Saul Disobeys God - The Book of 1 Samuel

In this Bible Story, Saul is rejected as king. His pride, greed, and disobedience lost him the favor of God and Samuel weeps over Saul’s fall. This story is inspired by 1 Samuel 14:47-15:35. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.

Today's Bible verse is 1 Samuel 15:23 from the King James Version.

Episode 83: Saul led Israel in battle to the point that nations who once oppressed Israel now feared them. One day, God gave a message to Samuel to deliver to Saul, that he was to destroy the Amalekites, leaving none alive. But again, Saul disobeyed God and spared the most important member of the Amalekites, their king. Through this repeated disobedience and self-pride, God regretted ever making Saul King.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let us pray for rebellion is as the sin of
witchcraft and stubbornness is an iniquity in idolatry. Because thou
hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also
rejected thee from being king First Samuel fifteen thirty. Lord,

(00:21):
through to day's reading of First Samuel and through the
life of Saul, I see that obedience is better than sacrifice.
With this truth, I am now going through my life
like the Amalekites. I will get rid of anything that
is contrary to your word and to the life you
are helping me to build. I will not let the

(00:42):
king a gags in my life that represent sinful and
destructive behaviors linger around me when you have commanded me
to eradicate them completely. I will not partner myself with
people who have corrupt and compromising character, no matter how
much wealth they promise me. Instead, like Samuel, I will

(01:05):
sever all ties because obedience to you is better than
sacrificing my integrity for treasures and wealth that will bring
my downfall. There's no disloyalty in me. God, I am
unwavering and locked into my purpose in Jesus name, Amen,

(01:29):
thanks for making prayer a priority in your life. To
hear the Bible come to life. Stay tuned for the
Bible in a Year brought to you by Bible in
a Year dot com.

Speaker 2 (01:49):
Saul disobeys God.

Speaker 3 (01:52):
In our last story, we learned about Jonathan's bravery against
the Philistines. Jonathan broke up the enemy's camp and sent
them into a frenzy. Saul capitalized on Jonathan's bravery and
sent his army in to defeat the Philistines.

Speaker 2 (02:08):
In this story, we will.

Speaker 3 (02:09):
Learn about Saul's disobedience towards God because of his desire
to please the people instead of God. Inspired by the
Book of First Samuel.

Speaker 4 (02:21):
Hello, this is Jack Graham with today's episode of the
Bible in a Year podcast. In our previous story, we
focused on Jonathan's actions, which stood in stark contrast to
his father, King Saul. When Saul tried to have Jonathan
kill for disobeying a senseless order, the people rallied around
Jonathan and protected him. Saul was by now king only

(02:44):
in title. He was no longer the strong leader that
he wanted to be, and God commanded him to be.
His selfish pride and impatience had cost him nearly everything. Today,
we'll see Saul disobey God in a desperate attempt to
be a people please are rather than a godly leader.
We will see how Saul's need to be liked, accepted,

(03:05):
and praised by the people will lead him to lie
and deceive. But Samuel, speaking for God, will see right
through it all and give Saul a devastating word from
the Lord. Let's listen to today's scripture.

Speaker 3 (03:19):
Saul led Israel with a strong arm. Battle after battle,
the armies of Israel defended themselves against enemy kingdoms. Nations
that had once oppressed Israel now feared them, and Saul
began to regain favor from the people. One day, a
word of the Lord came to Samuel. Samuel entered into

(03:40):
the courts of Saul. This was the first time they
had spoken since Saul unrightfully acted as priest over Israel
before battle. Samuel could barely look at Saul anymore. His
demeanor had slowly changed from humble servant to arrogant king. Nevertheless,
Samuel had a man message from God to share Saul.

(04:03):
God has remembered the Amalekites and their crimes against them
and made life hard. Now it is your duty to
rise up against them. However, you must leave none of
them alive, none no soldier, warrior, woman, animal, or riches.
Saul wasted no time, for the Amalekites were truly wicked people.

(04:27):
Their evil had corrupted the land surrounding them, and their
oppression knew no bounds. Saul was grateful for a chance
to prove himself to God and to Samuel. His sword
was heavy against the armies of the Amalekites. The armies
of Israel prevailed swiftly and laid waste to the city.

(04:47):
All that remained was their king, a gag, and the
riches of their live stock. Saul considered killing a gag
and burning his riches. Instead, Saul spared a gag to
parade him in front of the people, and he took
all the livestock, riches, and wealth of the city for himself.
Saul brought the spoils of war back to himself and

(05:10):
the people of Israel, and he sat on the wealth
of a corrupt nation. As he returned to Israel, Saul
made a monument for himself, a clear representation of his
delusion of self importance. Samuel was dwelling alone in the
cool of his home. When the Lord came to him
and spoke, saying, Saul has turned his back from me,

(05:32):
and I regret ever making him king. Samuel cried to
the Lord all night in anger, for Saul had been
exactly what he warned the people love. Early the next day,
Samuel approached the throne room of Saul. Saul was elated
to see Samuel, ignorant of his anger towards him. Blessed

(05:52):
are you, Samuel? Look, I have done as God commanded.
The Amalekites are wiped to What are these sounds I
hear of sheep and oxen?

Speaker 2 (06:00):
Samuel interrupted.

Speaker 3 (06:02):
Samuel was old and frail, yet he spoke with a
strength that demanded attention. They are from the Amalekites, the people.
They wanted me to spare them, to make sacrifices unto God.
In fact, I sh Samuel interrupted again, with his hand
in the air. Stop, he yelled. Samuel knew Saul was lying.

(06:23):
He had no intention of sacrificing anything.

Speaker 2 (06:25):
To the Lord.

Speaker 3 (06:27):
You were appointed king by God and you were given
a mission to consume the Amalekites. You were instructed to
spare nothing and take nothing. So tell me, Sa, why
did you not obey, Why did you pounce on the
spoils and riches? Saul smiled in fake ignorance. He laughed,
as though he did not see anything wrong with his actions.

Speaker 2 (06:50):
Standing up from his.

Speaker 3 (06:51):
Throne, Saul stepped down and put his hand on Samuel's
shoulder and said, Samuel, I have simply obeyed the voice
of God. It is the people that wanted the spoils.

Speaker 2 (07:02):
Of war, not me.

Speaker 3 (07:04):
Yet I took the best of everything to sacrifice to God.

Speaker 2 (07:08):
Samuel brushed the king's hands off his shoulder.

Speaker 3 (07:12):
Saul was over two feet taller than Samuel, yet Samuel,
in this moment, seemed to loom over him like a nightmare.
Has God any delight in vain sacrifices when you have
ignored his voice? Behold, Saul, it is far better to
obey than to sacrifice. Rebellion is like witchcraft to him,

(07:33):
and to presume you know better than him is worse
than idolatry. Saul's eyes began to widen as he listened
to Samuel. Samuel rose his arm and pointed to Saul.
Because you have rejected God as your lord, he has
rejected you as king. As Samuel said this, he turned

(07:53):
and stormed off. Saul chased after Samuel. No, Samuel, no,
I have sinned. I feared that people would turn against me.
Saul begged him to stay, Please pardon my sin, stay
here and help me. Atone Saul's fear of losing his
throne caused a panic. He seized Samuel's robes and tugged

(08:14):
back for him to stay. Samuel's robes began to tear.
The sound of the tears echoed in the empty throne room.
Samuel and Saul stood there looking at the torn garment.

Speaker 2 (08:26):
They were alone and completely silent.

Speaker 3 (08:29):
For a few moments, tears streamed down Saul's face. Samuel
looked at the pathetic king in front of him. Though
he cried, Samuel could see corruption in his heart. There
was something disturbing dwelling inside him. Just as you have
torn my robe, so God has torn Israel away from
you and given it to another.

Speaker 2 (08:51):
Saul wept on the floor.

Speaker 3 (08:53):
Samuel looked at him with compassion. He led Saul to
the altar of God to pray. God would not change
his mind mind, but he would not abandon Saul completely.
After they had prayed, Samuel had Saul bring king a.

Speaker 2 (09:06):
Gag before him.

Speaker 3 (09:08):
Agag approached them with a smile on his face. He
Gag was under the impression that Saul would not harm him,
but he had not yet met Samuel. Eggag looked at
the old man and laughed.

Speaker 2 (09:19):
He mocked him.

Speaker 3 (09:20):
Samuel looked at Haggag and said, you have led with corruption, greed,
and wickedness. Your sword has made women childless. So shall
your mother become childless. And in that instant, Samuel hacked
off the head of.

Speaker 2 (09:34):
Agag before Saul.

Speaker 3 (09:37):
Samuel wiped off the blade, handed it to Saul, and left.
Saul would not see Samuel again, for death would soon
take Samuel back to the Lord. Yet Samuel grieved over Saul.
He grieved his heart and his mind. Yet Samuel would
get to see another king anointed, a king with flaws, weaknesses,

(09:59):
and fair Yet he was a king that would pursue
the heart of God, someone Israel could look onto as
an example of bravery, repentance, and worship. A shepherd like Moses,
a warrior like Joshua, and a priest like Samuel.

Speaker 4 (10:18):
Today's story begins with Samuel receiving a word from God
to give to King Saul. That word was this God
had not forgotten the cruelty of the Amelikites from the
time Israel departed Egypt, and now it was time for
them to account for their evil. So Samuel went to
Saul and gave him orders. Saul was to fight against
the Amelikites, and after God granted him victory, Saul was

(10:41):
to completely wipe them out. Not a single person or
even the livestock of the Amelikites was to be spared.
Saul is given an opportunity to obey God and to
do his will completely. Israel defeated the enemy, and Saul's
army carried out the mission. For the most part, Saul
kept the enemy king Agag alive. All the remaining Amalekites

(11:05):
were killed, and everything considered worthless was destroyed, but they
spared the best of the livestock, taking at his plunder.
Saul was looking on as all of this happened. Rather
than completely obeying God's command, Saul wanted to please the
people and increase his name and his power among them.
But God sees through this, of course, and Saul's disobedience

(11:28):
greatly displeases him, so he spoke again to Samuel. God
rejects Saul as king. Samuel was distraught. Saul, who once
held so much potential, had fallen so far, and Samuel
knew that God would not allow this to stand. Samuel
returned to Saul and on the way discovered that Saul

(11:49):
had built a monument to himself after the victory. It
was worse that he had even imagined. Not only was
Saul disobeying God, now he was exalting himself, seeking glory
that belonged only to the Lord. Samuel confronted Saul, who
once again made excuses and tried to justify himself. First,

(12:09):
he tried to couch his actions as obedience. He said
he had brought King Agag back, as if this was
some kind of prize that he would give to God,
and that the people set aside the best livestock to
offer his sacrifices to the Lord. All of this was
a lie. God never told Saul to spare a gag
and he certainly didn't ask for offerings. God's orders had

(12:32):
been very clear. All was to be destroyed, sparing nothing.
This is another sad story of Saul's disobedience, and it
reminds us that God does not accept disobedience or partial obedience.
Partial obedience is disobedience. Samuel then tells Saul the bad news.

(12:54):
Because he has rejected God, God has rejected him as king.
The throne will be taken from him and given to another.
Saul is desperate and tries once more to justify his
sin and first Samuel fifteen twenty four. He says, I
have sin for I have transgressed the commandment of the
Lord and your words, because I feared the people and

(13:15):
obeyed their voice. This reminds us of the words of
Adam blaming Eve for his sin in the Garden of Eden.
Saul shifts blame to the people, and he says he
was just trying to please them. He's making excuses, but
it's too late. God has seen Saul's sin and his pride,
and the Bible says pride comes before a fall. There's

(13:38):
no turning back now. Saul holds onto Samuel's robe and
tears it, and then Samuel tells him that just as
he's torn his garment, God will tear the kingdom away
from Saul. Samuel then does what Saul did not. He
kills King Agag right in front of Saul. He leaves,
mourning Saul's disobedience and never seize the king again until

(14:02):
his death. God would bring another king, one who did
have his heart and, though not perfect, would lead God's
people as God intended and plant and will meet him
the next time. Dear God, may we always obey you completely,
not half heartedly, but completely. Help us to fear you

(14:24):
more than men, and to listen to you rather than
to listen to the world. May we have the boldness
to do what you have called us to do, regardless
of the cost, because we know that the cost of
rejecting you is greater than we can possibly imagine. In
Christ's name, Amen, thank you for listening to today's Bible

(14:45):
in a Year podcast. I'm pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas.
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(15:06):
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