However, Saul and the army spared Agag, along with the best of the flock, the cattle, the fatlings, and the lambs, as well as everything else that was of value. They were not willing to slaughter them. But they did slaughter everything that was despised and worthless.
1 Samuel 15:9 NET
In 1 Samuel 15:1-3, God instructed Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites for what they had done to Israel during the journey from Egypt to Sinai (Ex. 17:8-16). There is much about this command that is hard to understand, and we may question the genocidal nature of the command. But what is clear is Saul’s failure to obey and the personal consequences of his failure.
Saul took his army and obeyed God. Mostly. Saul spared their king and the best of their flicks and herds, taking them as plunder.
When Samuel confronted Saul with his failure, Saul began to make excuses for his failure. First, he said that he had saved the best to offer a sacrifice to God (1 Sam. 15:15). Then he claimed that his army had saved them as a sacrifice (1 Sam. 15:21).
Samuel told Saul that obeying God is better than sacrifice (1 Sam. 15:21-23). God wants my heart, not just the outward signs of serving God. Saul’s failure to obey fully ultimately cost him God’s presence and led to the kingship passing to David (1 Sam. 15:26).
Obey God Fully
I am not a king. And God has not instructed me to annihilate a people group. But this account is still relevant to me. There are many Amalekites in my own life. Habits, activities, possessions, and attitudes that wage war against the godly life I have been called to live (1 Pet. 2:11).
Am I willing to obey God and put to death those things in my life that keep me from being a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God (Rom. 12:1)? Going beyond half-hearted devotion? Or, like Saul, only going halfway, eliminating those things that have little value to me, while holding on to what is more important?
God does not reject me when I fail to obey him fully. But it does hinder my relationship with him and keeps me from becoming the man he desires me to be. It is only when I obey God fully, putting to death the Amalekites in my own life, that I can fully experience the life he has for me.
