1 Samuel 15:1-3
1 Then Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the words of the Lord.
2 This is what the Lord of armies says: ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, in that he obstructed him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt.
3 Now go and strike Amalek and completely destroy everything that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ”
The Command of the Lord of Hosts
Privilege and responsibility
1 Samuel chapter 15 explains how Saul decisively lost his qualification as a king. Saul had already made his first mistake in 13:8-14, but the second failure he made in this chapter became a definitive proof that he is unfit to be king. Samuel conveys the Lord’s command to Saul. “The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the words of the Lord.” This command teaches that those who receive privilege and blessings from the Lord also have accompanying responsibilities. Having been anointed as king, Saul was expected to faithfully obey the Lord’s commands. Have you ever thought about the responsibilities that come with blessings?
Utterly destroy the Amalekites
The Lord commanded Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites, meaning that he should spare neither human nor livestock. (1) This command can only be understood in the context of the Abrahamic Covenant. One of the provisions of this covenant is that those who bless Israel, the covenant people. will be blessed and those who curse them will be cursed. (2) The nomadic Amalekites were descendants of Esau (Gen. 36:12). They had attacked the Israelites from behind as they journeyed through the wilderness after leaving Egypt, targeting the stragglers in a cowardly way (Ex. 17:8-16, Deut. 25:17-19). This greatly angered the Lord. (3) 400 years had passed since then, but the Lord remembered it. Here, the Lord commanded Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites as punishment for their actions. This command is difficult to accept unless given its basis in the actions of the Amalekites and the provisions of the Abrahamic Covenant. 400 years had passed before the Amalekites were to be destroyed. The Lord waited for the sins of the Amalekites to reach their fullness. If anyone thinks the Lord’s judgment is incomprehensible or incomplete, they misunderstand His love and patience. The judgments made by the Lord are perfect and are nothing less than acts of righteousness. Let us learn to obey the Lord’s commands, especially to bless Israel.
Today's prayer
Heavenly Father, those who receive blessings also have accompanying responsibilities. Please fill me with wisdom and strength so that I can fulfill my mission. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.