King Saul went to war a lot. He wasn’t a poet like David or a builder like Solomon. He was the commander of Israel’s armies and God chose Saul to finally deal with the Amalekites.

The Amalekites first attacked Israel after they left Egypt and were on the road to Mount Sinai. The Amalekites attacked Israel from the rear and Moses responded by sending Joshua out with Israel’s army to fight them. As long as Moses stood with his arms raised, Israel prevailed, until they finally won. (Exodus 17:8-16)

God declared that day, “The Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.” Exodus 17:16

The Amalekites never stopped fighting Israel and they often joined other nations who attacked the Israelites. Exodus 17:16 says the Amalekites continuously lifted up their hands against the throne of the Lord.

Saul Defeats the Amalekites

God sent Samuel to King Saul with a message:

“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.” 1 Samuel 15:2-3

Saul and an army of 210,000 marched south to the city of Amalek. He set an ambush on the Amalekites’ escape route through a ravine and he warned the Kenites who lived nearby to evacuate. The Kenites had always been at peace with Israel.

The war raged all across the region, but Israel prevailed because God gave them the victory. Unfortunately, King Saul’s character was on full display after the war was won. God told Saul to kill every person and animal among the Amalekites, but Saul brought King Agag back as a trophy of war, and he let the soldiers bring back the prime livestock.

Saul’s Disobedience

God told Samuel, “I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” 1 Samuel 15:10

God’s words stirred up Samuel’s anger with Israel and King Saul and he cried to the Lord all that night. Samuel was sad that God had been dishonored, and he now had an even sadder task ahead of him.

Early the next morning Samuel went in search of Saul, but he wasn’t where he and Samuel had agreed to meet. Saul had gone to Carmel to build a monument to his victory and then traveled to Gilgal, quite pleased with himself.

“When Samuel reached him, Saul said, ‘The Lord bless you! I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.’” 1 Samuel 15:13

When Samuel asked why there were Amalekite animals at Gilgal, Saul lied and said that they were brought to be sacrificed to God. But Samuel knew they were plunder from the war.

Obedience is Better Than Sacrifice

“’Enough!’ Samuel said to Saul. ‘Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.’

‘Tell me,’ Saul replied.” 1 Samuel 15:16

Samuel reminded Saul that the mission God sent him on was very clear. “Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; wage war against them until you have wiped them out.” 1 Samuel 15:18

Saul argued that he had carried out the mission – except for sparing King Agag and some animals, which he claimed were for the purpose of sacrifices.

Samuel answered this argument with a very important truth about God: God wants obedience more than any kind of sacrifice people can bring.

Obedience rather than sacrifice” is a recurring theme in the Old Testament. Sacrifices and offerings are easy to bring, but an obedient heart shaped by God is a true gift to him.

Because Saul rejected the word of the Lord, God rejected Saul as king. His reign was coming to an end and Saul already knew the throne would not pass on to his son Jonathan because of Saul’s previous disobedience at Gilgal (1 Samuel 13:7-14)

Too Little, Too Late for Saul

Saul began to grovel and make excuses. He said he was afraid and gave in to his men when they wanted to plunder the best of the livestock at Amalek.

“Now I beg you, forgive my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord.’ But Samuel said to him, ‘I will not go back with you. You have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you as king over Israel!’” 1 Samuel 15:26

Saul tried to restrain Samuel from leaving him, but Samuel told him,

“The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors – to one better than you. He who is the Glory of Israel does not change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind.’” 1 Samuel 15:28-29

Saul knew that he had lost God’s blessing, but he was still the King of Israel, so he asked Samuel to help him keep the respect of his people.

“Saul replied, ‘I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord your God.’ So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.” 1 Samuel 15:30

After they worshiped, Samuel killed King Agag and then went home. He never saw Saul again, but he mourned for him and for what might have been if Saul had obeyed God. The Lord regretted that he had made Saul the king.

How Could God Regret What He Did?

Didn’t God know how things were going to turn out when he chose Saul as king?

Of course he did – God knows everything. But there are many things about people that fill God with regret. It’s not HIS actions that he regrets; he regrets the ways of people.

Israel asked for a king and God gave them the best candidate available for the job at the time. They wanted deliverance from their enemies and God used Saul’s prowess as a leader to get that done.

But no human king was ever going to be as successful and good as God had been to Israel. Israel rejected God as their Sovereign when they asked for an earthly king.

And that’s what God regretted. He regretted that Israel wanted a human king and that he was a man with weak character. The best candidate for the job succeeded in some ways, but failed in others, including in his personal relationship with God.

When Saul and Samuel worshiped together for the last time, Saul said, “Come back with me so that I may worship the Lord YOUR God.” This tells us where Saul stood in relationship to God; he no longer felt close to him . . . and he was right to feel that way.

“Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and a spirit from the Lord tormented him.” 1 Samuel 15:14

Samuel Anoints David

“The Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.’” 1 Samuel 16:1

God told Samuel to take a heifer for a sacrifice and invite Jesse’s family to the ritual. Jesse had eight fine sons and they all came to the sacrifice except David, the youngest son who was tending sheep. Samuel asked to meet David and when he saw him, God told Samuel,

“Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” 1 Samuel 16:12

From that day on the Spirit of God that had departed from Saul was powerfully with David. Samuel went back home to Ramah and his work as a prophet was done.

David in Saul’s Court

After the Lord’s Spirit left Saul, he was subject to a tormenting spirit from God. He was troubled and his attendants thought soothing music would help so they searched for a musician who could play the lyre. That was one of David’s many talents, and soon he was hired for the job.

Saul liked David very much and made him an armor-bearer in his court. He struck a deal with Jesse to send David whenever he needed him, and David’s music helped Saul with his tormented mind.

What does it mean that an evil spirit from God tormented Saul?

God gave Saul over to the consequences of his sin when he withdrew his Spirit from him. The Lord knew dark spirits were waiting to torment Saul and when he withdrew from him, the evil spirit had access to Saul. God used that torment to bring David into the royal household and put him on the path to the throne.

Tomorrow we will see David continue to rise in prominence and influence.