Reading
SAA Notes
Saul wins a great victory over the Amalekites. These people seem to be the rulers of the Sinai Peninsula and even Egypt – they have Egyptian slaves. The only people like them in present understanding of Egyptian history are the Hyksos – one of the most brutal peoples in history. Once again, Saul shows his heart – he follows his feelings, not God’s word. If Jesus followed His feelings first (take this cup from me), would He have gone to the cross?
SJA Notes
* True and Living God, You alone are our rock and our salvation – Our fortress, we shall not be greatly shaken.
“But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep …”
This is a hard reading.
We see Saul and the people both hand-in-hand making bad decisions.
And we see again the truth of Saul’s character, as he cannot take responsibility for his own part, his own actions.
“I have performed the commandment of the Lord.”
“But the people took of the spoil …”
Even in his sorrow at Samuel’s calling out, Saul persists,
“… Because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.”
He is bone-headed in his obstinate disobedience.
Seriously, who does he think he’s fooling?
But we need to be careful, because we can be as Saul.
Bone-headed and obstinate in our disobedience.
Saul is a sorry character, and so are the people.
When the king goes bad, so too do the people. When the king is wise and follows the Lord, so too do the people.
Praise God that in Jesus we have THE KING, the servant-hearted Good Shepherd, who leads us in the paths of righteousness, for His Name’s sake.
* Father God,
Thank You for Jesus, the King of kings, a better king than any other by far.
Please continue to work within us, refining us as metal in the forge.
Amen.