Hopefully, you read through 1 Samuel 15, as suggested last
week, if not do a quick read through to get the gist of the storyline. Saul has just disobeyed God in a big way, and
as a result God has torn the kingdom from Saul’s line. This whole story ties in so well with
everything we’ve pondered, thus far. The
theme of obedience (or disobedience, as the case may be) is the whole focal
point of chapter 15.
week, if not do a quick read through to get the gist of the storyline. Saul has just disobeyed God in a big way, and
as a result God has torn the kingdom from Saul’s line. This whole story ties in so well with
everything we’ve pondered, thus far. The
theme of obedience (or disobedience, as the case may be) is the whole focal
point of chapter 15.
There are a few key
verses to compare and contrast. Read
carefully and see if you can pick out those things that relate to what we’ve
discussed.
verses to compare and contrast. Read
carefully and see if you can pick out those things that relate to what we’ve
discussed.
Samuel said (to
Saul), “Is it not true, though you were little in your own eyes, you were made
head of the tribes of Israel. Your God
anointed you king… (1 Sam. 15:17).
Saul), “Is it not true, though you were little in your own eyes, you were made
head of the tribes of Israel. Your God
anointed you king… (1 Sam. 15:17).
And God said to
Samuel, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument to himself
(15:12).”
Samuel, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument to himself
(15:12).”
Saul said (to
Samuel), “I have sinned, but please honor me now before the elders of my people
and before Israel, and go back with me, that I may worship the Lord your God
(15:30).
Samuel), “I have sinned, but please honor me now before the elders of my people
and before Israel, and go back with me, that I may worship the Lord your God
(15:30).
Here are a few of my own thoughts:
- There was a time when the Lord God was very personal to Saul. Something happened that this personal God
became impersonal and distant. - When God was still personal, Saul saw himself
with humility (he was little in his own eyes).
He recognized he wasn’t king material, BUT GOD saw something Saul
didn’t. - Because God was huge in Saul’s life, and Saul
was humble, the Lord raised him up to King.
God + me = amazing possibility. - It appears, reading between the lines, that Saul
“forgot” how he got where he was (this is crucial to humility: may we never, ever forget how we got where we
are). Saul forgot from where his
victory, even his very breath and every heartbeat, came. - As a result, Saul’s dependence shifted, his
“greatness” was magnified and he built a “monument to himself” to celebrate,
not an altar on which to worship the Lord his God. - Consequently, Saul’s desire shifted from pleasing God to pleasing people. God is now small, and Saul and others are HUGE.
- With this dynamic in play, Saul’s mindset and
reversal of roles set him up for disobedience.
Here are God’s words to Saul through Samuel (vs. 23): Rebellion
(disobedience) is as the sin of witchcraft.
Insubordination (a lack of submission) is as vanity and idolatry.
(disobedience) is as the sin of witchcraft.
Insubordination (a lack of submission) is as vanity and idolatry.
There it is: Pride
leads to a lack of submission, a lack of submission results in disobedience.
leads to a lack of submission, a lack of submission results in disobedience.
At the end of the day, the heart of the man, or woman, of God
is the issue: the blackness of the sin
of pride and idolatry. There is a cure –
ownership, confession, repentance (turning about-face) and placing God in his
rightful place. There it is in black and
white:
is the issue: the blackness of the sin
of pride and idolatry. There is a cure –
ownership, confession, repentance (turning about-face) and placing God in his
rightful place. There it is in black and
white:
Humbly yielding in reverence before the Lord Almighty the giver of
every gift; this then, is the drink that turns the key that opens the door.
every gift; this then, is the drink that turns the key that opens the door.
What a great adventure awaits the one who walks through!
Just one more problem…