SACRIFICE WHILE AGAG IS STILL ALIVE?

Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God. 1 Samuel 15:30

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 64 -66

Saul’s rejection story is one any reader of this devotional will be familiar with. As instructed by God, Samuel told King Saul to go and destroy the Amalekites. He said yes sir, and left with his armies. When he got to Amalek, he destroyed all the worthless things – sick goats and sheep, lame donkeys and camel, and left the good things – fat sheep and goats, well fed donkeys and horses. He destroyed everyone except King Agag. When he returned, the prophet rebuked him for his half obedience (not destroying all). Instead of Saul to repent and set things right by killing Agag and destroying all he brought back, he said it is true i have sinned against God but come with me to sacrifice to the Lord. 1 Samuel 15:30 says Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God. What is more important, sacrificing to God or obeying God? Saul wanted to disobey God and still offer sacrifice to God. Will God accept such sacrifice? He spared the fellow who the Lord asked him to kill and still had the audacity to offer God a sacrifice.

Saul was more interested in offering sacrifices than pleasing God. Thank God for Samuel, immediately after the sacrifice, he killed wicked Agag (1 Samuel 15:31-33). There are many of us like Saul today, we want to disobey God and offer Him sacrifices. We want to keep Agag alive and yet offer sacrifice to God. Many want to fornicate and still be in the choir. Many want to steal from their employers and still lead prayers in Church. Saul’s sacrifice was a wasted effort because he intentionally spared the life of wicked Agag. Are you and I like Saul in anyway? We want to secretly flout God’s commandment and yet at the same time be a worker in the house of God. Unfortunately, things do not work that way. Saul wanted to be seen offering sacrifices to God in the public and yet secretly keep Agag alive. Are you and I like Saul in this way? We want to openly mount the altar and preach powerful messages and yet in our secret closet live a life that Christ disapproves of? We want to openly play guitar in the church and secretly commit adultery with another woman. We want to publicly sing a special number to the glory of God, yet lie on our time sheets. We want to openly invite people to our church programs and yet secretly speak against the man of God. Are you and I trying to be openly loving at church and secretly wicked to our spouses? Because Saul wanted to openly sacrifice to God and yet, secretly spare wicked Agag, God distant Himself from him and publicly rejected him.

PONDER: In what ways are you secretly hiding Agag and openly sacrificing to God?

Bro Samuel – Reaching the world for Jesus.