In the last six verses of chapter 14, we saw a summary of Saul’s family and his
military expedition. And as we begin reflecting on the account given to us in 1
Samuel 15, we must take note that the events described in this book are not or chronological. Hence, the flow may appear abrupt to us. When the
event of this chapter took place is uncertain, but they must have taken place
after Saul was rejected in 1 Samuel 13:14. His rejection was brought to its
inevitability now in 1 Samuel 15.
In
1 Samuel 14:47-48, the success of his military expedition was summarily
described. Now we are brought to one that he had with the Amalekites. But
before he went into this battle, Samuel reminded him that he was no ordinary
king like those of the other nations. How so? He was appointed by Samuel at
God’s direction and the people he was to rule were not his, but God’s. Hence,
obeying God was imperative for him. So we see God wanted to pay back the
Amalekites for what they had done to Israel as they came out of Egypt. Samuel told
Saul what God wanted him to do. He was to “…go and strike Amalek
and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to
death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.”
Who
were the Amalekites? Genesis 36:12 said that Esau had a grandson by the name of
Amalek. The Amalekites were his descendants. In this sense, they and Israel
have some relationship. Esau, as we know, was Jacob or Israel’s twin brother.
Despite the relationship, the Amalekites were unsympathetic toward the
Israelites at a critical time when help was needed. God did not take this kindly
hence He wanted them to be dealt with and destroyed. The purpose of taking us
there, we can be sure, was not to teach us about the rightness or wrongness of
genocide. It was to show us how disobedient Saul was and that was a serious
matter in God’s reckoning. God views the issue of obedience seriously. This was
something He expected of Saul and it is still something He expects of all of us
who profess to love Him. We can never be His good and effective children if we
are not earnest in our obedience to Him.
God’s
distinct instruction to Saul in 1 Samuel 15:3 was, “Now go and strike Amalek
and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to
death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.”
God wanted them, people and animals, to be annihilated totally. They were not
to spare anyone or anything. Gathering his army, totaling 210,000 men,
comprising 200,000 from Israel and 10,000 from Judah, Saul set out to fulfill
His God’s given expedition. Wisely, he tried to avoid conflict with the
Kenites by warning them to get out of the way. The Kenites were related to
Jethro, Moses’ father in law who was a Kenite. These people had treated the
people of Israel kindly during their journey out of Egypt. Verse 7 said that
“Saul defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur,
which is east of Egypt.
However,
what’s jarring to the ear could be found in verse 9. They read, “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 not willing to destroy them utterly;
but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.” Saul once again
did not obey the Lord fully. That’s the sad tale of his life. This left us
thinking why of all things, did he not want to obey the Lord? Before we point a
finger at him, let us make an evaluation of ourselves. Have we ourselves been
fully obedient to the Lord? Are there areas the Lord is dealing with us but we
just can’t seem to have the courage or the resolve to let go? It’s time to
obey. And as the hymn goes, “Trust and obey for there’s no other way to be
happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey”!
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