STILL ON KING SAUL..

Saul and the Amalekites assignment

Saul was given an express institution to destroy the amalekites and all they had 1samuel 15:3. It was spelt out “man, woman, infant, suckling, ox, sheep, camel and ass” but Saul had a better idea, he spared Agagi the best livestock and all that was good, what was his explanation/reason. “The people spared the best livestock to sacrifice the lord thy God”, this was his answer to Samuel when confronted. The question now is “who is in charge?” who should guide the people to obey God’s instruction? Is it not the king? Samuel’s response is one of the best passages on obedience in the Scripture.

“To obey is better than sacrifice

           To hearken than the fat of rams

           Rebellion is as the sun of witchcraft

           Shibborners is as iniquity and idolatry”

 

          LESSON:

God places a high premium on obedience, obedience by leaders especially. When God gives an instruction, he wants you to follow it to the letter as a leader. Moses was to speak to the rock, rather, he struck the rock, it cost him his dream of stepping into the Promised Land. Saul disobeyed, it cost him the kingdom.

How often do we as leaders assume that it does not matter if we make changes here and there to the express command of God? Yea God will not mind, after all I am the leader, I am in charge. The Bible says God abhors disobedience just as he abhors witchcraft, idolatry and other sins.

Jesus gave an illustration when a man becomes free from evil spirit, the heart is swept clean and free but if the evil spirit comes again and see the heart free and clean, he comes back, bringing in more evil spirits and the man becomes worse than his original status. Because of persistent disobedience the spirit of God left Saul, and evil spirit took over.

LESSON: If we are not careful and we continue to sin against the Holy Spirit persisting in sin we, gradually become sold to the devil and our later days can be worse than the former.
 

Saul obviously sank into depression and his countries had to look for someone who would play the harp to left him out of his ill mood. David was chosen and this may sound accidental or by chance but this was the hand of God to bring David close to the seat of power. It was also another training ground for Saul’s successor (David).

The rest of the life of Saul was plagued with the symptoms of a man who has lost touch with God.

The Philistines rose against Israel and when Goliath challenged the Israelites, the same Saul who rose against the Ammonites in anger because of their threats to the people of Jabesh culead was now afraid. 1samuel 17:11, for forty days, Goliath challenged Israel and Saul the leader could only hide while promising a rich reward to anyone who is able to fight with the giant.

David however came, took up the challenge in full assurance of faith and he killed Goliath. The women sang songs and Saul became jealous. Jealousy, the green eyed monster so consumed Saul that he tried to kill David. Twice he tried with his javelin, but David escaped. This was the beginning of an endless plan to terminate the life of David. From the plot to have David marry his daughter and be killed in the process of getting the bride price to the many other attempts like trying to pin to the wall with the javelin again, Saul pursued David’s life like a madman. He pursued David to Nob where he committed the abominable. He ordered the death of Ahimelech, eighty-five other priests and everyone, men, women, children and livestock living in Nobs. Only Abiathar, Ahimelech’s son escaped.

LESSON: whenever through continuous disobedience to God or envy we gradually begin to sin into willful sin, the spirit of God leaves us, our conscience becomes seared and we like monsters who can commit any dastard act without feeling bad about it.

Jonathan unlike his father loved David; he affirmed that David was going to be King of Israel after his father. What a contrast, Jonathan the apparent heir, whose place David was going to take, never hated David but loved him as his own soul. He was willing to be second in command to David 1samuel 23:17.

 

LESSON: As leaders, we should always cooperate with divine providence, even when it seems not to be in our favor.

Saul never gave up, he came after David again in the desert of Engedi, Saul played into the hands of David who could have killed him in the cave but for the fear of God that David had. Saul seemed sober after that and blessed David 1samuel 24:16. He seized from pursuing David. Not too long after this, the Ziphitescame to inform Saul that David was hiding in the hill Hachilah. Saul, forgetting his promise not to seek after David’s life again rose up with three thousand soldiers to go after David. For the second time, Saul’s life was placed in the hands of David. In fact Abishai pleaded with