God’s Patience Is Limited

God had chosen Saul and used him mightily to get victories over the Ammonites and the Philistines, but like Samson, he does not follow God completely.  God had given specific instructions about destroying the Amalekites, but Saul chose not to follow them exactly.  Samuel reviewed how he was chosen and asked why he didn’t obey, in I Samuel 15:16-19.  “Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night.

And he said unto him, Say on.

And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?  And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.  Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?”

Even when confronted directly with sin, Saul insisted he had done nothing wrong, and that any sin was the people’s fault, in I Samuel 15:20-21.  “And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.  But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.” 

God had Saul the command to kill every person, and all the livestock.  As the leader it was his job to see the command was followed.  He tried to excuse his allowing the people to keep the livestock because they were going to use them as sacrifices.   That he mentions saving Agag’s life makes it very clear this was in fact Saul’s idea because he was the only one who could benefit from saving him.  Samuel told him that God was not going to accept those excuses in I Samuel 15:22-23.  “And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.”

Samuel said that deliberately refusing to obey God was just as bad as witchcraft, and refusing to admit he was wrong or change was just as bad as worshipping idols or deliberately committing any other sin.  As I John 1:8-10 tells us, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”  By insisting he had done nothing wrong, Saul implied God was lying and rejected his forgiveness, insisting none was needed.  Because he would not obey, God was going to take the kingdom away.  If Saul had wanted to please God all he needed to do was obey, as John 14:15 tells us. “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”   While God appreciates our desire to give to him, our obedience is much more meaningful.   Far too often sacrifices are just an attempt to butter up God and distract his attention from what we have done, like a husband who got drunk bringing his wife some flowers in hopes she’ll overlook his having blown his paycheck and not being able to buy groceries.

Finally convinced he will not be able to avoid taking some of the responsibility, Saul acknowledged he had done wrong, but still blamed it on the people and asked Samuel to act as if nothing was wrong, in I Samuel 15:24-25.  “And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.  Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD.”

God is a very merciful God, but there is a limit to his patience.  Saul had repeatedly ignored God’s commands and power and had insisted on getting his own way instead of trusting God.   God would no longer bless him as he had in the past.  Because he would not do what he was supposed to, he was going to lose his position as king, as I Samuel 15:26 states.  “And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.”

Finally realizing he had gone too far, Saul attempted to physically prevent Samuel leaving.  As I Samuel 15:27-29 tells us, his attempt to intimidate Samuel did not change his mind.  “And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent.  And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou.  And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.”  Once we have gone past God’s limit, he will not change his mind. 

After finishing the job Saul had been commanded to do, Samuel returned home, and would never again come to advise or encourage Saul, according to I Samuel 15:35.  “And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.”  Saul had made it clear he wasn’t interested in what God wanted, and Samuel did not try to force it on him.   If Saul wanted to renew their relationship it would be up to him to come to Samuel.  As we learn later, Saul became bitter toward Samuel,   Only after Samuel’s death did he realize he needed Samuel’s advice.