"After Saul had assumed rule over Israel, he fought against their enemies on every side: Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment on them. He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, delivering Israel from the hands of those who had plundered them." (1 Samuel 14:47-48) We'll learn more about the conflict with the Amalekites as we begin Chapter 15 momentarily.
"Saul's sons were Jonathan, Ishvi and Malki-Shua." (1 Samuel 14:49a) Saul had more sons than these, as we'll be informed later on, but the remaining verses of Chapter 14 have to do with Saul's powerful army and his powerful family. These three sons are the ones who served in his army.
"The name of his older daughter was Merab, and that of the younger was Michal. His wife's name was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of Saul's army was Abner son of Ner, and Ner was Saul's uncle. Saul's father Kish and Abner's father Ner were sons of Abiel. All the days of Saul there was bitter war with the Philistines, and whenever Saul saw a mighty or brave man, he took him into his service." (1 Samuel 14:49b-52) This military service was likely involuntary, for Samuel warned the people in Chapter 8 that the king would take their sons into his service (conscript them into his army).
Now we move on into Chapter 15 to study the war with the Amalekites. "Samuel said to Saul, 'I am the one the Lord sent to anoint you king over His people Israel; so listen now to the message of the Lord. This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came out of Egypt. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.'" (1 Samuel 15:1-3)
The Amalekites are descended from Esau's grandson Amalek. These people attacked the Israelites, without provocation, as the weary travelers made their exodus from Egypt. The Amalekites were especially cruel in sneaking up behind the group to strike down those who were traveling the slowest: the elderly, those with illnesses, those with handicaps. The slowest movers may also have included pregnant women and those who were carrying or leading small children. The Lord vowed to wipe the Amalekites from the earth for this atrocious crime. Although the Amalekites who carried out the attack in Exodus 17 are long dead, their descendants still harbor the same unreasonable hatred for the Israelites. The Amalekites are still heathen idolaters, living in opposition to the Lord. They have the same spirit as their forefathers who attacked the Israelites during the exodus.
"So Saul summoned the men and mustered them at Telaim---two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand from Judah. Saul went to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the ravine. Then he said to the Kenites, 'Go away, leave the Amalekites so that I do not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt.' So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites." (1 Samuel 15:4-6) Moses' father-in-law was a Kenite and the Kenites showed kindness to the Israelites when they came out of Egypt. They remained friendly with them and lived among and around them. Saul does not want the Kenites to become casualties of war when the fighting starts and he warns them to flee the area.
"Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, near the eastern border of Egypt. He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs---everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed." (1 Samuel 15:7-9) Saul disobeys the Lord who instructed him to utterly destroy everyone and everything among the Amalekites. Saul kept the best of the livestock and spared the life of the king. The livestock was perhaps spared so he and his men could take them as spoils of war, though he will later claim that these animals were being reserved for sacrifices to the Lord, but the Lord did not ask him to save any of the livestock for sacrifices. Saul may have spared the king's life in order to humiliate him and hold him captive as a war trophy. This could be for the purpose of reveling in his triumph over the Amalekites or it could be so the other heathen kings of the region would think twice before going up against the army of Israel. Whatever Saul's reasoning was, his actions were in direct disobedience to the Lord.
The Lord informs the prophet Samuel of what has happened. "Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel: 'I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from Me and has not carried out My instructions.' Samuel was angry, and he cried out to the Lord all that night." (1 Samuel 15:10-11) The Lord doesn't use the word "regret" in the way you or I would use it. When we say we regret something it's usually because we didn't realize we were making a mistake or we didn't understand how unpleasant the consequences of a particular choice would be. The Lord knew exactly what kind of man Saul was and He knew everything Saul would do as king. He isn't surprised by any of Saul's actions. When the Lord says He regrets making Saul king, He is letting Samuel know that He is displeased with Saul's character and lack of reverence for the things of God and that He is rejecting Saul as king because Saul has rejected all the Lord's invitations to have a personal relationship with Him. Saul has turned down every opportunity he's been given to be a better man. The Lord won't remove Saul from the kingship immediately but He is telling the prophet Samuel ahead of time that the royal family of Israel will not be Saul's family line. The crown will be taken from Saul and given to someone more worthy, at the right time and in the right way. The Lord has already selected the next leader of Israel and will soon send Samuel to anoint him as king.
Saul partially obeyed the Lord in attacking the Amalekites but partial obedience is still disobedience. The Lord cannot bless such poor behavior because that only reinforces poor behavior. Saul will make excuses for his actions but the fact remains that the Lord could not have been more clear when He told him what to do. Saul simply chose to do what he wanted to do. The Lord wants a better king for Israel than a man who will always do what he wants to do. The Lord has chosen a man who will ask Him what he should do.
No comments:
Post a Comment