February 9, 2022

Passage Read: 1 Chronicles 7-10
Meditation Verses: 10:13-14

Thought

Saul died because he didn't faithfully carry out the Lord's instructions. He didn't trust God, especially in things he didn't fully understand. His first major sin was fearing that his men would depart and the Philistines come against him while he waited for Samuel. So he took it upon himself to offer sacrifice to God to seek His favor…which was not allowed in God's eyes! So he offended God because he thought the sacrifice was more important than trusting, even if everything fell apart. The second major sin was not obeying the full command God gave him, to destroy all the Amalekites and their possessions. He thought it would be better to keep some of the spoil, supposedly to offer it to the Lord at His tabernacle. He also chose to keep the king alive. Small details in his eyes, but clear violations of God's clear instructions. And of course, as it says here, he also consulted a medium because the Lord had long ceased to speak to him.

Application

Somehow, Saul never grasped repentance, for surely God would have forgiven him. But all Saul cared about was what the people thought of him. And that cost him everything. There is no excuse for twisting or reinterpreting God's instructions to suit my will or wishes or comfort. He is God and I must trust His wisdom even when I don't fully understand His reasons. And I just never blatantly go against or ignore any detail of His commands. Doing so is arrogance and idol worship in God's eyes. I might as well not believe in God at all if I will not do all He asks. If I treat His instructions with such contempt, then what do I really believe about Him?