Samuel Rebukes Saul
10Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying,
11“I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not carried out My commands ” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all night.
12Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul; and it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, then turned and proceeded on down to Gilgal.”
13Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the LORD! I have carried out the command of the LORD.”
14But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?”
15Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to the LORD your God; but the rest we have utterly destroyed.”
16Then Samuel said to Saul, “Wait, and let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” And he said to him, “Speak!”
17Samuel said, “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,
18and 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.’
19“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?”
20Then 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.
21“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.”
22Samuel 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.
23“For rebellion is as the sin of divination (witchcraft),
And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
He has also rejected you from being king.”
24Then 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.
25“Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me, that I may worship the LORD.”
26But 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.”
It is not uncommon for those with the gift of intercession to be burdened by the LORD for something. In this case, the LORD tells Samuel how Saul has disobeyed Him. Samuel’s response is to spend the entire night interceding.
So, Samuel rises in the morning and prepares to take the directive word to Saul. God regretted making Saul king. This had lasting impact and was cause for action on Samuel’s part.
He approaches Saul. And in v15, we already see things unfolding. Saul says that his actions were for “your” God – not my God or our God or Israel’s God. No, this is “your” God. Lying spirits will deceive people into doing things and then have them justify it as if they were doing it for the LORD. Jesus even mentioned that people would kill people and justify it as an act of God. Terrorism today is just that.
How does Samuel handle the corrective word?
1) He points out the surroundings. The sheep and ox are making noises. What is this?, he asks. Saul gives his own reasoning.
2) Samuel tells him to listen to what the LORD said last night. Saul agrees to it.
3) Samuel goes back to the beginning. You were nothing until the LORD made you who you are.
4) Samuel points out what God had told him to do and asks him why he didnt obey. There was never a question of if he obeyed rather he asked why he didnt obey. Faith in the word of the LORD requires us to move forward and not shrink back. If God tells you someone has done something, do not mince words.
5) Saul gives more justification.
6) Samuel pronounces God’s word: you are guilty of rebellion and insubordination. Those are rooted in the spirits of witchcraft and idolotry (more Jezebel stuff brewing up).
7) Samuel removes the mantel placed upon the leader.
8) V24 Saul confesses and shows how fear of man can cause disobedience. As a prophet, we are to fear God only. The LORD will give us words to obey. We must not reject them. Now, fortunately, we are given grace as we grow up in our gifting. But, we must work to be obedient.
27As Samuel turned to go, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore.
28So Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you.
29“Also the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind.”
30Then he said, “I have sinned; but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and go back with me, that I may worship the LORD your God.”
31So Samuel went back following Saul, and Saul worshiped the LORD.
32Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag, the king of the Amalekites.” And Agag came to him cheerfully. And Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”
33But Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hewed Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.
34Then Samuel went to Ramah, but Saul went up to his house at Gibeah of Saul.
35Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death; for Samuel grieved over Saul. And the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.
1) Saul gets somewhat physical with Samuel. This is rejection – the root of fear of man, coming out. He doesnt want the rejection, so he tries to keep Samuel from leaving.
2) Samuel turns the physical act into a prophetic act.
3) v30 – Saul wants to be elevated amongst the elders. He is still looking to be acceptable before men.
4) Samuel grants grace and goes with him to worship the LORD.
5) Then, they go their own ways. It is interesting to see that Samuel still grieved for Saul. When the LORD’s anointed falls, we are not to move into a posture of judgment rather we are to partner with the LORD. God regretted having made Saul king. There was grief in this. To love God is to obey His commandments.
It should move all believers when a leader falls.