Pay Attention & Listen

Introduction:

Last semester was supposed to be my graduation, and I was so excited to finish and continue to

serve God full-time in His vineyard. Unfortunately, I failed. Since I did not take heed and listen

to the Lord, I could not complete the semester. During this Pandemic, my teacher constantly

reminded me to submit all my papers and do all my homework. Even the Spirit of God prompted

me to amend my ways, but my laziness took over and I let it all slide away. Laziness filled my

heart to the point that I had to hide from my teachers because I did not submit all my papers.

I was like Saul who did not take heed to the Word of the Lord and I learned a lesson. There are

consequences to my actions. However, God gave me a second chance to reboot my last semester

and finish strong.

Chuck Smith said,” God gives us a past from which we have learned a lesson, from that lesson we have gained wisdom, and from that wisdom we understood his grace.”

God provided my tuition fee and now I will finish strong by His grace.

Dictionary of Bible Themes 5165 listening

People are called upon to listen attentively to God’s word, to his Son and also to words of wisdom. Christians must not only listen to God’s word but also put it into practice. Those who refuse to listen to God’s word or to correction are condemned.

His Spokesman

1Sa 3:10 To GOD’S WORD and His Spokesman

Ps 81:8

We need to listen To JESUS CHRIST

Jn 10:16

Mt 17:5

We need to obey (In Hebrew and Greek the verb “listen, obey, pay attention” or is related by the verb “to obey”.)

Shema = It is the oldest fixed daily prayer in Judaism, recited morning and night since ancient times. Deut. 6:4-5

Sh'ma Yisra'eil Adonai Eloheinu Adonai echad.

Lk 11:28

Mt 7:24-27

Going back to the story, I would love to tell you about a man named Saul. A man who did not listen and obey God.

I would love to tell you about a man named Saul. A man who did not listen and obey God.

Context:

This book presents the personal history of Samuel who was the last of the judges. Samuel is the transition of Prophet, Priest, and Judge. The nation Israel moved from theocracy to a monarchy.

First Samuel covers the Life of Samuel, Life of Saul, and the Life of David.

SAUL = asked for

He was from the tribe of Benjamin,

the son of Kesh, chosen and anointed to be king over Israel. He was tall, handsome, and humble — but when wickedness entered into his heart, pride fell upon him.

Here are three things to consider on how to listen and take heed to God’s voice:

to listen,

to go,

to be willing

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 15

1 Then Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the words of the LORD.

2 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt.

3 ‘Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ”

4 Then Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah.

5 Saul came to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the valley.

6 Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up from Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

7 So Saul defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is east of Egypt.

8 He captured 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, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to destroy them utterly; but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.

Samuel Rebukes Saul

10 Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying,

11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not carried out My commands.” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all night.

12 Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul; and it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, then turned and proceeded on down to Gilgal.”

13 Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the LORD! I have carried out the command of the LORD.”

14 But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?”

15 Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to the LORD your God; but the rest we have utterly destroyed.”

16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Wait, and let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” And he said to him, “Speak!”

17 Samuel said, “Is it not true, though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the LORD anointed you king over Israel,

18 and the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are exterminated.’

19 “Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD, but rushed upon the spoil and did what was evil in the sight of the LORD?”

20 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I did obey the voice of the LORD, and went on the mission on which the LORD sent me, and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

21 “But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God at Gilgal.”

22 Samuel said,

“Has the LORD as much 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.

23 “For rebellion is as the sin of divination,

And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry.

Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,

He has also rejected you from being king.”

24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice.

25 “Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me, that I may worship the LORD.”

26 But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.”

27 As Samuel turned to go, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore.

28 So Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you.

29 “Also the aGlory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind.”

30 Then he said, “I have sinned; but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and go back with me, that I may worship the LORD your God.”

31 So Samuel went back following Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD.

32 Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag, the king of the Amalekites.” And Agag came to him cheerfully. And Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”

33 But Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hewed Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.

34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, but Saul went up to his house at Gibeah of Saul.

35 Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death; for Samuel grieved over Saul. And the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 15

1 Then Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the words of the LORD.

First, is to listen.

Notice in verse one, God told Saul to listen because He will punish the Amalek for they tried to stop the Israelites from going to Canaan back in Exodus 17:8.

If you go to Exodus 17:16 the Lord also has sworn that He will have war against them from generation to generation because they attacked the Israelites. That being said, “He will not leave the guilty unpunished” Exodus 34:7 because He is faithful and true to His Word and now He will fulfill His promise towards them.

God gave me a second chance to do better and to correct my mistakes

by doing all my requirements needed to finish my semester. And so, I listened carefully because this was my second chance.

The previous semester I can say that I am not that serious to take

heed, but now, I will listen attentively so I can finish this semester.

This time, I will not procrastinate in doing my paper works so I can pour out my heart to make a meaningful essay

that will glorify my God.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 15

2 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt.

3 ‘Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ”

4 Then Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah.

5 Saul came to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the valley.

6 Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up from Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

7 So Saul defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is east of Egypt.

Second is go.

In verse three, the Lord ordered Saul to go and execute judgement instructing him to strike Amalek and utterly destroy all. ALL MEANS ALL AND THAT’S ALL THAT ALL MEANS - Norman Geisler.

Destroy all that he has and do not spare him. Put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.

Why? What did the Amalekites do that was so bad? Samuel explained that to Saul also: how he laid wait for him on the way when he came up from Egypt. Centuries before this, the Amalekites were the first peoples to attack Israel after their escape from Egypt (Exodus 17).

Deuteronomy 25:17-19 repeats the point: Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you were coming out of Egypt, how he met you on the way and attacked your rear ranks, all the stragglers at your rear, when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God. Therefore, it shall be, when the LORD your God has given you rest from your enemies all around, in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance, that you will blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. You shall not forget.

The Amalekites committed a terrible sin against Israel. When the nation was weak and vulnerable, the Amalekites attacked the weakest and most vulnerable of the nation (attacked your rear ranks, all the strangers at your rear, when you were tired and weary). They did this with no provocation, no reason except violence and greed. God hates it when the strong take cruel advantage over the weak, especially when the weak are His people. So God promised to bring judgment against the Amalekites.

But all this had happened more than four hundred years before! Why did God hold it against the Amalekites? This shows us an important principle: time does not erase sin before God. Before man, time should erase sin. The years should make us forgiving to one another. But before God, time cannot atone for sin. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can erase sin, not time. In fact, the time was time that the Amalekites were mercifully given opportunity to repent. And they did not repent! The hundreds of years of hardened unrepentant hearts made them more guilty, not less guilty! "Though it be four hundred years since, and I may seem to have forgotten it. It is ill angering the Ancient of Days; his forbearance is no quittance." (Trapp)

So After he listened and received the Word of the Lord. He went to Telaim and gathered the people together.

There he had 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah.

Saul definitely knew a lot about the military.

He was ready to attack the Amalekites, and as the King of Israel, he knew how to do it.

As he came to the city of Amalek he saw the Kenites and showed mercy towards them for God

did not order him to kill them. He released the Kenites and attacked the Amalekites until they

were defeated. He captured Agag, the king, but did not kill him. When God said, “you must go

and finish the work,” Saul did go, but did not accomplish or obeyed God fully. Teacher Mae said, “Delayed obedience is disobedience,”

(Testimony about God telling me to go)

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 15

8 He captured 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, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to destroy them utterly; but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.

Third is be willing.

Saul was not willing to destroy all that God commanded him to destroy.

Based on my understanding, I don’t know the reason why he preserved Agag, but one thing I realize is that he was trying to seek glory from men—proving himself that he is a worthy king. The word “willing” in Hebrew means he did not want to submit and obey the commandment of God. He was disobedient and he didn’t deserve to be the king of Israel.

If you don’t bring your flesh to the cross and mortify(subdue) (control) the deeds of your flesh, but make allowance for the flesh, it will come back to destroy you.

Colossians 3:5 NASB95

5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.

1 Corinthians 9:27 NASB95

27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

Romans 13:14 NASB95

14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

You must be willing to bring everything to the Lord because It is the Holy Spirit that will help us.

You must be willing to walk with Jesus step by step being led by Him, By His Spirit. It’s like how a parent holds the hand of his small child and walks with Him through dangerous parking lot, protecting the child, guiding him, helping him, and keeping him safe

Galatians 2:20 NASB95

20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

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Belonging to Jesus means we are not our own. Our old self is no more—it has been crucified with Christ in order for the desires of our flesh to be brought to nothing, and the result is that we are no longer enslaved to sin but rather alive to God in Christ (Rom. 6:6, 11).

Even still, we must fight the desires of the flesh. We can’t do this by tolerating sin, justifying sin, blame shifting sin, or managing sin. We must put sin to death through repentance (Col. 3:5).\

“Repentance is a heartfelt sorrow for sin, a renouncing of it, and a sincere commitment to forsake it and walk in obedience to Christ.” –Wayne Grudem