Securing Peace Through Obedience

Before turning to I Samuel 15, I want to start in Hebrews 5:8. We read Jesus “learned obedience through the things He suffered”.

What makes it so difficult to obey?

One of the challenges to obedience is we don't always get an immediate sense of satisfaction or reward when we do right. Our flesh will always be at war with the Spirit of Christ. When an angry driver cuts you off you might be tempted to speak something you should not say. So you think, who is to know and beside the driver ought to know just how you feel! The blessing to obey will always far out way the temporary desire to put matters in our own hands.

Let’s look at verse 9 of I Samuel chapter 15. It says that Saul was unwilling to destroy the best of the sheep, oxen and fatlings but destroyed the weak and sickly sheep. Obedience is difficult when God calls us to sacrifice those things that represent the best in our lives. Another example is when God tested Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mount Moriah to see if Abraham loved God more that the fulfillment of a long awaited promise. If we cannot obey, then our devotion to Christ is under question.

Can we hear God when we are asked to obey Him? What are those things that He has asked us clearly, simply and directly yet for some reason we resist?

Disobedience not only dulls the ears to hear the voice of God but brings a spiritual blindness.

To those who obey God, we can hear Him clearly unlike those who have shut their ears and hearts from listening to God. Remember truth is a Person, Jesus Christ. When we fail to listen to the truth of God’s word, we open ourselves up to listening to lies. And what often follows lies is the darkness of deception.

The word “obey” in Hebrews 5:8 mean “submission to what is heard”. When we can hear the Lord, out of love we submit to His loving commands because we know it is for our good and the good of others.

In verse 15 King Saul gives an excuse to why he disobeyed. His reason was that the people spared the best of the sheep to sacrifice to the Lord. How easy it is for us to give disobedience another name! However, King Saul was the Commander in Chief and responsible to enforce the word of the Lord. He was not to let the people dictate his responsibility to obey the Lord. Peer pressure will always challenge us to fully obey the Lord. To obey means separation from those who are rebellious (Exodus 32: 25).

In conclusion, I want to talk briefly about King Agag, the Amalekite. Centuries earlier In Exodus 17:8-10 the Amalekites attacked Israel. In fact, they targeted the weak and sickly which fell behind (Deuteronomy 25: 18). Prophet Samuel killed Agag by “hewing” him to pieces even after he confronted Saul who refused to kill the king. History shows the Amalekites were known to be a cruel and violent people often mutilating their victims. While it seems that this was the end of the Amalekites, we learn about another Amalekite who appears in the book of Esther. His name is Haman, a descendant of King Agag.

And here is my point, those learn obedience through suffering are the ones who secure a future of peace so others are free from the harassment of an Enemy like Haman. Otherwise, when we disobey we not only give an opportunity to invite trouble in our lives, but we trouble others even those far into the future.