1 Samuel 15:7-9 Condone Our Besetting Sin

 ”And Saul attacked the Amalekites, from Havilah all the way to Shur, which is east of Egypt. He also took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 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 ‭15‬:‭7‬-‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Saul attacked the Amalekites: This was good and in obedience to the LORD. But it was selective, incomplete obedience. First, Saul took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. God commanded Saul to bring His judgment on all the people, including the king.

i. Why did Saul take Agag king of the Amalekites alive? “Saul spared Agag, either out of a foolish pity for the goodliness of his person, which Josephus notes; or for his respect to his royal majesty, in the preservation of which he thought himself concerned; or for the glory of his triumph.” (Poole)

ii. “If Saul spare Agag, the people will take liberty to spare the best of the spoil…the sins of the great command imitation.” (Trapp)

b. 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: God clearly commanded in 1 Samuel 15:3 that every ox and sheep, camel and donkey was to be destroyed and Saul didn’t do this.

i. In a normal war in the ancient world, armies were freely permitted to plunder their conquered foes. This was often how the army was paid. But it was wrong for anyone in Israel to benefit from the war against the Amalekites because it was an appointed judgment from God. This was just as wrong as a hangman emptying the pockets of the man he just executed for murder.

c. Everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed: They were careful to keep the best for themselves. We can imagine they were all pleased with what they gained after the battle.

i. This perhaps was worst of all because Israel did not show God’s heart in judgment. When they came home happy and excited because of what they gained from the battle, they implied there was something joyful or happy about God’s judgment. This dishonored God, who brings His judgment reluctantly and without pleasure, longing that men would repent instead.

ii. “Partial obedience is complete disobedience. Saul and his men obeyed as far as suited them; that is to say, they did not obey God at all, but their own inclinations, both in sparing the good and destroying the worthless. What was not worth carrying off was destroyed, - not because of the command, but to save trouble.” (Maclaren)

iii. “To spare the best of Amalek is surely equivalent to sparing some root of evil, some plausible indulgence, some favourite sin. For us, Agag must stand for that evil propensity, which exists in all of us, for self-gratification; and to spare Agag is to be merciful to ourselves, to exonerate and palliate [excuse] our failures, and to condone our besetting sin.” (Meyer)

(Guzik)

Condone Our Besetting Sin

As Meyer commented, some plausible indulgence, some favorite sin! 

Because of our sin nature we all have sin in one form or another that displeases God.

Our Father which art in heaven , help us examine our heart and turn from our favorite sin. Give us the strength to get through this day and to sin less. Shape our heart into the heart of Your Son and to do Your will. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, amen.

Blessings