"Saul
said to Samuel, 'I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command of the
Lord and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their
voice.'” 1 Samuel 15:24
Saul’s confession comes in the context of
something we are also guilty of as we bow to the fear of man. God tells us to
do something, yet we think we have a better plan: one that makes more sense and
is more 'acceptable to others'. Or someone else has a plan that sounds good and
is easier to walk out under the pressure of the world's watchful eye, so we go
with that one instead of fully
obeying the Lord. And
Samuel says to Saul,
“Behold to obey is better....”
As we have chosen our ‘better way’,
let us confess it for what it is: sin. And let us repent- turn from our
own way and listen to Him, obeying His voice.
We can even be tricked into really
thinking (or use as an excuse to feel better) that we have fully
obeyed. When Samuel showed up, Saul responded, ‘I've done it’; “I have carried
out the command of the Lord,” (verse 13) even though he was given clear
instructions to 'defeat Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has',
specifically mentioning sheep and oxen among other things (verse 3)-
instructions that he clearly did not follow (verse 9).
Samuel then asked a clarifying
question, "What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the
lowing of the oxen which I hear?" (verse 14). Saul proceeded to
explain his 'better idea' (his good intentions) though it was NOT what God said
to do. We must be careful not to do this; how subtle that can be to slip
into! (verse 15) "They” (blame shifting) “have
brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the
best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; but the rest we
have utterly destroyed."
That sounds like a great idea; it's just
not what God asked him to do.
Samuel asked again, "..the Lord
sent you on a mission...Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord,...?"
18,19. And Saul blames it on the people again, "I did obey the voice of
the Lord," (and lists the parts that he did do in obedience)......"But
the people took some of the
spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to
sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal." 20,21
"Samuel said, 'Has the Lord as
much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the
Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat
of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination
is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the
Lord, He has also rejected you from being king."v. 22,23
Those are some serious
words and some serious consequences, and that is the context of Saul's
response: "I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command of the
Lord and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice. Now
therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me, that I may worship the
Lord." But Samuel said to Saul, "I will not return with you;
for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from
being king over Israel." 24-26
What mission has He
called you to? Are you walking in it fully just as He has instructed?
Or have you added or taken away from His direct instructions so that
others around you will affirm your plans or not be offended? Are you not
fully obeying the instructions of the Lord because of the fear of man or the
fear of being in an uncomfortable situation?
Put these questions to prayer before God.
Have you only partially obeyed, thinking that
you have done as God
has asked? Are you taking the time and quieting your heart before Him to
even hear Him speak His instruction? Are you taking the time in His Word
to allow the Holy Spirit to specifically apply His Words to your heart and life?
Are you presently seeking the favor of man (in the fear of man) or
of God alone?
Bow to Him alone.
(Please read all of 1 Samuel 15 to see this in its full context.)
