SATURDAY February 9, 2019

Lessons of Obedience

“And let it be, when these signs come to you [Saul], that you do as the occasion demands; for God is with you. You shall go down before me [Samuel]to Gilgal; and surely I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and make sacrifices of peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, till I come to you and show you what you should do.”
1 Samuel 10:7-8

As Saul obediently followed God’s instructions, and as he saw the fulfillment of the signs told him by the prophet Samuel, the Lord was with him. God wanted Saul to learn lessons of obedience. He knew Saul was self-willed. Samuel told Saul to go down to Gilgal, a place of worship, to wait there for seven days, and then Samuel would offer sacrifices to God. Samuel would have further instructions for Saul to follow.

Saul obeyed the Lord. When Samuel arrived seven days later, he make sacrifices to the Lord. The burnt offerings were sacrifices of consecration, and the peace offerings were sacrifices of fellowship. Saul would need to always listen to the detailed directions given to him by Samuel. In doing so, he would do exactly what God told him.

Now if we jump to 1 Samuel 13, two years later, what happened? Saul was now King of Israel. Saul and the men of Israel faced a multitude of Philistines who had gathered for war against them. Samuel had once again instructed Saul to wait seven days at Gilgal, and he would offer sacrifices, but when it seemed Samuel delayed his coming, Saul took it upon himself to take the office of a priest––when he was not a priest. Saul’s self-will got the best of him.  King Saul disobeyed the Lord. He made an excuse to Samuel as if to say, “We could not wait for you” (1 Samuel 13:11).

God is also teaching us lessons of obedience.  What specific instructions has the Lord given to you to obey from His Word? Can it be said of you that you have obeyed the Lord?

Obedience is the highest practical courage.
~C. H. Spurgeon~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!