The Self Deception of Saul - 1 Samuel 15

It seems that there inevitably comes some great moment to each man and woman where the forces of heaven and hell are arrayed and that person is at the center, thus given an opportunity to decide whom they will follow, what path they will take in the great controversy between good and evil. There may be more than one, but we can count on there being at least one.

Once to every man and nation
Comes the moment to decide,
In the strife of truth with falsehood,
For the good or evil side;
Some great cause, God's new Messiah,
Offering each the bloom or blight,
And the choice goes by forever
Twixt that darkness and that light.

Then to side with truth is noble,
When we share her wretched crust,
Ere her cause bring fame and profit,
And 'tis prosperous to be just;
Then it is the brave man chooses
While the coward stands aside,
Till the multitude make virtue
Of the faith they had denied.

-- "Once to Every Man and Nation" by James Russell Lowell

Saul's second defining moment comes when God asks him to destroy the Amalekites. They were one of the earliest opponents of Israel. The Israelites successfully defended against them in the wilderness of Sinai, and at that time Moses built an altar of remembrance that "The Lord has sworn, the Lord will have war against Amalek from generation to generation." The Amalekites also scourged the children of Israel after the rebellion at Kadesh-Barnea (Numbers 14). Now, 500 years later, the King of Israel decreed that the wrongdoing of the Amalekites was complete (compare Genesis 15:16), and Samuel gave Saul God's mission to completely destroy the entire nation.

Sadly, Saul did not follow the Lord's directive, but was blinded by self-importance, despite completing a portion of God's will. Saul became self-deceived. Self-deception is of fearful consequence because the person who is deceived does not know that they are deceived, else they would not be deceived. Saul's narcissistic attitudes highlight a sense of superiority in four specific areas:

1. Saul numbered the people, proud of the force he had amassed. In other words, Saul was confident in his material superiority.
2. Saul was kind to a group of people (the Kenites, descendants of Moses's father-in-law) and likely felt that he was therefore a merciful king. In other words, Saul was confident in his moral superiority.
3. He set up a monument to himself. In other words, Saul was confident in social superiority.
4. He spared the best of the flocks and herds and the Amalekite king, though he initially blamed these sins on his people, and ultimately reframed their use, saying they were for a sacrifice to the Lord. In other words, Saul was confident in his spiritual superiority, which also was the great sin of Saul's first defining moment (see 1 Samuel 13:13, 14).

Three times, Saul pressed his point of view (1 Samuel 15:13, 15, 20), and God's response is that the heart is more important than deeds.

“Does the Lord have as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than a sacrifice,
And to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.
For rebellion is as reprehensible as the sin of divination,
And insubordination is as reprehensible as false religion and idolatry.
Since you have rejected the word of the Lord,
He has also rejected you from being king.” -- 1 Samuel 15:22, 23

"For I desire loyalty rather than sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings." -- Hosea 6:6

Our religious practices are far less important than the attitude and motivation with which we do them. Perhaps this is the reason that one can find what seem to be defining moments of God's people that God Himself seems to forget. For example, neither David's sin with Bathsheba nor Moses's sin by striking the rock in anger, both of which resulted in severe judgments, and which one might think are failures at times of defining moments, are mentioned in the Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11). God knew that these men, despite their wrongdoing, would still respond to God's spirit and turn their hearts toward Himself. God is always seeking to redeem us, to heal us, and woo us to His love.

When Saul receives judgment, he suddenly feigns an attitude of repentance, similar to what the Israelites did at Kadesh-Barnea when they decided to take Canaan by force after being condemned to wander in the wilderness (Numbers 14). Remarkably, Samuel eventually decides to go with Saul in order to help uphold any remaining shred of Saul's reputation, presumably to prevent injury to the spiritual lives of the people who may not have understood the details of the events that day. Sometimes, God calls us to overlook some actions publicly for the sake of His larger will. This can be difficult, especially when we feel zealous with righteous indignation. We may know the truth about someone. We may understand God's will has not been followed. Yet, God may ask us to wait, be patient, and be cautious for the sake of others.

Twice in this account, God regretted making Saul king. This can only mean that God does not compel us. He longs for us, He yearns for us, and He feels grief when we turn against His love.

How do we avoid the self-deception that Saul experienced? Saul's story parallels the Laodicean church of Revelation. Like Saul, this church "does not know" it is wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked (Revelation 3:17). It is self-deceived, believing it is rich, wealthy, without need of anything. God prescribes:

1. Gold refined by fire, that is, purity as a result of trials permitted by God
2. White garments, that is, the righteousness given by Jesus Christ
3. Eye-salve, that is, the ability to see things as God sees them, which must only be through the Holy Spirit and Word of God, a miraculous intervention by Christ, and certainly is not the way we are naturally inclined to see them (compare John 9:5; Matthew 20:34).

"Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. The one who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne." -- Revelation 3:19-21.

Unlike Saul, may we find our material, moral, social, and spiritual fullness through responding to the call of Jesus Christ and turning our hearts toward Him. We need only open the door, and He will commune with us, and us with Him.