God's Ways Or Man's Substitutes Series

Series: Israel’s 1st King [#10]

GOD’S WAYS OR MAN’S SUBSTITUTES?

1 Samuel 15:1-35

Introduction:

If anyone had reason to become a success, it was Saul, the 1st King of Israel. In the beginning everything was in his favor. He had a divine call from God, and he had the power of God’s Spirit to enable him to do what God wanted. He had Samuel the Prophet, and he had a group of men who supported him; yet God had to discipline Saul because of his disobedience and lack of trust. Saul went down in history as a great failure at the time when the Nation of Israel needed great success. He lost God’s blessing, his crown, and his life. How do we explain tragedy such as this? Well, Saul was to blame for his own failure. He abandoned God’s way and began to live on substitutes.

1 Samuel 15:1-15

Substitute #1:

1. Saying rather than doing.

You can see how Saul was living on substitutes. He did not do what God commanded. God’s command was to totally destroy the Amalekites. In the days of Moses, God said that the Amalekites would be completely destroyed. Samuel also told Saul about God’s command; but Saul spared the king and the best spoils.

Then Saul told a lie. He claimed to be obedient to God when he really wasn’t. God knew Saul was lying, as did Samuel; before long, even the people knew about Saul’s lie. The bleating of sheep and the lowing of cattle were clear evidence that he had not obeyed God. It’s so easy for us as God’s people to substitute words for actions; but God doesn’t want words in place of actions. We are not to be only hearers of the Word; but we are to be doers of the Word.

1 Samuel 15:15-21

Substitute #2:

2. Excuses rather than confession.

Saul tried to excuse his disobedience by claiming that the animals were only kept to be sacrificed to God. Saul tried to excuse his behavior by putting blame on the people. King Saul was very good at excuses. Beware of excuses. In chapter 13 Saul blamed Samuel. Samuel didn’t arrive when he said he would, so Saul went ahead and offered the sacrifice. In chapter 14 Saul blamed Jonathan for the defeat of Israel because he had eaten a small portion of honey when the army was under a vow. In chapter 15, Saul blamed the people when he failed to obey God’s command to destroy the Amalekites. Watch out for people who always have an excuse. An excuse is a refusal to be honest and to accept responsibility for our actions.

1 Samuel 15:22-23

Substitute #3:

3. Sacrifices rather than obedience.

Saul substituted sacrifice for obedience. He said, “I have obeyed the word of the Lord. We have taken this spoil that we might be able to sacrifice it to the Lord”. God doesn’t want our sacrifice; He wants our obedience. How can we sacrifice to God what He has condemned? God wants obedience. It’s so easy for us to want to sacrifice something time, money, work at Church. We think that this compensates for disobedience; but it can’t. God wants absolute surrender and obedience from us.

1 Samuel 15:24-31

Substitute #4:

4. Reputation rather than character.

Saul was only concerned about his reputation with the people. He wasn’t concerned about his character or what God thought of him. Twice in this passage he said, “I have sinned”; but I don’t think he really meant it. He was concerned only about his reputation and not about his character. He stood head and shoulders above everyone else; he was good looking, strong, and courageous; but he didn’t possess a godly character. You never find Saul doing things that David did- Singing praises to God or serving Him with integrity of heart. Saul substituted reputation for character. If you start living to please people, you are going to be in trouble. Do what God wants you to, and don’t live to please people. If you start thinking only of reputation, you will start making excuses. You will be caught between God and people. Don’t fear people.

1 Samuel 15:32-35

5. Your will rather than God’s will.

Saul substituted saying for doing, excuses for confession, sacrifice for obedience and reputation for character. You and I may look at Saul’s sin and say, “He spared Agag, the king and some spoil. That can’t be too bad”; but it was sin.

When you fear the Lord, you don’t have to be afraid of anything else. The person of integrity is concerned only with serving God and doing His will. Saul substituted his will for God’s will, and this was sin rebellion. No wonder God rejected him.