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A SPECIAL COMMISSION TO KING SAUL (1 Samuel 15:1-3)

Text: 1 Samuel 15
21 April 2009

(I) A SPECIAL COMMISSION TO KING SAUL (1 Samuel 15:1-3)

War against the Amalakites (1 Samuel 15:1-3)

1. Reason for this war – Justice

Judgment against the Amalekites for attacking Israel in the days of Moses (Exodus 17:8-16)

2. Results assured

Total Victory of Israel over the Amalekites; the enemies were to be slain! (1 Samuel 15:2-3)

(II) NO PRESUMPTION

A huge army was assembled

210,000 troops (1 Samuel 15:4)

(III) NO INDISCRIMINATE KILLING (1 Samuel 15:5-6)

1. The Kenites were spared (Cf. Judges 1:16)

2. They were friendly to Israel

3. Jethro (Moses’ father-in-law) was a Kenite (Judges 1:16)

4. They were told to depart from the land of the Amalekites before the battles began

(IV) SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE AMALEKITES( 1 Samuel 15:7)

Israel was successful in this war against the Amalekites!

(V) SELECTIVE OBEDIENCE

1. Agag was not executed (1 Samuel 15:8-9a)

2. The best animals were spared (1 Samuel 15:9b)

3. All that deemed worthless – destroyed (1 Samuel 15:9c)

Selective obedience was what Israel had practised earlier! (Cf. Judges 1: 21,27, 29, 30, 31, 33; Judges 2).

(VI) A SPECIAL WORD FROM THE LORD (1 Samuel 15:10-11)

1. Information given to Samuel

a) God’s regret in appointing Saul as King

b) He had turned back from following after God

c) He had failed to obey the Lord’s clear instructions

2. Response of Samuel to this information

a) Deep grief

b) Wept before the Lord in prayer the whole night