We had a very special day on Sunday. Judd and his team led us through some great hymns. Stephen Humphries, who won the national competition for hammer dulcimer added a great dynamic to the acoustical guitars. Jeremy preached a challenging message on “Obey.”
Let’s be honest… when we read some of the stories of the Old Testament, they can challenge us in our faith and our understanding of God. The passage that Jeremy used in 1 Samuel 15 would cause some to question, “Why is God so cruel in demanding complete annihilation of the Amalekite nation?”
Here are a few observations:
- God does not have to explain Himself. He answers to no one. He does not have an advisory team. He is not part of an accountability team. He is GOD!
- When the Bible does not make sense to us, there is usually more to the story. Jeremy helped us to see the real history of the Amalekites. They were vicious, blood-thirsty and ruthless to their core.
- Maybe God had already sent many prophets to the Amalekites to call them to repentance. We know from Jonah’s story that God sent Jonah to Nineveh to preach repentance… and they had a similar reputation of cruelty as the Amalekites.
- In fact, God had actually waited for many centuries for the Amalekites to get the act together. One author states it this way, “God never acted precipitously against them (the Amalekites); his grace and mercy waited to see if they would repent and turn from their headlong plummet into self-destruction.” (See a more complete quote at the bottom of this blog)
- A question I must ask myself, “Does God have the right to do as He pleases; as He sees fit?” Simple answer: Absolutely! God is holy and righteous. God is just.
- The bottom line question that I took away from Jeremy’s message, “Am I obedient to God’s commands no matter what the cost?” God is not asking for my approval or even for my understanding. He is, however, expecting my obedience.
“What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.” 1 Samuel 15:22-23 (NLT)
What has God been asking of you lately? What area are you not obeying?
If you missed Sunday, go to www.gatewaybc.com and listen to Jeremy’s message!
Additional Quote:
Why was God so opposed to the Amalekites? When the Israelites were struggling through the desert toward Canaan, the Amalekites picked off the weak, sick and elderly at the end of the line of marchers and brutally murdered these stragglers. Warned Moses, “Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and cut off all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God” (Deut 25:17–18).
Some commentators note that the Amalekites were not merely plundering or disputing who owned what territories; they were attacking God’s chosen people to discredit the living God. Some trace the Amalekites’ adamant hostility all through the Old Testament, including the most savage butchery of all in Haman’s proclamation that all Jews throughout the Persian Empire could be massacred on a certain day (Esther 3:8–11). Many make a case that Haman was an Amalekite. His actions then would ultimately reveal this nation’s deep hatred for God, manifested toward the people through whom God had chosen to bless the whole world. (Hard Sayings of the Bible: Kaiser, Davids, Bruce, Brauch, p. 206)
