I Samuel 15:32-35

“The Long Road To Judgment” • 10.30.07 • Autonomy, Authority And The Man Of God, Session ^#8

Intro.

- Last week, we left off in a strange place. God has rejected Saul as King because of His rebellion against Him. Samuel is the one relaying the message and he is disgusted.

- Saul is not that concerned about God’s rejection of him, but he is concerned about appearances before the people, so he asks Samuel to join him in worship of the Lord, Samuel’s God.

- Saul is just trying to look like a man after God’s heart. All he cares about is the people’s opinion, and Samuel being with him would add to his religious image.

- Samuel knows this, but then, in a strange turn, Samuel returns with Saul to this false, pretentious worship service. In the middle of this, only one of them is going to actually worship.

• I Samuel 15:32-35 : “Then Samuel said, ‘Bring Agag king of the Amalekites here to me.’ So Agag came to him cautiously. And Agag said, ‘Surely the bitterness of death is past.’ But Samuel said, ‘As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.’ And Samuel hacked Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal. Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house at Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel went no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul, and the Lord regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.”

- Saul went up for his own fame. Samuel went up to finish what Saul had started.

- I wanted to stop the forward momentum of our study here because our God is a Just God.

- I sensed strongly in my spirit that we were supposed to reflect upon that fact together.

- In our society and thinking today, we are tempted to believe that God is the one on trial.

- Situations like the one before us give rise to such impudence.

- But it’s never God who is on trial. It is our hearts that are constantly drawn to a place where we must remind ourselves that we are under His authority and His authority is always good.

- Let’s examine this in the case of the Amalekites. It was God’s decree to Saul that He wipe out the Amalekites entirely.

• I Samuel 15:1-3 : “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.’”

- Saul is told that the Lord has annointed Him King, giving him authority over Israel as a visible representative of His own interests.

- Now, Saul is going to be used as a weapon in the hands of God to complete a war against the Amalekites that was begun some three to four hundred years prior to Saul’s life.

- It began in a place called Rephidim and the actual battle can be seen in Exodus 17.

- After Israel was victorious, the Lord pronounced judgment on Amalek.

- It seems sort of extreme, as there are really no details given in the Exodus account.

- What is not told us there is filled in for us in

• Deuteronomy 25:17-19 : “Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you were coming out of Egypt, how he met you on the way and attacked your rear ranks, all the stragglers at your rear, when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God. Therefore it shall be, when the Lord your God has given you rest from your enemies all around, in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance, that you will blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. You shall not forget.”

- The attack was unprovoked, vicious and pre-meditated.

- We need to understand that Amalek’s borders had not been trangressed.

- They were a band of Semitic marauders who roamed the Negev and were likely located quite far from Rephidim. This means that they came quite a long distance to attack Israel.

- We learn from Genesis 36:12 that these were descendants of Esau.

- They were aware of the promises made to the family of Jacob, their cousins.

- This is why they showed no fear of God. This was God’s people that they knowingly attacked and attempted to exterminate! And this was not their only attempt.

- As late as the time of the Judges, in chapter 3 and 5, we see the Amalekites again attempting to destroy God’s people. So what are we to make of this section?

- Let’s see these things in our initial passage today. Along the road to judgment, there is

I. The Measure Of Mercy (v.32)

II. The Measure Of Justice (v.33a)

III. The Measure Of Worship (v.33b-35)

Text

I. The Measure Of Mercy (v.32)

• I Samuel 15:32 : “Then Samuel said, ‘Bring Agag king of the Amalekites here to me.’ So Agag came to him cautiously. And Agag said, ‘Surely the bitterness of death is past.’” : The name Agag was a general name for an office that was held among the Amalakites.

- When Samuel called for Agag to be brought to him, Agag came out, the NKJV says, “cautiously.”

- This is a curious translation. The original language points to a thought that is much different.

- The original word’s meaning is one of bright confidence or arrogance.

- Most other major translations point to the word “cheerful.”

- The idea here is that Agag thought that time had erased God’s judgment and that he would now likely go free.

- Three to four hundred years and his survival at the hands of one of God’s servants, seemed to point in that direction.

- Agag, like many others since, have wrongly assumed that time is an indicator of God’s impotence or disinterest.

- Time passed between the offense and the judgment is not permission. Rather, it’s a measure of God’s mercy.

- The Apostle Peter dealt with this same attitude in the first century!

- The Lord’s first coming was one of mercy, but His second coming will be one of judgment.

- The early church was under the impression that this would happen sooner than later.

- Many of these believers died in the fires of persecution and wondered why God would allow so much time to transpire between the offense and His judgement. Peter explains:

• II Peter 3:8-10 : “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.”

- Judgment is coming and time is given as a measure of mercy. Consider the Lord’s words to the Church of Thyatira. They had put up with an idolatrous woman in their midst.

• Revelation 2:21,22 : “And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds.”

II. The Measure Of Justice (v.33a)

• I Samuel 15:33a : “But Samuel said, ‘As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.’” : Samuel shows that the action he is taking is not one of hatred or violence for violence sake.

- The charge is that Agag had been merciless.

- His armies had committed violent atrocities among all the nomadic peoples of the Negev.

- Their swords had killed women and children. God’s measue of justice was metted out in perfect proportion to the crime. We see this in the law of Moses.

- Men never give a perfect measure of justice. As the children of Israel came out of Egypt, there were fights where men took more than had been received. This is our carnal nature.

- As a result, God spelled out a law that would govern such situations.

• Exodus 21:22-25 : “If men fight, and hurt a woman with child, so that she gives birth prematurely, yet no harm follows, he shall surely be punished accordingly as the woman’s husband imposes on him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”

- God does not want to judge harshly. His preference is salvation!

- There are two other worthy stories that are good for our consumption here today.

- The first is the story of Sodom and Gomorrah.

- God told Abraham that He was going to destroy it very soon. Abraham began to bargain and ask what the lowest common denominator would be to avert disaster.

• Genesis 18:25,32 : “Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?’ …Then he said, ‘Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?’ And He said, ‘I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.’”

- God would have spared Sodom and Gomorrah for 10 people! Of course we know that there were not even 10 people to be found!

- The second story was of the Ninevites, who God spared after they repented at the preaching of the reluctant prophet Jonah.

- To the sinner, this sense of perfect justice should bring both fear and trembling and a sense of hope. I don’t have to be judged! I can repent and live a life before the Lord God!

- To the saint, there should be a sense of comfort.

- God is not some loving oaf in heaven without an eye to injustice! God is a just judge that sees the injustice of the world, is offended and plans to act in judgment against the unrepentant sinners that would snub their nose to Him in defiance.

• Psalm 89:13,14 : “You have a mighty arm; Strong is Your hand, and high is Your right hand. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face.”

III. The Measure Of Worship (v.33b-35)

• I Samuel 15:33b-35 : “And Samuel hacked Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal. Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house at Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel went no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul, and the Lord regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.” : What we see here is a gruesome scene.

- Samuel finished what Saul did not have the heart to complete.

- But we are mistaken if we see just a grisly scene without the context of God’s Holiness and reputation. Samuel shows a passion for God’s honor and reputation.

- Saul had shown little concern for what his inaction spoke. His inaction showed a nation that God’s Word was not final or fully authoritative. Saul had shown that worship publicly could be had without reverance privately! This was likely the cause of much confusion among the people of God.

- But Samuel cleared that up and did something very difficult.

- He had likely never killed anyone before, and to do what he did must have taken a tremendous toll upon him, yet with God’s reputation and honor on the line, there was truly no other choice. God’s holy righteous anger demanded no less.

- Samuel did this before the Lord! God was his audience. Contrast this to Saul, whose outward worship was all about how it would look to the elders and people of Israel.

- Samuel hacked Agag to pieces and then he cut off his relationship to Saul.

- This was difficult. Samuel loved Saul, as can be seen from verses 34 and 35.

- Samuel and Saul went their separate ways and though Samuel had likely wanted to see Saul, he did not until the day of his death.

- Samuel probably wanted to, figuring that he might be able to “reach him.” But God had decreed that Saul was rejected.

- You might ask “what does worship have to do with judgment?” Worship is a continual reminder of God’s reality. The world is judged by the love and obedience shown around them.

- This is truly an awesome picture of worship. Hard obedience is the best test of our worship hearts.

- Are you willing to slay a sinful habit? Are you willing to hack off a lingering mental fascination?

- Are you willing to separate yourself from a relationship that God has clearly condemned?

- This is the measure of our worship before the Lord. Listen to the words of the Lord.

• Matthew 18:7-9 : “Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.”

Conclusion

- The world is ripe for the judgment of God. Time is the measure of His mercy, and perfect wrath is the measure of His justice.

- Along the road to judgment, you and I are to live worshipping this God, whose heart is pleased when we worship Him, by obediently following wherever He might lead, even to places that might be personally unpleasant.

- We might have to cut off habits and friends and lifestyle choices. But this is the worship that matters most to the heart of God.

I Samuel 14:24-15

“The Marks Of Autonomy” • 10.23.07 • Autonomy, Authority & The Man Of God, Session ^#7

Intro.

- We begin on the heels of a mighty victory won by the Lord on Israel’s behalf.

- Where there should have been celebration and excitement, there was instead distress.

- Saul dictated that the men were to go without food until he carried out his campaign.

- Saul’s mandate put the men of Israel at a disadvantage, as all suffered from hunger, and it put his own son in danger.

- Verse 27 says that Jonathan had not heard the charge and had enjoyed some honey.

- At verse 31, we see that the attack was successful and the Philistines are driven back. Saul is determined to continue in pursuit. He asks of the Lord whether he should continue on the attack but is met with silence.

- It’s obvious that there has been some wrong committed among the troops. Lots were drawn and Jonathan was discovered.

• I Samuel 14:43,44 : “Then Saul said to Jonathan, ‘Tell me what you have done.’ And Jonathan told him, and said, ‘I only tasted a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand. So now I must die!’ And Saul answered, ‘God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan.’”

- At this point, the people of Israel stood up and defended Jonathan and he was spared.

- It is telling at this point in the story, that for the sake of his own pride, Saul is willing to take his own sons life! But then we come to chapter 15 and God’s word comes to Saul.

• I Samuel 15:1-3 : “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.’”

- God’s command was for complete annhilation. Saul started toward the right actions, numbering his men and going out after Amalek, but then we read verse

• I Samuel 15:9 : “But Saul and the people spared Agag 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.”

- This event was especially tragic and the cause for God to utter these words:

• I Samuel 15:11 : “I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.’ And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the Lord all night.”

- Samuel comes to Saul and see him in complete self adulation mode, celebrating his victory.

- But Samuel is not impressed and calls Saul on the inconsistencies that he can see and hear.

- As usual, Saul is ready with excuses and blames the people for taking of the spoils, adding their value for sacrifice.

• I Samuel 15:22-31 : “Then 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 heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.’ Then 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. 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.’ And as Samuel turned around to go away, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. So Samuel said to him, ‘The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor relent. For He is not a man, that He should relent.’ Then he said, ‘I have sinned; yet honor me now, please, before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship the Lord your God.’ So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.”

- Saul, we have concluded, embodies the typical characteristics of an autonomous man. I want us to look at the ones that show themselves in this section of scripture.

I. Pride & Arrogance

II. Partial Obedience

III. People Audience

Text

I. Pride & Arrogance

- Take a look with me at the following verses.

• I Samuel 14:24 : “And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had placed the people under oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats any food until evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.’ So none of the people tasted food.”

- We spoke of the verses detailing Saul’s requirement of Jonathan’s life. Now, take a look at

• I Samuel 15:12 : “So when Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, it was told Samuel, saying, ‘Saul went to Carmel, and indeed, he set up a monument for himself; and he has gone on around, passed by, and gone down to Gilgal.’”

- Every indication points to a man who is filled with himself and dedicated to his own agenda.

- It is his enemies that he will take vengeance upon, it is his armies to command and curse. And it is a monument to himself that he builds.

- Pride is in the heart of Saul. How does God feel about pride?

• Proverbs 8:13 : “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.”

- In the New Testament, Jesus is talking with the Pharisees who are debating with him about eating and drinking and the laws that had been propogated by them.

- Jesus tells them, “it’s not what goes into a man that defiles him, but what comes out of him.”

• Mark 7:21-23 : “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.’”

- Whoa, fornications and murders are listed with pride!?

- Of course, the world looks at Saul and probably thinks, “Hey, what’s the problem with Saul!? I don’t see what’s wrong!”

- As men who are not autonomous, but are under authority, we must resist pride in our lives.

- I am not talking about confidence, or satisfaction with regard to achievements in your life.

- But, I am condemning, with scripture the attitude that fails to glorify the Lord for what He has accomplished in our lives.

- One cannot help but think about King Nebuchadnezzar who was warned by God to humble himself. In the next chapter, Neb is walking along the edges of Babylon's hanging gardens and thinking about his great accomplishments in the city that he had built.

- God would have to humble him after all! For the next seven years, Nebuchadnezzar lost his mind and groveled on the ground like a wild animal.

- Is your life about you and your agenda or is it about His!

II. Partial Obedience

• I Samuel 15:8,9 : “He also took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag 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.” : Here is a perfect picture of the actions of an autonomous man.

- He is proud, but that pride is built on a spiritual record, reflecting some obedience to God.

- He does enough, in his mind, to satisfy some requirement before God. He is religious!

- Saul was told to exterminate the Amalekites, which he did, save the King of course.

- He was told to wipe out all of their cattle as well. And he did… selectively!

- Later, he asserts that he followed God’s command and he did to a certain degree.

- But partial obedience is no obedience.

- Saul did what “made sense” to him. He must have reasoned that he had done enough and that God would understand his motives! God does not honor that type of servitude.

- Religion is always concerned with what is just enough to please God. What do I have to do to please God?

- Consequently, the religious person is always testing the limits of how close he can get to sin without offending God.

- The law of the autonomous man is the law of just enough! And just enough is never enough to the God who requires all!

- It’s not about one day a week, it’s about every day lived out for His glory!

- It’s not about how much you have to do, it’s doing everything to lift up the name of Jesus!

- It’s not about how close you can be to sin without sinning, it’s how close you can get to the heart of God in intimate relationship!

- Saul did the good things, the enjoyable things, the agreeable things to his nature.

- Just like the autonomous man, who doesn’t mind listening to sermons about how to be happy or how to be rich and prosperous. These things are agreeable to his flesh.

- But don’t ask him to sit through a message about sin and the necessity of Christ’s blood to expiate him from his offensive sin toward God! That would be distasteful!

- An autonomous man also loves religious exercise, just like Saul and his proposition that the cattle be used for sacrifice.

- The autonomous man today loves to boast about charitable work and social awareness. He also loves giving up meals for special months of the year for God. But this never goes far enough.

- Paul refers to this attitude of religiosity in his letter to the Colossians.

• Colossians 2:20-23 : “Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations - ‘Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,’ which all concern things which perish with the using--according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.”

- It’s not enough to do the things that are agreeable to you, or to bring an offering that you think has value to him.

- What he wants is all of us, every day, every hour, every moment, spent living out His life among the nations as a testimony to His reality in our lives!

- Partial obedience to God is partial disobedience to God!

- Any part that is disobedient is rebellious to the Lord, an offense to His character.

III. People Audience

• I Samuel 15:20,21 : “And Saul said to Samuel, ‘But I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.” : Note also the next time Saul speaks.

• I Samuel 15:24 : “Then 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.”

- Saul’s deepest allegiance, beside himself, is the will of the people surrounding him.

- This mentality clears up quite a bit about him.

- Why take risks in battle when you might end up losing, and thus losing reputation.

- This explains why he might seek to find out who has gone out to battle without him and why he might make the entire group swear an oath to him to fight alongside of him.

- Saul was concerned with what was popular, what would benefit his image or what might be politically advantageous. In the end, it was his undoing!

• Proverbs 29:25 : “The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.”

- It’s not a proverb, but it’s a saying that I have held onto with all of my heart since Bible College: To fear the Lord is to fear nothing else!

• Matthew 10:26-28 : “Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

- An autonomous man, far from being truly independent, is often caught in the throes of the dilemna that places his interests in the line of the fire of the interests of people in his life. At those times, Saul like men, give in the pressure of popularity.

Conclusion

- Today, let us humbly recognize the Lord’s place in our life, remembering that every gift that we have comes from Him.

- When we start there, our attitudes will be right with regard to God’s commands and we will follow them with all diligence.

- And the people that surround us will hold little sway over our decisions.

- Then, we will be men under authority!

I Samuel 13:14 - I Samuel 14

“The Faith Equation” • 10.16.07 • Autonomy, Authority & The Man Of God, Session ^#6

Intro.

- God has proclaimed through Samuel, that Saul’s Kingdom would die with Saul.

- Between the pronouncement and the carrying out of that verdict, a great deal of time would elapse.

- Saul would continue to lead, and though he was a rejected King, God’s faithfulness to fight for the people of Israel would continue.

- At the end of chapter 13, we see the effect of the Philistine occupation on Israel. The army of Israel, numbered at a paltry 600 men, was weaponless, except for the royal family.

- The Philistines owned the technology and did not share it with the majority of Israel.

• I Samuel 13:22 : “So it came about, on the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. But they were found with Saul and Jonathan his son.”

- Coming to chapter 14, we see Saul and the army assembled at Migron, sitting. Unbeknownst to Saul, Jonathan has decided to make a move against the Philistine garrison.

• I Samuel 14:1 : “Now it happened one day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, ‘Come, let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison that is on the other side.’ But he did not tell his father.”

- Jonathan’s heart is seen in 14:6

• I Samuel 14:6 : “Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, ‘Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us. For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few.’”

- Jonathan then proposes a sign that might accompany God’s approval over this notion.

• I Samuel 14:8-10 : “Then Jonathan said, ‘Very well, let us cross over to these men, and we will show ourselves to them. If they say thus to us, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stand still in our place and not go up to them. But if they say thus, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up. For the Lord has delivered them into our hand, and this will be a sign to us.’”

- As you read, you will find God meeting Jonathan in this moment, which ends in a complete rout of this garrison.

- This action by Jonathan causes a large stir in the hearts of the Philistines.

• I Samuel 14:16 : “Now the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and there was the multitude, melting away; and they went here and there.”

- Verses 18 through the end of the chapter detail the victory for us. But the bottom line is the most important

• I Samuel 14:23 : “So the Lord saved Israel that day, and the battle shifted to Beth Aven.”

- As we look at this section, we see a microcosm of how God meets us where our faith is.

I. The Faith Requirement (13:15-22)

II. The Faith Response (14:1,2)

III. The Faith Result (14:16-23)

Text

I. The Faith Requirement (13:15-22)

- Let’s look at some key stats in these verses.

- First, verse 15 tells us that Israel had 600 men ready to fight. 2,400 had deserted and gone into hiding.

- Second, verses 16 and 17 reveal to us that the Philistine had the Israelites surrounded with a large advantage in the numbers department.

- Third, the people that were with Saul were without armament!

- To recap, the Hebrews had no men, no position and no weapons, which of course means that they had no chance humanly speaking!

- It’s an impossible situation with no conceivable, good end in sight!

- Like the Hebrews, the truly difficult or impossible circumstance is the stage upon which our faith either proves genuine or faint under the pressure.

- Make no mistake: Each one of us will experience tests which prove our faith.

- And each test will include some or all of these variables.

- You will feel lonely, without the comfort of human support.

- You will feel that your enemy will have all the power to control the situation.

- You will feel that you lack the tools to go out and fight!

- These tests are inevitable, and they all focus on your faith!

• James 1:2,3 : “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”

- James is writing the people of God who had been scattered because of persecution throughout the world.

- They likely wondered, “Why is God allowing this? I thought that He loved us!”

- James says, “Hey guys” and then goes right to their main question!

- Guys, count it all joy! Add it up! Put 2 & 2 together and see that God is using these inevitable, difficulties to produce something precious in your life!

- Peter, writing to the Dispersion, the same people that James is addressing, adds this:

• I Peter 1:3-7 : “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,”

- Genuine faith sees victory where there can only be defeat. Genuine faith sees God’s hand in the impossible.

- There is a prophet in the Bible who looked to God and said, “Why is there so much violence and injustice in the world? And what are you going to do about it?”

- God answered, “I am raising up a vicious group of raiders who will be used by me to correct my people.”

- Habakkuk stood back and saw that the people that he loved, his people, would soon be decimated by this relentless enemy. How would they survive and how would God keep His promise?

- God answers Habakkuk in

• Habakkuk 2:2-4 : “Then the Lord answered me and said: ‘Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry. Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.”

- You can’t see naturally, how God is going to reach your loved one who has walked away from the faith.

- You can’t see any circumstance that could possibly right your marriage.

- There are no possible resources available that could deal with your financial crisis!

- Behold, the just shall live by faith!

II. The Faith Response (14:1,2)

• I Samuel 14:1,2 : “Now it happened one day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, ‘Come, let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison that is on the other side.’ But he did not tell his father. And Saul was sitting in the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron. The people who were with him were about six hundred men.”

- Notice with me, these two men.

- Both have battle experience. Both are presently undefeeated. Both have weaponry. Both are faced with the exact same scenario and the exact same intel regarding what is facing them.

- Both men are aware of God’s actions on behalf of their people in their not-to-distant past.

- But that is where the similarities end.

- Jonathan has one faithful encourager. Saul has 600 men, the priesthood, all sitting and co-miserating!

- Jonathan sees the circumstances and is mobilized. Saul sees the circumstances and is paralyzed.

- One man says, “Let’s go and see what God does!” The other man says, “Let’s sit and see what we can figure out!”

- Finally, one man gets results and the other gets to watch from the sidelines!

- Jonathan shows a valiant heart of faith. His mindset, which we read in verse 6 is so attractive.

- I want to get moving and see what God might do!

- Jonathan was a risk taker in one sense, but he understood some very basic things.

- First, it was God’s agenda from the very beginning of Israel’s entry into Canaan that the Israelites would possess the land from the indigenous, idolatrous inhabitants!

• Deuteronomy 11:22-25 : “For if you carefully keep all these commandments which I command you to do--to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, and to hold fast to Him-- then the Lord will drive out all these nations from before you, and you will dispossess greater and mightier nations than yourselves. Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the River Euphrates, even to the Western Sea, shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand against you; the Lord your God will put the dread of you and the fear of you upon all the land where you tread, just as He has said to you.”

- Jonathan is entering into and partnering in God’s agenda.

- Second, Jonathan understands that this was God’s battle! Notice the phrase in verse 6: Nothing restrains the Lord from saving with many or a few!

- Jonathan might have to raise a sword at or run toward or fight with the Philistine garrison, but God was going to deliver! God was going to fight for them!

- Third, and I think that this is an exceptional point, Jonathan had a faith encourager with him!

- He had an armor bearer with an eye towards things of God!

• I Samuel 14:7 : “So his armorbearer said to him, ‘Do all that is in your heart. Go then; here I am with you, according to your heart.’”

- Jonathan knew that God wanted to do something so he partnered with Him.

- Jonathan knew that the circumstances would pale in comparison to the presence of God.

- And in case there was any doubt, Jonathan had a man with him that would push for faith in the Lord!

- You all remember the story when Jesus came walking on water toward the struggling disciples.

- Peter saw the Lord and told Him to call him out to Him.

- Between the boat and the Lord raged a sea of water.

- Peter took a step and then another. Then he realized what was happening around him.

• Matthew 14:30,31 : “But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’ And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’”

- Peter, like Saul, sunk when he looked at the circumstances. In the meantime, Jonathan soared!

- Saul said, “How can I win?” Jonathan said, “How can I lose!?”

III. The Faith Result (14:16-23)

- Let’s look at the highlights of these verses.

- In verse 16, the Bible records that the multitude was melting away.

- In verse 20, Saul’s group went out to battle only to find that the Philistines were fighting amongst themselves!

- In verse 21 and 22, the Hiding Hebrews came out and joined the fight.

- What is the result of our faith, placed rightly in Christ?

- The enemies don’t know how to respond and are scattered, while the people of God are encouraged to take up the fight themselves!

- God knew how He was going to win the day. The Philistines were going to beat themselves!

- God had used this technique before on several occassions.

- In Judges 7:22, Gideon’s men blew some trumpets and broke some vases, while Midian skewered themselves!

- Elisha brought down a company of the Syrians with a blindness from the Lord in II Kings 6.

- Ammon and Moab came against the people of Judah and their king Jehoshaphat, but when the people rose to sing and praise the Lord, the Lord set an ambush among the people and they fell in II Chronicles 20!

- In other places God used hornets and other natural disasters and phenomena.

- Here, one man’s faith is the catalyst.

- God co-ordinated His activity with that of Jonathan to bring about this thorough rout.

Conclusion

- Today, you can either sit or start moving towards what the Lord is calling you to do!

- We can never be sure of what is going to happen, but that is the requirement isn’t it? The just, you and I, shall live by faith!

- I pray that our response will be more like Jonathan’s after today.

- Not just so we can see our enemy, Satan, vanquished, or just so we might see our brothers and sisters in the faith, encouraged. But simply so that we might see the Lord’s victory on our behalf! That is worth walking toward don’t you think!?

I Samuel 13:13,14

“Going After God’s Heart” • 10.9.07 • Autonomy, Authority & The Man Of God, Session #5

Intro.

- We finished last week looking at a pivotal moment in the life of King Saul.

- His enemies were closing in on him, the pressure mounting with each passing moment.

- Samuel was late in coming to Mizpah, which made Saul even more desperate.

- Finally, in an incredibly ill-advised maneuver, Saul takes it upon himself to offer a sacrifice to the Lord, something that was strictly forbidden.

- Moments after this foolish episode concluded, Samuel shows up. He is not at all impressed with Saul’s pretentious piety.

- Even less impressive is Saul’s justification for his activity. He looks at the circumstances surrounding him, his enemies, Samuel’s tardiness, etc., and lists them as understandable reasons to disregard God’s commandment.

- Samuel has the responsibility now to decree how the Lord will choose to handle this blatant transgression.

• I Samuel 13:13,14 : “And Samuel said to Saul, ‘You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.’”

- This week, I wanted to take a session and truly unpack what is being taught here.

- Normally, we would take a larger, more panoramic view of scripture. Today, I want us to focus on these two verses.

- I want to split it into two realms: The realm of man and the realm of God.

- In our realm there is responsibility. In the realm of God, there is sovereignty, authority. They are concepts that are intermingled, as ideally among the people of God, both are working toward the same goal, which is to glorify and lift high the name of God on the earth.

- It’s with this in mind that we take some time to consider what it means to go after the heart of God.

Text

- First, in the realm of men, we can choose wisdom or foolishness.

• I Samuel 13:13a : “And Samuel said to Saul, ‘You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you…”

- It is man’s responsibility, the man who would go after the heart of God, to be consistently under the authority of God’s Word.

- Samuel does not mince words with the King of Israel. He says, “You have done foolishly!”

- The same is true for anyone who would, for any reason, disregard God’s Word.

- Saul disregarded the teaching of Leviticus, ignored Samuel’s rightful place, and offered a sacrifice.

- Again, this seems like such a small thing, but there is no small command with the Lord.

˚ “Men see nothing but Saul’s outward act, which seems small; but God saw with how wicked a mind and heart he did this; with what rebellion against the light of his own conscience, as his own words imply; with what gross infidelity and distrust of God’s providence; with what contempt of God’s authority, and justice, and many other wicked principles and motions of his heart, unknown to men. Besides, God clearly saw all that wickedness that yet lay hid in his heart, and foresaw all his other crimes; and there had far more grounds for his sentence against him than we can imagine.” Matthew Poole

- What Saul did was plain foolish.

- The use of the word “fool” biblically, does not refer to a lack of intelligence or silliness.

- When the prophet Samuel uses it here, it denotes a spiritual lack.

- Samuel is saying here then that Saul is acting like one who does not believe in God!

- What is happening when we knowingly transgress the explicit law of God?

- What this means is that we are making ourselves gods, or ultimate authorities, when we supplant God and His Word. This is practically atheism.

- When I am in this place, I am saying with my actions what my heart is believing, that there is no God, meaning that I believe, that He is not concerned with the action that I am choosing to take.

- What it reveals to me is that my heart is truly not under His authority in those instances.

• Galatians 6:7,8 : “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”

- We have, as men, the propensity to act foolishly or wisely. In this context, that means simply, the difference between making the Lord our authority or making ourselves the authority, which is autonomy.

- The next issue then, is that men can take the word personally or disregard it for the sake of convenience.

- Notice that Samuel says, “You have not kept the commandment of the Lord YOUR God, which He commanded YOU!” Emphasis mine.

- Saul entered into a relationship with the Lord that had been well defined.

- He was the representative of God to the people of Israel, subject to God’s law.

- He was the first among equals, but was still subject to the Highest authority.

- When I surrender my life to the Lord, I am saying that He, the Lord, is my God. As such, His Word is my command, personally.

- I make myself subject to Him in every area of my life, whether it be relationships, career choices, or ministry decisions.

- His Word is my decree and I want to live in agreement with His Word in every area of life.

- One might say, “But does God’s word speak to every situation?” The answer is that if there is not an explicit command, there is always an implicit principle that can be applied to every situation.

- I have never found a situation in my life that God’s word did not speak to.

- The point is that as men who are seeking to go after the heart of God, that we seek what His Word might be before we act!

- Sometimes, it might take longer than we like, which generally means that He is more concerned with our character rather than our comfort!

- Before we move onto the next section, let me ask you simply if you are keeping the command that the Lord has given you?

- Is there something pressing on your hearts today that you have been putting off? Don’t be caught in that trap.

- Now we come to God’s part of the bargain, the realm of sovereignty and authority.

• I Samuel 13:13b,14 : “…For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.’”

- Saul’s presumptuous actions had dire consequences.

- Samuel says the Lord “would have” established Saul’s line perpetually.

- The word means to set, to determine or to permanently fix.

- God’s work is to establish His people where He can exercise influence through them.

- He sets us up. He establishes us.

- For Saul, his disobedience would cost him his Kingdom, for the same hand that establishes, also replaces.

- Samuel continues and tells us that the Lord has sought out a replacement, and that this replacement would be “a man after his own heart.”

- Samuel does not know who this person is, but He knows that God has already made a sovereign choice of another man, who we know is David, Jesse’s son.

- Paul comments in

• Acts 13:22 : “And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’”

- Notice that a man after the heart of God will do all of God’s will.

- The things that please him and the things that are not as pleasant. Either way, the man after God’s heart accepts both as mandatory.

- When we use the phrase about another person, who might be a man after our own heart, we speak to a person who has the same desires and ambitions as ourselves.

- The same is true of God. He seeks out a man, a person who might be passionate about what He is passionate about, who might concern themselves with what He is concerned with!

- I think that it’s worthy to mention something at this juncture. God is not looking for a man who will simply do God’s word because He is obliged to do so.

- “Oh, I’ll do it because I have to!” God will not be a debtor to that person!

- David speaks to his heart towards the word of the Lord over and over again in the book of Psalms.

• Psalm 1:1,2 : “Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.”

- The word “delight” denotes great pleasure in whatever activity is accomplished.

- David uses this terminology in many places in the book of Psalms.

- You can read several examples in chapter 119, which is all about God’s Word and David’s attitude toward it.

• Psalm 119:68-70 : “You are good, and do good; Teach me Your statutes. The proud have forged a lie against me, But I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart. Their heart is as fat as grease, But I delight in Your law.”

- This man will be the commander. He will be given the reins of authority to yield before the Lord on behalf of His people, the children of Israel.

- Why? Because the man of God whom would be used the greatest by the Lord, must first be committed to the things found in the heart of God!

Conclusion

- Let’s finish with a few general lessons that this passage teaches us about being a man after God’s own heart.

1) Whole Hearted Devotion To God’s Word Is Essential- No Exceptions! There can be no doubt about where your loyalties lie. If there is a present struggle between money and God’s word, or relationship and God’s word, make sure that starting today, God’s Word wins!

2) We Can Never Believe The Lord Needs Us- No Exemptions! Saul was tall, handsome, talented, militarily successful, and popular with the people. But God did not need Him! His heart disqualified him. We would be wise to humbly remember what a privilege it is to serve the Lord.

I Samuel 11-13:14

“Portrait Of The Rejected King”  10.2.07  “Autonomy, Authority & The Man Of God” Session ^#4

Intro.

- Saul has been handed the authority to act as Israel’s King. When last we left him though, there was no Kingdom and no action necessary to take.

- That is until Nahash the Ammonite came to lay seige upon the people of Jabesh-Gilead.

- Saul heard of the threat that was made against them and took swift action.

 I Samuel 11:5-7 : “Now there was Saul, coming behind the herd from the field; and Saul said, "What troubles the people, that they weep?" And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh. Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard this news, and his anger was greatly aroused. So he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, ‘Whoever does not go out with Saul and Samuel to battle, so it shall be done to his oxen.’ And the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.”

- Saul went out to battle against the Ammonites and routed them, leaving them scattered.

- Saul had proven himself to be the kind of King that the Israelites wanted, and Samuel took advantage of the moment, calling the people to Gilgal to officially coronate him.

- In I Samuel chapter 12, Samuel calls the people back to the obedience of the Lord.

- The people repent and Samuel charges them specifically in Gilgal with these words:

 I Samuel 12:24,25 : “Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.”

- Two years have now gone by and we come to chapter 13. It begins well for Saul, as his son Jonathan beats down a group Philistine garrisons in battle.

- Saul takes the credit for the victory, which was his plan.

- However, the plan seems to have gone awry, as it seems to have been at least ill conceived and at most, sinfully presumptuos!

 I Samuel 13:4-7 : “Now all Israel heard it said that Saul had attacked a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel had also become an abomination to the Philistines. And the people were called together to Saul at Gilgal. Then the Philistines gathered together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude. And they came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth Aven. When the men of Israel saw that they were in danger (for the people were distressed), then the people hid in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in holes, and in pits. And some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.”

- Talk about an “Uh-Oh” moment!! Somewhere between verse 7 and 8, Samuel communicated to Saul that he was to wait for 7 days. 7 days went by, but no Samuel.

• I Samuel 13:9-14 : “So Saul said, ‘Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.’ And he offered the burnt offering. Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him. And Samuel said, ‘What have you done?’ And Saul said, ‘When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord.’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.’ And Samuel said to Saul, ‘You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.’”

- There are a few lessons that plainly stick out as eternal principles that must be heeded.

- There are three sins that put Saul on the road to rejection, and disqualified him as King.

I. The Sin Of Presumption (v.3)

II. The Sin Of Disobedience (v.9,10)

III. The Sin Of Pride (v.11,12)

Text

I. The Sin Of Presumption (v.3)

• I Samuel 13:3 : “And Jonathan attacked the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, ‘Let the Hebrews hear!’“ : There is a sense here that Saul is willing to stay in Gilgal and let the rest of his people go out and fight the real battles, while he takes the credit for the victory.

- You’ll notice that Jonathan fought, but Saul blew the trumpet throughout the land!

- This is how the story begins and you will notice that there is no mention of Saul calling upon the Lord to direct.

- He is not asked to bless or accompany the people of Israel in battle against the Philistines.

- Saul gives the command autonomously.

- Remember that Saul has had some military success in the past, when he defended Jabesh Gilead.

- Perhaps that is why he acts so brazen here in ordering the attack of a Philistine garrison.

- But it seems that he got way ahead of himself and the Lord.

- What happens when we make a decision that is not covered and rubber-stamped by God?

- We are being presumptous.

- To presume means “to behave so inconsiderately, disrespectfully, or overconfidently as to do something without being entitled or qualified to do it (usually used negatively) to exploit or take advantage of somebody unscrupulously.”

- If this is not presumption here in this awakening of the Philistine enemy, then the next section where Saul offers up an unlawful sacrifice shows it clearly.

- I wonder if David was thinking about Saul’s life in general when he wrote this in

• Psalm 19:9-13 : “The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression.”

- There is much to say about this, but instead let me quickly give you a few signs that accompany presumption.

- You can call this a sermon within a sermon!

* The enemies of God gain ground; the people of God lose ground. (v.5,6)

* The enemies of God gain confidence; the people of God are fearful. (v.6,7)

* The enemies of God gain a foothold; the people of God have no spiritual covering (v.8)

- When the Lord is with us, we gain ground, we are confident and there is spiritual covering for our activities.

- When we presume to chart our own course, we will inevitably be subject to these problems and more.

- Lord keep me from presuming upon you and making you subject to my own wisdom, or my own vision.

II. The Sin Of Disobedience (v.9,10)

• I Samuel 13:9,10 : “So Saul said, ‘Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.’ And he offered the burnt offering. Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.” : An uninformed look at this section alone, might cause someone to inquire of the Lord regarding what the problem here might have been!

- All it seems that Saul wants to do is offer something to the Lord.

- What is the disobedience here and is it that big of a deal?

- First of all, the disobedience here is that God had specifically laid out in the law that only the tribe of Levi could serve as priests, and this to the exclusion of all others.

- This is the entire point of the book of Leviticus, which foreshadows Christ, but is principly the instructional manual for how the priesthood would operate before God.

- Saul could not possibly plead ignorance, as according to Deuteronomy 17, he was to have his own copy of the law, that his heart might not stray from God’s command.

- Second, the big deal is that when we give our life to the Lord in service, we are no longer to consider God’s word optional or suggestive, but mandatory, obligatory!

- God’s word, His law, is the highest authority that we bow ourselves to.

- Jesus died to bring us under this authority, not so that we would die, but rather that we might have life and that life might be more abundant!

- Again, it’s the pressure that moved Saul to act as presumptously as he did.

- The enemy is crowding around Him and his people are cowering with him!

- What is amazing in this text, is that the relief that Saul needed from this situation was just around the corner.

- Notice the words “as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering.”

- Most of the time, the pressure will be the greatest just prior to God’s action of deliverance!

- This section should teach us that there is no crisis which is bigger than our responsibility to honor God’s Word!

- The pressure though, reveals to us where our faith truly lies. You might ask the question: Will it (my faith, trust) be in me or in thee?

- Let's take a moment and look at this in light of Jesus, the true King.

- Saul had pressure and decided that the word of the Lord was expendable. Jesus had pressure and said, "Not my will, but Yours be done!"

- Saul saved his life, but lost his position. Jesus, the true King, lost His life, even to the point of the death of the cross, and gained the Name that is above every name!

- I can really relate to Saul's experience, but I want to follow Christ's example.

III. The Sin Of Pride (v.11,12)

• I Samuel 13:11-12 : “And Samuel said, ‘What have you done?’ And Saul said, ‘When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord.’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.’” : Samuel asks “What have you done?”

- The smell of the offering is thick in the air, smoke visibly behind Saul who has come out to greet Samuel in what was likely a pre-emptive move on his part to distract from what he had done.

- Samuel, in horrified shock asks this question, knowing what offense has transpired.

- Here, Saul has a chance to do something right, confess his sin and perhaps, be forgiven.

- It is so reminiscent of the garden of Eden, when God comes in the cool of the day and asks where his children were. And sadly, Saul repeats the same folly!

- Saul points to the circumstances surrounding him. “The people were scattered from me…”

- Saul then points the finger at Samuel. “You did not come within the days appointed…”

- Saul continues to lay out the fact that his enemies were surrounding him.

- What is a man to do!? Look at the math, it all adds up doesn’t it?

- Circumstances + No Prophet + Large Group Of Enemies = I must make an illegal sacrifice to God so that He might help me!

- He felt compelled to cover his own sin of presumption and offer something spiritual out of the fleshly mess that he has just made!

- It makes sense, but it is wrong!

- Here he has the chance to humbly place himself under the merciful hand of God, but instead chooses to justify his actions, which are unjustifiable!

- As men under authority, we are subject to God’s law, in spite of our feelings, in spite of the circumstances, in spite of our own logic!

Conclusion

- As we come to the end of this study, we must pause and ask ourselves if we are under God’s complete authority right now.

- Are our hearts right, calling it like it is in our lives or are there little pockets of resistance?

- The same sins are common in our day today.

- Men presumtuously sin when they move ahead of God’s will and plan, looking to satisfy their own desires, or accomplish God’s will in the power of their flesh.

- Men disobey God’s commands daily, thinking that the circumstances will justify them before the Lord or that perhaps their actions make sense to them.

- Then there’s that pride that keeps men from coming to that place of humble submission.

- If any of these are part of your life today, get yourself back under the Lord’s authority.

- The symptoms might be subtle, but the response of the Lord will not be.

- If there is a conviction in your heart, respond, and be clean today!