Carry Out God-Given Instructions - 1 Samuel 13: 1 TO 15: 35

Last Sunday our lesson focused on man seeking God’s guidance. We found that God does not read our mind…and will not give spiritual leadership until we ask Him to help us. It is not that he does not already know our needs even before we ask—but it is that He simply wants us to recognize him and be willing to give him the credit deserved. The Lord knows that we do not always follow his instructions; but the truth is we are less likely to ignore his instructions if we have made a personal request for guidance. B.H. Carroll, the founder of the Southern Baptist Convention indicates that King Solomon may not have been a regenerated person. And if this be so, it becomes somewhat easier to understand why he did not trust and obey God daily.

We should remember that Israel was still being ruled by Judge Samuel, the last of the Judges, and that he was the judge in charge of finding and anointing the first king, Saul. Following the instructions of God, Samuel was led to a young man that was presently on a search for a heard of livestock that had gone amiss from his fathers farm. The thing that Saul would not admit was that God was the one who chose him…using Samuel as His envoy. Because of this fact, Saul, owed his allegiance to God Almighty and him only, but he never did really admit it.

As a scholar of Bible history you must understand that every day since the incident in the Garden of Eden there has been a war in progress. God denounced Satan and Satan declared war against God’s children. When Saul was declared king of the Israelites he found that his most formable enemies were the Philistines. Saul was thirty years old, strong, handsome and a man of honor and character when he became king—and he reigned forty-two years. What you see is not what you always get, and Saul failed God’s tests.

First impressions can be deceiving especially when the image created by a person’s appearance is contradicted by his or her qualities and abilities. Saul presented the ideal visual image of a king, but the tendencies of his character often went contrary to God’s commands for a king. Saul was God’s chosen leader, but this did not mean that he was capable of being a king on his own—he needed instructions from God and he needed to follow them. His greatest success resulted while he was within the will of God—and his greatest failures came during his disobedience. How can we be naïve enough to believe that our life will be any different? We should go one step further and realize that God has the ability to use those of us with little strength; he can take our weaknesses and turn them into some of his most powerful witnesses. It is not through our strengths and our abilities that we succeed but it is through our willingness to trust in God to work through us.

Take a good look at the men in this Faith Builders Class in First Baptist of Heber Springs. We are a group of fairly successful men who have lived fulfilling lives—our strengths and talents make us tools but our failures and shortcomings remind us that we need a Spiritual \craftsman to control our lives. What ever we have accomplished on our own is only a small beginning of what God could have done through us had we always been submissive to his instructions. Be honest…not with me…but with yourself and with God—Does God control your life? Saul was a king, chosen by God, but he soon lost favor with his Master because he did not obey God’s instructions.

It is very difficult for me to understand why the land of the twelve tribes of Israel has historically been a land of constant conflict and war. The last verse in chapter fourteen tells us that “All the days of Saul there was bitter war with the Philistines” and it drove him to be constantly on the watch for strong men to become soldiers. It was king against king, tribe against tribe and nation against nation. Now look closely and think clearly—it was, is and will always be Sin and evil against God and righteousness.

Think about this for a moment. Since recorded time began, we have had leaders who were successful. There have been poor leaders of men who have recorded no successes. And then there are many examples of men who started doing quite well and relapsed into total failure; as well as those who started out in complete failure that were able to turn their failures into successes. I do not believe there is a single example that can be given where the swing from evil to good did not result from a leader who chose to CARRY OUT GOD GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS. Now look for a moment at those that started strong but soon lost control and you will observe leaders that forgot the GOD GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS that they at one time believed in and were guided by. We must thank Almighty God that he has made it possible for those that forget him to repent and return unto him.

In chapter fifteen God gave Saul one last chance to CARRY OUT GOD GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS. The instructions seem harsh; but you must believe that God is perfect and good and that any instruction he gives is for a purpose that may be beyond our understanding. God sent Samuel to tell him His plan. He told Saul that it was not the Philistines now, but that it was the Amalekites that must be destroyed. Listen to this command! Go attack the Amalekites and kill every man, woman and child. Do not spare one person, kill them all! Do not spare anything they own—destroy everything they have including all animals, buildings, equipment, everything of value.

Note: This seems harsh, but God had a reason and failure to follow His instructions brought more pain, suffering, and sorrow than if Saul had obeyed.

Saul summoned his troupes and attacked the Amalekites and was overwhelmingly successful in the battle. He was a king, and his pride drove him to capture the king of his enemies, Agag, and bring him back as a prize token of his success. For some reason the Amalekites had become renowned for their special herds, and there could be no reason to destroy the finest animals on earth, especially when he needed them to offer as his perfect sacrifices in the worship of Almighty God. Note this: Saul did not take the perfect cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys for his own good—they were to be used in worship and honor of God. This sounds pretty reasonable to me—but it is not what God had instructed him to do. Just remember that our ways are not God’s ways and things that seem right to man may be abominations in God’s sight. Those who claim to believe in alternative life styles need to heed this warning.

If you have read your lesson for today, you know that God sent Samuel to deal with Saul because of his disobedience. More than likely there are some who are studying this lesson that have used the same mind-set that Saul used when he tried to prove to all that he had done the things he had done in order to praise God, provide more perfect sacrifices which He deserved.

Samuel listened and then asks Saul: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams….Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.” Oh my dear friends, there is no other way, Repent of your sins and be saved, then TRUST AND OBEY! Even kings must.