FXF Stories: The Lord Rejects Saul As King

Saul was one of Jesus's great disciples. He had a great background, getting to know God in the riveting story of the road to Damascus (Acts 9). One specific story involving Saul that deserves to be highlighted is The Lord Rejects Saul As King: 1 Samuel 15.

Samuel, an old testament prophet, went to Saul and gave him a message from God. God told Samuel "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 all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys. ” 1 Samuel 15:2-3 NIV.

Getting the message, Saul organized 210,000 soldiers together and attacked the Amalekites in strongholds all over the eastern border of Egypt. After killing all the Amalekites, Saul took their King alive, as well as the best cattle, and everything that was good. This was against what God wanted.

After this, the Lord told Samuel "I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” 1 Samuel 15:11 NIV. This made Samuel very angry, and he cried out to God all night. The next morning, he got up early to go meet him, but Saul had gone to Glidal, another city, after going to Mount Carmel and setting up a monument in his own honor.

When Samuel caught up to Saul, Saul said “The Lord bless you! I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.” 1 Samuel 15:13 NIV, but in reality, he hadn't. Saul, keeping the best cattle, and other Amalekite plunders, although not intentionally trying to hurt God, was a violation of what he wanted, showcasing the importance of surrendering and listening to God's direction.

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.” 1 Samuel 15:15 NIV. Samuel was angered by Saul's disobedience. Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. And he sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; wage war against them until you have wiped them out.’ Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord ?” 1 Samuel 15:17‭-‬19 NIV.

Saul didn't think he'd don't anything wrong still, asking "But I did obey the Lord,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.” But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. 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.” 1 Samuel 15:20‭-‬23 NIV.

Realizing this horrible mistake, Saul begged Samuel to go back with him so he could worship God. But Samuel said to him, “I will not go back with you. You have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you as king over Israel!” 1 Samuel 15:26 NIV. As Samuel went to turn and leave, Saul grabbed the hem of his robe, and as he left, it tore. Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors—to one better than you. He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind.” 1 Samuel 15:28‭-‬29 NIV. Saul pleaded once more for Samuel to come back with him so he could worship God, to which this time, he obliged.

After this, Samuel killed Agag, king of the Amalekites, and left for Ramah, leaving Saul to go to his home in Gibeah. "Until the day Samuel died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned for him. And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel." 1 Samuel 15:35 NIV.

We, like Saul, make mistakes: we're human. But if we want to live the life that God wants for us, that gives us fulfillment, then that can only come from being obedient to God. Make it your mission in life TO NOT BE SOMEONE THAT GOD REGRETS. How can we do that? By respecting the Lord, and loving him by showing it by obeying him, spreading his word and walking the walk of the Christian lifestyle.