1 Samuel

But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.

(1Sa 15:9)

Was it not clear? Was there something confusing about the command? Was there something that Saul didn’t understand?

I think it was crystal clear and Saul understood perfectly. The Lord told Saul to UTTERLY DESTROY the Amalekites and ALL that belonged to them. Saul kind of obeyed, he attacked the Amalekites and all that was despised and worthless he destroyed. BUT, all that was good in Saul’s eyes, they kept. Agag was left alive, along with livestock, and probably various other “treasures”.

Maybe you read that and think, “it’s not so bad; Saul pretty much did what he was supposed to. He just left out some of the small stuff, and took some things that he could use”. Sometimes that’s how we live. We kind of do what God calls us to, leaving out some of the “minor issues”, and taking some stuff for ourselves along the way. We think somehow because we are doing more than the next man God will be “pleased”.

I can remember cutting corners and only doing SOME of a job I was asked to when growing up. You know, the whole throw stuff under the bed or shut it in the closest deal. There are to problems with this kind of obedience: The job God wanted done isn’t really done, and now I’m guilty of covering up the part I left off. Failure to obey, coupled with lying about my obedience… always a disastrous combination.

The situation for Saul does end messy. His sin finds him out, and he is told the kingdom will be ripped out of his hands and given to a better man… that better man is David. The point to this story is clear: God wants COMPLETE OBEDIENCE… Anything short of that is DISOBEDIENCE. So where do you stand today? Have you hidden away some stuff you know you shouldn’t have, or covered up a job you didn’t finish? If so I suggest you deal with it now. If you ignore it, you can be sure it will find you out. If you don’t believe me, just ask Saul.