1 SAMUEL LESSON 16
I Samuel 15:1 "Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to
anoint thee [to be] king over his people, over Israel: now therefore
hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD."
It seems as though Saul has rebelled so much at the exacting will
of the LORD, that Samuel reminds Saul, here, that he is king, because
the Lord made him king. Samuel tries to convince Saul, that the most
important thing to do is obey the will and the Word of God. We are not
to question the will of God. We must obey completely, not just the
part we like. Listen carefully to the will of God, and do exactly what
He says, is the message of this first verse.
I Samuel 15:2 "Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember [that]
which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid [wait] for him in the way,
when he came up from Egypt."
The Amalekites had been a vicious group of people, opposed to the
Israelites from the beginning of their journey to the promised land.
They were desert people, who lived in tents. They were nomads. They
had a bad reputation for stealing and marauding.
I Samuel 15:3 "Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all
that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman,
infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass."
This seems like such a cruel thing to do, but we must not
question the intentions of God. He wanted to wipe out this evil,
before it spread to His people {the Israelites}. The reason He did not
want any of the animals saved was simply that He did not want the
Israelites to have war for personal gain. This was a holy war called
for by the LORD, Himself. This was a war for cleansing the land. He
wanted to purge the land of even the memory of the Amalekites.
I Samuel 15:4 "And Saul gathered the people together, and
numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten
thousand men of Judah."
These Bedouins were, probably more trouble to Judah, than to the
others. Judah just had 10,000 footmen, and that would not be enough to
destroy the Amalekites by themselves. The 200,000 footmen came from
the other tribes. Telaim was a place where sheep were gathered. This
meeting was not in town, then.
I Samuel 15:5 "And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait
in the valley."
Ir-amalek was the only known city of the Amalekites. He did not
go in and immediately destroy the village, as the LORD had told him to
do. It seems that, Saul was headstrong. He did not take instructions
well, even if they were from the LORD.
I Samuel 15:6 "And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get
you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for
ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up
out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites."
It is not apparent whether he gave them warning, before the
battle started, or whether it was during the battle. We just know he
allowed the Kenites to go free. We, also, see that their kindness to
the Israelites was the reason the Kenites were saved.
I Samuel 15:7 "And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah [until]
thou comest to Shur, that [is] over against Egypt."
They were nomads, so they had to hunt them down to kill them.
They were scattered from Havilah to Shur. They were scattered so much
that they reached almost to Egypt.
I Samuel 15:8 "And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive,
and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword."
The LORD told him to kill everyone. This was not keeping the
commandments of the LORD to the fullest. Saul was a great earthly
king, but we would have to question how he fared with the things of
the Spirit. It seemed as if he could just not do exactly what God
told him to do. He did most of what God told him to do, but he would
not keep every detail. He was rebellious against God in this.
I Samuel 15:9 "But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best
of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and
all [that was] good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every
thing [that was] vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly."
This is a direct disobedience of God. Saul killed only the
animals that are second best, and kept the best for himself. This was
not what the LORD had said to do. Saul had disobeyed the LORD, again.
He had been partly obedient, but he had not been totally obedient.
Obedience is better than sacrifice.
I Samuel 15:10 "Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel,
saying," I Samuel 15:11 "It repenteth me that I have set up Saul [to
be] king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not
performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto
the LORD all night."
Samuel was the moral, or spiritual, leader of Israel at this
time. The LORD had told Samuel specifically what Saul was to do in the
destruction of the Amalekites. Saul listened, but undoubtedly did not
take the details serious enough to carry through. Now, the LORD is
speaking through Samuel, again. Saul had failed nearly every test the
LORD had given him. Saul was headstrong. He felt there was always a
better way to do things, than to obey the explicit will of the LORD.
He had not performed the commandments the LORD had given him, through
Samuel. He had spared Agag, alive. He, also, saved the very best of
all of the animals. Samuel was so grieved, when he heard this about
Saul, that he cried all night unto the LORD.
I Samuel 15:12 "And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the
morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold,
he set him up a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down
to Gilgal."
We see, from this, Saul did not report back to Samuel. He,
probably, knew that Samuel would be displeased with what he had done.
Samuel expected him to come back to him, and report about the victory.
He did not, however. Saul returned to Gilgal, which is a several day's
journey from Samuel's home.
I Samuel 15:13 "And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him,
Blessed [be] thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the
LORD."
If he kept the commandment, why did he not come and tell Samuel?
Why did Samuel have to look for him? Saul had kept part of the
commandments of the Lord. He really had kept the commandments that
were pleasing unto him, and did not keep those which displeased him.
He is like many believers in Christ, who want the salvation of Jesus
Christ, but do not want Him to be their Lord.
I Samuel 15:14 "And Samuel said, What [meaneth] then this
bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I
hear?"
The LORD had told Saul to kill all of the animals. He had kept
the choicest animals back. The sound of the animals is convicting Saul
of this sin.
I Samuel 15:15 "And Saul said, They have brought them from the
Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the
oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly
destroyed."
It appears that if Saul were going to sacrifice these choice
animals, he would have gone to Samuel, instead of Samuel looking him
up. In my opinion, a sacrifice should actually be the finest thing you
have, that belongs to you, not someone else's property. It really does
not matter what he was going to do with them. He disobeyed God by
taking them at all. Saul seems to have become extremely proud of his
own opinion, even to overruling the will of God.
I Samuel 15:16 "Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell
thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him,
Say on."
Samuel had been in prayer all night for Saul. He had actually
pleaded with God to forgive Saul. Now, Samuel wants Saul to stay, and
hear what the LORD said about all of this. Saul stays, and tells
Samuel to go ahead and tell him.
I Samuel 15:17 "And Samuel said, When thou [wast] little in thine
own sight, [wast] thou not [made] the head of the tribes of Israel,
and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?"
We remember that, Saul had been a shy man. He had not thought
himself worthy of being king. He had hidden among the wagons from
Samuel. He thought someone else was more worthy to be king. That is
one of the reasons God had chosen him to be king. God wanted someone
who would obey His commandments. Saul is strong-willed. He was an
impatient man. He did things that were pleasing in his own eyes, and
not in God's eyes. God anointed him king, because he was humble. His
accomplishments have made Saul overly proud of himself.
I Samuel 15:18 "And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go
and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them
until they be consumed."
The LORD had left no doubt exactly what he had wanted done with
the Amalekites. The Amalekites were robbers and murderers. This
destruction of them was to cleanse the land of sin.
I Samuel 15:19 "Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of
the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of
the LORD?"
It appears that, the LORD believes that Saul took the goodly
animals for a spoil. People, who fight wars for personal gain, want
the spoil. A holy war is to cleanse the land, not to take a spoil. God
had not given permission for them to take a spoil.
I Samuel 15:20 "And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the
voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and
have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the
Amalekites."
Saul had not listened intently to the instructions from the LORD
before the battle, or he did not believe Samuel was speaking the will
of the LORD. His disrespect for the message Samuel gave, was not
disrespect for Samuel, but disrespect for God. Part of the statement
above is true. He did destroy most of the Amalekites. Saul is like so
many people. He tries to justify what he has done. He is like someone
who is a Christian most of the time. That other time will keep a
professing Christian out of heaven. The actions he takes, which are
not 100% what God wants him to do, will cause displeasure from God, as
well. He will not do exactly what God says for him to do. It is as if
he thinks he has a better plan than God's plan.
I Samuel 15:21 "But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen,
the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to
sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal."
These sheep and oxen, that Saul has chosen out, are the finest.
They were fit for sacrifice, but God had said kill them. Perhaps,
Saul's intentions were good, but he had not obeyed the LORD. We see
from the following Scripture, that the things of the condemned city
are cursed. Deuteronomy 13:17 "And there shall cleave nought of the
cursed thing to thine hand: that the LORD may turn from the fierceness
of his anger, and shew thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and
multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers;"
I Samuel 15:22 "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD [as great] delight
in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the
LORD? Behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifice, [and] to hearken
than the fat of rams."
This is one of the most important statements in the entire Bible.
From the beginning, God has wanted His people to obey Him. Saul wanted
to do things his way. He did not have his heart stayed upon God. Jesus
said the same thing in the following Scripture. John 14:15 "If ye love
me, keep my commandments." Many times, we do not understand why God
has commanded us to do something. It is not our place to question His
commands. We must just do what He commands us. He knows what is best,
whether we understand, or not.
I Samuel 15:23 "For rebellion [is as] the sin of witchcraft, and
stubbornness [is as] iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected
the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from [being] king."
Saul had never given his heart completely over to God. He was a
follower of God {He knew of God}, but had never given the LORD all of
his heart. Unshakeable faith in the LORD comes from a heart stayed
upon God. Rebellion comes from a heart stayed upon self. A self-willed
person is actually worshipping himself. This self worship is the
worship of an idol. The idol just happens to be self. You can see that
to rebel against God, or to stubbornly try to have our way over God's
way, would bring complete destruction. Saul rejected the perfect will
of the LORD, and the LORD in turn rejected Saul.
I 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."
Saul, now, blames the people for his own sin. He does admit he
has sinned, and asks forgiveness.
I Samuel 15:25 "Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and
turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD."
This appears that Saul is seeking forgiveness of Samuel rather
than from God. He wants to participate in the victory celebration
before the LORD.
I Samuel 15:26 "And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with
thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath
rejected thee from being king over Israel."
We see that Samuel first just says nom, to the request of Saul.
I Samuel 15:27 "And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid
hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent."
Some scholars believe that this is speaking of Saul catching hold
of Samuel's mantle, and tearing it, trying to stop him from leaving.
I personally believe this to be a way Samuel was saying, that Saul
will no more be clothed with authority. I believe Samuel removed the
mantle of Saul. He was taking off his garment of authority
symbolically.
I Samuel 15:28 "And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the
kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour
of thine, [that is] better than thou."
Samuel is speaking of the authority being given to David, as if
it had already happened. God was not looking for someone with great
power within himself, but someone who would love the LORD with all his
heart. This will happen in the very near future. Samuel is speaking
prophetically.
I Samuel 15:29 "And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor
repent: for he [is] not a man, that he should repent."
This is speaking of God, who has no need to repent. "Strength",
in this, is speaking of God. Saul had forgotten this very thing. He
thought it was by his own might, he had won the war.
I Samuel 15:30 "Then he said, I have sinned: [yet] honour me now,
I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and
turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God."
Saul was a very proud man, who did not want to be humbled before
his own men. It appears that, Saul had repented here, but in the same
sentence, he asks for the people to honor him. He, possibly, just
wants recognition for winning the war.
I Samuel 15:31 "So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul
worshipped the LORD."
Samuel would allow him to celebrate the victory, as the king of
the people. The honor of the office of king is what is meant, not
honor specifically for Saul.
I Samuel 15:32 "Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the
king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag
said, Surely the bitterness of death is past."
It appears, that Agag was terribly afraid. He was hoping that the
threat of death for him was over, but now, he is not sure.
I Samuel 15:33 "And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women
childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel
hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal."
This seems so cruel, but we must remember, he was a cruel
murderer of women and children. He deserves to die for the cruel
murders he committed. Samuel just carries the punishment out by
cutting him into pieces. Samuel may not have actually cut him to
pieces himself. He might have spoken the sentence, and someone else
carried it out.
I Samuel 15:34 "Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to
his house to Gibeah of Saul."
Samuel had done exactly as God had sent him to do. Saul went his
separate way to his home. It appears that, whatever celebration they
had, has already occurred, and they went home afterward.
I Samuel 15:35 "And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day
of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD
repented that he had made Saul king over Israel."
Samuel grieved for Saul, because he loved Saul. Just because
someone is not living as he should, does not stop us from loving him.
Samuel had anointed Saul, and he felt a little responsible for Saul,
as well. God had a divine purpose for Saul, and Saul did not carry
that purpose out. God will not overrule the will of man. God called
him to be a noble king, but Saul had to answer that call for it to be
so. The sad thing was that God was sorry he had made Saul king,
because Saul greatly disappointed Him.
1 Samuel 16 Questions
1. Why should Saul listen to the Word of God coming through Samuel?
2. What has Saul rebelled against?
3. Samuel tries to convince Saul, that what two things are the most
important to do?
4. What had the LORD remembered about Amalek?
5. What did the LORD tell Saul to do to Amalek?
6. Why did God not want the Israelites to keep the animals?
7. The LORD wanted to purge the land of even the _________ of the
Amalekites.
8. How many men of Israel came to fight with Saul?
9. How many men from Judah came to help?
10. What was the only known city of Amalek?
11. Who did Saul let go free, before the battle?
12. Why did he spare them?
13. Saul smote the Amalekites from ________ to _______.
14. What happened to Agag?
15. Which of the animals did they spare?
16. In verse 11, it repenteth the LORD that he had done what?
17. This grieved Samuel; and he _______ ________ _____ ______ all
night.
18. Samuel was the ________, or __________, leader of Israel.
19. Where had Saul gone after the battle?
20. Why had Saul not reported back to Samuel after the battle?
21. What did Saul do, when he saw Samuel?
22. What question does Samuel ask Saul?
23. What excuse did Saul make about the animals?
24. When was Saul made the head of the tribes of Israel?
25. What had changed about Saul?
26. What had Saul's accomplishments done to him?
27. Quote 1 Samuel chapter 15 verse 20.
28. Who is Saul like in verse 20?
29. What excuse did Saul give for the people taking the choice
animals?
30. Quote Deuteronomy chapter 13 verse 17.
31. Quote 1 Samuel chapter 15 verse 22.
32. Quote John chapter 14 verse 15.
33. Rebellion is as the sin of ____________.
34. Why had the LORD rejected Saul being king?
35. Who does Saul try to blame with his sin?
36. In verse 25, Saul is seeking ___________ forgiveness.
37. Samuel told Saul, in verse 28, the LORD hath rent the ____________
of Israel from him.
38. "Strength", in verse 29, is who?
39. What did Samuel do to Agag?
40. Why did Samuel grieve for Saul?
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