REBELLION
God gave a command to Saul when he said, “Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass” (1 Sam. 15:3). Students of the Bible know that Saul did not carry out that command “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 every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly” (1 Sam. 15:9). Why didn’t he? We have the answer later on in that chapter.
Have you ever wondered why people reject and refuse to do the will of God? Some refuse to obey the gospel even though they know what the Holy Word of God teaches about obedience. Some refuse to be faithful to God in their service in spite of all the teachings from the pulpit and the eldership, while others refuse to give liberally or others engage in activities that bring reproach upon the church. Preachers, elders, parents beat their heads against the wall trying to get their members and children to do right only to be constantly rebuffed by them and their activities.
Could the answer be rebellion? Saul had been appointed king and knew the blessings of God and yet reasoned with himself that he had done what God said do (1 Sam. 15:13). Here is the reason Saul did not do what God commanded, “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king” (1 Sam. 15:23). Plain and simple – rebellion and stubbornness! Saul was rebellious. Saul was stubborn. Do we not see the same situations today some few thousand years removed from the days of Saul? I refuse to do anything that I do not want to do. You can preach, teach, plead, beg, cry, cajole, entice, entreat and implore but I will look you square in the eye and reject your pleas. The scripture says that “rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry….”
Rebellion brought punishment to Saul and will bring punishment today to those who are rebellious.