Friday, July 7, 2017
A word for today!
“But Saul and His 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” (2 Sam. 15:9).
Hey Gang:
Many years ago, when we were going through rapid expansion at the Village, a
period when the alligators were doing more than nipping at our heals and were
up to our armpits, I was priviledged to attend The Shepherd’s Conference in
Kansas City. The Kansas City News published a headline announcing that
three-thousand shepherds were in town attending the Conference: they added that
they did not know there were 3000 shepherds left in the country.
At the
end of the Conference they wrote about
the difference in atmosphere from the week before - which was the Democratic
Presidential Conference.
I would
dearly love to give you a blow-by-blow account of the three-day event, but will
suffice to say, it was a life-changing experience - at a time when I was going
through very deep waters. I was so very blessed to sit under several
outstanding teachers -but the one that really got inside my heart, soul and
mind was Ern Baxter, then known throughout the world as being a ‘preacher’s-
preacher’.
He
titled his series: “The King and His Army” and presented three, hour and half,
electrifying messages from the writings of Samuel. At that time cassettes
were the way to immortalize special messages. I purchased the tapes and
in the next several years literally wore them out. There were very few
days when I did to invite Ern Baxter’s teaching into my heart and mind.
I
talked with an old-salt, several days ago, and mentioned that I had been
reviewing notes, that I have compiled over the years from the Old Covenant. He
said, “Oh, that’s all past, I only read the New Testament.” I kind-of-felt
like he was basking on the whip cream and cherry and was neglecting the ice
cream and chocolate syrup. You see, I believe, if Jesus and His intimate
twelve quoted from the Old Covenant, that is reason enough that I should find
about what is in it.
I would
dearly love to go down that track this morning, but I feel a tug saying, “Get
back on the subject, Hainley.” In his three sessions, Baxter laid out a clear
picture of how America is following the same track that Israel followed. The
people grumbled to Samuel and demanded a king to rule them and not a prophet,
”JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE”.
Well,
God answered, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that
they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me
from being king over them” (1 Sam. 8:7). (Does that ring a bell in
2021?) “BUT”- be
careful of the in’s, and’s and but’s, they tend to sometimes come
back to haunt you. Samuel warned: He (king) will take and
he will take and he will take and then he will take some more” (I.
Sam. 8:10-17). Does that sound familiar?
Saul
had it all – he was chosen by God to be His king- but became increasingly
rebellious toward the Lord. If I were to make a listing of Saul’s
rebellious acts toward God, I would place his refusal to do as Lord instructed
him to do. In 1 Sam 15:7. Saul received
this instruction from Samuel: “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”.
We read
in verse 9 Saul’s response to his marching orders from God through Samuel, “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 they utterly destroyed!”
He
made a bad decision to go his own way! “Why then do you ask me,
since the Lord has departed from you and has become your adversary? The
Lord has done accordingly as He spoke through me; for the Lord has torn the
kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David. As you
did not obey the Lord and did not execute, His fierce wrath on Amalek, so the
Lord had done this things to you this day” (1Sam 28:16-18).
But
Saul chose not to do it God’s way. Note: the result of this rebellious
act on Saul’s part- Saul was killed by the hand of an Amalekite (2 Sam 1:8).
In this
story of Saul and David’s kingship, is there a story tucked away for us and for
this day? Yes, I believe there is. Note these words in I Sam 15:26: “The
Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel”. In I Samuel 16:12
we read of David’s anointing as king.
Question?
Do you have two kings in your life, today? If so, which one ae you
serving?
Blessings,
Gramps
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