Read 1 Samuel 15
Sometimes the Old Testament can be difficult to read and understand. But there is so much truth and wisdom in these books if we take the time to meditate on them and ask the Lord to reveal what He is speaking.
Today, as I was reading 1 Samuel 15, verse 3 stuck out to me where Samuel instructs Saul to “not spare the Amalekites but kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.” It stuck out to me because it’s a pretty specific and direct command from God. The Lord wanted these people (the Amalekites) gone. Further on in the chapter, verse 9, we see that Saul “spared King Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and was unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.”
This made me think of us as followers of Jesus. Has the Lord asked us to utterly destroy and rid ourselves of something specific? Has He given us specific instructions to remove something that might actually seem good to us but isn’t the plan or will of the Lord for our lives? Saul chose to disobey the Lord and only get rid of the “despised and worthless” things. If we apply this to our lives, yes, getting rid of despicable and worthless things is something that we need to do. But what if we are holding onto something seemingly good that isn’t in the will or plan of the Lord? What then?
As we continue to read the chapter we see that Saul actually thought he was doing what was right. He tells Samuel in verse 13, “Blessed are you of the Lord! I have performed the commandment of the Lord.” Let’s observe their conversation.
Saul: “Blessed are you of the Lord! I have performed the commandment of the Lord.”
Samuel: “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?”
Saul: “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.”
Samuel: “Be quiet! And I will tell you what the Lord has said to me last night. When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the Lord anoint you king over Israel? Now the Lord sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you swoop down on the spoil and do evil in the sight of the Lord?”
Saul: “But I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and gone on the mission which the Lord sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people who took of the plunder, sheep, and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”
1 Samuel 15:13-20 (paraphrased)
Saul put his own spin on God’s intentions and command. God said to utterly destroy everything that was associated with the Amalekites and keep nothing. However, Saul thought, I’ll do one better and offer a sacrifice, surely that’s okay!
Have you ever heard from the Lord to do “this thing” but you tire yourself out by doing “this thing AND that thing”? Have you ever heard from the Lord to do something and begin working on that, but then stop to help other people because they are overwhelmed with their tasks? If God has not asked us to do something, don’t do it.
“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. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.” 1 Samuel 15:22-23
Reflection:
1. What is something the Lord has asked us to get rid of or utterly destroy?
– Obviously, we all think of sin. Well, yes. But go a step beyond that. Is there a relationship that is not glorifying the Lord that He has asked you to walk away from but you are not? Is there an action you are taking, music you are listening to, words you are speaking that aren’t necessarily sin but they are not feeding your walk with the Lord. He has asked you to remove these things but you haven’t?
2. Is there something the Lord has asked you to do that’s so outside of your comfort zone, something you’ve never done before, or not “normal” that you’re doing other things instead of doing that?
3. Is there a ministry or action the Lord has called you to? He’s spoken it to you before or recently and it’s intimidating, people might think you’re crazy for stepping out like that. Are you saying, “Lord, I’ll do *this* instead of *that*.” Is that obedience?
4. Are we being fully obedient to the Lord where we are at?
– Maybe you’ve said “yes” to the Lord. But that’s not the final step. Now we must walk in that obedience. We have to continually walk with Him and continue to hear from Him.
5. What are our thoughts, posture, heart, and life saying about our obedience vs. sacrifice?
– Saul thought He was doing the right thing. He thought he was some great person for offering a sacrifice. If we read in Matthew 23 we see that Jesus called the Pharisees foolish for focusing on the gold of the temple, not the temple that sanctifies the god. He called them fools for focusing on the gift that they offered on the altar but not the altar that sanctifies the gift.
In our day to day life, whatever action the Lord is asking of us, are we doing it out of obedience or are we doing it because we think that’s what we should do?
Take some time to read and reread this chapter in 1 Samuel, then read Matthew 23. Meditate on these scriptures and ask the Lord to speak to your heart. Answer these questions in your journal and let Him speak to your heart.
