Shoulder To Shoulder #1278 -- 2/24/22 ---- "Facing The Future With Fortitude (part five) -- Disobedience is Like Witchcraft??? WHAT???"
Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER is a weekly letter of encouragement Bob has written since 1997, covering many topics selected to
motivate people to be strong students of the Word and courageous witnesses of Jesus Christ. It is a personal letter of
encouragement to you, written solely to help "lift up hands that hang down".
"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything." -- Albert Einstein
“There is a common, worldly kind of Christianity in this day, which many have, and think they have -- a cheap Christianity which offends nobody,
and requires no sacrifice, which costs nothing, -- and is worth nothing.” – J. C. Ryle
Shoulder To Shoulder #1278 -- 2/24/22
Title: "Facing The Future With Fortitude (part five) -- Disobedience is Like Witchcraft??? WHAT???"
My Dear Friend and Pilgrim Partner:
Yes, it's getting to be a habit, but today is another mild sunny day in the desert Southwest with temps expected to reach a whopping 84 degrees. We are known to hit triple digit temperatures by March some years, so there's no doubt that Summer begins much earlier in this part of the world.
Yesterday was another good day at Chapel de Oro. It was our annual Missions Sunday when we spotlight some of the various Christian ministries we support. I can't say enough about the Chapel's constantly growing commitment to missions.
THIS 'N' THAT:
+ Second Synagogue in Migdal: A second synagogue has been discovered in the Galilean town of Migdal. It was also known as Magdala, and was the birth place of Mary of Magdala -- Mary Magdalene. Here's a very interesting story with pictures that give some wonderful insight to Mary, Jesus, Josephus, and other First Century Bible characters. Quite interesting! Check it out at https://patternsofevidence.com/2022/02/11/synagogues-discovered-in-mary-magdalenes-hometown.
+ PRAY FOR UKRAINE: Forget about the political ramifications and your personal views on the matter, and instead, Pray For Ukraine! This nation that is so very dear to our hearts personally is in great danger. The war -- the one that actually began in 2014 and has never ceased -- in Ukraine is in danger of escalating to the point of becoming entirely out of control and causing multiple nations to become engaged in the fight. HeadlinePrayer.org has published a special twelve-point prayer guide. As you pray, pray these twelve things -- intentionally, intensely, insistently, -- and courageously. A PDF file of the prayer guide has been posted in comments below. Access it by clicking on the link. You can also visit http://www.headlineprayer.org for more information.
+ Texas Abortion Rates Dropped 60% at Law's Enactment: -- When the Supreme Court recently upheld Texas' strict abortion laws, the results were immediate, dropping abortions by 60%. Go to https://www.dailywire.com/news/abortions-plunged-staggering-60-in-texas-first-month-after-heartbeat-act-went-into-effect?itm_source=parsely-api&utm_campaign=daily_shapiro&utm_medium=email&utm_source=housefile&utm_content=daily.
+ ESCAPE FROM NORTH KOREA: Simply "by accident" I ran across this story a few days ago. You must watch this amazing and heart-breaking story of a young woman who escaped from another Socialist/Communist country, North Korea. Keep in mind that the same philosophy upon which North Korea is built is the identical philosophy many within our own country embrace. It's just a matter of where one is in the process. We have never been in any former or current Communist country but what we heard similar stories. Go to https://external-lax3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/safe_image.php?d=AQFtoWMg8lH53yY2&w=500&h=261&url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fqnesrjodfi80%2F2XxQ453vZHLPGQbD0G8d67%2F62b88c7caacf8643ce357ff048a4cff5%2FSOU_YeonmiPark_YeonmiPark.png%3Fw%3D1280%26h%3D720%26fit%3Dfill&cfs=1&ext=jpg&_nc_oe=6f8c0&_nc_sid=06c271&ccb=3-5>=1&_nc_hash=AQEhtb7TCY2HtlHT
+ No More Masks For These Kids: -- I just had to share this. If you think masks didn't affect our kids, watch this. https://www.dailywire.com/news/children-erupt-into-cheers-after-learning-that-they-will-no-longer-have-to-wear-masks-in-school?itm_source=parsely-api&utm_campaign=daily_shapiro&utm_medium=email&utm_source=housefile&utm_content=daily
QUOTES FOR THE WEEK:
> ". . . a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not prepare its heart and whose spirit was not faithful to God.” -- Asaph (Psalm 78:8)
> ". . . a key to avoid the pitfall of rebellion. We can prepare our hearts, and commit our spirits to faithfulness to God." -- Emily Tomko (The Bottom Line)
> "Opposition to the will of God is as bad as divination by the help of evil spirits, which is tantamount to apostasy from God: obstinate resistance to Him is no better than worshiping idols (vanity or emptiness) and images . . . . Disobedience is in fact idolatry, because it elevates self-will into a god." -- Cambridge Bible For Schools and Colleges
> "If rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness (or arrogance, some translations say) is equivalent to idolatry, then both these traits in us must be recognized as fathered by Satan." -- Emily Tomko (The Bottom Line)
A LITTLE BACKGROUND:
"Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king."
In order to get a better grasp of this profound indictment by the prophet Samuel against the King of Israel, we need a some rather extensive background information on the Jewish people, the prophet Samuel, and King Saul himself. If we are to understand the severity of what Samuel said Saul did, we need to see the backdrop against which the event emerged. This is one of the moments when "taking a text out of context for a proof-text is to get a pretext." We don't want to do that, so wade through this with me.
So, let's look at three human elements -- Samuel, the Children of Israel, and King Saul. Following that, we'll look at the seriousness of that which Samuel confronted King Saul. We need to see just how important it all was. First, though, consider . . .
+ The Prophet Samuel:
I'm sure you remember the story of the prophet Samuel, so I won't belabor the point -- except to say that from his birth his death, he was obviously divinely selected by God "for such a time as this". The entire book of I Samuel records the life of this extraordinary man. Even his birth was God's act of responding to the anguished prayer of Hannah. She was one of two wives to whom Elkanah, a man from the tribe of Ephraim, was married. She was also a woman of frequent sadness and mourning because she had no sons. In brokenhearted desperation she cried out to God: . . .
"O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head" (I Sam 1:11).
It so happened that the aging prophet, Eli, watched her constantly praying. At first he thought she was either drunk or mentally unbalanced, but when he confronted her about the matter, she laid her heart bare and told Eli what she was praying, and why. Her story so touched Eli, that, with great discernment when he finally saw baby Samuel, he asked that Samuel come and live with him so he could be trained as a prophet.
You can read for yourself many of the things that happened to Samuel, but the track record of his life is one of impeccable character, faithful service to God and to the people He had entrusted to Samuel. Much like Elisha was to Elijah, Samuel was to Eli; the successor was more powerful and effective in God's purposes than was the predecessor.
Now, with two grown sons and a vast and effective ministry as God's prophet, Samuel was about the face the true condition of . . .
+ The Jewish People:
What were the Jewish people like at the time Saul was anointed to be king? Well, they had become, for all practical purposes, much like the people around them. Instead of being the influence God intended them to have on the culture, they had allowed the culture to influence them -- to contaminate them, if you will.
Because I want to focus on other things, I'll try not to develop this story too far. But, do your own research. These were God's chosen people whom He had called into being, provided them great patriarchal leaders and excellent judges, but yet they constantly strayed from His presence. In so doing, they neglected His Word and ultimately merged into becoming a syncretic culture that tried to practice God's commands while embracing false gods, pagan ways, and immoral practices.
In this particular story, we find them dissatisfied with Samuel's aging leadership and the abject failure of his two sons as legitimate prophets. The people had watched for generations how the nations around them had kings -- some who ruled with an iron fist -- while all they had were "prophets". See what scripture says:
"And it came about when Samuel was old that he appointed his sons judges over Israel. Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in Beersheba. His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes and perverted justice.
"Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah; and they said to him, 'Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.' But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, 'Give us a king to judge us.' And Samuel prayed to the LORD.
"The LORD said to Samuel, Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day—in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly warn them and tell them of the procedure of the king who will reign over them."'
"So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to the people who had asked of him a king. He said, 'This will be the procedure of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and place them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen and they will run before his chariots. He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and of fifties, and some to do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers.
"'He will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and give to his officers and to his servants. He will also take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys and use them for his work. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants. Then you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.'
"Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, "No, but there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles."
"Now after Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the LORD'S hearing. The LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to their voice and appoint them a king." So Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Go every man to his city" (I Sam 8:1-22).
+ King Saul:
In his book, Life Map Devotional For Men, David Sanford described King Saul like this:
Saul had it all. Good looks, height, charm, and leadership ability. He was chosen by God and given the opportunity to be Israel’s first king. Saul’s own insistent disobedience against the Lord, however, dashed any opportunity for an enduring dynasty."
Saul was from the special Tribe of Benjamin and from the clan of the Matrites. His father was Kish. He had eight children -- five from his wife, Ahinoam, and three from his concubine, Rizpah. The life and death of Saul is chronicled in the Book of I Samuel (chapters 9-31) and the first chapter of II Samuel. Apparently his legacy lived on for many generations as noted in I Chronicles chapters eight and nine. Other stories relating to Saul are also found in I Chronicles. It seems that Sanford's description of Saul is pretty accurate.
Here is a man who had humble beginnings as a farmer, ended up to be the very first king of Israel, and then made an incredibly stupid mistake of being disobedient to God. His sin was so repulsive that Samuel equated it as being on the same level with witchcraft -- or "divining" as it was called. Samuel confronted Saul by stating, . . .
". . . to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry" (
I love the way Sanford went on in his book to describe Saul's life. He wrote, . . .
"Before he was something, when he was ordinary, Saul was a humble man. True, he was born into a well-respected family. He was particularly good-looking. He stood much taller than other Israelite men. Then again, he was a farmer who tended animals and worked the land. Most other men did the same.
"But God — in His providence, the Lord God orchestrated a meeting between Saul and the prophet Samuel, who honored him and anointed him king of Israel. King Saul couldn’t really comprehend what that meant, but as he turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart (1 Samuel 10:9), the Holy Spirit came upon him 'powerfully' (1 Samuel 10:10), and he prophesied.
"What a change, indeed! At this point, Saul still was so humble that he didn’t tell his relatives about his anointing as king over the nation of Israel. Then, when Samuel cast lots before the people to confirm who was king, and announced that Saul had won, he disappeared. They found him hiding among the supplies (of food and wine, perhaps).
"After winning an important military victory, Saul was reconfirmed as king of Israel (1 Samuel 11), and Samuel made an important speech (1 Samuel 12). Within a few days, however, disaster strikes. Feeling extreme pressure, does Saul pray? No. Instead, he gives into pride, disobeys the Lord, and takes Samuel’s place at the altar (1 Samuel 13:8-9). Immediately, Samuel arrives to announce that the Lord has judged him.
"Samuel then tells Saul: 'The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people because you have not kept the Lord’s command; (1 Samuel 13:14). That man, of course, turns out to be David, whom we meet four chapters later.
"When Saul realizes David will be the next king, Saul’s jealousy and envy border on insanity. That insanity leads Saul to chase David near and far, including long jaunts into the wilderness. The Spirit is replaced by evil spirits that cause Saul to rage and slaughter any and all who aid David. In desperation, Saul consults a medium to talk with the deceased Samuel, who tells Saul that he’s about to die.
"Sure enough, soon thereafter the Philistines attack. Saul’s three oldest sons (and many others) die in battle. Saul himself is mortally wounded and takes his own life (suicide). What a terrible legacy after such a promising start."
Saul had become a great leader with numerous military victories under his belt. He rallied troops, gained great fame and popularity. However his successes and influence led him to one of the worst acts he ever committed as a son, a farmer, a military leader, or a king. It was so grievous to God that we are told God even regretted having Samuel anoint Saul as king over Israel (I Sam 15:35). Look at what Samuel had to say to Saul in the following account:
"Is it not true, though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the LORD anointed you king over Israel, and the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, 'Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are exterminated.' Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD, but rushed upon the spoil and did what was evil in the sight of the LORD?"
"Then Saul said to Samuel, 'I did obey the voice of the LORD, and went on the mission on which the LORD sent me, and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God at Gilgal.'
"Samuel said, 'Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king.'
"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. Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me, that I may worship the LORD.;
"But 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.'" (I Sam 15:17-29).
Four things come to mind as I think about Saul and what Samuel had to say to him:
1. Saul was a Called man. God called Saul from being a simple farmer to a role of being the very first king of the new nation, Israel. The account is recorded in I Sam 9:1-10:27. The story is replete with deep and rich spiritual truths that should shake any man to the core. While some people say that anointing Saul as King of Israel was a grave mistake on Samuel's part -- some even say in God's part! -- a closer look at those two chapters show quite the contrary.
First, Saul was diligent, detailed, and determined to see a task through. It is illustrated in his tenacity to find those wandering donkeys that belonged to his father (9:3-7). He was a man of loyalty and respect for his father.
Next, Saul had a propensity toward spiritual things as illustrated in 9:8-13. When Saul's servant suggests looking for the prophet, Samuel, for guidance, he never hesitated, saying, "Well said; come, let us go." (9:10). We see the same quality in many instances -- too many to list -- but we find him frequently offering sacrifices to God, worshiping God, etc.
Third, when Samuel finally saw and anointed Saul, he was deeply humbled and made every effort -- sincere effort -- to not accept the calling because he felt unworthy and undeserving. Nonetheless, he was called -- and accepted. The dramatic scenario is found in 9:10-10:16. From an humble farmer, he became the King of Israel. Two statements stand out to me:
"Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you mightily, and you shall prophesy with them and be changed into another man. It shall be when these signs come to you, do for yourself what the occasion requires, for God is with you" (9:6-7).
"Then it happened when he turned his back to leave Samuel, God changed his heart; and all those signs came about on that day" (10:9).
We also see that . . .
2. Saul grew into a Courageous man. During his reign, his major contribution centered around the establishment of Israel as a political entity and six major military campaigns against enemies rising up against the nation -- the Ammonites at Jabesh-Gilead (I Sam 11:1-11), the Philistines at Gibeah (I Sam 13:3-4), the Philistines at Michmash (I Sam 14:6-23), the Amalektes (I Sam 15:1-9), the Philistines at the Valley of Elah when David killed Goliath (I Sam 17:40-52) and the Philistines at Mt. Gilboa when Israel was defeated as prophesied by Samuel (I Sam 31:1-13).
Other battles Saul had with Israel's enemies included the Moabites, Edomites, and the king of the independent Aramaean city-state of Zobah. It says, ". . . wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment. He acted valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, and delivered Israel from the hands of those who plundered them" (I Sam 14:47-49). Whatever else one might say about Saul, it was certainly that he was a man of bravery and courage. But a problem remained.
But, somehow, things began to change. I am reminded of British Member of Parliament member Lord Acton stated -- "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." This seems to have happened to Saul as his fame and power increased. In spite of his calling and his courage, one of the saddest thing in his life was that . . .
3. Saul became a Compromising man. Because he allowed his calling and courage go to his head, he tragically became a vain, proud, and self-willed man, making numerous compromises through rebellion, independence, and disobedience. When you study Saul's life, you'll probably see that it may be much like many of us today; we have a deep love for God, we love what we do, but there is a spirit of independence within that insists we will do what we want, not what we ought. And that's even if what we ought is simply to obey God. The "Act" that must take place about which I wrote last time -- "Act with Courage, Not In Cowardice" -- is nothing more and nothing less than Obedience.
As you read his story -- and I hope you will -- you find that Saul was prone to both ignoring what God had said, disobeying what God had said, and adding to what God had said. Over a period of years this tendency became a habit that was exacerbated by his own growing pride over how God had used him. This ultimately led him to become an outright liar -- a horrible downfall of a man God had chosen to lead Israel.
His compromise reaches its climax when he lied. He lied in two ways. First, he flat out didn't tell Samuel the truth. And then, he tried to justify what he and his soldiers had done with the explanation that they had done it in order to bring sacrifices to offer to God. To cap it off, it appears that Saul then tried to shift responsibility to Samuel by telling him that the main reason they did it in the first place, was because he was offering sacrifices on God's "high place". Saul, knowing he had disobeyed, came up with this lame excuse to justify his sin. So much like us, isn't it! The scenario is spelled out in I Samuel 15:20-21:
"Then Saul said to Samuel, "I did obey the voice of the LORD, and went on the mission on which the LORD sent me, and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God at Gilgal."
And, in one of the saddest commentaries found in the story, Samuel let Saul know that his disobedience had cost him everything. At that point, . . .
4. Saul deteriorated into a Condemned man. In examining the story of Saul's life as described throughout much of the Book of I Samuel, I seem to detect five distinct weaknesses in his life that led to his erratic behavior and ultimate downfall ---- 1) a distorted view of God, 2) pride in himself and his accomplishments, 3) the inordinate fear of man, 4) uncontrollable jealousy and deep seated envy, and 5) an evil spirit from the Lord. Four of these were his shortcomings. The fifth was given to him by the Lord as a result of the first four."
For the sake of trying to be brief, here are some quick references and thoughts on each of them:
> His distorted View of God: -- Raised in the family and culture in which he lived, there never should have been such a thing happen to him. He was from the Tribe of Benjamin and lived in a part of the land where the true worship of the One True God was an ingrained part of the culture. Yet, around him were nations still steeped in the pagan worship of the gods of Babylon and Sidon.
We need to try to "connect the dots" here. You remember that Abraham came out of the world of Babylon, and Sidon (western modern Lebanon) was part of the Canaanite culture that practiced the worship of Baal. In fact, Jezebel, Ahab's wife and Ezekiel's nemesis, was from there and was the daughter of Ethobaal I of Tyre and the king of the Sidonians. (Remember Jesus' famous "woe!" on those two cities (Matt 11:21-22)?
The Sidonians were the inhabitants of ancient Sidon, named after one of the sons of Canaan, and was a seaport on the Mediterranean Sea in modern Lebanon and identified as ancient Phoenicia. It was an influential city during the time that the kings of Israel and Judah ruled including when this story took place. It was actually a significant city before this period. Claude Doumet-Serhal of the British Museum described fairly recent excavations at that ancient site in her article “Sidon—Canaan’s Firstborn,” published in the July/August 2017 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review. These latest discoveries reveal the distinct polytheistic religion and worship practices of the Sidonians during this biblical period historically called the Bronze and Iron Ages.
++ Parenthetical: -- In order to remember how sin and righteousness are passed on down from one generation to another, the Canaanites (Phoenicians) lived along the main travel route that connected Egypt to Mesopotamia. Because of the vast Arabian Desert, it was impossible to cut straight across from Mesopotamia (Babylonia) to Egypt, so the main travel network ran across the Mediterranean coast of Egypt, through the Negev of ancient Canaan, up the coast into Lebanon and then eastward through Syria to connect with the upper regions of the Euphrates River. This region spread from Gerar (Gen 20:1), north of Sidon, down to Gaza. Four of the major municipalities in southeastern Canaan near the Dead Sea included Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim.
These Canaanites were the descendants of Noah's son, Ham. He is the one who discovered Noah's nakedness, and because of the way he handled the situation, Noah declared that Ham and his descendants were cursed and would live in subjection and servitude to the eldest son, Shem (from which the word Semite) comes.
So, the culture of Saul's day was one of Baal worship by the Canaanites whom Joshua and the Children of Israel failed to drive out of the land, but instead on many occasions simply enslaved them as "indentured servants" to serve them. (Here's a great lesson: -- it never works to compromise God's commands and laws, nor does it ever work to try to make a problem into a convenient solution.)
From this culture of religious syncretism, Saul allowed his upbringing to be compromised and he apparently developed either a distorted or perhaps even a perverted view of the God of Israel. So, as he grew stronger in power and more popular in prestige, he bought into the lie that Satan continues spewing even today. He failed to understand that God is righteous, He is holy, He is merciful, but He is also just. He forgot the very first of the Ten Commandments God had given Saul's people -- the longest of them all, and the foundation upon which all others are founded: --
"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments." (Exod 20:2-6).
Apparently, based on the pattern we see in Saul's life, his view of God was sufficiently less than what he had been taught that he saw God as someone far different -- perhaps as J.B. Phillips described in his book, Your God Is Too Small, as being a resident policeman to be feared and avoided, or as his overbearing parents constantly harassing him, or maybe a grand old gentleman with whom he must put up as he "teetered" through his life's experiences.
Or, maybe Saul saw God as Saul's "grandfather" that patted him on the head and said, "kids will be kids" and would overlook Saul's erratic antics, or perhaps a "meek and mild" God that would not respond harshly to his sins. Then, Saul could have seen God as demanding "Absolute Perfection", something of which Saul was entirely incapable. So, why even try -- UNLESS it was absolutely necessary. Then, of course, Saul might have considered God as being his "bell hop" god to carry his load and do his bidding.
Whatever may have been the case, clearly Saul's understanding of God was distorted at best or perverted at worst ---- either that, or he simply lived in rank stubbornness and rebellion at God when he needed him most. Irregardless of his rationale', Saul was being affected by . . .
> His increasing Pride: – When Saul was first called out to reign as king, he resisted. He saw himself as “little” in his own sight. (
In actuality, Saul most severely manifested pride and rebellion when he crossed the line that God had defined between the role of kings and of prophets and priests. Kings were to serve as kings, and prophets and priests were to serve in their respective roles. After failing to keep God's commandment in his fight against Amalek, Samuel arrived on the scene and Saul said, ""Blessed are you of the LORD! I have carried out the command of the LORD." (I Sam 15:13). His pride was so overwhelming that he was unwilling to acknowledge his disobedience. Even after Samuel confronted him about his lie, he still insisted, “I have obeyed the voice of the Lord,” (I Sam 15:20).
Even when he was then condemned and rejected by the Lord, he still asked Samuel to make an exception. "I have sinned; but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel," and then had the audacity to try to persuade Samuel to ". . . go back with me, that I may worship the LORD your God." (I Sam 15:30).
Pride, when it reaches full bloom, almost always manifests itself in self-pity. When David escaped to Adullam, Saul complained to his men and compared himself to this "upstart" David, saying, "Hear now, O Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse also give to all of you fields and vineyards? Will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds? For all of you have conspired against me so that there is no one who discloses to me when my son makes a covenant with the son of Jesse, and there is none of you who is sorry for me or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me to lie in ambush, as it is this day." ( I Sam 22:7-8).
Sadly, Saul and his exploits weren’t about God; they were about Saul. He was not the last to allow pride, arrogance, and impetulence to rule his life. Hezekiah did the same thing and contracted leprosy as a result. The sons of Anak had done the same thing in the wilderness wanderings and it cost them their lives. God had established parameters, and no one must cross that line for the sake of pride and self aggrandizement. Pride inevitably is born in the heart of a man who has no fear of God -- and, more often than not, instead leads him to . . .
> The fear of man, but no fear of God: – When Saul began his journey, he did so as a good man (I Sam 9:2). The Holy Spirit of God came to rest upon him (I Sam 10:10), Because of his courage and bravery, God gave Israel victory in battle (I Sam 11:6-13). In order for him to lead Israel in future successes, God gave certain conditions, the most important of which was that both Saul and his soldiers were to not fear man, but always fear God (I Sam 12:14-15). If God is not much more than one of the gods of Phoenicia, Egypt, or Babylon, then why fear him?
However, because of his frequent disregard for God and his incessant paranoia of his surroundings, Saul began to fear people -- even his own people. That fear was at time so extreme that Saul apparently developed a severe case of paranoia. He even feared his own people, and even David seemed to be a threat to him in spite of being his son's dearest friend. To compensate for his fear, he often sought God's help to help mitigate that fear. For example, when the Philistines gathered to get revenge after Jonathan defeated them at Geba, the people had scattered and had hidden from Saul in fear (I Sam 13:6, 8). In order to keep the rest of the people from fleeing, Saul offered a burnt offering to persuade God to help him (I Sam 13:11).
On a later occasion, Saul demonstrated that he had no fear of God by calling for the priest to bring the Ark of the Covenant after Jonathan and his armor bearer killed the garrison of 20 men between Michmash and Gibeah [1 Sam 14:18]. He had the gall to use the ark for the same effect for which the elders of Israel had used it in I Sam 4:3-5 -- just to make it look like God was on his side. It was all just for show. Saul had no fear of God in that decision.
At times Saul would actually admit his "fear / no fear" plight. For example, when he disobeyed God's command in his battle against Amalek, he admitted the real reason was, “because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice,” (I Sam 15:24), justifying his decision by offering to sacrifice some of the spoil to the Lord (I Sam 15:21).
For such a strong giant of a man known for his courage, he certainly lost it all, turned his back on God, and became terrified over what people might think, say, or do. The sin of fear is almost inevitable -- when you don't fear God, you will tend to fear men. This is a terrible debilitating sin. And, when a person lives under such intimidating, often his heart turns to . . .
> Jealousy or Envy: – When you think someone has something you don't have but think you want, envy is an almost certain problem. Saul clearly had an issue with both. What else would you expect when you are a prideful and fearful person? You will always be jealous of those who have it all together or have something you used to have but have lost.
I Sam 13:3-4 illustrate this. Saul couldn't stand anyone else getting more credit for Israel’s victories than he felt he deserved. When Jonathan defeated the garrison, Saul took the credit. When God used Jonathan and his armor bearer victoriously against the Philistines in I Sam 14, Saul was even ready to kill Jonathan over it (I Sam 14:39, 44). But his fear of the people prevailed and he couldn’t go through with his plan (I Sam 14:45).
And there is no greater example of jealousy and envy than young David. Remember when after David killed Goliath and performed valiantly in battle, Saul couldn’t stand him and demanded that he leave his sight (I Sam 18:7-9). David's continued success made the problem worse (I Sam 18:28-29). Saul even tried to kill David by throwing his spear at him, and later even pursued David, causing him to flee Judah with his men to Achish.
It appears that, as so often the case, when a person fails to battle such character flaws and struggles, the bad turns to the horrible. Saul eventually became oppressed by . . .
> An evil spirit: – Some odd and illogical actions cannot be explained merely in human terms or with human rationale. They are inexplicable. There is a very strange statement made in I Sam 16:14. It reads, . . .
"Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him."
In this biblical account, we are forced to face three issues ---- first, is it possible for the Holy Spirit to leave a Christian? Second, if the Holy Spirit left Saul, was he a true believer in God? Third, how can a loving and holy God send a demon to someone? I suppose those are legitimate and realistic questions. However, for the moment, let's just agree that, "with God, nothing is impossible" (Matt 5:28).
In Old Testament days, the Holy Spirit did not reside permanently in the hearts of those who trusted in God. They came and went according to the need and according to the purposes of God. He did not come to live within believers on a permanent basis until after the ascension of Jesus into heaven (Mark 16:19, Luke 24:51, and Acts 1:9-11). This is exactly what Jesus had told His disciples -- that He would send the Holy Spirit "to be with you, and shall be in you" (John 14:16-17).
So, based on what Jesus Himself said, we can accept what Samuel records as absolutely true. The Holy Spirit departed King Saul. It doesn't say that God withdrew His Spirit, it says that His Spirit LEFT. When that happened, the emptiness of Saul's heart was then filled by a spirit of evil, sent by God Himself.
The word for "Spirit" in the Hebrew is described as "breath" or "wind". It is that which initiates movement or expresses some kind of life or living function. We also know that it was evil because the Hebrew word for evil is specifically used. To be quite honest and based on that simple narrative, we cannot determine whether this was a demonic activity or simply a serious mood swing or mental meltdown. We normally assume it was demonic, but must give room for a mere human shift of disposition or mood if we are going to be objective and honest. From the many years of experience Jo Ann and I have with demonic activity, I would conclude that it was probably both, because a demon is a specialist at finding the slightest opening to take advantage of an otherwise human situation and try to manipulate it to Satan's advantage.
The fact that the passage indicates that it came from God assures us that, whichever it is, God is going to use it to accomplish some major purpose. In this case, it seems that God's purpose is to replace Saul as Israel's king with the more righteous and spiritual minded David, thus putting in place His plan that the Savior of the world will come from the family of Jesse, and not from the family of the Matrites -- just as predicted.
Whatever caused Saul's drastic “mood” swings, it was going to accomplish God's ultimate. Nonetheless, on the one hand, Saul loved David (I Sam 16:21) and took great pleasure when he was with him (I Sam 18:2,5), going so far as calling him “my son,” (I Sam 24:16). But, at the same time, he was obsessed with killing David, relentlessly pursuing him to kill him. Then Saul would do a complete about face and repent (I Sam 19:16; 24:16-22, etc.).
Such odd and inexplicable behavior of inconsistency was akin to how he so frequently went off on his own in battle and then tried to justify or rectify it by worshiping God with a sacrifice. That seemed to be the story of Saul's life. Whether it was a mental issue, emotional knee-jerk reaction, or a puzzling disposition, it was clearly the work of an evil spirit either sent or allowed by God in order for His sovereign purposes to be accomplished in the long run.
SAUL'S HORRIFIC BLUNDER:
Now, think this through just a bit. Saul, a humble man called by God and filled with courage and peppered with great conquest, is brought down in shattering form. When it happened, how it happened, or how long it took to happen, Israel's first king, requested by the people and granted by God with sure consequences predicted, fell prey to one who, from eternity past, always had as his agenda to "steal, kill, and destroy" (John 10:10a)
Let's dissect Samuel's indictment against Saul. We need to understand several things.
> 1.
"Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD?" In response to Saul's attempt to justify his sin by claiming the booty was taken in order to offer sacrifices that Samuel was going to conduct, asks an indicting question by probing Saul's heart -- "Do you think that offering burnt offerings an sacrificing lambs makes Go happier than having you just obey what He told you to do???" If Saul thought such a thing to be true, it clearly exposes his lack of understanding about God and what pleases Him more than anything.> 2. "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, . . ." I love the word, "behold". It means, "Look! Pay Attention! Get this through your thick skull! Don't be an idiot!" It should be (to use one of my mother's favorite idioms) "as plain as the nose on your face!" I cannot take the time or space to recount all the times the Bible talks about obedience and disobedience. They are countless. For samples, consider these:
+ "So you shall keep My commandments, and do them; I am the LORD." (Lev 22:31).
+ "Turn from your evil ways and keep My commandments, My statutes according to all the law which I commanded your fathers." (II Kings 13:17).
+ "My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments;" (Prov 3:1).
+ "Keep my commandments and live, And my teaching as the apple of your eye." (Prov 7:2).
+ "If you really love Me, you will keep My commandments." (John 14:15).
+ If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love." (John15:10).
+ "We must obey God rather than man." (Acts 5:29).
I truly hope you think that any of Christ's commands are nothing but suggestions, good ideas, or options. They are not. Not even one. Throughout the Bible we are told that obedience is the primary expression of our love for God, it is the one thing that guarantees God's blessings, and is the way in which the true mettle is of our professed faith in Him. Obedience is the evidence of our salvation and our trust in Him.
> 3. ". . .And to heed than the fat of rams." The Hebrew word for "heed" here means to "listen to, pay attention to, understand and respond". It means that "I got it, and I get it, and I will do it." Samuel was telling Saul what you and I often need hear as well --- "Saul, God wanted your attention to His commands and action that corresponded to them far more than He wanted you to offer up the 'fat' -- the choicest part -- of any sacrifice."
There are times to worship God, but there are also times to work at what He has commanded. Don't come around with tearful praise when He asks you for joyful action. Did you know -- you cannot buy God's approval with mushy and gushy words of worship? He cannot be bought off and bribed. When He calls for obedience, it is obedience that He expects.
Now here is where things become troubling. Up to now, we can comfortably agree with Samuel's point. But, that's about to change, because he's going to explain just how serious disobedience really is, and that of which its nature really consists.
> 4. "For rebellion is as the sin of divination, . . ." If there was ever a shocking statement in the Bible, this is one. It is so stunning that some translations use the word, "witchcraft" in place of "divination". We don't know exactly how many times Saul sought out a spirit medium instead of a prophet of God, but it speaks volumes as to his deteriorating spiritual condition over the years. Early on we found him seeking out Samuel, and now near the end of his life, he's going to "the witch of Endor". The BibleHub.com website stated, . . .
"This determination of Saul proves how obstinate was his self-will. He wanted an answer simply that he might know what was about to happen, not that he might receive guidance and counsel from God."
To see the length to which Saul went -- even years after Samuel had warned him in such strong terms -- read how the scripture describes it: . . .
"When Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by prophets. Then Saul said to his servants, Seek for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.' And his servants said to him, 'Behold, there is a woman who is a medium at En-dor.'
"Then Saul disguised himself by putting on other clothes, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said, 'Conjure up for me, please, and bring up for me whom I shall name to you.'
"But the woman said to him, 'Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who are mediums and spiritualists from the land. Why are you then laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?' Saul vowed to her by the LORD, saying, 'As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing'." (I Sam 28:6-10).
If you haven't read this story lately, take time to do so. It is more than spooky. It is that, but it is also prophetic and an indictment from the grave as that medium conjures up Samuel from the dead. And even then, Samuel reminded Saul of his sin, and that was about to settle the score with Saul over his disobedience in the battle with the Amalakites, and that God was taking his kingdom away from him and giving it to David whom he had hated and persecuted.
What, though, is the lesson of Samuel's declaration so many years earlier? It is perfectly clear -- troublesomely clear. To fail to obey is to not obey. To fail to obey entirely is to not obey at all. To not obey is to disobey. To disobey is rebellion. To rebel in disobedience is comparable to conjuring up the spirits of the dead as an alternative to God's command.
Do you get it, my friend? Can you grasp just how hideous disobedience is to God? Do you truly understand how God looks on any failure to obey you may choose?
It is a horrendous and terrifying thing to say, "Not So!" to God, as I illustrated in my last letter.
I cannot overemphasize enough the importance of obedience in the life of the Christian. It is so important that everything in your old self will resist it and Satan will do everything is his power to dissuade or prohibit you from simply being obedient to God's Word and to the prompting of God's Holy Spirit.
Finally, . . .
> 5. ". . . And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry." Samuel went on to declare that his act of not fulfilling ALL of God's command against the Amalekites was nothing short of an act of insubordination. Insubordination is not only the act of refusing to carry out the commands of a superior or the act of replacing the instruction of one's superior office with instructions of his own, but it is actually the act of placing one's self above the superior officer's rank, authority, and power. Samuel equate disobedience with subordination -- and that's exactly what it is.
But, he went even further by declaring that insubordination -- on other words, disobedience to God -- was comparable to two things -- "iniquity" AND "idolatry". What's the difference between the two? What are the two?
First, "Iniquity" in this verse means, "to exert one's self vainly and sinfully for no profitable reason, to bring it all to naught -- no result -- a waste of time and energy to result in no gain". Samuel was telling Saul that when he entered into insubordination by his disobedience to God, he gained absolutely nothing -- nothing for God, nothing for Israel, nothing for the cause, . . . and nothing for himself. He advanced nothing, he gained nothing, he accomplished nothing -- except seal his own fate.
In that such iniquity is akin to insubordination, and insubordination is like witchcraft, and witchcraft is like rebellion, and rebellion is nothing but an act of disobedience, we should be extremely careful to never disobey what Christ has commanded us to do and what God's Word has told us how we are to live.
FINALLY:
My friend, I cannot stress to you strongly enough, just how critical obedience is to our living victoriously. As a follow-up to last week's look at Acting with Courage and NOT with Cowardice, obedience is the lynch-pin to such courage. Certainly influenced by the worship of pagan idols, the practice of consulting mediums (tea leaves, seances, tarot cards, Ouija boards, astrology, etc.) for answers and directions, and his own weaknesses and values, Saul caused his own downfall -- simply because of trying to shortcut God through disobedience.
Who would have ever known how God looks on our disobedience!!!
Satan used in Saul's life, some of the very same things he uses today on people like you and me -- 1) a disregard for God, 2) arrogance and pride, 3) the fear of man and lack of fear of God, 4) jealousy and envy, and 5) the end result that your mental, emotional and spiritual disposition and demeanor becomes erratic and unpredictable. Your life becomes like a yo-yo filled with spiritual and emotional highs and lows. It will ruin your walk with God, destroy relationships, demolish your witness, and render you a liability rather than an asset in God's Kingdom ventures. Like Saul, it may take years for these things to fully manifest in your life. They were Saul’s downfall; don’t let them be yours.
Yes, obedience is better than any sacrifice you may try to make in order for God to be satisfied with you. You can't give enough, you can't worship enough, you can't serve enough, and you can't profess enough to ever bring gladness to the heart of the One Who died for you.
But, He will be indescribably pleased when you simply obey Him.
In His Bond, By His Grace, and for His Kingdom,
Bob Tolliver -- Romans 1:11
"Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness,
examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." -- Dr. Luke (Acts 17:11)
"A fire kept burning on the hearthstone of my heart, and I took up the burden of the day with fresh courage and hope." -- Charles F. McKoy
Life Unlimited Ministries
LUMglobal
[email protected]
Copyright February, 2022
"If Jesus had preached the same message that many ministers preach today, He would never have been crucified." -- Leonard Ravenhill
"The time will come when instead of shepherds feeding the sheep, the Church will have clowns entertaining the goats." -- Charles H. Spurgeon
If this letter has blessed you, feel free to forward it or copy from it, with proper credits, to any and all you wish.
Please do NOT hit reply to this letter. This is an automated unmanned system.
If you want to write Bob, send directly to [email protected].
Replying to "Shoulder To Shoulder" mailer gets you nowhere.
--
To subscribe, send ANY message to: [email protected]> To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: [email protected]