Sound Doctrine

Guest (Male): Are you putting off a decision to give your life to God? Pastor Jeff Johnson has a question for you: what are you waiting for? Don't wait. Come now. And don't count God's long suffering, that He doesn't see your sin and He doesn't keep it in account, because He does. He's not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to eternal life. But there is coming a day where once the rapture takes place, for those of you that are left behind, it's too late. Scary time.

This is Sound Doctrine with Pastor Jeff Johnson, presented each day by Calvary Chapel Downey. How foolish is it to defy God? I think that would be an easy question for most of us to answer: very foolish. Today as we consider 1 Samuel chapter 15, we see Saul reap the consequences of defying God. It's not a good time for Saul, and he actually realizes his mistakes. Still, that's not going to do him any good. It's a lesson we need to learn in our own lives. Here's Pastor Jeff with a study in 1 Samuel 15.

Jeff Johnson: First Samuel 15, verse 24. We're going to be talking about true repentance this morning, because this is exactly what this is dealing with. Someone has said this: we are sometimes repentant because of the harm we have done to ourselves and others with our sins. But there is little repentance towards God. We may regret what our sins do to our testimony and to the evil effect on others, but we are little concerned because the fellowship with God is broken. This makes for shallow and inadequate confession, because we have not touched the true heart of the trouble.

We'll see with Saul, as his heart is being revealed here, the true trouble heart of Saul is coming to the surface. Even after all that he says and all that he does, in fact, the more he does, the more it's revealed. His heart is being opened here, and again he is disobeying God. He finds himself going his way instead of God's way. It reveals your heart. When you are stubborn and you want to go your own way, it's just revealing that your heart isn't totally given over to the Lord and you're not totally seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness. You're still stubborn. You still think you can work it out your way.

Saul thought sacrifice was sufficient, and so he brought this great sacrifice to God. But God didn't want the sacrifice. He wanted obedience. Remember over in verse 22 it says to obey is better than sacrifice, to harken, to listen to me than the fat of lambs? God desires our obedience and that we have ears to hear what He is saying to us. That's all He wants. The sacrifices should just be a normal response to His great love to us, and so we sacrifice our lives, we give our money, we dedicate our lives to God, our businesses to God, our time to God, our energies to God. Those are sacrifices, but our obedience, that's what He's really looking forward to: seeing us have an ear to hear.

It's really all or nothing here, and I see that Saul's heart, Jesus wasn't on the throne, the Lord wasn't on the throne here. Self was on the throne. He wanted to do it his way. God says your way is witchcraft. It's as witchcraft. What is witchcraft say to us? It's deceptive. It's demonic. Doing our own thing, going our own way is demonic? God says it's like witchcraft. That's pretty heavy. Rebellion, to rebel against God is to be so deceived and into darkness, it's unbelievable. He says your rebellion is like witchcraft.

He was committing idolatry, God said in verse 24. He was stubborn. To be stubborn and do your own thing and look to others, I don't care what you look to to be your god, is idolatry instead of giving your life to the Lord. Don't be stubborn, and remember the psalm we read this morning, Psalm 32: don't be like the horse or the mule, but yield your life, yield everything about you to Him. Saul was stubborn, and each time he would come back to Samuel and he would say, "What have I done wrong? I did exactly what God said for me to do." We're all going, "What? You did what? God said to do this and you didn't do it. You disobeyed the Lord." "Oh no, I did it."

He was totally deceived, or he is a total liar. There are many liars. Somehow he rationalized the sin. He was stubborn. Because he failed to go God's way, because he rejected what God said, we've got to get this: God turned to him and said, "Then I reject you." We know this: that if we would draw near to the Lord, He will draw near to us. There are two ways to go. It's your choice, it's my choice. What is it? You could reject the word of the Lord, the way of the Lord, and do your own thing and think your own philosophy and go your own way, and then be rejected by God, or are we going to accept His way and draw near to Him?

Verse 24, as soon as Saul heard these words, that he had rejected God and so now God was rejecting him, in chapter 15 of 1 Samuel, verse 24, it says and Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and thy words because I feared the people and I obeyed their voice." Notice as soon as Saul hears what God's final word is to him, then he cries out and says, "I've sinned." I'm going to show you that this guy in his repentance, it's very shallow. One of his motivations for saying "I have sinned" was because he didn't want to bear the consequences of his disobedience. All of a sudden realizing what's going to happen, he's going, "Oh no, wait a minute. I've sinned. Okay, all right, I've sinned."

It's not a genuine repentance. In fact, it reminded me much of Pharaoh. Do you remember Pharaoh as the plagues were going into the land? Things were just not going Pharaoh's way. Finally, it says in Exodus 9 in verse 27, and Pharaoh sent and called Moses and Aaron and this is after the rain was coming down with fire and hail, and Pharaoh said, "Get Moses and Aaron over here." Then he brought them and he said, "I have sinned this time. The Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked." It was a superficial type of repentance because we know what happened: he didn't mean it. He went on to rebel against the Lord and he strengthened himself in his rebellion. God even said, "Okay, if that's what you want, then go for it." He didn't repent.

Saul is blaming the people. "I feared the people, because this is why I did what I did. I really was afraid." It is true that the fear of man is a snare. That is very true, that's very scriptural. But this was a lame excuse for King Saul to give. When you're a king, you know you can't please everybody all the time. What are you worried about the people? You've got to please God above and beyond everything else. You've got to please God. If some go along with it, great. If some aren't pleased, well, that's tough. You've got to please God. You can't please everybody. God says, whosoever puts his trust in the Lord shall be safe. That's exactly what Saul did not do.

Later on we're going to see David also get caught up in this snare of the fear of man. Some of you might have read the story about when David was in fear to the King of Achish. He was so afraid of him that he thought he was going to lose his life and he began to act like a madman and roll around on the ground and foam at the mouth. He was faking it because he was so afraid of the king. It's a sad state to see David in. David, get up, my gosh. But this is what fear does. What God desires from us is a straightforward, honest confession. He desires that we say, "Okay, I blew it. I was wrong. I have sinned. I have hurt the heart of God. I repent."

Not only have I hurt myself and those around me, but I have hurt God's heart. I have quenched the Spirit of the Lord. I have grieved God. But with Saul, this is not true repentance here. Some people say, "Okay, I recognize this, that I am a sinner. I am a sinner." But that's not true repentance. That's not repentance as a whole. It's a declaration of a blasphemous truth is what it is. Okay, you're a sinner. Totally in rebellion against God. That's what you're saying. "I've blown it. I didn't go God's way. I've done my own thing. I'm a sinner." But that's not enough. That's not repentance. Repentance, true repentance, is forsaking the sin and living for the Lord. That's repentance.

True repentance is turning from the lifestyle that you're living, having a change of mind, a change of direction in your life, just saying, "I'm going to go God's way now." You say, "Well, I came to the Lord, but I just went back to what I was doing." Well, then you didn't truly repent. If you truly repented, you would go God's way instead of your own. You're in a rut. You're in a pit. You feel like you're just being sucked down like with quicksand and your flesh is killing you and you know where you're at today. You know how things aren't going right. You know you're not right with God. So what do you need to do? You need to turn and go His way. You need to cry out to Him and truly repent of your sin and go His way. Leave here this morning serving the Lord, obeying the Lord, and there'll be incredible changes in your life. But it's a choice.

Verse 25 goes on. "Now therefore," and here's Saul going on, he says, "I pray thee," talking to Samuel, "pardon my sin. Forgive me of my sin. Turn again with me that I may worship the Lord." Saul number one is looking to the wrong person because if you're going to look to true forgiveness and cleansing, you need to look to God. Only God can truly pardon sin. In fact, there was a story in the New Testament in Luke chapter 5 where you remember how these guys wanted their friend to be healed and they let him down in the hole in the roof? They actually tore off the roof and let him down. And Jesus said to this man before he healed him and told him to get up, he said, "Man, thy sins are forgiven thee." Then all of a sudden it says that the scribes and Pharisees they began to talk saying, "Who is this which speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" He's the only one that can. Jesus is God. He can forgive you of all your sins and wash them away as far as the east is from the west. Jesus is God.

You've got to come to Him and to Him alone. Saul was coming to Samuel. Look at verse 26. And Samuel said to Saul, "I will not return with thee. For thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected thee from being king over Israel." Evidently, Samuel felt very strongly about what had happened. How Saul had rejected God and how God had then rejected Saul. He felt very strongly about what God had said through him. He saw no need to give Saul another chance, which is incredible to me. Think about it. That God would not give to a man another chance. He had gone that far. Is it possible for a man to go that far where God just says, "Okay, you wanted it, you got it, you live with it. It's yours. I'm letting go now and I'm no longer going to mess with you. I'm no longer going to convict your heart. You're hard, you're hopeless." Whoa.

There is a scripture in Romans chapter 1 where God is sharing about mankind and He says eventually in verse 28, "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge," they kept pushing Him away, it says that God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient. In other words, God just says, "You want it, you got it. Go do your sin." It's a sad time when man is left alone with his sin. He will be destroyed. So Saul, Samuel says, "It's too late. It's over." There is actually coming a time where the scripture says that God will not always strive with man. That means that God is striving with you right now. He has been very patient and long suffering with you and your sin. You and the darkness you're playing with, you and your rebellion against His ways. He has been very patient.

How much patience does God have? How much long suffering? Well, so far He's had plenty. And yet there is actually coming a time where He says, "That's it," and it's too late. Don't wait. Come now. And don't count God's long suffering that He doesn't see your sin and He doesn't keep it in account, because He does. He's not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to eternal life. But there is coming a day where once the rapture takes place, for those of you that are left behind, it's too late. Scary time.

Verse 27, and as Samuel turned about to go away leaving Saul, Saul all of a sudden laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle and he tore it. And Samuel said unto him, "The Lord has rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day and has given it to a neighbor of thine that is better than thou." Samuel was leaving, why? Because the Bible says come out from amongst them and be ye separate, says the Lord. Saul has made his decision to go the way of the world, to go the way of his flesh. Samuel, Saul you want to go that way fine, but I'm leaving. I'm not going that way. And as he was leaving and leaving the situation, knowing that Saul was a man causing division, knowing that Saul was a man that was to be left alone.

Remember what Romans says and I think it's 16:17? He says those that cause divisions among you that you are to avoid them, separate yourself from them. Samuel was leaving. Saul panicked and yet he grabbed his skirt. And this is not Saul wasn't as a king saying, "You wait right here. You're not leaving my presence." He wasn't doing that. It was kind of a sign of submission somewhat as he grabbed the hem of his skirt. Yet as he did that, it tore. And God turned around through Samuel and said, "Saul, just as you have torn this skirt, so will your kingdom be torn from you and given to another." Sin has a great price and he was about to pay that price.

Verse 29, "And also the strength," he said, "of Israel," which is another name for God, "also the strength of Israel, God, will not lie nor repent, for He is not a man that He should repent." Again, out of Numbers it says that God is not a man that He should repent. It's not God who changes, it's not God who changed, but it's Saul who changed. Started out on a good foot, looked like he was going to make it, but he blew it. He changed. God didn't. The word of the Lord says it will stand forever. God's word you can count on it, once God has said it, it's settled. That's it. When He says it will come to pass, it will come to pass.

I looked in a scripture in Ezekiel talking about the children of Israel coming back into the land, and God says in Ezekiel 36, verse 36, at the end of the verse he says, "I the Lord have spoken it and I will do it." He said, "I have spoken it, I'm going to do it." God says, "I'm going to bring Israel that is scattered in all the world and I'm going to bring them back to their land and they are going to become a nation." God said it, He's done it. He said, "I will do it," but He's already done it. We look back and we look at prophecy and it's been fulfilled.

Then he goes on talking about how the King of the North will come down, and it's interesting as you read on in chapter 37 and chapter 38, he says, "I the Lord have spoken it and I will perform it," says the Lord. In other words, I'm going to cause it Israel to become a nation. And in 1948, May 14th, Israel became a nation. And this is what the King of the North is going to say about Israel: dwelling safely. This is Ezekiel 38, verse 11. And then going down further in Ezekiel 38, verse 14 it says, "Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog, thus saith the Lord, in that day when my people of Israel dwell safely." You see, they are coming into a security and a safety.

Paul says in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verse 3, when they will say, "Peace and safety," beware, for sudden destruction is coming. See, it's all a part of the scripture. Yes, this is being fulfilled. This is not the peace pact that is going to take place with the Antichrist and Israel. This has nothing to do with that. This is a peace of just in name only. And yes, there'll be a time of peace with Israel. This is the greatest time of peace of Israel has ever had. But it's just a setup, don't you see? For then the scriptures to be fulfilled as the King of the North come down upon that nation. God said, "I said it, it shall be done." You can count on it. The word of the Lord shall stand forever.

Samuel says to Saul, "God said it. It's over, Saul. You're through. It's done." Saul would now reap what he has sown. And his wanting to worship the Lord wasn't because he wanted to seek God, and Samuel knew that. Samuel knew Saul's heart. Look at verse 30, going on here. "Then he said," well, wait a minute, "I have sinned. Yet honor me now." I mean, can you imagine? Here's a guy that's supposed to be repented, and he's saying, "Honor me now." What are you full of pride or what? "Samuel, lift me up in front of the people. They need to see me that I've sinned," you know, in an outward show, you know, of no work that is happening inside. He just wanted to do it for show. Honor me? He should be saying, "I'm broken. God forgive me a sinner."

He had no connection with that, he had blown his fellowship with God. He is losing it. He's losing touch with his creator. He's saying, "Honor me? I pray thee before the elders of my people." I want to make a good showing. "And before Israel, and turn again with me that I may worship the Lord," notice, "thy God." He wanted to look good before the people, to worship before "thy God." Why are you saying this, Saul? See, Saul didn't want to pay the penalty for his sin. His heart was wrong and he was far from God. That's why he said to worship "thy God." Look at the distance of relationship here. "Samuel, I want to worship your God." Well, what do you mean your God, Saul? Well, not right now. You know, it's almost like his confession is coming out like, "Okay," you know, he's just revealing his heart.

Guest (Male): Sounds like the problem so many people deal with today. They acknowledge God's existence, but they don't want to fully surrender to Him. This is Sound Doctrine and today we heard a message from Pastor Jeff Johnson from 1 Samuel chapter 15. We pray you've been blessed by what you've heard today. 1 Samuel is filled with practical insights for Christian living, and if you'd like to hear this study again, go to sounddoctrineradio.org or listen through the Sound Doctrine podcast app.

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