A KING’S REASONS FOR DISOBEDIENCE

A KING’S REASONS FOR DISOBEDIENCE

And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.  And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.  And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that THE PEOPLE WERE SCATTERED FROM ME, AND THAT THOU CAMEST NOT WITHIN THE DAYS APPOINTED, AND THAT THE PHILISTINES GATHERED THEMSELVES TOGETHER at Michmash; Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.  And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee (1 Samuel 9:9-14).

In a time of natural emergency, Saul was apparently to go to Gilgal, where he was to wait seven days for Samuel to arrive. By that time, Israel’s leaders would have gathered the army together. Samuel could then offer sacrifices to God on behalf of the nation, and pass on God’s instruction to Saul (1 Samuel 10:8).The current Philistine’s attack tested Saul’s obedience. But rather than wait for Samuel, he offered the sacrifice himself. Probably his action resulted partly from impatience and partly from the desire to have complete power, religious as well as political.

Samuel saw that Saul’s action was really a rebellion against the authority of God and therefore confronted him with the error of his disobedience to which Saul responded. The defensive response of Saul to the corrective confrontation of Prophet Samuel is an eye-opener into the factors generally responsible for Believers’ disobedience to divine will and instructions. When confronted, Saul gave three reasons responsible for his disobedience against God’s express and unambiguous commandment.

“And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that THE PEOPLE WERE SCATTERED FROM ME, AND THAT THOU CAMEST NOT WITHIN THE DAYS APPOINTED, AND THAT THE PHILISTINES GATHERED THEMSELVES TOGETHER at Michmash.”

“The PEOPLE were scattered from me…”

PEOPLE’S PRESSURE

We all need correct relationships in our lives for survival. As a matter of fact, life is a function of relationships. From family to school to workplace to religious fellowships, life is a network of people and relationships. Relationships are critical social currency in life. We need people in our lives and around us to stand with us in our down times and moments of need for encouragement, care and support. Good people and correct relationships are a great social, moral and spiritual asset to life. Lack of correct people can bring great limitation to life. The crippled man at the pool of Bethesda is a good example of what a great limitation can come to a life that has no man.

However, when people and relationships are not rightly placed in our lives especially as it relates to our walk with God, people and relationships, even loving and caring kinds could become a challenge to our obedient walk with God! As much as we need people around us for support and encouragement, sometimes we must need to stand alone in life especially when people or public opinions seek to undermine God’s will and godly convictions. As important and beneficial as men could be in our lives, the best of men are still men and NOT God. Men are mortal and limited. They should never be allowed to make us sin against the Immortal and Unlimited God Who has the final say over the lives of all men. It’s why Jesus admonishes us: “Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill you. They can only kill the body; they cannot do any more to you. But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill people and then throw them into hell”.

Sometimes it could be the friendliness, care and sympathy of people that want to become a stumbling block in the way of obedience to God and doing His will.  During the earthly life of Jesus, people “love” Him so much that they wanted to make Him their king. But Jesus knew that becoming the king of a tribe is not the will of God for His life and so He escaped for His life.  Also when Paul was to go to Jerusalem according to the will of God, brethren, with tears of sympathy persuaded him not to go because of what he would suffer in the will of God. But Paul like Jesus had learnt to place God above people and human pressure.

At other times, it could be the frown, neglect or apathy of people that want to stand in the way of our obedience to God. Daniel was there. When king Darius had signed a decree that everyman that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, except from the king shall be thrown into the dens of lion; Daniel chose to obey God not fearing the wrath of the king. When Peter and John were also commanded not to preach in the name of Jesus, they chose to obey God rather than men. “They called them back and warned them that they were on no account ever again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. but Peter and John spoke right back, “Whether it’s right in God’s eyes to listen to you rather than to God, you decide. As for us, there’s no question-we can’t keep quiet about what we’ve seen and heard” (Acts 4:18-20).

Now Christians have a responsibility to submit to the various types of authority that God has established in human society. In the family, children are to obey their parents (Ephesians 6:1; Colossians 3:20). In the sphere of works, employees are to obey their employers (Ephesians 6:5; Col. 3:22). In any community or nation, people are to obey the laws of that community or nation (Romans 13:1; Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:13). In the church Christians are to obey their leaders (Phil. 2:12; 1 Thess. 5:12; Heb. 13:7). In any sphere of life, people with authority may at times command Christian to do something that is contrary to what God has taught in his Word. In such cases, Christians must be prepared to obey God rather than man, even though their actions may bring unwelcome consequences upon themselves. WE OUGHT TO OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MEN.

People’s pressure is real. As Christians, people want to force us into their moulds. People want us to dance to their tunes. But people’s pressure must not be allowed to override God’s will and purpose for our lives. WE MUST OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MEN.

King Saul disobeyed a clear, divine instruction because people were already withdrawing their moral support. But judging from the consequences of his disobedience, it is very clear that IT IS FAR BETTER FOR PEOPLE TO GO AWAY FROM US THAN WE GOING AWAY FROM GOD BECAUSE OF PEOPLE!

If men’s commands and God’s interfere God’s commands must take place. It is a rule in the common law of England that if any statute be made contrary to the law of God it is null and void. Nothing can be more absurd than to hearken unto weak and fallible men, that are fellow-creatures and fellow-subjects, more than unto a God that is infinitely wise and holy, our Creator and Sovereign Lord, and the Judge to whom we are all accountable.

Watch out for the second reason why Christians disobey divine instructions.