Lessons And Warnings For Christians continued

We must never stop growing in our Christian lives. Once we think we don’t need God’s Word in our daily spiritual diet, we can be sure that the devil will speed up his actions to deceive us and draw us away from intimacy with Jesus. Our race demands patience and perseverance. King Saul is a great example of how growing careless with God only leads to sadness and destruction. Lessons 1 and 2 showed how Saul began his walk with God in humility and faithfulness. Lessons 3 to 5 now show Saul’s path to pride and destruction—and how to avoid it. This is lesson 4 with one more to come.

7. God's will became repugnant to Saul (I Samuel 15:9). The anointed Samuel had ordered Saul to “utterly destroy” Amalek. That certainly took in the evil king Agag and all possessions. Instead, “Saul…spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, etc.” This is Saul’s final slap in the face of God. (Once you know God’s will, do it!)

8. Saul took to himself glory due only to God (I Samuel 15:12). Even while God is sharing His grief with Samuel over making Saul king, Saul goes to work to “set up for himself a monument or trophy of his victory” (verse 12 Amplified Bible). Saul is now the big man, with God pushed off to the side. (Live as a servant of all.)

9. He no longer valued personal intimacy with God (I Samuel 15:15; also vv. 21 and 30). Samuel begins to question Saul about his rebellious behavior. In his foolish excuse for sparing the best of the sheep and oxen that should have been destroyed, Saul claims that they were kept “to sacrifice to the Lord your God”. Note that his statement is not “The Lord my God” or “our God”--but Samuel’s God--as if Saul knows that there is no further intimacy with the God of heaven. (Meet with the Lord daily in His Word and prayer.)

10. Saul forgot the pit from which God dug him (I Samuel 15:17). If only Saul would have earlier paid attention to what Samuel is now saying in grief, “When you were small in your own sight…” There is no room for superstars in the family of God--only humble people who know that God is their source of light and life. Saul will now have to be cut down to size. (Never forget the cost Christ paid to save us from our sins.)

11. He deceived himeself through his own compromise (I Samuel 15:20). Though he has disobeyed God’s specific instructions as to action against the Amalekites, Saul dares tells Samuel “Yes, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord…” In failing to be a “doer of the Word” he has succeeded in committing the most dangerous sin of all--deceiving himself (James 1:22). (Never trust your own heart. Ask the Holy Spirit daily to lead you.)

12. Saul was satisifed with a superficial spirituality (I Samuel 15:22, 23). He thought he could buy God off with outward sacrifices while walking in rebellion which is as “the sin of witchcraft” and stubbornness which is “as idolatry”. He is now hearing the awful sentence of God’s rejection of him. (Your greatest treasure is Jesus. Never take Him for granted.)

TO BE CONCLUDED NEXT LESSON

"Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ" (I Corinthians 11:1)
The ST. PAUL SCHOOL, with Frank Eiklor, Eileen Young and Cecilia Contreras