09(1Sam 13,01-14) To Obey is Better Than Sacrifice
1 Samuel 13:2-4 Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mountains of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent away, every man to his tent. 3 And Jonathan attacked the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear!" 4 Now all Israel heard it said that Saul had attacked a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel had also become an abomination to the Philistines. And the people were called together to Saul at Gilgal.
§ Saul has reigned perhaps for 18 years; he will reign for 40 years.
§ He has a son old enough to lead troops into battle.
§ Saul summons additional troops after his son Jonathan stirs the hornets’ nest.
1 Samuel 13:5-7 Then the Philistines gathered together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude. And they came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth Aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in danger (for the people were distressed), then the people hid in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in holes, and in pits. 7 And some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. 12 Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
§ Allow Crises to Fashion Your Resolve, Not Force Your Hand.
§ To purify-gives you time to ask if there are any sins that need to be dealt with in your life.
§ To prune- those who seek to obey God will go through times of pruning,so that we will grow more like Him.
§ God is attempting to build within you some faith and a testimony. It is a pruning process.
§ Interestingly, the Philistines were not advancing; they were camped the whole time!
1 Samuel 13:9-12 So Saul said, "Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me." And he offered the burnt offering. 10 Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him. 11 And Samuel said, "What have you done?" And Saul said, "When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, 12 "then I said, 'The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the LORD.' Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering."
§ Saul’s motivation seemed genuine.
§ His problem was he failed to understand that sacrifice was not necessary to entreat God’s favor.
§ Animal sacrifice is not a prerequisite for entreating God.
§ The sin was not in a king making the offering.
§ Both David and Solomon would do so without a hint of divine rebuke.
§ The sin was disobeying the Word of God through the prophet Samuel (10:8).
§ Allow Circumstances to Form Your Character, Not Fool Your Judgment.
1 Samuel 13:13-14 And Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 "But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you."
§ 1 Samuel 15:22 Then Samuel said: "Has 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 heed than the fat of rams.
§ You’re not standing on the promises by just sitting in the premises!
§ Obedience is always better than sacrifice (15:22).
§ Ritual is never the key to the treasury of God.
§ God never looks at the outward appearances, He looks at the heart.
§ Allow Choices to Forge Your Destiny, Not Frustrate Your Plans.