Early in his career as king, Saul made it a practice to disregard God’s directions. What he started continued until the day he died at the hands of the Philistines.
In one encounter with Samuel, God declared to Saul the essential nature of his rebellion.
“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as in obedience to the voice of the Lord?
Surely, to obey is better than sacrifice
and to heed than the fat of rams.
For rebellion is no less a sin than divination,
and stubbornness is like iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
he has also rejected you from being king.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23)
Offerings and sacrifices given to God with the wrong attitude resemble bribes more than sacrificial worship.
It shouldn’t surprise us that God can’t be bribed. After all, He was the One who gave the command to humans concerning bribes.
You shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds officials and subverts the cause of those who are in the right (Exodus 23:8).
What God wants from His servants is obedience. God’s answer to His rebellious servant was that God rejected Him from being king.
Saul and the Medium at Endor
Saul’s stubborn determination to have his own way ended up with an attempt at divination, just as God earlier told him. The medium at Endor called up an evil spirit who resembled the prophet Samuel. Saul was given this message.
The Lord has done to you just as he spoke by me, for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David.
Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you today.
Moreover, the Lord will give Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me; the Lord will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines” (1 Samuel 28:17-19).
What Saul had earlier heard from the prophet was repeated by a vision of the prophet. His disobedience brought God’s judgment on him.
Reflections
Self-will is such a powerful character flaw that Jesus calls His people away from that practice.
Jesus said, “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it” (Mark 8:34-35).
- What do we deny? Self-will.
- How do we lose our lives for Jesus’ sake? We surrender our self-centered willfulness.
Paul highlighted many ways that he surrendered self-will and willfulness to a willing relationship with Jesus. Here is one of Paul’s many ways he described his surrender of selfishness.
I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God,[a] who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:19b-20).
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discuss Saul’s downfall on YouTube today.
Real Voices 