1Sa 15:2-3 This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.'"
I have to be honest. Sometimes when I read the bible, particularly the Old Testament, I find myself asking why. Why so much death, why so much destruction? I know that this was the way of the world at this time; however in this situation as in many others God decrees this death and destruction. For those who have trouble with the concept of election, I’m not sure how you can read the MANY sections of scripture like this one and reconcile this in your mind. In any case, my point in asking why is not to question Gods motives. I believe in election, and because of this, I don’t struggle with God’s decisions to bless some and curse others. He’s God, He made us, He gets to do what he wants; its one of the benefits of being God. What I’m questioning is simply God’s reasons. What is he trying to teach me through this story?
At this point we find Saul, acting like a typical child of Israel and doing the exact opposite of what God had commended.
1Sa 15:7-9 Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, to the east of Egypt. He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.
1Sa 15:10-15 Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel: "I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions." Samuel was troubled, and he cried out to the LORD all that night. Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, "Saul has gone to Carmel. There he has set up a monument in his own honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal." When Samuel reached him, Saul said, "The LORD bless you! I have carried out the LORD's instructions." But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?" Saul answered, "The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but we totally destroyed the rest."
So the obvious lesson here is that God desires total obedience. But I was still left with the nagging doubt about God’s reasons for decreeing the total destruction of a people group including women, children, and all animals. At this point I did something I’m ashamed to say I haven’t done much. I just stopped reading and started praying. I figured, God’s a big boy, he should be able to handle my questions. I simply asked God why, and waited for His answer. To my surprise, the answer immediately came.
I’m not going to claim special revelation from God; but the bible says that the Holy Spirit will reveal the truth in the word to us so I’m going to go with that. Now I didn’t hear a voice from heaven. I simply all at once understood the passage. Here’s what I’ve got.
The story of Israel in the Old Testament is the story of deliverance. It’s the story of God’s choosing his people from among the peoples of the earth. It’s the story of His saving them from slavery in Egypt. Finally, it’s the story of His keeping them both through protection and punishment. As you probably know, the story of the children of Israel is analogous to our own journey with God. God calls us, draws us, saves us, and keeps us till the day of Christ.
When the children of Israel left Egypt they encountered many obstacles on the way. God’s only expectation of His chosen people was that they would simply trust Him, obey Him, and allow Him to fight their battles. These obstacles represent the things in our lives which can become idols for us: possessions, people, security, money, predictability, etc.
As the children of Israel made their way to the promised land, God protected them and provided for them but then they reached the promised land. God’s requirements changed at this point. Now God wanted them to go back and destroy those things which presented as obstacles. God knew that if they weren’t completely destroyed they would rise up and destroy His children.
Of course His children repeatedly messed up. In this case Saul sinned against God by keeping the king of the Amalekites alive as well as many of the cattle. It’s VERY interesting to me to see what happens next. When Samuel catches up with Saul, he as erected a monument in HIS OWN honor. In other words Saul has committed idolatry. He took God off the throne of his heart and placed himself on that throne. His sin is summed up in verse 23.
1Sa 15:23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king."
Saul’s mistake eventually cost him the kingdom.
God expects that once he has established us in His grace that we will fight with all that is in us to kill off every THING that stands as an obstacle to God being our one and only love. He doesn’t leave us alone to do this. He helps us in this battle, indeed he is really fighting on our behalf. If we however fail to completely put to death these things which vie for our affections, then we have given ourselves over to idolatry and we will eventually be overcome by that thing we have chosen to be our god. God allows this pain in our lives because eventually when we reach the bottom, he hopes we will cry out in repentance and make Him king once again.
