Is you Epitaph Written?

 1 Samuel 15:24-35

Have you heard the saying, “The old is forever new” or as my dad often said, we learn nothing from history in that we keep repeating it?  It is part of our DNA to want the approval of men and to perform in a manner to earn their endorsement.  As we begin to examine our hearts before allowing our minds to think King Saul is a wimp, he was, but often so am I; how about you?

Verse 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.”  How much I wish my DNA was not like Saul’s, but for years I wanted to be accepted by others, and still know that “It is only the Fear of God that can deliver us from the fear of man.”  I read this quote from Oswald Chambers; “The remarkable thing about God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else.” So the message to King Saul should have been, fear God, and that is the same message to you and me.

Saul’s repentance seems like a person who has gotten caught in sin, and when it comes to light, they ask for forgiveness.  But Saul is a little late God has already brought judgment on his action, and in verse 25 it is a misplaced forgiveness in that he is asking for Samuel’s forgiveness and not God’s.  We find this spelled out in verses 25-28, “Now, therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may bow before the Lord.” And Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you. For you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” As Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of his robe, and it tore. And Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you.”

It is amazing what power and riches can do to a man, Saul the young guy obeying his dad in the hunt for lost donkeys, is now King Saul over Israel and has no understanding of fearing God.  So as Samuel turns to leave this King show, he fears Samuel and because he tore the skirt of his robe making one wonder, was he bowing before Samuel?  It matters not for it was part of God’s plan to make clear that God had withdrawn His hand from Saul.  Saul is a “Lame-Duck” leader from this day forward, and God allows the evil spirits to mess with Saul, and that is not a place where one wants to be found.

In verses 29-31 we see Samuel agreeing to return with Saul after he has once more acknowledged his sin.  But we cannot overlook verses 30-31, “Then he said, “I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may bow before the Lord your God.” So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul bowed before the Lord.”

Now it is sad when a leader does not know the jig is up, and it is clear that King Agag had no clue.  “Then Samuel said, “Bring here to me Agag, the king of the Amalekites.” And Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.” And Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.

Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.”

Saul had no understanding of what his disobedience would bring about, but his epitaph was already written in stone.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice