Grow Closer to God!
Dear Lord, I pray for wisdom for those who read Scripture to grow closer to God. In Jesus’ name, amen.
We are told in 1 Samuel 15:1-3 (ESV) how God used Samuel to tell Saul what to do.
“And Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the Lord. Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”
Later in 1 Samuel 15:7-35 (ESV), we learn Saul did not follow these very specific God-given directions. For Saul’s disobedience, he would suffer the consequences.
Can anything be learned from this? A possible answer is given by Samuel in 1 Samuel 15:22-23.
“And Samuel said,
‘Has 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 listen than the fat of rams.
For rebellion is as the sin of divination,
and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
he has also rejected you from being king.’”
1 Samuel 15:35 (ESV) says,
“And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.”
Please read 1 Samuel 15 to get all the details.
Tell me what you think in the comments below.
