Greater Than Your Wisdom
Greater Than Your Wisdom
To tell the story properly we have to start long, long ago. Saul was anointed King of Israel in 1046 BC. To understand what began the tragic downward slide of Saul that is recorded for us in 1 Samuel 15 we need to go even further back in time.
Journey to the Promised Land
Deuteronomy 24:17-18 ESV
"You shall not pervert the justice due to the sojourner or to the fatherless, or take a widow's garment in pledge, but you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this.
Amalakites
The Amalekites of old were pirates and brigands. The Amarna tablets include them under the general name of Khabbati, or “plunderers.”
The Day of the Lord
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.’ ” 1 Samuel 15:3
God's Justice
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” Galatians 6:7-8
God's Mercy
Then Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart; go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 1 Samuel 15:6
Saul Obeyed God... Sort of
And Saul defeated the Amalekites… But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction. 1 Samuel 15:7-9
Saul Lied to God
And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you to the LORD. I have performed the commandment of the LORD.” 1 Samuel 15:13
Confess is an Admission of Guilt
Psalm 51:1-2 ESV
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
Sheep and Oxen
And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?” 1 Samuel 15:14
Saul blamed the people
Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the LORD your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction.” 1 Samuel 15:15
Stand Up!
And Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. 1 Samuel 15:17
Saul lies... again!
And Saul said to Samuel, “I have obeyed the voice of the LORD. I have gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. 1 Samuel 15:20
Saul blames the people... again!
But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.” 1 Samuel 15:21
Obedience is Better Than Sacrifice
1 Samuel 15:22 ESV
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.
Listen to God and Obey Him fully
Why would God want me to stay with my wife when I'm so miserable? Why would God want me to give money to the church when I am struggling to pay the bills and put gas in the car? Why would God ask me to not sleep with my girlfriend when we love each other so much? Why would God ask me to show love to the person who scarred me so badly? It just doesn't make sense! But it does make sense if you are God and you have his wisdom. The problem is that you don’t know what you don’t know.
Saul Never Confessed his Guilt
Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin… As Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of his robe, and it tore. 1 Samuel 15:24-27
Action Steps
Listen to the Wisdom of God – Daily in the Word Stop Blaming Others & Confess – Daily in Prayer Give Your Life to Jesus – in Repentance & Baptism Live Your life for Jesus – in Service Encourage one another – in Growth Groups
God's Wisdom... or Your Wisdom?
How do you struggle with being obedient to God?
Obedience vs. Sacrifice
The actions of obedience are much harder than words of worship. How can we pray for you this week?