Photo credit: www.keyway.ca
Exposition
The LORD had rejected Saul from being King over Israel mainly because of his disobedience. We should continue to pray that God would have no reason to reject us as His children and also from any position that we occupy.
Saul had been anointed King over Israel and told specifically to obey the words of God. His first assignment was to smite the Amalekites and utterly destroy them without sparing any one of them including their animals. The Amalekites had attacked the Israelites when they were leaving Egypt hundreds of years ago. Please note that God does not forget sin.
Saul in his wisdom destroyed the people but he spared King Agag and the best of the animals. We are told he destroyed all that he considered worthless.
Verse 11 says God repented that He had made Saul, king. The repentance of God was the same as grieving at the disobedience of Saul. He feels the same when his children who are made in His image and after His likeness disobey His word. Disobedience is a choice to reject the Almighty God and His word. The other part is the alternative which is to align with satan against the Almighty God.
God gives room for His children to confess their sins and come back to Him in repentance. 1 John 1:9 says if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
In the case of Saul, when Samuel confronted him, Saul said in Verse 13 that he had performed the commandment of the LORD. On further questioning, Saul said it was the people who spared the animals. He came up with a litany of excuses. Do you always have a reason not to do the right thing? Do you hide behind someone else rather than own up to wrong doing? Saul did not take his chances to repent and he was punished.
Saul said the people kept the animals to use them as sacrifices to Samuel’s God not his own God. He had missed it completely. God is not interested in animal sacrifice. The sacrifices acceptable to God are a heart of repentance and bodies presented as living sacrifices which are holy and acceptable unto Him.
Saul did as he pleased which is an evidence of pride. It has been said that pride always leads to a fall. Is there hidden pride in your heart? It is easy to compare Saul’s relationship with God to David’s. David though not perfect was quick to seek forgiveness whenever he sinned. We can also use this opportunity to assess ourselves by asking, where am I with God? Do I please people rather than please God? Am I humble enough to seek forgiveness when I have done wrong?
Prayer
I ask that you search my heart, remove every form of wickedness in Jesus name. Let your word cleanse every iniquity in me in Jesus name. Let every hidden pride be exposed. Give me a humble heart O God. Let a reverential fear envelope my heart such that I will desire to do the right things at all times in Jesus name.
Bible Reading Plan in 26 weeks (Be part of the Bible Reading Program)
Day 41
Exodus 10-11
Judges 18
Job 41
Jeremiah 41
Mark 13
1 Corinthians 13
