Half Obedience is Gross Disobedience
"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." 1Samuel 15:11(kjv)
1Sa 15:11 (BBE) It is no longer my pleasure for Saul to be king; for he is turned back from going in my ways, and has not done my orders. And Samuel was very sad, crying to the Lord in prayer all night.
1Sa 15:18 (KJV) And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.
The instruction given to Saul was to utterly destroy the Amalekites. He kept Agag, the king, and the best among the cattle, sheep and goats. His aim was to sacrifice them to the Lord. 1Sa 15:21 (KJV) 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.
Thus, he endeavoured to excuse the people. They did not take the spoil in order to enrich themselves by iy, but to sacrifice unto the Lord; and did not this justify their conduct? This action grieved God and caused anguish of heart to samuel. "Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel...... and the Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning......" 1Samuel 15:10,12 (jkv). God could not wait for the following morning before baring His mind unto Samuel. Repentance in God is not a change of mind, as it is in us; but a change of method. The Lord's messengers must point out and condemn the sins of rulers as well as of people; and let nothing hinder them from declaring with plainness and fidelity the whole revealed will of God.
Saul rolled out a barrage of excuses when he was confronted with his sins. He honoured God with his mouth, but his heart was far from Him.
THE VERDICT
And 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. 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. And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. 1Samuel 15:22-24(kjv)
Who do you fear? Whose voice will you obey? "And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." Acts 4:18-20(kjv). The Apostles were not intimidated by the threat from the church leaders but further they preached Jesus. David was encouraged by his men to kill Saul on two different occasions but he declined. 1Samuel 24:4-7; 26:8-11. Don't be encouraged to do evil. The people Saul was leading encouraged him to do evil. His action grieved God and Samuel. What have you been doing or have done that is causing grief, heartache, pain,etc? What has made God to regret creating you as a human being? or giving you a child, wealth or placing you in a position of authority? Many had caused the whole world great pain- Hitler, suicide bombers, etc Is God not saying, it repenteth me that I put you in that position or gave you such thing as you have now? How have you been using them? To glorify God or self. To please God or man. After all they were the ones who put you there. Your kingdom is at stake!
Then he said, "I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God." 1Sam. 15:30(kjv). Where there is sin, where is honour? Righteousness exalts a nation, sin ai a reproach to many people. This was not a true repentance, but deceit out of fear for the loss of his kingdom. I will not return with thee, Samuel said in verse twenty six. In essence Samuel was saying that he would not acknoledge Saul as king, since the Lord had rejected him. In sin, Saul was still seeking for personal honour. He insisted that Samuel must honour him even in the presence of the elders. He acknowledged his sin but refused to repent of them. He lacked courage, the boldness to confess and repent.
"Yes, I have sinned, what else? What is the big deal about it? Other people are also doing the same thing. Why am I special? Why are you making a mountain out of a mole hill? Anyway, I deserve to be honoured in the presence of the elders." No contrite heart, and no broken spirit. 'He that is often rebuked and hardens his heart, shall perish suddenly without remedy' You will be held accountable for whatever you do. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. MyNotes
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. Revelation 20:11-12 (kjv).The punishment king Saul got wasn't for everyboy, even not for his follower/advisers, but for Him alone. What he did to gain popularity with man led to his being unpopular with God. How do I react to sin and unrightheousness?
".......tun again with mme, so that I may worsip the Lord thy God" 1Sam. 15:30.(kjv). Not my God but your God. From here nit was evidence that Saul did not have a personal relationship mwith God. Do you know God? Does God know you as one of His own? Check your self and your walk with God. Samuel turned again after Saul-not to worship along with him; but first, that people might have no ground, on pretense of Saul's rejection, to withdraw their allegiance from him; and secondly, to compensate for Saul's error by executing God' judgement upon Aga
As you follow God in your daily walk with Him, your total obedience to His revealed will is of paramount importance to your success in the Christian journey.
Remember that half obedience is gross disobedience.
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