The Fall Of Saul

I Sam. 15:1 - 23 The Fall of Saul

1. A Sovereign's Revelation - 15:1-8

(a) THE DIVINE COUNSEL 2 Thus saith the LORD of hosts,

(b) THE DIVINE CONTROL 2 I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.

A. God's Promise must be carried out.

God promised Amalek Ex. 17 the sword would never depart from him.

Judgment may be slow, but always sure.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

B. Man's Punishment can't be overlooked.

(c) THE DIVINE COMMAND

3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have,

A. To utterly destroy the People - Now go and smite Amalek

B. their Possessions - and utterly destroy all that they have,

C. their Posterity - 3 but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling,

2) A Sinner's Revolution - 15:9–11

a) Saul's Presumption - 9 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) His Lust for Power - He spared Agag. (Wanted to glory in his power)

(2) His Lust for Possessions - He spared the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good

(3) His Lust for Position - and would not utterly destroy them:

b) Saul's Provocation - 10 Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying, 11 It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.

c) Saul's Prevarication 14 Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?

1. He Tries To Deny It 13 And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD.

2. To Diminish It 15 And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed

3. To Deflect it 20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.

3) A Spirit's Retribution

(1) The Deception - 20 Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites

(2) The Deflection - 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.

(3) The Denunciation - 22 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

Better for:- Salvation (Naaman - wash & be clean), Service - Philip (Chariot)

(4) The Desolation - 23 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.

A. Rejected As Sovereign - he hath also rejected thee from being king.

B. Rejected For Service - he hath also rejected thee (David anointed)

C. Rejected By Sin - Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD,

D. Rejected In Salvation - Ch 16:14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.