Tag: Hur

Much Better To Listen And Obey

Neal Pollard

God has a straightforward task for Saul in 1 Samuel 15. As a consequence for their opposition to Israel as they are fleeing Egypt in the battle where Aaron and Hur hold up Moses’ arm as Joshua leads the battle (Ex. 17:8-16), Amalek was devoted for destruction by God (Deut. 25:17-19)(1 Sam. 15:1-3). God is not ambiguous. He says “devote to destruction all they have” (3) and “do not spare them” whether man, woman, child, infant, or livestock (3). 

Saul is given the task of carrying out that total annihilation. He amasses a huge army of 210,000 soldiers and sets out against Amalek (4). After warning the Kenites (5-6; Num. 10:29-32) among the Amalekites to leave or die, Saul and his army thoroughly defeat this enemy (7). Up to this point, Saul’s effort has been nothing but a success!

However, Saul decides to do things the way he thinks is best. While he kills all the people as God instructs, “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” (9). God commanded Saul and he “would not” do it.

Samuel records some pretty chilling words regarding His choice of Saul. God says, “I regret that I made Saul king” (11,35). This is very similar to what God said about humanity in Noah’s day (Gen. 6:6-7). The text reveals several factors that led to God’s grief. 

  • Saul turned back from following God (11)–He followed what he wanted to do
  • Saul had not performed God’s commandments (11)–He neglected or omitted what God instructed
  • Saul blamed his followers for this sin (15,21)–He left out his part as decision-maker and pinned it on the people
  • Saul forgot his humble roots (17)–He allowed his position to go to his head
  • Saul was disobedient (19)–This was at the very core of Saul’s issues
  • Saul was greedy (19)–He pounced on the spoil
  • Saul had no fear of God (19)–He did evil in the very sight of Him
  • Saul rationalized (20-21)–He claimed to have done what God said except for the “best of the spoil” in order to sacrifice them to God; He reasoned that it was OK since his motives, he claimed, were right.
  • Saul feared the people and listened to them (24)–He got things backward!

But, that is when Samuel delivers the well-known, oft-quoted response to Saul. He tells the king, ““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 listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king” (22-23). What was going through Saul’s mind? Whatever it specifically was, he decided his way was better than the way God commanded him to go. 

God’s attitude toward such a spirit and mindset is crystal clear. God rejects it! It’s obvious that Saul knew what he was doing. His confession of sin reflects he completely understood what he had done wrong (24-25), but he still feels more concerned about his image with the people than his integrity before God (25,30). He falls at Samuel’s feet and tears the prophet’s robe, and Samuel tells him that symbolized how the kingdom has been torn away from him and his descendants (27-29). Samuel tells him he cannot and he will not keep up appearances for Saul’s sake, but he does follow Saul back to the people so that he can finish the job Saul had not done. He kills Agag (32-34). Then, he leaves Saul never to see him again (35). Samuel was far from hard-hearted, but instead grieved over how Saul had turned out.

It is dangerous for us to put question marks where God has put periods and exclamation marks. We have no right to make right what God has clearly deemed wrong, and we’re wrong to make wrong what God has not forbidden. Saul put himself in God’s place and thereby placed himself in spiritual danger. Perhaps worst of all is behaving in such a way that God regrets choosing to use us to accomplish His will because we would not trust and obey! We can always be sure that what God says is right and only His way is the way to go. In case we lose sight of that, we help ourselves by reviewing the sad case of Saul! “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams” (22).

Six Hands And A Stick 

Tuesday’s Column: Dale Mail

Daleheadshot

Dale Pollard

In the opening verses of Exodus 17, the faith of the Israelites is being tested. They’re in the wilderness and their human limitations begin to lead them to say and do things that end up defining their character for all eternity. It’s chapters in the Old Testament like this that set the stage for God to teach difficult lessons for them— and us.
There’s no water for them to drink and the feeling of thirst ignites a wild-fire of complaints. The text reads, “‘Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and they said ‘give us water to drink!’ And Moses said ‘Why do you do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?’” From here, it only escalates. The children begin to accuse Moses of attempted genocide.  They say, “Why did you bring us out here from Egypt? To die of thirst?” These people have seen the power of God, and they knew that the miracles which Moses performed were evidence of his Divine connection. The fact that they ask him for water when there is none proves that they knew Moses could do something about it.
It’s not only the Israelites that struggle with their rocky faith in God, however.  Moses also pleads with the Lord. He prays, “What shall I do with these people? They’re almost ready to stone me!” God responds by saying in verse five, “…take in your hand the staff which you struck the Nile, and go.” The wording is deliberate here. God is reminding Moses and the children what He has already done with that simple wooden staff in their past.  As Moses walked through that  wilderness leading his people, he holds in his hand a constant reminder. In his hand is a stick— a stick that God used to provide for His people.
If God can use some wood as an instrument to satisfy thirst and protect a large crowd of complainers, why do some still question God’s ability to care for us today? The place where Moses struck the rock was named, “Massah and Maribah” which translates, “Is the Lord among us or not?” It’s both a name and a question His children still ask from time to time today.
In the last section of this chapter, we can observe an intentional layout of the text. The army of Amalek challenges the Israelites to battle. With his faith restored in God’s power, Moses says, “Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” On the day of battle, Moses holds the staff above his head. Whenever it was held up, the Israelites prevailed. When the staff was lowered, Amalek’s army prevailed.
Verses twelve and thirteen carry much application for us today. They say, “But the hands of Moses grew weary, and they placed a stone under him and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands on either side. So His hands were steady until the going down of the son.” At least three major lessons can be derived from this section of scripture.
Lesson one, church leaders can’t lead us to our eternal victory alone. Moses did not win the battle that day. God did.
Lesson two, church leaders need help because even a stick can become heavy after a while. God never intended for one man to lead His people. There must be an eldership so that these men can help each other hold up the word of God. Their victory came when four more hands took on the burden and shared the weight.
Lesson three, there is no obstacle we will face that God’s faithful people can’t overcome. Even if all the armies in the world had decided to attack the Israelites that day, three men and God would have still brought them to victory. If God can accomplish so much with a piece of wood, who are we to limit His power today? There is nothing we can’t do under the leadership of, not mere men, but God. Moses knew God could accomplish anything through him and some wood— today we would do well to remember what God can do with us and our willingness to serve.
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