1 Samuel 15

1 Samuel 15

Morgan - Thou hast rejected the word of the Lord; He hath also rejected thee from being king.—1 Sam. 15.23. The appointments of God are always conditional. If the Conditions upon which they are made are not fulfilled, they cease. Saul was surely chosen of God, and by Him appointed to the office of king over this people. But that position had been clearly defined for him from the beginning. If the people had rejected Jehovah from being their King (see 1Sa 8.7), He had not given them up, nor resigned His position as their King. Granting them their request for a king, He had not for a moment ceased to reign. From the first, Saul had been instructed by Samuel that he was but to reveal and exercise the Divine authority. His one law in all his exercise of the Kingly office must be the word of Jehovah. When, leaning to his own understanding, he failed to act according to that word, he forfeited his right to rule. Therefore God rejected him from being king. It is ever so. In His grace God calls men to positions of high responsibility and authority; and in doing so, ever makes clear the conditions upon which they will be able to discharge that responsibility and exercise that authority. If they fail in any degree to fulfil those conditions, they are unable to do the work to which they are appointed. Then without any compromise they are rejected of God from the position. There are no appointments in the economy of the Kingdom of God which are perpetual, save as those holding them are carrying out the appointed work by fulfilling the revealed conditions. However successful in the higher senses a servant of God may be, if he or she depart from the law of God conditioning that service, they will become "castaway" from that service. (Borrow Life applications from every chapter of the Bible) 90-PERCENT OBEDIENCE? "Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you." - 1 Samuel 15:23 As the father of an elementary-age boy, I think I know why God places so much emphasis on obedience. Boys can get themselves into so much difficulty so easily. I can't imagine the trouble they would get into if they weren't required to obey anyone. Take, for instance, my rule about crossing the street. Steven knows that he's supposed to stop at the end of the driveway and look both ways -- whether he is riding his bike, rollerblading, or just chasing a ball. I expect 100-percent obedience because I know that it takes only one careless step into the street to jeopardize his safety. When God sent Saul to attack the Amalekites for what they had done to Israel (Exodus 17:8; 1 Samuel. 15:2), He expected the king to obey Him completely. When he didn't, Saul not only failed Israel but he disappointed God. And he had to suffer the results of disobedience. As Samuel told him, God "has rejected you from being king" (1 Samuel 15:23). Let your days be Mine to order; Where I lead, obedient be. Let your own desires be nothing; Only seek to follow Me. -- Anon. The cost of obedience is nothing compared to the cost of disobedience. How To Have A Revival 1 Samuel 15:24 Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice. BGT 1 Samuel 15:24 καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ πρὸς Σαμουηλ ἡμάρτηκα ὅτι παρέβην τὸν λόγον κυρίου καὶ τὸ ῥῆμά σου ὅτι ἐφοβήθην τὸν λαὸν καὶ ἤκουσα τῆς φωνῆς αὐτῶν LXE 1 Samuel 15:24 And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned, in that I have transgressed the word of the Lord and thy direction; for I feared the people, and I hearkened to their voice. KJV 1 Samuel 15:24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. NET 1 Samuel 15:24 Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned, for I have disobeyed what the LORD commanded and what you said as well. For I was afraid of the army, and I followed their wishes. CSB 1 Samuel 15:24 Saul answered Samuel, "I have sinned. I have transgressed the LORD's command and your words. Because I was afraid of the people, I obeyed them. ESV 1 Samuel 15:24 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. NIV 1 Samuel 15:24 Then Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned. I violated the LORD's command and your instructions. I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them. NLT 1 Samuel 15:24 Then Saul admitted to Samuel, "Yes, I have sinned. I have disobeyed your instructions and the LORD's command, for I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded. NRS 1 Samuel 15:24 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. NJB 1 Samuel 15:24 Saul then said to Samuel, 'I have sinned, having broken Yahweh's order and your instructions because I was afraid of the people and yielded to their demands. NAB 1 Samuel 15:24 Saul replied to Samuel: "I have sinned, for I have disobeyed the command of the LORD and your instructions. In my fear of the people, I did what they said. YLT 1 Samuel 15:24 And Saul saith unto Samuel, 'I have sinned, for I passed over the command of Jehovah, and thy words; because I have feared the people, I also hearken to their voice; I have sinned: 1Sa 15:30 Ex 9:27 10:16 Nu 22:34 2Sa 12:13 Mt 27:4 I feared: 1Sa 15:9,15 Ex 23:2 Job 31:34 Pr 29:25 Isa 51:12,13 Lu 23:20-25 Ga 1:10 Rev 21:8 obeyed: 1Sa 2:29 Ge 3:12,17 Jer 38:5 1 Samuel 15 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries WEAK EXCUSES FROM A MAN OF WEAK CHARACTER! Then - Marks progression in the dialogue. Saul will now respond. But he responds like the little boy who got caught with his hand in the cookie jar! His response is not form a broken and contrite heart because of his sin against Yahweh. It is more out of regret or remorse rather than out of godly sorrow that leads to true repentance. (Read 2Co 7:9-11+). Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command of the LORD and your words - If Saul had just stopped with these words of genuine, humble, contrite confession! But no, Saul's "confession" is a confession without repentance, for he continues to make excuses and still tries to preserve his honor before the people (1Sa 15:30 - more worried about what people think than about what God thinks! Can any of us identify?) Genuine confession is agreeing with God about our sin, not excusing it. And so once again he rationalizes why he sinned, etc. He refuses to say HE IS THE PROBLEM, HIS REBELLIOUS HEART IS THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM! And yet God allows Saul to continue to reign and be used by God to train up the next king who will face trial after trial because of Saul. Saul's continued reign also demonstrates how a man who will go his own way, rather than God's way, will progress deeper and deeper into sin until his life ends in destruction (Pr 14:12, 16:25)! THOUGHT- Beloved, read and heed 1 Corinthians 10:6, 11, 12+, that you may not imitate this man who had such a promising beginning. Your choices today matter! They matter in both time and eternity. Choose wisely! Choose God's Way. Choose Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6)! Compare Saul's "confession" to another "king" over 400 years earlier - "Then Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time; the LORD is the righteous one, and I and my people are the wicked ones." (Exodus 9:27+) Was Saul's "confession" any different? Just wondering?