Defiance Of The Lambs (1 Samuel 15)

In 1990, a wealthy developer in Seoul, South Korea named Joon Lee had plans to build a block of apartment buildings.^[1] After construction started, he realized there was more money in retail than in residence. He abandoned the approved blueprints and changed the entire layout of the building. What he ultimately built was “a far cry from its original plans.”^[2]

The original design demanded support columns, but Lee’s new plan needed escalators. So, he removed some support columns on every floor to maximize retail floor space. Then he added a fifth floor. The original builders protested and so were replaced. The support columns on that story didn’t line up with those underneath. Of course, the changes would require much larger air conditioning units on the roof. The roof was only one fourth the required strength.

More corners were cut, rules bent, bribes tendered,^[3] and the massive Sampoong Department Store opened without any review process. Things were fine for a few years. But on June 29, 1995 it all came crashing down.^[4] The building flaws, particularly those at the top, led to the collapse. In 20 seconds it was all rubble. More than 500 dead and 900 injured because those in charge would not adhere to the original design and “showed blatant disregard for structural precautions.”

In our text, Saul’s reign comes crashing down. The key contributor to this disaster was he would not follow the Architect’s design. He would not listen to God’s word and then do it. The consequences did not only hurt him, but his family, his nation, and people generations removed from him.

The question we must ask ourselves as we look at this text is: Will we hear God’s word and do it? If not, we’re also headed for disaster. And we can’t expect to please God if our faith is not obedient.

1 Samuel 15:1-3 – ¹ Samuel told Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you as king over his people Israel. Now, listen to the words of the LORD. ² This is what the LORD of Armies says: ‘I witnessed what the Amalekites did to the Israelites when they opposed them along the way as they were coming out of Egypt. ³ Now go and attack the Amalekites and completely destroy everything they have. Do not spare them. Kill men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’ ”

God could not be any clearer. Samuel says, “The LORD sent me, listen to the words of the LORD, this is what the LORD of Armies says!” And then he gives very specific instructions.

God’s word is specific. There are situations in life that don’t have a one-to-one example in the Bible. The Bible doesn’t have a chapter where someone is being cyberbullied on social media. But the path of righteousness, the Christian way of life is detailed and described and clarified for us. From how we should think to how we should speak to what we should do and how we should do it.

We need to accept the fact that God’s directives are not suggestions, they are statutes. They are commands. Commands for our good – they lead to abundant life – but they are binding upon us.

But now, let’s consider the content of this mission. The modern mindset does not like hearing God say things like this or doing things like this. In fact, this kind of total war is one of the things that unbelievers often throw up as unacceptable – disqualifying not only the Bible, but God Himself.

So what are we to make of this treatment of the Amalekites? First we need to know who the Amalekites were. They weren’t Canaanites. They lived in the desert south of Israel.^[5]

They were the first people to attack the Israelites after the exodus. They tried hard to keep them from entering the Land. If you remember that dramatic battle where Moses held up his arms and as long as his arms were up, God’s people won the fight, that was against the Amalekites. They had snuck up behind Israel and attacked those falling behind when they were weak and weary.^[6]

Later, they went out of their way to join the Canaanites in attacking Israel. Then they joined the Moabites. Then the Midianites. They would travel hundreds of miles for a chance to kill Israelites.^[7] Philips Stern writes the Amalekites were, “a uniquely dangerous and perpetual challenger to the divine order of YHWH…in the Bible.”^[8]

After hundreds of years of mercy, judgment had come. They would reap what they sowed. Now, on the individual level, God is always merciful. God will spare Rahab. He will accept Ruth and Uriah and anyone who is willing to come to Him in faith, no matter what they’ve done. But on the corporate level, God’s mercy can time out. He is patient, but when people won’t repent, eventually the Flood comes. Eventually Sodom is destroyed. Even among His own people. God gave Israel generations of opportunity, but finally sent them to exile. In the New Testament, He sends warnings to the churches, saying, “If you don’t start obeying Me, I’m going to remove your lampstand.”

When whole communities repent, God spares them. Look at Nineveh. But God deals with nations and He uses other nations to bring down the hammer of divine justice on them. The Amalekites would not fear God. And so, the time of mercy had finally expired. And notice how God presents Himself as “The LORD of armies.” It’s His war, not Saul’s.^[9] The time for the nuclear option had come.

1 Samuel 15:4-9 – ⁴ Then Saul summoned the troops and counted them at Telaim: two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men from Judah. ⁵ Saul came to the city of Amalek and set up an ambush in the wadi. ⁶ He warned the Kenites, “Since you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came out of Egypt, go on and leave! Get away from the Amalekites, or I’ll sweep you away with them.” So the Kenites withdrew from the Amalekites. ⁷ Then Saul struck down the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is next to Egypt. ⁸ He captured King Agag of Amalek alive, but he completely destroyed all the rest of the people with the sword. ⁹ Saul and the troops spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and choice animals, as well as the young rams and the best of everything else. They were not willing to destroy them, but they did destroy all the worthless and unwanted things.

The Kenites lived in the same area. During those wilderness years, they had shown hesed to Israel. Where the Amalekites had been longtime enemies, the Kenites had been longtime friends.^[10] They also reaped what they sowed. But they sowed mercy. Compassion. Hesed faithfulness.

Saul and the troops fall short of their assignment here. And we’re told the motivation: They wanted to keep the valuable stuff. The worthless stuff, well God can have that! Don’t offer God worthless offerings. Don’t give to God that which costs you nothing and then deceive yourself into thinking you’ve done something spiritual. That’s what was happening here.

1 Samuel 15:10-11 – ¹⁰ Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel, ¹¹ “I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned away from following me and has not carried out my instructions.” So Samuel became angry and cried out to the LORD all night.

God’s not saying He should’ve made a different decision. He doesn’t make mistakes. But God does have emotions. That’s why you have emotions. The Lord is saying that He suffered emotional pain because Saul would not fulfill God’s word.^[11] It’s grief. Grief at human rebellion.

When we sin, we break God’s heart. Not only because He deserves to be obeyed, but because He only wants what is best for us. And God knew what this rebellion would lead to: Years of struggle, upheaval, civil war, bitterness, and bloodshed. He didn’t want any of that for His people.

1 Samuel 15:12-13 – ¹² Early in the morning Samuel got up to confront Saul, but it was reported to Samuel, “Saul went to Carmel where he set up a monument for himself. Then he turned around and went down to Gilgal.” ¹³ When Samuel came to him, Saul said, “May the LORD bless you. I have carried out the LORD’s instructions.”

Samuel has a hard mission of his own. He has to go confront the king of Israel who is in sin. Confrontation is no fun, but it is part of our calling. When we see a brother or sister caught up in sin, we’re commanded to confront them and try to restore them back into obedience and faith in a spirit of gentleness. It does not help them or the Church for us to just turn a blind eye and hope it all works out. It’s not easy, but it is something we’re enabled to do and empowered to do.

Saul, for his part, feels great! He speaks as if he’s got spiritual authority. But did you notice how self-centered he is? He set up a monument for himself. He said, “I have carried out the mission.”

Let’s ask ourselves this question: Are we carrying out the Lord’s instructions? God has instructed you. In your relationships. In your choices. For your future. Are you carrying those things out?

Perhaps you think, “I don’t know what those instructions are.” Ok. You discover them in God’s word and by submitting yourself to the leading of the Holy Spirit. If you feel ignorant of God’s word, work to grow in your knowledge and understanding.

But for those things we do know, are we carrying them out? Not selectively, like Saul was, but faithfully. Then the fruit of our life won’t be pride or greed or selfishness, but the fruit of the Spirit.

1 Samuel 15:14 – ¹⁴ Samuel replied, “Then what is this sound of sheep, goats, and cattle I hear?”

The morning that the Sampoong Department Store collapsed, workers reported that they heard creaking noises in the building. Audible signs of danger. They were told not to talk about it.

Saul’s speech about his obedience is drowned out by farm noise. You’ve heard of the sound of silence? This was the sound of defiance. Yet, even though it was obvious Saul had not fully obeyed, the Lord is still patient. It reminds us of Eden, where God comes, knowing exactly what happened, and says, “Where are you? Who told you you were naked? What have you done?”

The God of the Bible is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. He comes in kindness, because His kindness is intended to lead us to repentance.^[12]

1 Samuel 15:15 – ¹⁵ Saul answered, “The troops brought them from the Amalekites and spared the best sheep, goats, and cattle in order to offer a sacrifice to the LORD your God, but the rest we destroyed.”

Just like Adam and Eve, Saul immediately shifts the blame. Hebrew scholars note he was purposefully vague. “They have brought them…”^[13] But then when talking about the good part, he throws himself in. “The rest we destroyed.”

But again, look at the details. Notice the character of Saul’s faith. “The Lord your God.” There’s distance rather than personal communion between Saul and the Lord. And if he really believed these animals were going to be used in a sacrifice, you know he would’ve included himself in it.

1 Samuel 15:16-19 – ¹⁶ “Stop!” exclaimed Samuel. “Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” “Tell me,” he replied. ¹⁷ Samuel continued, “Although you once considered yourself unimportant, haven’t you become the leader of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel ¹⁸ and then sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go and completely destroy the sinful Amalekites. Fight against them until you have annihilated them.’ ¹⁹ So why didn’t you obey the LORD? Why did you rush on the plunder and do what was evil in the LORD’s sight?”

Joon Lee and his executives knew they were cutting corners. But greed drove them to make hasty decisions that fed that temptation, while putting 40,000 shoppers in danger every single day.^[14]

In verse 19, the heart is uncovered. This was all about plunder. They chose selfish desire over obedience. And then they tried to rationalize it and call it spiritual. But it was materialistic.

Samuel reminds Saul that he had been called to a high purpose. A high calling. So have you! You have been called to walk the road of righteousness. To be an active member of the Body of Christ. Paul said in 1 Corinthians, “Brothers and sisters, consider your calling.”^[15] It is a heavenly calling.^[16] And we are urged and commanded to walk worthy of this calling.^[17] It’s no small thing.

1 Samuel 15:20-21 – ²⁰ “But I did obey the LORD!” Saul answered. “I went on the mission the LORD gave me: I brought back King Agag of Amalek, and I completely destroyed the Amalekites. ²¹ The troops took sheep, goats, and cattle from the plunder—the best of what was set apart for destruction—to sacrifice to the LORD your God at Gilgal.”

Saul’s hard-heartedness shows here. “I DID destroy the Amalekties. Also here’s their king.” And again he props himself up while denouncing his own troops. But if they were going to do some great sacrifice, why haven’t they done it? Promises, promises. But often we make promises to the Lord and then put off obeying them, right?

In the Christian life the end does not justify the means. You can’t please God by disobeying Him. Your end goal may seem good, but if it’s done in human effort, with man’s wisdom, God doesn’t want it. So, as Christians, we should never use worldly methods to try to accomplish spiritual goals.

1 Samuel 15:22-23 – ²² Then Samuel said: Does the LORD take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? Look: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention is better than the fat of rams. ²³ For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and defiance is like wickedness and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.

Samuel announces that Saul has been rejected. That might make us think, “Wait, I thought he was already rejected back in chapter 13?” In chapter 13, when Saul had earlier failed to obey the word of the Lord, his dynasty was rejected. Now, he was personally rejected.

Samuel’s poem drives home the spiritual point that how we do things is just as important as what we do. We must live life according to the word of the Lord. That is what God asks of us.

1 Samuel 15:24-25 – 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. ²⁵ Now therefore, please forgive my sin and return with me so I can worship the LORD.”

So Saul changes his story a bit here. He confesses, but still excuses himself. After all, he was afraid of the people. And yet, a believer knows they must obey God rather than men.

Saul says, “Make this go away and let me worship.” He always talks a big game about how he’s going to worship, he’s going to have this great spiritual life with the Lord. But it never materializes.

1 Samuel 15:26-29 – ²⁶ Samuel replied to Saul, “I will not return with you. Because you rejected the word of the LORD, the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.” ²⁷ When Samuel turned to go, Saul grabbed the corner of his robe, and it tore. ²⁸ Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingship of Israel away from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you. ²⁹ Furthermore, the Eternal One of Israel does not lie or change his mind, for he is not man who changes his mind.”

Saul tries to physically grasp what must be spiritually received. But that’s the problem. He should’ve torn his own clothes in repentance. Instead he tries to force Samuel to undo this divine decision.

Joon Lee was judged for cutting corners on his building. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison. His family ultimately gave away all their wealth to the victims – hundreds of millions of dollars.

1 Samuel 15:30-31 – ³⁰ Saul said, “I have sinned. Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel. Come back with me so I can bow in worship to the LORD your God.” ³¹ Then Samuel went back, following Saul, and Saul bowed down to the LORD.

Saul tries to save face. “Honor me before the elders.” He wants Samuel to give him “glory.”^[18] But God honors those who honor Him.^[19] We can’t disobey the Lord and expect Him to smile on us.

1 Samuel 15:32-33 – ³² Samuel said, “Bring me King Agag of Amalek.” Agag came to him trembling, for he thought, “Certainly the bitterness of death has come.” ³³ Samuel declared:As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women.Then he hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.

Samuel’s words reveal what sort of society the Amalekites had. They were still guilty of terrible, terrible sin before God. So Samuel does what the king should have. Saul is officially bypassed. He may have a human title, but in God’s mind, it’s over. And as Samuel obeys God’s command here, he makes sure it’s fully carried out. No half measures. No selective interpretation. Full obedience.

1 Samuel 15:34-35 – ³⁴ Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul. ³⁵ Even to the day of his death, Samuel never saw Saul again. Samuel mourned for Saul, and the LORD regretted he had made Saul king over Israel.

These were hard scenes. But note the heart of the truly spiritual characters. Samuel is in mourning. The Lord is heartbroken. They’re not excited that this has happened to Saul, but God cannot just sweep rebellion under the run.

But there’s no word of Saul mourning.^[20] Sadly, he will continue down the path of selfishness and disobedience, leading to his own ruin, the ruin of his family, and the defeat of his nation.

Partial obedience is full rebellion. When we resist God, when we go our own way, spiritual disaster is the destination for ourselves and those around us. So, how do we avoid a life of partial obedience? How can we keep our way pure? How do we keep from wandering from the Lord? By keeping the word of God. It washes us. It directs us. It informs us. It trains us.

The Bible is what we need for life. For Godliness. And here is the key: Not just hearing it, but doing it. Saul heard, but did not do, and so he deceived himself. We must come to God’s word, not making ourselves the authority over it, but recognizing this is the revealed truth from the Almighty Master of the Universe. Given so we might have life more abundantly. A life that pleases God. But for that, we must pay attention, hear, and obey. Obey faithfully, fully, even when it’s not easy. Even when we’re tempted to something else.

Are we carrying out the word of the Lord? Jesus said, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”^[21]