Day 1103: The words of the Lord - 1 Samuel 14 vs 49 – 15 vs 9

49-51 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchi-shua. And the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn was Merab, and the name of the younger Michal. And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the commander of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul's uncle. Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. 52 There was hard fighting against the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he attached him to himself. 15:1-4 And Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the Lord. Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’” So Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand men on foot, and ten thousand men of Judah.

5-7 And Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the valley. Then Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart; go down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 8-9 And Saul defeated the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and devoted to destruction all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction. 1 Samuel 14:49-15:9 English Standard Version

In the genealogy of Saul three names stand out, because they’d all be involved in the life of David. Jonathan, Saul's son, Michal his daughter, and Abner, a cousin who commanded his army. But then comes, what in our ears, the unexpected command of Samuel concerning Amalek. They were to be 'devoted to destruction'. Why was this?

The Lord tells us that it was because He had seen what Amalek did to Israel when they came up out of Egypt. In Deuteronomy 25:17-19 we read: “Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt, how he attacked you on the way when you were faint and weary, and cut off your tail, those who were lagging behind you, and he did not fear God. Therefore when the Lord your God has given you rest from all your enemies around you, in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; you shall not forget.”

The Amalekites had been used by Satan to oppose Israel as they left Egypt. They had brutally attacked those who were faint and weary. When Balak, King of Moab, called Balaam the prophet to curse Israel, Balaam looked on Amalek and said, “Amalek was the first among the nations, but its end is utter destruction.” (Numbers 24:20) And when Israel was about to enter the promised land, God said: “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” (Exodus 17:14)

God's 'memory' is something to be rejoiced in, because He chooses to “forgive our trespasses, and to remember them no more.” (Jeremiah 31:34) The Kenites experienced such kindness. (vs 5-7) But it’s also to be feared, because those who are against Him will be broken, cut off, and destroyed. (Psalm 37:17, 27,38) The Amalekites day of judgement had arrived. But how did Saul and his army respond to the Lord's instruction through Samuel? (vs 8-9)

They disobeyed. And, as we will see later, it would cost Saul his kingdom. Samuel had said: The Lord sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the Lord.”