you rejected the word of the Lord, the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27 When Samuel turned to go, Saul grabbed the corner of his robe, and it tore. 28 Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingship of Israel away from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you. 29 Furthermore, the Eternal One of Israel does not lie or change his mind, for he is not man who changes his mind.” 30 Saul said, “I have sinned. Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel. Come back with me so I can bow in worship to the Lord your God.” 31 Then Samuel went back, following Saul, and Saul bowed down to the Lord.
While God takes pleasure in sacrifices He desires obedience more.
Samuel says that God see it as rebellion - willful disobedience and is as serious as the capital sin of divination.
He also equates it to idolatry - disobedience involves the removal of God from His rightful place in every persons life - it elevates self-will into a god.
God’s rejection of Saul’s position of authority was caused by Saul’s rejection of God’s authoritative Word.
Saul acknowledged he had sinned but in truth he still hasn’t repented because he is still not accepting personal responsibility - see Saul listened to the people instead of listening to God.
Saul was done as king, the Lord has rejected him - Saul begs Samuel to come with him so he could “worship the Lord” and Samuel refuses because God is done.
Samuel calls God the “Eternal One” showing the difference between God and Saul’s removal as king.
Saul’s reaction at least in part convinced Samuel to return with him and Saul stayed true to his word and worshipped the Lord.
32 Samuel said, “Bring me King Agag of Amalek.” Agag came to him trembling, for he thought, “Certainly the bitterness of death has come.” 33 Samuel declared: As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women. Then he hacked Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal. 34 Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul. 35 Even to the day of his death, Samuel never saw Saul again. Samuel mourned for Saul, and the Lord regretted he had made Saul king over Israel.
Samuel did not restore Saul as king.
He returned with Saul for the purpose of completing the task the Lord set before Saul.
Saul was supposed to deliver God’s judgement but instead Samuel acted as judge again by killing Agag.
Samuel never saw Saul again - Samuel mourned for Saul - remember 1 Corinthians 13:6
6 Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth.
