JD Abshire

Saul was given explicit instructions to annihilate the Amalekites, destroy everyone and everything including livestock.

"Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass." (1 Samuel 15:3)

However, Saul's obedience to The Lord's command was only partial.
"And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly." (1 Samuel 15:8-9)

I believe the answer is in the following passage.

"And Samuel said, Hath 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 hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king" (1 Samuel 15:22-23).

Saul was guilty of "willful sin". He like so many today apply humanistic rationalization to what God actually said. He relied on his own judgment rather than taking God literally at His Word deciding that keeping the best livestock for whatever purpose including sacrifice would be OK. I.e. "the end justifies the means". 

This is not the way God operates. God's blessings reign through righteousness but never at the expense of.

June 02 2015 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Marvin Reynolds Retired Chaplain U.S. Army Hospital

Basically Saul disobeyed God's Commands in that he did WHAT the people demanded, not what God ordered. This is noted in Chapter 15:14-27 of 1 Samuel. This is a lesson on the fact you should ignore the world when the Law of God and the Demand of the World Collide, as in this case. This little incident sure sounds like what we have going on today in the political arena.

June 06 2015 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Chris Dibbern

To put it simply, Saul knew better. And the LORD God knew that Saul knew better. Saul could maybe deceive Samuel since Samuel was only human, but Samuel knew the LORD, and the Lord knew Samuel and told Him about Saul's rebellion (1 Samuel 15:10-11). 

For Saul, the temptations of the spoils of war overcame him. The LORD knew this: He knew He spoke in a way Saul could and did understand, completely (it wasn't an "oops - I misunderstood" situation), and Saul tried to trick everyone, maybe even himself, into believing he could both obey and keep the spoils.

June 02 2015 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Leslie Coutinho

1 Samuel 15:24: And Saul said unto Samuel, "I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandments of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice."

The Lord spoke to Samuel and said to him, "Hearken to the voice of the elders who all came to him, and in all that they say unto thee for they have not rejected thee but have rejected Me that I should not reign over them. Being brought out of Egypt they have forsaken Me and have served other gods which will lead them to have a king who will reign over them and take their sons and appoint them for himself for his chariots and to be his horseman; some would run before his chariots." (1Sam 8:7,11/14:52) Hearkening to the voice of the people to make them a king and hearing them cry that came unto the Lord, Saul was sent to the Seer the Prophet in a later time called a prophet. (1Sam 8:22/9:16)

Saul was anointed to be the captain over the Lord’s inheritance, being given a new heart of wisdom the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, to lead him in wisdom and understanding; and he was also told that “These signs are come unto thee that thou do as occasion serve thee for God is with thee and they came to pass”. (1Sam 10:1,6,7,9,10) Yet knowing these signs that came to pass he feared and disobeyed the Lord by doing things in his own wisdom as being anointed to be the king over His people who was told to hearken to the voice of the Lord. (1Sam13:11)

Saul, being anointed to be the king over the Lord’s chosen people and the signs that came to pass, was once again told to hearken to the voice of the Lord. He was told, "For what the Amalakites had done when they came out of Egypt, therefore go, and smite the Amalakites and utterly destroy all they have and to spare them not." (1Sam15:3) Saul smote the Amalakites from Havilah until Shur that is to the eastern borders of Egypt (1Sam 15:7) but Saul spared Agag and the best of the sheep, oxen, fatlings, lambs, and all that was good to please the people for he obeyed their voice. (1Sam 15:24)

1 Samuel 8:7: And the Lord said unto Samuel, hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

July 28 2023 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report