October 15, 2013 Eternal Reason

Read 1 Samuel 15

Eternal Reason

1 Samuel 15:3 “Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.”

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1 Sam 15:22 “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.”

THIS is hard. I don’t like reading about God’s instructions to Saul to kill all the Amalekite men, women, children and every animal. I know, the reason for God’s harsh instructions was to punish the Amalekites’ sin against himself and his people. But my response says, “This is overboard. It’s wrong, Lord. Aren’t you the God who is love?”

     Indeed he is. God’s love focus is to bring mankind to eternal life. He could not, then, allow the Amalekites’ sin to turn his people to sin. To get Israel’s focus on himself, God sacrificed this people group to move his plan of salvation forward.

     Yes, it seems unfair that God would destroy the Amalekites. But God is so “unfair” he even killed his own holy Son to save us. In all fairness, God could have come to kill us all because we are sinners. Instead, Jesus took the death blows, and as we confess him “Savior.” we are alive in Christ.

     Consider this. The Amalekites disobeyed. Saul disobeyed. We’ve disobeyed.  

     But Jesus obeyed the Father. And Jesus died! The more I know God, the more I understand how intolerable any sin is in God’s sight. The more I know God, the more I am in awe of his life gift to me.

      

A Moment’s Thought: God’s purpose is eternal.