“Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them.’ ””
(I Samuel 15:3a NKJV) was the command given to Saul.
Then The LORD told Samuel:
““I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.” And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the LORD all night.”
(I Samuel 15:11 NKJV)
“Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the LORD! I have performed the commandment of the LORD.””
(I Samuel 15:13 NKJV)
And Samuel calls Saul on it!
“Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do evil in the sight of the LORD?”” (I Samuel 15:19 NKJV)
“And Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.””
(I Samuel 15:20-21 NKJV)
Isn't that what we do? Instead of obeying God's commandments we justify our disobedience to ourselves and expect Him to understand; "We did it for Him!"
“But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.” (I Samuel 15:9 NKJV)
We are called to separate ourselves from the world; we are commanded to not love the things of the world, but yet we have taken the things of the world that we love and incorporated them into the church! ("all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them.")
One example that comes to mind is our music. Any given Christian concert looks just like a secular concert! Take away the words of any song and it is indistinguishable from any secular song. And the same "worship" is done in our churches every week. Indistinguishable is not separated!
Our justification? It's for The LORD!
Obedience is on our terms!
“So Samuel said: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.”” (I Samuel 15:22-23 NKJV)
We, today, don't know what sacrifice is "because Jesus did it all!" We go about like Saul, prideful cutting corners and making excuses! Our rebellion runs deep. We have missed it, just like Saul! We do what we want, never mind what He requires!
Do not think this is about the music; it's about the heart!
The sacrifice of our will in submission to His Commands is the only true worship He desires!
Rebellion is not a little thing!
It is actually everything!
Repent of your stubborn rebellion and obey The Word of The LORD, while there is still time!
“Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.””
(II Corinthians 6:17 NKJV)
“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”
(Matthew 7:23 NKJV)
Even so - MARANATHA!
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