I ended yesterday’s article with the following question:
Do you think God was too harsh with King Saul in refusing to forgive his sin?
I mean Saul was literally on the ground begging for forgiveness.
Yet we’re told it was too late.
I also brought up how Peter denied Yeshua three times before the cock crowed.
Yet, he was forgiven.
So why not Saul?
Well, verse 30 gives us the answer:
“Then Sha’ul said, ‘I have sinned; but in spite of that, please show me respect now before the leaders of my people and before Isra’el by coming back with me, so that I can worship Adonai your God.'”-1 Samuel 15:30
Alrighty, so we see where King Saul’s real concern and loyalty lie.
He didn’t care about being forgiven because he was sincerely sorrowful for what he had done.
He just wanted to maintain the illusion that he was still king before the elders of Israel.
That’s why he asked Samuel to come back with him.
It was all about making a political appearance.
And after the glorious victory over Amalek, that would’ve been expected.
There would’ve been a celebration at one of the holy sites.
Saul wanted to be seen standing in hand-in-hand with Samuel in front of the crowd.
That’s all this egotistic king cared about.
So the answer to the question of whether or not God was too harsh is what Kevin in the comments said yesterday.
“God knew Saul’s heart”.
And what He saw was a basket of rotten eggs.
Saul was most definitely NOT a man after God’s own heart.
Onward.
Samuel, now an elderly and gentle soul, and more heartbroken over Saul’s failures than anything agrees to go back with Saul.
But that was simply a gesture of kindness (and I’d say out of pity as well).
Don’t interpret Samuel going back with Saul to mean Samuel had forgiven the now-dethroned king.
Let’s take a closer look at verse 31.
“So Samuel went back with Saul,
and Saul worshiped the Lord.”
Hmm…?
So we’re told, “Saul worshipped the Lord”.
So let’s not take that statement seriously.
It was all for show.
Saul was just mechanically going through the motions.
While hypocritically observing the rituals, I bet Saul probably deceived himself into thinking God hadn’t discarded him forever.
He was still operating under the illusion that if he went through the motions of piety and did a little sacrificing here or tithing there, an all-loving and merciful God would change His mind.
Boy, the takeaway for today is clear as day.
How many so-called believers today are just like Saul?
They go to their congregations on the designated day of worship.
But they don’t believe in God.
Or if they do believe in God, they don’t care about obeying Him.
They just mechanically go through the motions as they recite their prayers and go through the rituals.
Church or synagogue is just a social club where they can show off their kids and drop worldly hints about how they’re doing so much better financially than anyone else.
Honestly, that’s been my experience with a good majority of the so-called houses of worship I’ve been to.
They warmly welcome the socially approved folks of the world and gather around tickling each other’s ears with superficial and inauthentic bs conversation over cookies and coffee.
But beware if you’re a “tax collector”, a “prostitute”, or anyone else whom they deem as a loser in their society.
You’ll be met with condescending stares and made to feel like you don’t belong, and that you’re not cool enough to chill with them.
Ya feel me?
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“While Yeshua was having
dinner at Matthew’s house,
many tax collectors and sinners
came and ate with him and his disciples.
When the Pharisees saw this,
they asked his disciples,
‘Why does your teacher eat
with tax collectors and sinners?’
On hearing this, Jesus said,
‘It is not the healthy
who need a doctor, but the sick.
But go and learn what this means:
I desire mercy, not sacrifice.
For I have not come to
call the righteous, but sinners.‘”
-Matthew 9:10-13
“My brothers and sisters,
believers in our glorious Lord Messiah Yeshua
must not show favoritism.
Suppose a man comes into your meeting
wearing a gold ring and fine clothes,
and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in.
If you show special attention to the man
wearing fine clothes and say,
‘Here’s a good seat for you,’
but say to the poor man,
‘You stand there’ or ‘Sit on the floor by my feet,’
have you not discriminated among yourselves
and become judges with evil thoughts?”
-James 2:1-4
“Command those who are rich
in this present world not to be
arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth,
which is so uncertain,
but to put their hope in God,
who richly provides us with
everything for our enjoyment.
Command them to do good,
to be rich in good deeds,
and to be generous and willing to share.
In this way, they will lay up treasure f
or themselves as a firm foundation
for the coming age, so that they
may take hold of the life
that is truly life.”
-1 Timothy 6:17-19
“Listen, my dear brothers and sisters:
Has not God chosen those who are
poor in the eyes of the world to be
rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom
he promised those who love him?
But you have dishonored the poor.
Is it not the rich who are exploiting you?
Are they not the ones who are
dragging you into court?
Are they not the ones who are
blaspheming the noble name
of him to whom you belong?”
-James 2:5-7
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