The bigger they are the harder they fall. It is dramatic to see a skyscraper building brought to the ground. Dynamite blows out the walls and the building collapses to the ground. What once filled the skyline becomes reduced to a pile of rubble.
The story of King Saul’s utter demise unfolds in 1 Samuel 15. The man who stood head and shoulders above all the people is imploding like a skyscraper building with the walls blown out.
In 1 Samuel Chapter 8 we read that Israel demands a king. It was the end of the period of the judges. Samuel feels rejected because it is the corruption of his sons that sets off Israel’s request for a king.
In Chapters 9 and 10 the new king looks promising. He seems like he is a franchise player. Everything is laid out for Saul with only one condition. He must walk in obedience to God. In Chapter 11 he rescues Jabesh Gilead from the Ammonites.
He is acting humble, and the Spirit of God is upon him. Saul gives the glory to God in the deliverance of Jabesh Gilead. He even prevents the loyal followers from taking revenge on the people that opposed Saul becoming king.
In 1 Samuel Chapter 13 we see the first step of a giant fall. He would not wait for 7 days for Samuel before the battle with the Philistines. This time Samuel expressly commanded Saul to kill and slay.
Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the LORD sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the LORD. 2 This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. 3 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’” (1 Samuel 15:1-3)
He was to utterly destroy all that was before him including all living creatures. When you read verse 7-8 that is what you think took place.
Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, near the eastern border of Egypt. He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. (1 Samuel 15:7-8)
But now let’s read on to find out what really happened. We will see Saul’s direct disobedience.
But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed. (1 Samuel 15:9)
There is a common disobedience pattern here. It starts as partial obedience. In the end Saul’s disobedience was against God. He was told to “utterly destroy all” This was not a case of Saul misunderstanding the command, but he willfully disobeyed.
He did not obey because obedience did not suit his own plans. Saul lacked the respect for God’s command. Saul had been told by God through Samuel what he must do, but he chose to disobey God and pursue his own plan.
Saul spared king Agag for political reasons, and he spared the best of the cattle so he would have them or as his flocks in his own fields. He disobeyed God. There was a partial obedience. He did destroy the weakest of the flocks. His partial disobedience was disobedience and the reason he disobeyed God was for his own selfish gain.
If you only obey God when it suits you and fits your plans it is a partial obedience that is really the disobedience of Saul. The root of partial obedience, this type of disobedience is pride. God saw what happened and he knew why it happened. God regrets making Saul king.
Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel: “I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” Samuel was angry, and he cried out to the LORD all that night. (1 Samuel 15:10-11)
God saw what happened and he knew why.
Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel. There he has set up a monument in his own honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal.” (1 Samuel 15:12)
Saul was quick to rationalize his sin. He even had the nerve to tell Samuel he has carried out the command of the Lord.
When Samuel reached him, Saul said, “The LORD bless you! I have carried out the LORD’s instructions.” (1 Samuel 15:13)
Saul rationalized to excuse his sinful actions. Those who resist the authority of God become skillful at this. Saul only fooled himself when he redefined the sin.
There are many ways you might rationalize sin. There are excuses like, everyone else is doing it or the Bible command does not seem to apply in this situation.
This is what the Lord said: He has turned his back on me and not carried out my commands. But this is how Saul stated it: I have carried out the command of the Lord.
Whenever people rationalize the conviction of sin their guilt disappears. If Saul had carried out the command of the Lord then Samuel asks a very pointed question in verse 14.
But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?” (1 Samuel 15:14)
When Saul is confronted with the truth about his sin he pivots to the blame game. It is the sin of Adam pointing to Eve. Rather that repentance or admission of wrong Saul reacted defensively when confronted about the livestock not slain. He pointed the finger at someone else.
Saul answered, “The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but we totally destroyed the rest.” (1 Samuel 15:15)
They did it. Like Adam saying it was the woman. Then Saul really backs himself into a corner. He says they spared the best sheep so they could be sacrificed to God. His character is a at a low point. Samuel cannot take any more lame excuses and Saul justifying himself. Just stop this!
“Enough!” Samuel said to Saul. “Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” (1 Samuel 15:16)
Saul is sounding religious, but he rejects accountability altogether. Saul dodges Samuel’s council and refuses to see the error of his ways. Saul keeps up the façade that he was going to keep the best to offer sacrifices to the Lord.
Saul circled right back to justifying his actions and making it seem like his sin was for the good of religion.
“But I did obey the LORD,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. 21 The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal.” (1 Samuel 15:20-21)
Look at God’s word on this. To obey is better than sacrifice.
But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice,
and to heed is better than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22)
Religious service is not going to satisfy what we need to do. That is obedience. To obey is better than sacrifice. When you have disobeyed and made excuses and pointed fingers what do you do? Acknowledge your sin before God.
Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I violated the LORD’s command and your instructions. I was afraid of the men and so I gave in to them. 25 Now I beg you, forgive my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD.” (1 Samuel 15:24)
Saul had already done the damage. Saul will reap the havoc of his sin and his refusal to accept personal responsibility of his sin.
But Samuel said to him, “I will not go back with you. You have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel!” (1 Samuel 15:26)
Saul had refused to repent. This was his response to being caught. Do not offer sacrifices to God instead of obedience. To obey is better than sacrifice. This sin of disobedience is like the sin of divination.
For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
he has rejected you as king.” (1 Samuel 15:23)
There is one thing that glorifies and pleases God and that is obedience. Let us give God our obedience. If you are rationalizing sin, give it up. Do not rationalize sin and say, well I came to church and gave an offering to the Lord. What do we learn from Saul. That is God wants our obedience not a sacrifice.
God has given you a command. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. There are no amount of sacrifices, good works that will save you. God wants your obedience. God is just and must punish sin.
Jesus died the just for the unjust to bring us to God. Whoever believes in Jesus will not perish but have eternal life.
