Good morning everyone this morning. We are in first Samuel chapter 15. Hey, there's something I want to do briefly that occasionally I'd like to do and You know I'm looking at this app that I use in order to you know record the show and and then get it online and What it does is it tells me? You know like in the last well depends how many days I want to look back But one setting is the last seven days where people have listened and
You know, I want to thank all the local people from our church. That's the number one place right now is Maguonego. We have people in Milwaukee, Columbus. I'm not really sure, but I want to welcome any listeners from Columbus. It doesn't always tell me the state, but it will say the city.
Scottsdale, some listeners down there, some of them might be my son-in-law, maybe even daughter, and hello to you guys. Oconomawak, we have some listeners. Heartland, East Troy. These are all in our area. Delafield, some of that's going to be my wife. We have listeners in Phoenix, but you know what? I want to say hello to some people in Falkenstein. I apologize if I said that, Ryan. Wrong. In Germany.
some listeners from Germany, Crystal Lake, Illinois, and Lake Havasu City, Puerto Rico. That might be you, Andrea, Don, and Puerto Rico, perhaps others, but hello to you. Arlington Heights, you know, I used to have some families from there, but they're not there anymore. That's in Chicago. And then listen to this, I'm not giving you all of the listeners, but we have a listener that has listened from Gabaron Botswana,
Bengaluru India hello to you guys. I hope you continue to listen Washington DC Houston The Bronx welcome any listener from the Bronx and some of these are these Latest ones have only listened one time. I hope they come back and listen again So hey with that I'd like to get going in first Samuel chapter 15
Then Samuel said to Saul, Yahweh sent me to anoint you as king over his people over Israel. So now obey the voice of the words of Yahweh. Thus says Yahweh of hosts. Now that's very important. Samuel the man of God is speaking to the king and he is clearly saying obey God and what I'm about to tell you.
And this is what he says, I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. Now go strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that he has. Now listen,
Saul is supposed to obey this and do not spare him and put to death both man and woman, infant and nursing baby, ox and sheep, camel and donkey. Now that's quite a task that Saul has been given but it's coming from Yahweh and he's supposed to obey it. Now I want to take you back very briefly to the book of Exodus and I want to share with you what happened
In Exodus chapter 17 after the water came from the rock, then Amalek came out and fought against Israel at Raphadim. So Moses said to Joshua, choose men for us and go out and fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will take my stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand. And Joshua did as Moses told to fight against Amalek.
and Moses and Aaron and her went up on the top of the mountain. And that's when they lifted up Moses' hands. But God was very displeased with this group of people, the Amicalites, because of the fact that they came out when Israel got out of Egypt and they fought against Israel. And that's not what God desired. And they had long become an enemy of Israel. They were descendants of Esau.
And God did not want them to continue to trouble Israel, and we'll have a little bit more to learn about future history regarding them in a moment. Then Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Tel Aem, 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah. And Saul came to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the valley. And Saul said to the Kenites, go to part, go down from among the Amalclites.
Less I destroy you with them. Seems pretty kind of saw. These people weren't enemies, but they were living among the Amalclites. You showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up out of Egypt, so the kennites departed from the Amalclites.
So Saul struck the Amacalites from Hevala as you go to sure, which is east of Egypt, and he seized Agag, the king of the Amacalites, alive, and devoted the destruction all the people with the edge of the sword.
but Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs and all that was good and they were not willing to devote them the destruction, but everything despised and worthless they utterly destroyed. Now Saul right away is not doing what God has asked him to do. They're taking
sheep and oxen, they're taking plunder and they're taking Amalek too. This was a very sinful people and God just did not want them taking anything. He wanted them to look at this people as sinful, as polluted and he didn't want any of their things with Israel.
And I think part of it is they may have had false gods, gold, things, jewelry, things that they use to worship false gods. And he didn't want them picking and choosing, well, should we keep this or should we keep that? And some Israelite would end up keeping something that would be partly part of false worship as well. So his instruction was, no, I just want you to rid these people from the land.
It's interesting that in the future, this is going to end up becoming an issue as well. You might recall in the book of Esther that Esther was a Jew and there was an enemy that wanted to destroy all the Jews.
And his name was Haman. And he was the son of Hamadathah, the egg, egg a guy. And even later in future generations, there's these, this division between the Amacalites and the eggites, which are part of the Amacalites.
because Agag was the king of the Amacolites. And there's this division between Israel and these people. They've been at war just like you see people at war with Israel today. And by not routing them out and by letting them be, there continues to be this enemy that's trying to
In this case, make all of the Jews extinct and try to take all the Jews out. That was part of the desire of Haman in the book of Esther. So we see that these people are enemies not only in the past, not only now in the season of Saul and Samuel, but they're gonna be enemies of God in the future. And I would even say that there's still enemies of God today. And that's why you see all the division that's taking place in Israel today.
And that's why God is devoting them to destruction here. That's his desire, but Saul is not obeying. Then the word verse 10 of Yahweh came to Samuel saying, I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not established my words.
And Samuel became angry and cried out to Yahweh all night. Imagine that. So he's getting this word that that Saul is not fit to be king. And Samuel is angry and cried out all night long. He must have gotten direction that night about what to do in his crying out to Yahweh all night.
Then Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul. And it was told to Samuel, saying Saul came to Carmel and behold, he set up a monument for himself.
then turned and proceeded on down to Gilgal. So now, not only is Saul disobeying God in the command that Samuel gave him from God, but he's also setting up a monument to himself. This is not going to be a good king for Israel. Then Samuel came to Saul verse 13 and Saul said to him,
Now listen to this sweet talking Saul. So here he's done what he's not supposed to do, but then when Samuel shows up, he acts like everything's great. He's a phony. Blessed are you of Yahweh, I have established the word of Yahweh. So Saul comes out
And acts like he's done everything that he's supposed to do when he's setting up monuments to himself and he didn't do the things that God asked him to do. But Samuel said, what then is the sound of the sheep in my ears? Because they, they kept all these animals and the sound of the ox in which I'm hearing. And Samuel's like, you're lying to me right in front of me. You're lying to God. I can hear the sound of the lies all around.
And Saul said they have brought them from the Amacolites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen to sacrifice to Yahweh. So now he's going to come up with another lie and say, oh, well, they only kept them to sacrifice to God. And it wasn't I who kept them, but it was the people as though he was not the king and couldn't control that.
And he's saying, even the ones we kept, oh, it's an honor of God. It's all a fabrication. Then Samuel said to Saul, wait, and let me tell you what Yahweh spoke to me last night. Remember when Samuel spent the night crying out to God? And he said, Saul said to him, to Samuel, speak.
And Samuel said, isn't that true that though you were little in your own eyes and you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And when Yahweh anointed you king over Israel and Yahweh sent you on a mission and said, go and devote to destruction the sinners, the amocolites, and fight against them until they are consumed, why then did you not obeys the voice of Yahweh? But rushed upon the spoil and did what was evil in the eyes of Yahweh?
This was very clear what Saul was to do, and he didn't do it. Then Saul said to Samuel, I did obey the voice of Yahweh, and I went on the way on which Yahweh sent me, and have brought back Agag, the king of Amalek, and have devoted the amicalized to destruction. But the people took some of the spoils, sheep and oxen, the choices of the things, and devoted
devoted the destruction to sacrifice to Yahweh or God at Gilgal. So he's saying, well, the people did it. And then he's coming up with a lie. He was supposed to kill a gag too, or yeah, a gag, the king. And he didn't do that as well. So he's still trying to sweet talk himself around this, but Samuel is having none of it because he's heard from God and he spent the night in prayer. He knows that this is not of the Lord. And he knows what the future is for Saul. Saul is going to lose his kingship in the future.
Now listen to this word and this is really a quite a mighty word in 1 Samuel 15 verse 22. Now recall that sacrifices are part of the old covenant.
But ultimately, even though God has prescribed the Israelites to perform sacrifice, that ultimately He wants them to do it from a heart that's devoted to Him. Ultimately, what He wants is people to love the Lord their God.
and to honor him and to obey him out of their love for him. And if you're just doing sacrifices and not doing it out of a love of God, it's missing the mark. It's missing the point. And this is what Samuel is going to say. Has Yahweh as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Yahweh?
And he's going to carry on, but no, the answer is no, he does not have as much delight in your burnt offerings and sacrifices if really don't have a heart of God that wants to obey him. Behold to obey is better than sacrifice and do heed than the fat of Rams. It's better to heed the Lord and to obey him than the fat of Rams for rebellion as is is as the sin of divination.
When you rebel and disobey, it says, though you're a diviner, God is saying an insubordination is as wickedness and idolatry. When you don't obey God, it's like doing wickedness and idolatry is what he's saying because you have rejected the word of Yahweh. Basically when you're disobeying, when you know, you should be doing right. You know what God's word says. You've basically rejected him. You're saying you've rejected him.
He also has rejected you from being king. Wow. Can you imagine those words from the man of God, Samuel to Saul and Samuel saying these are the words of Yahweh. These came from Yahweh and because you are disobeying and you can't be trusted essentially, I'm rejecting you. You have been rejected of being king. God has rejected you from being king. What a word.
then Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned. Now here's the thing. Saul knows how to play the part. He's going to make it sound like he's repentant, but basically he's been lying this entire chapter. He's just sweet talking. You know, people like this that make it, they want to always sweet talk or make it sound like they're doing what's right when they're really doing what's wrong. And that's even worse because now there's not even true repentance. So
This is just a false thing. Don't fall for it when you hear of Saul confession here. It's a false confession. Then Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned. I have indeed trespassed against the command of Yahweh and your words because I feared the people and all bade their voice.
And that's how you can tell it's not right. Because Samuel should have honored the Lord and commanded the people what to do. And he clearly got the word from God what to do and he did not. But he's blaming it on others. I fear the people. I obeyed them. It's really their fault.
So now please forgive my sin and return with me that I may worship Yahweh. And he's wanting Samuel to accompany him and not tear this kingdom away from him. But Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you for you have rejected the word of Yahweh. Oh my, what a word. Do you see how important it is that we learn the word of God and that we obey it and that we don't turn away? Because he's rejected the word of Yahweh
And Yahweh has rejected you from being king over Israel. Listen, show your faith by loving God and loving his word. Then Samuel turned to go, but Saul seized the edge of his robe and it tore. He does not want Samuel to leave him.
And Samuel said to him, Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you. And ultimately that's going to be David. Also, the eternal one of Israel will not lie or have regret for he is not a man that he should have regret. And that's interesting. I think what he's saying here, because we're going to see that the Lord does have regret in this chapter.
But in this decision to declare that Saul is no longer worthy to be king, God is not going to regret that decision. He is making a definitive decision here. The kingship is going to be taken from Saul and he won't regret it. The thing he is going to regret is going to regret
that he made Saul king in the first place. But as we've talked about, it was as though God allowed Saul to be king because he's the tall, handsome one that people would have chosen, but not really a man after God's own heart.
Then he said, I have sinned. This is Saul. He's still trying to cover up, but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel and return with me that I may worship Yahweh your God. Listen to that, that I may worship Yahweh your God. Well, is that because he's not your God Saul? He's just Samuel's God. So Samuel returned following after Saul and Saul worshiped Yahweh. So Saul is going to make it sound like he's
coming back in worship of Yahweh. Now listen to this. Saul wouldn't do the job, but the man of God has a conviction. Listen to this. Then Samuel said, bring a gag near to me, the king of the Amacolites.
And Agag came to him in chains. And Agag said surely the bitterness of death has departed. But Samuel said as your sword has made woman childless. And that's because he has made women childless. Agag was a wicked king. So shall your mother be childless among women.
and Samuel hacked egg egg to pieces before Yahweh at Gilgal. Samuel's gonna do what God had told him to do and this person, God did not want to live any longer because he was wicked and he always was fighting against the Israelites and Samuel did what Saul wouldn't and
a gag was no more. Then Samuel went to Rama, but Saul went up to his house at Gibia of Saul. So Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death. That is quite remarkable. Samuel distances himself from Saul forever on after this for Samuel grieved over Saul. He grieved that Saul went in this direction and listened to this in Yahweh regretted
that he had made Saul king over Israel. That's an interesting word, by the way, that Yahweh, he's not regretting, as we talked about earlier, that he's removing Saul, but he regretted that he even allowed Saul to be king over Israel.
Wow, what a chapter. It is better to honor the Lord. It is better to obey than sacrifice. And now Jesus Christ has come in the once and all final sacrifice for our sin, Hallelujah. We're forgiven of our sin through Jesus because he paid the final sacrifice. But now we do show our faith through our obedience. I get a little frustrated at the Calvinistic crowd at times.
that acts like it doesn't matter, that obedience doesn't matter. Now, we're not saved because we're perfectly obedient, but because we're saved and because of the grace of God and because God sent His Son to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, we're empowered by grace.
to live obediently. And yes, our obedience does reveal our faith and God is honored when you love Him, when you love His Word and when you obey His Word. And when we don't, we should not be like Saul willy-nilly about our sin and having a false confession. But when we sin, we should honor the Lord and repent and then get back on track.
But God wants us to love Him. He wants us to love His Word. And He wants us to obey Him out of our devotion to Him because Jesus now has paid the final sacrifice. Well, I think we can learn much from this chapter. Don't follow the crowd that acts like obeying God or obeying His Word is somehow bad.
It it it shouldn't be framed that way. We should now today out of our love of God Seek to obey him and you know what? There's blessing in it. There's blessing in obeying God. There's blessing in this life and in the life to come Sin has consequences We see it all throughout the scripture and we see it in Saul and God in his great love Is trying to help us to learn to obey him and guess what? We wouldn't have the consequences of sin
We would evade ourselves of those because sin will catch up to us. In obedience, in obedience there's blessing. And Hallelujah, may the grace of God strengthen our resolve and may we walk in him and know that even when we do sin, we can confess he forgives and his love covers a multitude of sins. Let's recommit our lives to honoring the one who is worthy to be honored. God bless you all.
