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As Christians, so many of the problems which we face are problems which we have made for ourselves. Yet, all too often, we are far too quick to look for someone else to blame.

At times, we give the devil the credit for something we ourselves have become involved in because of our own foolish choices.

The most common mistakes which we are inclined to make are in the area of our thinking about the Lord. For example, when we are challenged by the Word of the Lord:

"For them that honor Me I will honor, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed." (1 Samuel 2: 30).

We find it so easy to respond to that statement with the thoughtless reply: that is unfair! It restricts me far too much! The Lord is just making it far too difficult for me to live the Christian life.

Such negative attitudes may offer solace to our bruised ego. While at the same time they please: the devil!

The man who honored God: Samuel, lived a full, effective, and greatly blessed life. At no time did he feel that the Lord was restricting or limiting him in any way. The Word and the will of God actually set him free to live the most satisfying life imaginable!

By contrast, Saul became increasingly impatient with the Word of God. He insisted on having his own way even if that meant dishonoring the Lord. He lived a most miserable and futile life.

As we study this particular chapter of the Book of First Samuel, we will see yet another dimension of the love of the Lord for Saul. The amazing love which gave to Saul a second chance!

In this new opportunity, Saul had been sent to annihilate the Amalekites because of their attacks on Israel. The directions which Samuel gave to Saul were very clear and quite specific.

In this assignment, Saul had another opportunity to demonstrate that he did honor the Lord. He could do this by honoring the Word of the Lord in humble obedience.

"But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but everything that was vile and refuse, that they utterly destroyed." (verse 9)

It is not at all difficult to imagine the scene. The attack on the Amalekites was going so very well for the Israelites. They realized that their victory was assured.

Such a victory normally meant: the spoils of the battle they had won were theirs for the taking. Yet, in this case, there was one very real problem with such a supposition: The Word of God!

"Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have!" The Lord left nothing to speculation. He included every ox and sheep, every camel and ass.

Obviously the desires of Saul and his men conflicted with the specific requirements of the Word of God. Therefore Saul himself set the example. He took the lead. The record is clear: "Saul and his people spared!"

These animals were top quality. Saul decided, supported by his men, that these animals did not have to be killed.

Later Saul attempted to justify this decision by referring to sacrifices to the Lord. But there was absolutely no reference to sacrifices to the Lord at the time they decided to disregard His Word.

The implication is obvious. They decided to keep the best of these animals for themselves. Claiming them as their just spoils of war!

They deliberately chose to ignore: Reality! The Lord is true reality! Rather than being committed to please the Lord, they chose to please themselves for their own personal gain and glory!

This is such a common attitude. People do so willfully, choosing to ignore reality: God is God! They convince themselves that they can disregard the Word of God with impunity. Honoring the Lord is no longer a live option with such people.

Then! At the very moment of willful disobedience! God knew! God responded! "Those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed!"

"It repenteth Me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following Me, and hath not performed My commandments."

The Lord's requirements were simple enough. He had made quite sure that there could be no possibility of misunderstanding His Word. The obedience He commanded was straightforward.

Having been told what to do: just do it exactly according to the Word of the Lord!

They knew the Word of the Lord. Yet they did not obey! Saul led the entire nation into actions which are correctly described by the statement: "He is turned back from following Me!"

It should not surprise us that the Lord would grieve over this deliberate and willful revolt against His authority. He had so graciously done everything He could to ensure that Saul's reign as king was effective and enriched with blessing.

But, Saul gave to himself and to his people the liberty to disregard the Word of the Lord. After all, wasn't he king? Surely he had every right to please himself! Didn't he?

No! Certainly not! Not if pleasing himself meant dishonoring the Lord by disobeying His Word! The issue is as simple as that!

It was as simple as that in Saul's day. It is still as simple as that today! There is no way we can claim to please ourselves if in doing so we dishonor the Lord by disobeying His Word.

Why did it grieve Samuel? To answer this question, there are a number of very important factors which must be taken into account. Every one of these should be of the greatest importance to those who love the Lord.

Samuel lived in close personal fellowship with the Lord. He knew the Lord. He knew what pleased and honored the Lord. He also knew the things which displeased and grieved the Lord.

As Samuel listened to the Word of the Lord, "It repenteth Me that I have set up Saul to be king," Samuel immediately knew how deeply the disobedience of Saul had grieved the Lord! Grieved, yes! Angered!

Samuel fully understood that Saul's conduct inevitably meant that Saul would be rejected. He knew that it grieved the Lord that Saul gave Him no alternative but to reject him!

There are many Christians today who do not, cannot, understand the depth and the wonder of this great relationship. So very often we are completely oblivious to the fact that our words, actions and attitudes have deeply grieved the Lord.

The person who really walks in close fellowship with the Lord becomes increasingly sensitive to the Lord. Sensitive to the way in which He responds to our attitudes and actions. Those which please Him. Those which grieve Him.

If we were more spiritually sensitive, we would be far more inclined to honor the Lord at all times.

There was another reason this development grieved Samuel. He realized that Saul was foolishly throwing away this opportunity to demonstrate that he had learned his lesson well. The Lord really did want Saul to show that he chose to honor the Lord!

What a tragic waste. Samuel grieved over it. It brought no joy to him to have to witness these sad developments.

Grieved at the tragic fall of another! Not critical! Not gossiping! Certainly not rejoicing! Grieving! "If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual " - care enough to be grieved, then, "restore such an one in a spirit of meekness" (Galatians 6: 1).

Sadly, Saul had gone too far to be restored. Samuel knew that because of the Word which the Lord spoke to him. What a challenge to this great man of God!

This statement reveals how deeply Samuel grieved! How sincerely he agonized in the place of prayer, over Saul's foolish and selfish disobedience.

Here we see portrayed the utter devotion of this servant of the Lord to the honor of the Lord.

We are not told the requests which he made in prayer. The specifics are all hidden from us. It would be foolish presumption for us to attempt to speculate here.

We see: Samuel, grieving, in agonizing prayer. We do know that his first concern was for the honor of the Lord. That always had highest priority.

This brief statement: "It grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night!" - is one of the closest parallels which we can find in the Scriptures to the prayer of the Lord Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane.

This fact reveals to us so much about all the Lord had been able to do in His servant Samuel. It speaks volumes about Samuel's total loyalty to the Lord and His glory.

It demonstrates so effectively his strong desire to see his people experience the glorious wonder of a victorious relationship with the Lord.

Do we today even begin to share something of such a level of genuine concern? Either, for the honor of the Lord? Or, for the needs of others?

"And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, amd passed on,and gone down to Gilgal."

He had spent the entire night in agonizing prayer, crying to the Lord. Yet, first thing in the morning, while it was still early, Samuel set out to honor the Lord in humble obedience to His Word.

He knew the Lord required him to confront Saul. Think of the implications of this! The leader of Israel who had always honored the Lord confronting the leader of Israel who had repeatedly dishonored the Lord!

Samuel's obedience was a demonstration both, of his courage, and, of his persistence. When Saul was not at the place where Samuel expected to find him, he pressed on, faithful to the will of the Lord.

He was not looking for an excuse to avoid this potentially unpleasant encounter. He was committed to honor the Lord in obedience no matter what it took.

The Lord knew His man! He knew that he could be fully trusted with this mission. The Lord honored the man who honored Him.

"And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD."

King Saul imagined himself to be in full control of this situation. After all, he was the king! Who would question either his sincerity, or his loyalty to the Lord.

It was so easy for him to greet Samuel with the words: "Blessed be thou of the LORD!" Yet those same words were empty. It was all a pretended, totally phony spirituality! It sounded good. It was so false!

Saul was not alone in his "pretended spirituality!" There are so many more who know so well the appropriate terminology. The words flow so easily from them. Yet they are empty and false.

Sooner or later that falseness is completely exposed. False spirituality always - ALWAYS - mocks and dishonors the Lord! Always!

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap!" (Galatians 6: 7).

King Saul dared to claim: "I have performed the commandment of the LORD!" Had he? No!

Saul had selfishly and willfully modified the commandment of the Lord to satisfy his own greedy desires. He had not performed the commandment of the Lord. He had dishonored the commandment of the Lord! He honored himself and his men above the Lord.

Did he imagine that the Lord did not know? That Samuel did not know? Did he believe that he could so easily deceive this man who was so close to the Lord and continually honored by the Lord?

Or, did he convince himself that this time Samuel would allow him to get away with his disobedience?

We really do not know what was going on in Saul's mind. Obviously, he had completely lost touch with spiritual reality.

He willfully closed his eyes and mind to the fact: The Lord must know! He must! And, God would never condone his sinful disobedience! Never!

Do we, today, really believe that the Lord knows? If we don't, we have also lost touch with true spirituality!

"And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?"

Samuel did not have to challenge Saul's arrogant lie. The fact that it was a lie was immediately evident. It was for this reason Samuel asked the question : "If what you say is true, how do you explain the animal sounds I can hear?"

Saul knew what Samuel was implying. If Saul had fulfilled the commandment of the Lord neither of them would be able to hear those sounds!

The evidence of Saul's self-serving disobedience was clear. Samuel refused to ignore the obvious facts!

When the Holy Spirit challenges our disobedience, He fully exposes the evidence which demonstrates the guilt of our motives and our actions. Nothing can be hidden from Him.

Do we really imagine that He will disregard the obvious proof that we have selfishly dishonored the Lord? He will not! He focuses on that evidence as He convicts us of our sin.

"And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed!"

This is such a common ploy which is used by so many in the attempt to avoid personal responsibility. "They" made me do it! "They" insisted on having their own way. "They!"

"They" - were the people who were following Saul's leadership! He was their king. "They" were his followers. "They" now were his scapegoats!

The fact is: it was Saul who led the people into disobedience. "But Saul and the people spared!" Not, the people insisted and Saul had no choice but to go along with them.

Then, the spurious religious maneuvering. "The people spared" them "to sacrifice to the LORD thy God!"

Saul did some quick thinking. When the decision was first made to spare some of the animals no mention was made of any sacrifices. Now, confronted by the man of God, Saul decided, This will placate him! It is all to sacrifice to the Lord thy God. This was as false as everything else.

"Thy God!" The Lord is your God whom you delight to honor. We want to share in your devotion to Him.

It was all a lie! Yet so often, it is the same tactic which people still use. When they are caught in some sin, they are quick to come up with a "spiritual" explanation!

They deceive themselves. The Lord always knows the truth. It is foolishness to play such games.

"Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on."

Samuel postponed responding to Saul's self-serving explanation. Rather, he proceeded to remind Saul of things which should influence the king to reconsider his attitude.

It was not a mere man to whom Saul had to answer. He may attempt to dismiss Samuel as a foolish old man who was unable to do anything about the situation.

Samuel was not alone! He stood there as the faithful ambassador of the Lord. "I will tell you all that the LORD hath said unto me!" This was the awesome Word of the Lord!

To dismiss the Word of the Lord as unimportant and insignificant was total folly then - and now!

The Lord had reminded Samuel that there had been a time when Saul had been humble in his attitude. It was when he was humble that he had been selected to be king!

At that time, Saul's life was marked by great potential. He was the kind of person the Lord could use with great effectiveness.

But, something went wrong. He became less humble. More self-important. More self-willed and arrogant.

It had been the Lord who had personally entrusted Saul with dealing with the Amalekites. Not man. The Lord! The Lord who had every right to expect full compliance with His Word. Complete obedience.

Many have walked this same path. Starting out humble and sincere. Then to progressively change to become more self-centered and self-willed.

"Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?"

Why? Why did you assume that you could claim the right to set God's Word aside? To please yourself?

Why did you overrule the Lord's specific instructions and claim the spoils of war for yourself?

Notice: "the spoils!" Not: "the sacrifice!" The Lord knew the motivation and intentions which ruled the actions. They did not intend to sacrifice any part of it. It was the spoils of war which they had claimed.

The Lord described Saul's attitude and actions as: "Evil!" "Evil in the sight of the LORD!" It was evil! It is always evil to disregard and dishonor the

It may be: "Evil!" according to the Lords decisive definition. Many today think that they have found a more convenient and comfortable way to define it.

"And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me."

Saul dared to claim: "I have!" I have been faithful to the Word of God! But, there was one major problem with such a claim: the verdict of The Lord!

"Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD?" Which is it? Who is speaking the truth? It was the Lord who said: You have not! Saul who said: I have!

How contemptible is the claim: I am right! So, the Lord is wrong! I know what I did! Obviously the Lord does not know what I did!

This blatant attempt at self-justification totally dishonored the Lord. You see, the only way Saul could vindicate himself was by condemning the Lord!

Remember, on those occasions when we feel compelled to make strong claims in an attempt to vindicate ourselves, we are probably digging ourselves deeper into a morass which can only complicate our problems.

Such attempts almost inevitably dishonor the Lord. "Self" is neither worthy of self-justification, nor the fit subject for vindication. This is a most difficult lesson for most of us to learn.

At least that part of his explanation sounded somewhat acceptable - to Saul! Especially as he quickly injected a hasty explanation: "To sacrifice to the LORD thy God."

It was: "the people!" Not according to the Word of the Lord! "The people" had been led by their king: Saul! "Saul and the people spared!"

It was the Lord who brought the charge against the king. "Wherefore then didst thou . . . fly upon the spoil?" That is the Word of the Lord, focusing on: "Thou!"

"Thou!" - is singular. One person! Saul! Not even: You and the people. "Thou art the man!"

God knew the truth. God exposed the truth. Saul was guilty. All of Saul's contemptible self-justifying maneuvering could never change the truth! God said so!

What an awesome reality! Saul stood - not before Samuel. He stood before the Lord. The eternal God. The Infinitely Holy One! He who knew every word. Every thought. Every motive. Every action.

We need to listen so very carefully. To diligently learn from these events. We must be totally honest with the Lord. There is nothing we can hide from Him!

Saul should have humbly acknowledged the truth. Sincerely reporting his foolish failure to honor the Word of the Lord. Confessed his sin. Begged for grace and mercy.

He should have. But he didn't! He tried to prove himself right! Therefore, God must be wrong.

The man who honored the Lord confronted this king who had repeatedly dishonored the Lord.

"Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD?"

The outward ceremonial was placed in striking contrast to the attitude and motivation of the heart. Even if Saul's claims were true, though they were not, his focus on outward ceremony was demonstrated by its sheer futility. The futility flowed from wrong attitudes and wrong motivations.

Once again, this searching deliberation is of the greatest significance today. There are vast numbers of people who claim to be Christians because of their involvement in outward ceremonial.

The Lord looks on the heart. He evaluates. When the most elaborate ceremony is not motivated by heart loyalty to the Lord, He is not impressed at all!

"Though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity (love), it profiteth me nothing" (1 Corinthians 13: 3). That is the verdict of the Lord. In Saul's day. As well as today.

Samuel reminded Saul: "To obey is better than sacrifice!" This is the Lord's verdict! He demands obedience! Nothing less! Nothing else will satisfy!

"Rebellion!" Knowing exactly what the Lord has told you to do, and then doing as you please. “Rebellion” is as evil as “witchcraft!” God says so!

From the very beginning of the Bible until its close, God demands: "Obedience!" Remember the words of the Lord Jesus: "If ye love Me, keep My commandments!" (John 14: 15).

The awesome verdict was announced: "Because thou hast rejected the Word of the LORD, He hath also rejected thee from being king."

Disobedience is rejection of the Lord and His Word. It should not surprise us that it leads to being rejected by Him. Saul: Finally, totally, rejected!

This is not what the Lord wanted. Then, or, now! Yet anyone who continues to dishonor the Lord will reach the inevitable end: rejection.

At last Saul realized that the Lord meant exactly what He said. He realized: too late! He confessed, "I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD!" He confessed: too late!

He should have confessed his sin when Samuel first met him. But he attempted to shift the blame. Evade his responsibility. Cover his sin. The Lord would not let him get away with it.

Think! It may not be too late - if only you will be honest with the Lord, now! Repent! Confess! Renounce all sin and compromise. We all have a choice: either, reject all sin, or, reject the Lord to be rejected by Him.

"I feared the people, and obeyed their voice!" Was this really true?

"The fear of man is a snare!" It leads to the slavish desire to please man, not to please God.

Paul was right: "For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ" (Galatians 1: 10).

Peter was right, "We ought to obey God rather than men!" (Acts 5: 29).

It is our choice. No one else can make it for us. We either please God, or man. We either honor God, or man. We either obey the Word of God, or the word of man.

This pathetic request reveals more of the tragic depth to which Saul had sunk. Samuel could not pardon his sin. Only the Lord could do that. But, the Lord had already judged Saul, announced His verdict on Saul's sin; and pronounced the just sentence!

Saul wanted Samuel to accompany him back to create the impression that Saul was still acceptable to Samuel. That Samuel would join in worship of the Lord with Saul.

It was as though he was attempting to blot out or deny the Lord's verdict.

Was Samuel being too harsh? Samuel was acting in the only way that honored the Word of the Lord concerning Saul. The issue was not what Saul begged Samuel to do. The issue was to honor the Lord above man, no matter who the man, or woman, happened to be.

Samuel knew that there was to be no pardon. He knew he did not have the right to do anything which implied that Saul's conduct was acceptable. Least of all that Samuel would engage in any pretence involved in sharing in the worship of the Lord with Saul.

Samuel honored the Lord. This meant that the decision of the Lord was fully honored and upheld by the servant of the Lord.

How tragic, yet true: it was too late for Saul to bring up the desire for pardon. Even as it was far too late for him to express the suggestion of worshipping the Lord.

Too late! Was Saul the only one to reach this ominous terminus, from which there could be no return?

Certainly not! Saul walked the broad way which inevitably led him to destruction. No person ever walks that road alone. "Many there be which go in thereat!"(Matthew 7: 13).

Like Saul, everyone who goes that way have willfully ignored the vast number of clear warnings which the Lord has continuously placed in their way. Those who walk that path, do so deliberately, by their own choice.

"For thou hast rejected the Word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel."

The Lord's verdict and decision had been announced. That was it. Nothing could change it!

Remember: The Lord had given Saul every opportunity and every assistance to enable him to become the kind of king the Lord required him to be.

Saul rejected the Lord's way. He spurned the Lord's requirement to obey His Word. He became proud and self-sufficient. Self-confident and self-willed.

He carelessly threw aside every amazing offer of the Lord's grace. He defiantly disregarded the perfect will of the Lord. He blatantly disobeyed the Word of the Lord. With a most obnoxious attitude, he rejected every gracious offer made by the Lord to work with him, guide him, and meet his every need.

It was Saul who left the Lord with no choice! Now, Saul had to pay the price. That decision was definite. Decisive. Never to be changed!

Like both Samuel and Saul, we make our own decisions. It is our choice which is ultimately so decisive.

We can choose to be like Samuel. To be personally committed to so live that in all things we will honor the Lord. When we make that choice, we enable the Lord to open the windows of heaven and pour into our lives the abundance of His all-sufficient resources. Thus our lives will be lived at the highest level of the most glorious potential.

Or, we can choose to be like Saul. Brush the Word and the will of the Lord aside as unimportant. After all, we have our own plans! This is the way to certain disaster. Requiring an incredibly high price. To end in the most tragic consequences.