We don’t like to think about judgment. At least I know I
don’t. Whether it was from a parent, a teacher, a coach, a colleague, or a
student, I don’t like it. Sometimes I feel I’m being judged unfairly or too
harshly. I rarely see it as a good thing, an instructive thing. \
When God judges it may be instructive and our repentance
leads to forgiveness. This wasn’t so in the case of Saul. In 1 Samuel 28, Saul
is reminded of God’s judgment upon him. In 1 Samuel 15:26 and 28, Samuel
pronounces the judgment on Saul from God.
But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you;
for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from
being king over Israel.”
So Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom
of Israel from you today, and has given it to your neighbor who is better than
you.
In 1 Samuel 28 the proclamation of Saul’s demise is
explained further and specifically. He believed he was talking to the dead
Samuel and the dead Samuel gave him the same message again but this time the
time is set. 1 Samuel 28:17-19 (in the Complete Jewish Bible) says,
Adonai has doe for himself what he foretold through me –
Adonai has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to your fellow
countryman David, because you didn’t obey what Adonai said and execute his
furious anger toward Amalek. That’s why Adonai is doing this to you today.
Adonai is giving Isra’el as well as yourself over into the power of the
P’lishtim, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. Adonai will hand
over Isra’el’s army to the power of the P’lishtim.” [Adonai is one of the names
of God, Isra’el is the Jewish spelling, and P’lishtim translated is
Philistines.]
God’s judgment is eminent for Saul and his sons. It’s now
the reckoning time for Saul’s continued sin and his lack of repentance before
God. I suspect, and one of the commentators (Tom Bradford) mentioned, that
God’s plans are now being carried out. The judgment was hanging over Saul’s
head for quite sometime. So long he might have forgotten that judgment is a
real thing.
We will all stand before God for judgment at some point in
our lives. (Hebrews 9:27: And inasmuch as it is appointed that men should die
once and after this comes judgment.) How often we forget this and live like
judgment will pass us by. We don’t allow ourselves to contemplate the time of
judgment and we think the judgment won’t happen. Let me tell you, my friend,
judgment is coming. Also, let’s remember the difference between Saul and David
(read blog article from January 24, 2019). It’s up to us. Will we live
according to our own wisdom? Or will we recognize when we are not hitting God’s
marks of obedience and repent? This is a question every person – even those who
profess Christ – has to wrestle with. I pray as I write this blog for each of
you; that you will make the right decisions.
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