Meet me in first Samuel chapter 15, please.
I thank God that there are writers that are going back to
the deep end of the Bible to write songs with Rich truths.
I'm sure you agree with that. Men for Samuel 15.
And I spray one more time together.
Father, we thank you for this Bible study.
We thank you that your word is true.
Every promise every command Every fact, every every portion
is true. Lord, we ask now that by the
power of your Holy Spirit, you would teach us You would help
us, not just understand, but retain and not just retained,
but translated into action in our lives, Lord, we pray for an
unusual sense of your presence unusual sense of your glory
Lord, make everything else disappear Even in our own lives
and let us Feast at the table. We ask God that you would lead
us in our hearts and our emotions in our thoughts and all
things to see the glory majesty and the wisdom of God.
In this Bible study, we give you all the glory in Hence, we thank
you Lord that we can come here freely and receive from you.
We pray that the ministry of the word would be assisted by the
power of the spirit, nothing of the flesh.
Nothing of self Christ, and Christ alone, and Jesus name, we
pray. Amen.
First Samuel 15. This chapter is just way too
dense to covered and in one sitting.
So we are part 2 and we only covering six verses in this
Bible study and so let's read from verse 10 down to 16.
The word of the Lord came to Samuel.
I regret that I have made Saul King for.
He has turned back from following me and has not
performed my Commandments and Samuel was angry.
And he cried to the Lord all night and Samuel Rose early to
meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel saw came
to Carmel and behold he set up a monument.
I meant for himself and turned and passed on and went down to
gilgal and Samuel came to Saul and Saul said, to him blessed be
you to the Lord, I have performed the Commandment of the
Lord and Samuel said, what then, is this bleeding of the sheep in
my ears and the lowing of The Oxen that I hear, saws said they
have brought them from the amalekites for the people.
Spared the best of the sheep and The Oxen to sacrifice to the
Lord, your God and the rest. We have devoted to destruction.
Then Samuel said to Saul stop, I will tell you what the Lord said
to me this night and he said to him, speak a reminder for us
tonight in this Bible study that this chapter illustrates for us,
one of the strongest illustrations, one of the
greatest examples, In The Narrative of the Old Testament
and the new even for that matter of what true obedience is and
what obedience is not. And that is given to us through
the life of this man named King Saul.
Obedience is not an optional or a suggestive way of life for the
Christian. Obedience is what frames our
relationship with God? After we put our trust in Christ
obedience, qualifies our service for God, obedience is what will,
determine whether we will experience certain rewards.
Not just in this life and the life to come and obedience.
Shirley Determines the effectiveness of Our Testimony
before men. Obedience is crucial.
And what we see here is a man who thought he obeyed but didn't
really obey. In fact, we're learning here of
the failures of a man who claims to obey God.
And as we continue in this chapter, we will not only see a
man who was blatant in his Rebellion.
But a man who responded to his sin in a way in which further
confirms that he was not truly the man of God that he claimed
to be because it's one thing to not sin.
But also, it reveals much of who you are.
When we do send, how we respond to it and saw Will demonstrate
the wrong way of doing. So there will be many, other
lessons tucked into these verses, but this is Bible study.
So we want to study and take our time, notice in verse 10, the
word of the Lord came to Samuel, meaning God, spoke to Samuel,
because God was the one who saw saws Disobedience when Samuel
didn't see it. And this is what Samuel heard.
Maybe he was laying in bed. Maybe he was in his living room,
we don't know where he was at, but he heard from God and God
said, I regret that I've made saw King.
I regret that I made Saul King. Probably have a couple people in
here who have the King James instead of the word regret.
What word is used in the King James.
I repented it. Repenteth me that I have made
Saul King correct. Now, let's go with the ESV and
other modern translations and the King James.
How do we reconcile the character of God?
The nature of God being omniscient, all-knowing.
And this concept presented to us in this verse that.
He apparently regretted making a decision implying that he
perhaps did not know what saw was going to do before this
moment. Anointing him as king and
realizing. Maybe I made the wrong choice.
How do we reconcile that? And how do we reconcile with the
King James understanding repenteth?
We know God is perfect. He doesn't make mistakes, but we
are being told. If we don't understand the
deeper meaning of it, that maybe he did make a mistake by
electing Saul as king. How would you answer that?
How can God regret? How can God regret?
Any ideas? Say that again.
Very good. Did you guys catch that?
It's God's way of revealing and expressing to us.
What he feels with, anybody being disagreement with that.
Would anybody be an agreement to that?
I see some heads. Nodding there are certain
descriptions used for God in the Bible called anthropomorphism
's. Have you heard that fancy term?
Before that term simply means that the Holy Spirit uses.
Human language to Define God's expressions in order for us as
limited creatures to be able to relate to him through those
words and those terms. So these anthropomorphisms, our
bodily The eyes of the Lord. The arm of the Lord, these
things are languages to help us understand something, the, the
visual of his actions. And they're also under the
category of Personality terms emotions and things like this
regretting. And so what we understand from
this is not that God actually regret, like I didn't see this,
coming, what we see is, God, opening himself to us and
providing a frame of reference so that we can understand
something of who Is and what he's like, for God to say, I
regret invites us into what he felt In This Moment.
About saw in his actions, we don't serve a god that is void
of emotion. He's not in heaven, just
evaluating and and he's stoic. And he stiff and he just, he
just determines things without any any pulse, any feeling know.
He has great feelings, deep feelings.
And in this place, he feels the pain.
He feels the pain and he wants us to share in that pain with
him to understand that the actions of men actually hurt the
heart of God. Now, if we go with the King
James rendering that, it repenteth me.
Now when you hear repentance when we preach repentance, what
are we telling people to do? Turn from what sin now.
Repentance in the Greek, who knows the word?
Metanoia doesn't just mean change of action.
It actually means what change of mind.
So, we do believe repentance is a turning of action, but it
begins in a changing of way of thinking, well, we call people
to repentance what we're saying is change the way you think
about Sin. Change the way you think about
your sin and as a result of changing the way you think about
Sin, then you will turn from your sin and begin to walk in
accordance to God's ways in his will but man repents differently
than God repents when man repents he changes his attitude
about Sin. When God repents he changes his
attitude about a man and what he feels about a man.
God, never repent of sin. We know that he's perfect but
God does repent. He does have a change of mind
when man chooses to sin and how God feels about that man or that
woman. And so in the King James, you
would read it in Genesis 6:1 when he describes the situation
going on on the earth with all the violence and the perversion,
and Noah's day it says, and it repented the Lord that he had
made man on the Earth. It repented the Lord that he had
made man on the earth. Meaning what?
I made a mistake by making these humans.
Know he changed his thoughts, he changed his attitude.
He changed his heart posture about, man.
Not about Sin in his own heart. So that's what we see here, we
see it. Clear, but what's interesting
about this verse is that we don't just learn about how God
feels about Sin. Listen, we learn about how
Samuel feels about Sin. I regret that I made Saul King
for his turn, back from following me and has not
performed my Commandments. And then it says here and Samuel
was angry. And Samuel was angry and he
cried to the Lord all night. Other translations would say
what Samuel was what grieved? An ASB, who has an ESB word.
What's the word used distressed? ESV angry.
I believe that, yes, we got it right.
When you go to the Hebrew Cara. I believe is the word of for not
Daniel Bennett will rebuke me later if I got it wrong.
Good, I passed. To be hot to be furious to burn
with anger. Now let me ask you this.
How many people today respond to sin, in like manner?
How many people today, do you think in the church and get
angry about Sin? We are more willing to tolerate
Disobedience than be upset about it.
And when somebody gets upset about it, we get upset with
them. Samuel was angry, he was mad.
I'm sure his face turned red. I'm sure he paced back and forth
in his room. I'm sure he expressed himself in
the presence of God. It's okay to be angry if it's
righteous anger. Now, I know the other side where
people get angry and they say it's righteous anger, when it's
really unjustified anger. And we see a balance here with
Samuel. Samuel was angry, but here's the
other side and he cried to the Lord all night, there's the
compassionate side, there's a humility.
There's the Brokenness. There's a realization that sin
can affect all of us. Even a king.
There is his intercession for the very man that he was angry
with because he had sinned against God.
So blatantly He was angry. Why do you think Samuel was
angry? You know, the foundational
framework for knowing god is by being biblically sound.
And feel a logically accurate. There is no debate about that.
You can't claim to know God, if you don't know his word, But
Samuel proves knowing god is, is greater than that.
It's not just knowing the word, there's another factor that
measures. How a man or woman knows.
God, not just knowing what he says, but you feel what he
feels. You feel what he feels and what
angers him angers you and what Grieves him will grieve you.
And what pleases him will excite you?
And Samuel here is proving that when you are close to God and
this man was close to God. He had a prayer life, unlike
very few When Samuel was angry, it was a reflection that he
shared God's pain and frustration and it was
completely righteous. Would you like proof to know
that when you get to know God, you will feel what he feels.
Here's a couple scriptures, Moses a man who's spent time
with God as a man who spoke to someone face to face when Moses
was up on that mountain getting the law of God.
The Israelites were like, Pastor.
Moses is taking a while. Let's have a party.
They make it an idol and they dance around naked and they
commit gross sexual acts with one another.
While Moses is getting the next steps for the people of God, and
is programmed for this nation. God brings it up to Moses and it
says, clearly that he burned with anger got burned with
anger, and then we read in Exodus. 32.
And as soon as he came near verse 19, the camp and saw the
calf and the dancing Moses anger burned hot.
And he threw the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the
foot of the mountain. Why was Moses angry?
Because God was angry. Why was Moses so frustrated?
Why was he ready to discipline and a righteous way?
As a leader? Because he knew God's heart, his
feelings were filtered by God's feelings.
I don't know. Brother anger anger is not is
not right? I don't think you're, I think
you're digging too much into the text.
Okay, let's go with Jeremiah 1517.
Here's a prophet. And look what Jeremiah says in
that amazing chapter in Jeremiah 1517.
I did not sin in the company. Revelers, nor did I Rejoice, I
sat alone because your hand was upon me for you had filled me
with indignation, Satan filled me with indignation.
My Flesh filled me with, indignation know.
You filled me with indignation, oh, you want God's hand on your
life? Yeah.
God, lay your hand on my life. Used me fill me.
Clothe me. You might just get angry.
You might get angry at all the perversion in the world.
You won't sit back lightly. See why the world is
desensitized by the media, and by the Casual approach of not
just the world, but even those in the church you spend time
with God, you sit alone with God.
You go to the mountain and sit at God's feet.
And you opened this word, you get a prayer life and you will
feel things that the average person will not feel.
You will sense things that the average person will not Sense.
On top of that, you might be criticized for it.
But I'm telling you this, a man who knows, God doesn't just know
what he says, he knows what he feels.
Does wickedness bother you tonight?
This compromising Christianity. Eat at your soul.
When you know, somebody likes, all who has had so many chances,
yet continues to rebel against God, with such an influence in
such a platform. Does it ruin your day?
At least in part? Do you feel the weight of it?
These men did these men did. But remember the balance, they
also knew how to cry out to God for them.
Have mercy. Lord, knew something about this
intervene. Heal them convict them.
They didn't go out and whip people into their place, but
they did feel something. Samuel was angry and he cried to
the Lord, all night, verse 12, and Samuel Rose early to meet
saw, seems like somebody wants to deal with the sin issue once
and for all seems like these not waiting, he's not delaying,
we're going to deal with this right here right now.
He rises showcasing his willingness, and his eagerness
to try to confront this and deal with it.
And it was told Samuel salt came to caramel so he's trying to
find about where the whereabouts of Saul is, he's asking
questions that somebody comes up says, you know, he was in Carmel
before he went to gilgal and he actually set up a monument for
himself. I mean there's something wrong
with this guy. Here he is claiming victory over
the amalekites, and the first thing that comes to his mind
before he even goes back to where he needs to.
Go back is to set up a permanent plaque with his name.
So that the rest of the nation for generations to come would
realize saw was the one who had this Victory saw was the one who
conquered the amalekites, the ancient enemy of Israel.
And so this man from chapter 13, we read that not only is he
willing to take the credit for his own son for defeating the
Garrison of the Philistines and trumpet to the whole nation,
Saul has defeated the Garrison of the Philistines.
We now come to the place, we now come to such a low place, where
Saul is ready to make a statue in his own name.
And not take credit from his son.
Take credit from God himself. Think about Bible study tonight,
when was the last time we saw a man of God Performing a great
victory over the same people group The amalekites think think
when you're ready answer, if you feel confident Joshua?
Yes, and who was over Joshua? Moses very good.
Go to Exodus 17. This is where the whole issue
with the amalekites even began. We remember that the amalekites
were the first people to attack Israel, when they came out of
Egypt. But we also know that there was
a great blow against the amalekites and I want you to see
an Is 17 the response of Moses to this victory in comparison to
the response of Saul in this place, Exodus 17 verse 13.
And Joshua overwhelmed amalek and his people with the sword.
Then the Lord said to Moses, write this as a memorial and a
book and recited in the ears of Joshua that I will surely blot
out. Utterly blot out the memory of
amalek from under heaven. Now look at the reaction verse
15 and Moses built what an altar and called the name of it.
The Lord is my banner. Wow.
The Lord is my banner saying a hand upon the throne of the
Lord. The Lord will have war with
amalek from generation to generation.
What did Moses built? And Altar and he called it, the
Lord is my banner. What, it's all built a monument
and he put his name on it. And the man turned his ministry
into a monument. You see the difference?
You see the difference between a man of God on a man who claims
to be a man of God, one yearns and longs to make every
opportunity to be about God being glorified and exalted in
his life. What's the difference?
The other, who claims to be a man of God takes every
opportunity to use God for his own Glory.
That's the difference. And that's what's Happening
Here. Saul is using God for his own
Glory. Moses was used by God for God's
glory. And listen, if you will take,
you're willing to take from God. What solely belongs to him, you
are stealing. And you know what God says about
thieves? And you know what God says about
those who try to try to take his glory, when Isaiah tells us, I
share it with no one saw was playing a very dangerous game
and he's about to find out very quickly.
How dangerous it is? But what's amazing here is that
the contrast between solid Samuel, what was Samuel doing
the night before, when he realized Saul sinned, he
grieved, he cried. He was broken, he was shattered.
What was Saul doing? Building a monument for his own
name? See the response to this sin.
Here's a man of God, that is broken over, someone else's sin
and here's the man who's in sin, that is taking this opportunity
to actually magnify himself. And what we see next year?
Shows us the impression that this man was really deceived
because of his own pride. In fact, what he's about to do
next would actually perhaps impress the gullible.
What he's about to say now, when Samuel confronts them might even
trick. Those who don't understand that.
Just because you say the right things, doesn't mean your heart
is right before, God Verse 12 and Samuel Rose early to meet
Saul. In the morning, we are told in
verse 13 and Samuel came to Solly finally found him.
I wonder what was going on through Sol's mine when he saw
this old Prophet coming up the hill and I have a feeling that
he didn't have a smile on his face.
Samuel came to Saul and Saul said to him, this bug me when I
read it It's bugging me. Blessed Be You To The Lord.
I have performed the Commandment of the Lord good things.
Samuel was praying all night before he met with this man. and
that's important to actually highlight, because we're about
to see how Samuel confront sin, and it provides wonderful
lessons for us confronting sin. But before that, notice his
greeting. Do such words hold any weight
for someone who deliberately Rebels against God's word?
There's someone here proved to be sincere.
Do you read this and take this seriously?
I hope not. Because this is flattery and not
only, is it flattery. It's a an attempt to try to use
spiritual phraseology to try to convince someone else of their
personal spiritual condition, and worse than that trying to
advance their personal agenda. Have you ever met somebody that
talks like that? you see, when you try to talk
like a spiritual person and you are not a spiritual person,
person It doesn't fit you it's like you wearing a small shirt
when everyone knows you're supposed to be wearing extra
large. Stop doing that.
And you think it's actually working to your purpose when all
the while people can see right through it.
Blessed Be You To The Lord, I have obeyed the Commandment of
the Lord. What's all is doing here is what
people try to do when they get around the pasture.
Oh, it's spiritual people that are sincere followers of Christ.
They just turn on the spiritual kind of attitude and they bring
this vocabulary and they bring scripture references and
everyone knows you're not that person.
If you're discerning. And they try to persuade others
of their purity and their passion for God.
And let me tell you this, if you ever feel that Temptation, I
want to help you overcome that Temptation once.
And for all you will, you will never have to deal with that
Temptation. If you just listen to this, you
ready, get a real relationship with God.
That's it. So, once a frog, get to his
word, be broken in his presence, spent time with him.
And guess what? You won't even have to think
about how you're going to speak. You know what?
In fact, let me tell you this, the truly spiritual Person is
known as a spiritual person, when they're all the more
natural. The most spiritual people.
I know are very, very normal. And natural.
They don't put on a face. They don't turn on the
vocabulary. No, no, they are just them and
even if they don't bring up scriptural references all the
time and they don't quote things to them.
They don't tell you about what they've done for God.
It's amazing that you can sense this person truly Walks With
God. One of my friends used to say
this when I first got saved he goes, everybody usually has a
realness detector in them. Not everybody.
There's some people that are easily fooled, but anybody that
spends time in the word of God, that knows God.
That praised as a prayer life that walks in Holiness, he
develop a discernment and I would recommend never trying to
do this with a profit, by the way.
But unfortunately, likes all people use the word of God and
try to put on a spiritual mask to achieve a personal fleshly
agenda. And there are times when people
who greet you in the name of the Lord blessed be to the Lord and
they even boast of their own Devotion to Lord, I have obeyed
the Commandment of the Lord, when last night, they just send
with no problem. Why are we still doing this?
Because he thought that he could hide his Disobedience and he
thought that he could cover it. in front of a prophet and you
might You might be good at tricking.
A pastor. You might fool your
congregation. I promise you.
You can't trick God, ever. And that's what we see here in
verse 14. and Samuel said what then is this bleeding of the
sheep in my ears and the lowing of The Oxen that I here, I love
Prophets. See profits not just profits.
Men of God, woman of God. Don't look at somebody's words
only that's not the some evidence of who they are as a
person, they evaluate your life. They look at the actions.
They look at your social media. They look how you talk in
different settings. They want to see consistency.
And this man didn't buy it. This man wasn't persuaded.
He wasn't flattered, he was looking at the evidence that was
provided him. and what he does is quite incredible because he
He questions him and he says, what, what is it that?
I'm hearing them, I hear sheep and I hear ox.
And why is that concerning? Because the commitment was
Slaughter, every living thing among the citizens of men alike,
Here is a man who is prayed up. And here is a man as I said
earlier, who knew how to confront someone in their sin.
You know what, so wise about what he's doing here is that he
doesn't point and accuse immediately?
He asked questions? And he allows the individual if
they're honest enough to come to that conclusion for themselves,
there are times in which the prophet or the Christian must
call outs in immediately less that person put himself, or
others in danger. But there is also a great
wisdom, if we're trying to win somebody back to repentance.
To like our Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ used Parables and
questions to allow the person who is in the wrong, whether in
judgment or indeed to come to the conclusion of where they
stand on their own, there's great wisdom in that.
So what is this, you're telling me blessed me that I obey the
Commandment of the Lord. Then why am I seeing what I'm
not supposed to be seeing? Why am I hearing what?
I'm not supposed to be hearing. I just offer you that advice
when you ever have to counsel someone or have a conversation
with someone that might be. Her uncomfortable ask questions
and let them Discover it if they're honest enough.
But the principal here of Samuel confronting Saul's far greater
than giving us, some kind of guidance and how we confront
people in their sin. You ready for this?
I hear the Sheep. I hear The Oxen this teaches us
that, no matter how much you try to hide your sin, your sin will
always find a way to tell on you.
Always. Always. and I'll tell you this,
I don't want to give credit to sin, but sin has a creative way
of exposing people. There are many things that
professing Christians claim to believe, I don't really believe
a lot. And here's one of the things
that many people don't actually believe about the word of God
that when you try to Concealed unrepentant sin and hold on to
it while bearing the testimony of Christ that God will expose
you. You will.
People don't believe that though people really don't believe
that. I'm not talking about those who
know that they're wrong and they want to confess.
I'm not talking about those who are in wrong and eventually they
confess, I'm talking about those who do not want to confess and
are trying to navigate through life in a way that they can
Harbor. Something that God says, that
shouldn't be in your life. You want me to prove how I know
that most Christians. Don't believe that this is true
that God will pull the sheets. And expose somebody who claims
to serve him go to Ecclesiastes, chapter 10.
And look at verse 20 just as one example.
Can you please remember this? If you do not confess your sin,
whether it's a private sin before God or public sin before
the ones that you've sinned against or send with.
If you do not confess your sin, hear me sin will confess you.
Ecclesiastes. 10:20 Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king.
Nor in your bedroom, cursed, the rich for a bird of the air will
carry your voice or some winged creature.
Tell the matter. That's how I know most
Christians, don't believe that God can actually reveal your
sin. Because Solomon in his wisdom in
his observation but more importantly inspired by the Holy
Spirit. He warns about speaking evil
against those who are in Authority namely Kings or those
who are wealthy. But the truth extends to all
people. And what he's saying here is
that the slanderous and viciousness of our words though
expressed in secret or perhaps through agreement of
confidentiality when it is wicked in nature it will find
its way to the ears of those that you did not. and to hear,
And the hyperbolic language of birds and winged creatures.
That's that's being used to say that there is mysterious and
unforeseen means by which that is accomplished.
We, you think to yourself? How did that get from here to
there? Let me tell you how the walls
have ears. And I'm using just one example
of speech. I'm not talking about great sins
that we would categorize, as gross sense.
I'm talking about things like speaking in a way of which you
plan to assault or degrade or destroy someone else.
The Bible says the little birdie will hear what you say and we'll
find a way to be able to pass it on to the person or persons that
you did not intend to hear. I wonder if we really believe
that how our conversations and private would be different.
I wonder what personal Holiness would look like.
I wonder what my time in my bedroom with the computer or my
phone would look like if I really believe that.
I wonder what my handling of money would look like when
nobody else is watching. I wonder what my taxes would
look like. I wonder what how wonder what
Holiness would be if I really believe that God was everywhere.
I was If you don't confess sin, God gives chances.
I believe that God is a God who gives so many chances and and we
can debate this But even when you when you hear these great
scandals of great ministers, I believe before that fall or
that, that exposure. There have been warning after
warning after warning. Given to that person before.
God said enough is enough. You cannot continue doing this
in private. My name is at stake, you are
hurting people and you're claiming to be my follower, my
servant. Your sin will always tell on you
when you try to Harbor it or justify it.
And that's true in Proverbs 28:13.
If you want a verse for Life years, one of them, whoever
conceals his transgression will not prosper.
But he who confesses and forsakes them will, obtain
Mercy, whoever conceals his transgression, he try to take
that beach ball and you try to stuff it into the water and
you're saying I could keep it and relaxing you know you lose
grip and it just shows up on the other end will not Prosper.
You won't succeed. This is a law that no Sinner and
secret has been able to overcome especially when that sin has to
deal with someone else that you're sinning with or sinning
against. Covering.
Our sin has been woven in the fabric of our nature, since the
fall. The first respond, one of the
first response of Adam and Eve was to do what create clothing
with fig leaves. And we've been trying to do it
ever since We're trying to cover.
We're trying to Shield were trying to hide and one of the
ways that you can know if you're having victory over the old
Adam, the old man in your life. One of the ways you can measure
that is that you have a greater trust that you can't hide your
sin. You have a greater Revelation
that I can't actually. I can't build anything trick
anyone. I can't do anything to maintain
private iniquity in my life without God, doing something
about it. That's one of the ways you know
that you are growing in Holiness.
Private sin becomes less of a reality, the notion that that
can actually be true without any consequences dies and dies more
and more Sal didn't have that. So what do we see here verse 15?
Saul said, they have brought them from the amalekites for the
people, spread the best of the sheep and of the rest, and of
The Oxen to sacrifice to the Lord, your God, and the rest, we
have devoted to destruction. And this man is now providing
for us and we won't get into all of it.
This this Friday, a series of ways of not dealing with sin
that has been exposed. again, it's one thing for Holiness to
be known in avoiding sin, but if we do sin, If we do sin, notice
I said if not when, but if we do sin, those are the words of John
and first John 2. How we respond to that sin also
reveals where we stand with God? and when Samuel exposes him, And
Samuel points out, the evidence saw gives this answer, isn't it
sad? That's all interpreted the
bleeding of the sheep much differently and Samuel did.
Samuel heard it as Disobedience, solved that in.
See it as that. Do you know why?
Because that's what Pride does. Pride so deceives.
You that even when the evidence of your wrongdoing through the
word of God is brought before you, you don't see it.
You're like, what's wrong with it?
What's wrong with it? And pride is so ugly and strong
in a person's life. They can never come to terms
when they've done something wrong.
They will go to all these different Avenues, before you
get to the heart of the matter. And then actually saying, you
know what? I have fallen short.
That's what Pride does very difficult to deal with pride
from Christian to Christian on a horizontal level and that's why
God has to do with pride himself.
God has to deal with a person who is so deceived that he
cannot even see the wrong that he has committed.
And so God will find a way to Humble him.
The arrogance of Saul and his response shows that he can't
even see sin as Sin. He can't even see it as a
trespass. And look how he answers.
I want you to see three points. Three highlighted insights to
how he responds to Saul Samuel. Rather notice the first thing
that he does. Number one, he blames others for
his Disobedience. They have brought them from the
amalekites. He's talking to his men were
under him. As though he's not the
commander-in-chief as though he's not the king who can rule
over them and direct them as he wishes they have done it.
Saul had no problem. Listen, Saul had no problem
taking the credit from someone else when it didn't belong to
him and he also had no problem giving the credit to someone who
has done wrong or rather, when he's done wrong.
He has no problem taking credit from somebody when he hasn't
done right, and they have and he has no issue bouncing that
credit to someone, when He's done wrong, not amazing.
This man doesn't care that his sin has affected his
relationship with God. All this man cares about is, how
his performance is before men. That's all he cares about what
his track record looks like on paper.
And so he can easily say they have done it.
He can easily say, I have done it when he hasn't done something
good and can easily say they have done it when he's done
something wrong. And that amazing, you want to
know how this man is, exposing himself about how he has no
relationship with God, keep reading look carefully.
He says, they brought them from the amalekites for the people
spared, the best of the sheep, and The Oxen, to the sacrifice
to the Lord, who your God. Not my God.
Your God, Samuel. See, we're doing this for your
god. Oh, really?
He's not your God. See through all the spiritual
language. Something slipped out.
Because eventually out of the abundance of the heart, the
mouth speaks eventually you can close that and spray spiritual
perfume all over. You can do whatever you want.
Eventually the true you is going to come out your own heart will
deceive you. And that's what's happening
here. You're a God.
I wonder if he caught it. I wonder what Samuel looked like
when he said oh yeah my God, that is right.
He is my God, it's definitely not yours.
So what about all that spiritual talk?
It was fake Hollow empty, it stunk had no value had nothing
to offer. You're a God, blaming it on
others, having no concern about how this is affecting his
vertical. Only concern was how are men
going to see me? I can't let people know that
I've sinned against God. You think it was really that,
number two, not just blaming others for this would be nice,
but justifying the Disobedience. What does he say here?
He says, they have brought them from the amalekites for the
people spared, the best of the sheep and The Oxen to do, what
to sacrifice to the Lord, your God.
Here's a man who has framed his actions the way that many do.
And unfortunately, some of the church that the, that the end
justifies the means That The end justifies the means.
And so if the goal is religious, it doesn't matter how we get
there. If the goal is a spiritual goal,
it doesn't matter what we have to, what we have to do and trick
and kind of deceive, and it doesn't matter, because that's
the goal. God does care about the means.
In fact, if the end is a
righteous end and the means are wicked, that spoils the end.
Anyway, And so let's look at this on a grander level.
We can't preach on certain things because we want to bring
people in. And when we bring them, then
we'll talk about the hard subject.
Let's just reel em in. Oh, really?
You really think that once you fill the place in, then you're
going to speak about the things that you weren't willing to
speak about in the beginning. Do you see any person who tries
to live their life in a way in which the end justifies?
The means that is breeding ground for compromise, whether
on a macro level or a Minor level.
Here's proof. I'm going to marry her anyway.
Babe, we're going to get we're going to get married.
Anyway. So who cares?
I mean, I'm going to put a ring on your finger.
We're going to go to the altar. I got already revealed to me
that you're the ones. Who, why don't we just mess
around? Who cares?
The end justify the means. We're going to sacrifice this to
God. We're going to give this to the
Lord, then it asks you to sacrifice it.
The Lord asks you to kill it. And not only do people justify
their Disobedience. Look, what's all does here?
He actually distracts he attempts to distract Samuel from
the Disobedience because what does he say in the end and the
rest, we have devoted to destruction.
See how he puts a exclamation mark, at the end of all this
thing. So, yeah, Samuel look.
We did keep his, but it's to sacrifice and say, did you
notice that we destroyed everything else?
Do you notice that that in the midst of all this, I know it's
weird and it's confusing and it's chaotic.
I know that it looks kind of looks kind of shady.
But look at the good. Look at the good that we did.
People are like that. People, when they are caught in
sin and they are proud, will fish back to the past and try to
resurface the good that they've done, thinking that that will,
that will soften the seriousness of the present moment.
Do you realize what I've done? For God, do you realize who I am
do? You realize what you realize my
history. So how can you, how can you do
this to me? Now, how can you say that I'm
wrong? Now, how can you say that?
I'm in danger of discipline now? And so this is a distraction
this is an attempt to say don't look at the wrong that I've
committed. Look at the right that I've
done. And yeah this is wrong but let's
get over it. Come on.
And you learned last week, you learned last week that God does
not esteem obedience the same way a man does.
If the man and his flesh was here.
This, some would say, you know what?
Yeah, it is one guy, a gag. I mean, you killed an entire
people group. You left one guy.
What's one guy really? What's one guy?
You're right. Where's that Memorial?
By the way I want to go see what you did.
Let's go check it out. That's how men would see it.
God says everything. And when God says everything,
it's everything period. Full stop.
By the way, notice what he said. He says in the beginning they
have brought them from the amalekites, right?
He blames the people. They brought them from the
amalekites and how does he end it?
But we have devoted them to destruction.
Wow, this guy has issues. They have done the wrong but we
have devoted them to destruction.
Did they really? Do they actually destroy all the
amalekites? How do you know?
Somebody said something? The king, not just the king.
I'm not talking about the king, because Samuel is about to kill
The King, and I would have been mission accomplished.
How do you know that Saul's even telling the truth here that he
killed every single? Cuz, look at verse 20, come down
to verse 20 with me And Saul said to Samuel, I have obeyed
the voice of the Lord, I have gone on the mission on which the
Lord sent me. I have brought a gag, the king
of amalek and I have devoted the amalekites to destruction.
So he's even claiming I have devoted every other amalekite to
destruction, really Did he? Go few chapters later.
Go to chapter 27. this is when David shows up on the scene.
And what do we read in verse 8. Now, David and his men went up
and made raids against the guess.
She writes the girls Ides and who the amalekites for.
These were the inhabitants of the land from of old as far as
Shore to the land of Egypt. Well, while well, Looks like
somebody didn't destroy all the amalekites.
Even when he claimed to say I did because Samuel is going to
kill the king and if he's the last of the last, how do they
show up again, just in a few chapters?
Somebody didn't do his job. So now we get an extra layer and
understanding of how great this Disobedience was and God's eyes.
It wasn't just that he left one, he lied about killing the
others. This is serious and God is going
to bring Swift discipline because of it.
And notice what Samuel says in verse 16, that Samuel said to
Saul stop enough. Enough is enough, man.
The new King James says, be quiet.
Because the tendency of those who are caught in sin and
they're in the wrong and they don't want to confess his that
they ramble on, they keep talking and they try to bring in
all these different things to either manipulate the situation
or convince you otherwise or deflate a tense moment.
So I can just imagine it based on this word stop.
I can just imagine Saul saying, well you know what?
They have done it, they've sent the amalekites and and we even
brought them out so that they can dedicated to the Lord and we
have devoted to this Russia and it's the same adjusted enough.
Stop it. He says, I will tell you what
the Lord said to me this night. If he asks him to be quiet, he
asked them to stop okay? Because she's revealed enough
your excuses, do not work. There's no way of justifying
your Disobedience. Now what was the command?
What was the command? Stop new King.
James be quiet. Did he obey the command?
No. because what he said at the end and he said them speak You
couldn't even obey that command. Do you think the prophet needed
your permission to say something he already told you?
I'm going to say something. He didn't need you to say speak.
He didn't need your Authority. He didn't need your green light.
But what he needs the last word. What his pride wouldn't let him.
I can't let Samuel get the last word.
So when I say mrs. Enough stop.
I will tell you what God Said Saul's like speak.
Speak. And then he's going to tell him
what God Said. Because true men of God.
Are not afraid of confronting sin.
True. Men of God are not afraid of
confronting sin. No matter what the cost is true,
men of God are not afraid to confront sin.
No matter who the person is that is in the wrong true men of God,
only care about one thing. I am the Messenger of the Lord,
I stand with him and for his word, do you realize that this
King had the authority? Like King David that with Nathan
to at one word have his neck slit?
And you're going to see next week, Saul's aggression, when he
grabs, Samuel by the Garmin and rips it.
But true men of God Don't Fear men.
When you stand in the presence of God, you can stand before
Kings when you sit at the feet of the master, you can without
even your voice shaking stand before, Myriad of princes, and
evildoers. And those who have power and
position, when you stand for righteousness, God will bless
you. When you for the sake of your
safety, or your reputation, or whatever else Do not stand for
what's, right? I don't care who stands with
you. I'd rather stand alone with God
before the world, then stand with the world and stand against
God any day. And he day and true men of God.
They speak what God says, they say, What God Says, whether men
say you can or you can't true. Men and women of God are so
close to God. That their hearts are filled
with the feelings of God that no matter what men do say, it
doesn't matter. My heart is brimming with the
knowledge of what my God asked me to do.
And I only care about how he feels, so I will say what he
tells. Me to say, where are those men
of God today? Huh.
You know what we have today in majority cowards.
Men Pleasers. People who don't really believe
the promises of God. People who don't really believe
that when you are in Integrity, God will be your shield and he
will defend you and he will step in for you.
Where are those men? Where are those women?
You know what we have? We have a bunch of people
building monuments for themselves.
We have a bunch of people that are so concerned about the
reputation before other. So they have done this and I
have done this and that the spiritual talk and exchange all
this craziness, where are the prophets?
Do we have any prophets left in America?
Do we have any profits coming out of our seminaries?
Do we have any prophetic voices anymore?
Are we all just pair it? Where are the men that will
stand in the wilderness by themselves and speak the word of
God? No matter how much comes in?
No matter who comes in, where are those men?
Can? Someone say, where are those
men? You can't get those men from
seminaries seminars in our, I went to Summer but those men are
birthed in the prayer closet. Those men are Heavenly born.
Those men have come into contact with God, not with a degree now
with a textbook, The real book. And I believe in this day, where
there's a famine in the land, what this nation needs more than
ever is not bigger, buildings, is not nicer lights.
It's not cooler hipster. Looking people on the pulpit,
What this nation needs our profits.
I'm not talking about prophets predicted future.
I'm talking about prophets, who point to the word of God and say
thus says the Lord. Those projects Samuel was such a
man, I love profits because Samuel was willing to do this
with Saul and Nathan was willing to do it with David.
Prophets feel what the average person doesn't feel?
They get angry, they cry when people are still sleeping.
They wake up early so that they can obey God.
And they're willing to stand before any man who stands
against God. Where are those men?
Hmm. Cowards, and it's infecting, the
churches. But God will raise him up
because he never leaves a generation without a witness.
God is too good. To leave a generation without a
voice. and I pray that through these Bible studies and through
the Sunday morning, and through this church, That wouldn't just
be one voice, but voices. The voice of Elijah prepared the
world. For the first coming of the
Messiah, and we need the voice of Elijah to prepare the world
for his second coming. And God is willing to raise up
those voices. Can we pray together?
Heavenly Father. We ask and pray.
That these truths concerning saws life.
Would permeate in our souls. We pray Lord that we would not
be those who think we can trick you and trick our fellow man.
Help us live in Holiness. Help us live in a way in which
we sense your presence in all things. that you see us and you
hear us and always, Do we pray? That you would keep us.
Sensitive to your heart that we would not only know what you
say. But feel what you feel and Lord
that can be conjured up. That can't be provoked by our
own self and or strength. It has to come from walking
with. You pray that we would all have
a closed walk with you. Lord, we ask that in this house,
we wouldn't fierce in Not in the sense in which we fear
condemnation, but realizing that it is so destructive.
And if we do not confess our sin to you and when necessary
confess it to one, another sin will find a way to confess us.
Lord, revive your church in the fear of the Lord.
Revive your church in the fear of God.
Thank you that those who confess and forsake their sin will
obtain Mercy. Lord, when you highlight that
sin when you convict us of that sin and we run to you, you have
nothing but Mercy, forgiveness restoration.
But when we hide it and hide it, and think we can live with it,
you love us too much to keep it. Lord, we pray. but the chief
ambition of every person in this church, With the build an altar
to you and not a monument. To give you glory for every
Victory. Every gift we experience every
open door every blessing whether great or small, they say, the
Lord is my banner. The Lord is my provider, the
Lord is my protector. The Lord is my shepherd.
Lord, we want nothing with our name on it.
We want your name to be known for Generations.
Well, we thank you for a church that does love the word.
That is not afraid. Of thus, says the Lord God your
word. Your word is like honey to us.
It cleanses us. It heals us.
It, corrects us it molds us. Do we embrace the whole counsel
of God? We embrace it.
Oh God. Make us like Samuel.
Who stood for what was right? who stood before the King of
Kings before he stood before, King Saul, Who had the armies of
heaven with him as he stood before the army of a man.
Blessed. Be Your Name.
We believe this book is true. We believe you are for us and
not against us, we believe, oh God.
That when we walk in your ways, No one can snatch us.
No one can push us. No one can destroy us.
You are with us in the Lions, then you're with us in the fiery
furnace. you are with us when armies stand before us, You are
with us when we feel like everyone else is left us.
We love you. There is no friend like you.
There is no Lord like you Lord. How can we not walk in
righteousness? How can we not walk in your
ways? There's too many blessings
reserved for the righteous. We run in your Commandments, we
embrace you. God for all that you are and
Lord we pray for strength for any person in here that feels
like giving up the feels like I'm, this is just too tiring,
I'm not sure if this is worth it.
I'm not sure I signed up for this but God you are worthy.
You are worthy. And Lord help us remember.
That Paul, he had Revelation, he had Revival, he had miraculous
abilities at sometimes, he had great understanding, but he also
had shipwrecks and stonings. And nights without food or
sleep. And whips on his back.
And the daily anxiety of how the churches he planted are doing.
Lord. You are worth the suffering.
You're worth it all God, you are wonderful and Lord.
We know that you have suffered more than all of us combined it.
You went to the cross with joy, help us endure with joy.
God, we want to worship you in light of these truths your
wisdom. Your wisdom is perfect.
And we celebrate you in your house tonight.
In Jesus name, we pray, I'm an animal.
Can we stand and Worship the Lord together, please?