Is This Obedience?
Henry Omotayo
Is This Obedience? (1 Samuel 15:1-23)
Message No. 0515 | Twitter @GodandUs |
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It is sometimes baffling, when instructions for carrying out an assignment are stated so clearly, but the person who is tasked with carrying them out leaves out some parts and yet walks, with some confidence, to the leader and reports mission accomplished. In 1 Samuel 15, God sent Samuel to Saul, king of Israel, to war against, and completely destroy, Amalek. See how clear the instructions were in verses 1-3:
“Samuel also said to Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ”
For the avoidance of doubts, God carefully listed out what Saul needed to destroy. Was it possible that Saul suffered from the condition called ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder)? I really don’t think so, because Samuel would have written down the instructions if that were the case. How then do we explain what Saul did in verse 9:
But Saul and the people spared Agag (the king) and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.
And, how could Saul have spoken so confidently to Samuel in verse 13: “Blessed are you of the Lord! I have performed the commandment of the Lord.” Did Saul not hear the instructions that Samuel pronounced to him? Did he forget the instructions in the heat of the battle? Did he think that Samuel would not know that he (Saul) had spared the king of Amalek and all of the good things in that God-rejected nation? Did he think that, by lying and transferring his responsibility to the people (the people spared the best of the sheep, he said), everything would be okay, God would understand and move on? What exactly was Saul thinking!
Well, as we know, God is not a man. You couldn’t act as if you did not understand the instructions, nor could you dribble Him into submission by lying your way out. And, wait a minute, don’t we sometimes try Saul’s tricks in our relationship with God? When God sends us a message, don’t we sometimes deliver the message partly and leave some parts out? When He gives us a message to preach, don’t we sometimes modify the message because we feel it will offend some church members? When we sin and need to go to God with confession and repentance, don’t we tell God that it’s not all our faults but it’s the fault of other people around us as well?
When God says bring all your tithes to the storehouse (Malachi 3:10), don’t we sometimes argue that this is an Old Testament thing and not for Christians who are no longer under the law? How then could we, at the same time pray vehemently for God to deliver to us the promises He made for those who bring their tithes to church? Why do we even bother to quote all of the great promises of God in the Old Testament when we pray? Do we have the rights to benefits while despising the costs? Does the Bible not say God is not mocked, whatsoever a man sows, that he will reap also (Galatians 6:7)?
I checked the meaning of ‘Obedience’ in the dictionary and it says, “Compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another’s authority.’ With this meaning, can we confidently say that we are walking in obedience to God? I am sometimes scared when I see (especially on YouTube) the types of debates going on among Christians. It is as though many are advocating that it’s time to rewrite the Bible, yet, Numbers 23:19 says God is not a man that He should lie, and Matthew 24:35 says heaven and earth will pass away but God’s Words will by no means pass away.
As we already know, partial obedience is disobedience before God. The result of Saul’s gross disobedience to His instructions was that God rejected him from being king over Israel. We all need to go to God and ask for forgiveness and cleansing in every way that we are walking in disobedience, and we need to repent and ask God to help us to walk in His ways for the remaining days of our lives. May we never end up like Saul. As we pray in Jesus’ name, may our God grant our heart desires in this regard. Amen. Stay safe and have a blessed week!
PLEASE ACT NOW:
If you are yet to give your life to Christ, you do not have a covenant with God and His promises do not apply to you. To come under these promises, please surrender your life to Christ today, by praying this prayer:
Lord I know that I am a sinner and I am unable to save myself. I am sorry for my sins and I pray that you please forgive me. I am aware that Your Son Jesus died for my sins and I accept Him as my Lord and savior. I surrender my life unto you from this moment. Please take control of my entire being and help me to be obedient to your Word, going forward. Thank you, Lord, for hearing me. I have prayed in Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you prayed the foregoing prayer, you have just been born again. Please find a Bible believing church in your area and ask to see the pastor. Let him or her know that you have just given your life to Christ and s/he will guide you on next steps in your journey as a child of God. The Lord bless you!
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