God's Regret

"'Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey'.... He captured Agag the 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 not willing to destroy them utterly; but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed. Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, 'I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not carried out My commands.'" -1 Samuel 15.3, 8-11a

This is the final straw for Saul's reign. God is passing judgment on Amalek for his treatment of Israel on their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, and the command is to utterly destroy the people. Saul goes down and prepares for battle, achieves victory, and disobeys God. He spares the life of the king, as well as the best of the livestock. The text says they were not willing to destroy them. Saul was not willing to do all that God had said.

God sees Saul's actions, and He speaks to Samuel, telling him that He regrets His choice of Saul. Saul's actions of disobedience have cost him the favor of God.

Men, are you diligent to live obediently to God, or does your life bring God's regret? If God gives you a command, are you careful to fully obey it, or do you decide that you will serve God in a way other than He has instructed? Obedience is the only thing that pleases God.

Later, when Saul is confronted by Samuel, he tells him that the people took some of the best animals in order to offer them as sacrifice to God. Samuel then declares that God's desire is for obedience over sacrifice. Saul's actions have cost him his kingdom, let us be careful to guard our lives against the same actions and results.

Let us be men who diligently obey the words of God. Let us be men who faithfully do all that God commanded. May we never become men that God regrets giving power to.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor