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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Tuesday, 29 July 2025:
1 Samuel 15:1-3 – And Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the Lord. Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”
This is a hard command, but it comes directly from the Lord. It is a command of judgment, not conquest. The Amalekites had attacked Israel (Exodus 17), and God had promised to bring judgment. This was a matter of divine justice, not personal vengeance. Saul was called to carry out the will of God as His appointed servant. There is no ambiguity in the instruction: total obedience is required.
1 Samuel 15:7-9 – And Saul defeated the Amalekites…. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.
Saul obeyed partially, which is full disobedience in God’s eyes. He chose what to obey based on human logic and self-interest. This selective obedience reveals a heart not fully submitted to God. It is easy to justify sin when it appears beneficial, but God desires obedience, not convenience. We cannot honor God with leftovers from disobedience.
1 Samuel 15:11 – “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments.”
The grief of God is not about surprise but sorrow. God knew Saul’s heart, but His sorrow reveals how personal our obedience or disobedience is to Him. God desires hearts fully yielded to Him. Saul turned back from following the Lord. Sin is not just breaking a rule; it is breaking relationship.
- Psalm 51:4 — Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.
1 Samuel 15:12, 13 – And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself and turned and passed on and went down to Gilgal.” And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you to the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord.”
The Lord anointed Saul King over Israel and gave him specific instructions to annihilate the city of Amelek. However, Saul and the people only destroyed that which was “despised and worthless,” but they “spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good.” (1 Samuel 15:9) Then, in his prideful disobedience, Saul set up a monument to honor himself rather than to the Sovereign Lord who had anointed him and enabled him. Yet, Saul had convinced himself that he was godly – “I have performed the commandment of the Lord.” How often do people today live in willful disobedience before the Lord while claiming to be committed Christians, choosing to satisfy and to glorify self rather than glorifying God? How many are attending church on Sunday while setting up monuments to self the rest of the week? How many are dedicating to the Lord that which is “worthless” while saving the best for themselves?
1 Samuel 15:13-15 – And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you to the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord.” And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears…?”
Saul tries to cloak disobedience in religious language. He even blesses Samuel, trying to mask his failure with superficial piety. But sin always has a voice. The sound of the sheep betrays the lie. Disobedience cannot be hidden with spiritual words or good intentions.
Having chosen his own desires over obedience, Saul still attempted to claim obedience and fidelity to God though his disobedience was plainly obvious. We may deceive ourselves, and perhaps others, in our justifications of disobedience, but God hears clearly the bleating of the sheep.
1 Samuel 15:15-16 — Saul said, “They have brought them…. the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the LORD your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction.” Then Samuel said to Saul, “Stop!”
Instead of humbly confessing His sins, Saul blamed other people and claimed good intentions for himself. Samuel refused to listen to Saul’s pathetic denial and deflections any longer. You can’t fix what you aren’t willing to be honest about, and you can’t blame other people or your circumstances for what you choose to do. Samuel confronted Saul in his denial, who do you have in your life who will confront you? Are you willing to listen?
1 Samuel 15:16-19 – And Samuel said to Saul, “Stop! I will tell you what the Lord said to me this night.”… “Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord?”
Samuel’s confrontation is direct and righteous. The question is simple: why did you not obey? Again, partial obedience is disobedience. Saul’s failure stems from fear of people (v. 24) and a desire to please himself. Disobedience often springs from divided loyalty.
The deeper issue revealed in this passage is the divided loyalty of Saul’s heart. Later in verse 24, Saul admits, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.” This confession shows that Saul’s allegiance was torn between obeying God and pleasing others, which ultimately is always about pleasing self, with self being the supreme idol in everyone’s life. But it also reveals something more subtle and destructive: Saul feared man more than he feared God. Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.” Saul’s leadership failed because his heart was ensnared by the need for approval and his appetite for gain. He feared losing face more than he feared disobeying the One who had raised him up from nothing.
This kind of double-mindedness, where we vacillate between the will of God and the desires of the flesh or the pressures of others, is a recurring theme in Scripture. James 1:6–8 describes the double-minded person as “unstable in all his ways” because he “is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.” James later exhorts the church, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8). The implication is clear: divided loyalty and impurity of heart go hand-in-hand. A double-minded heart leads to impure motives and unstable living.
David, who would later replace Saul as king, knew something of this inner conflict. In Psalm 51:10, he cries out, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” David recognized that the problem was not just wrong actions but a disordered heart. He longed for God to purify him from the inside out—not merely to cover his sin but to transform his desires. Romans 7 gives voice to this struggle in even more raw terms. Paul writes, “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing” (v. 19). This inner war is familiar to every believer: the new self desires to obey God, but the old nature resists, pulls, tempts, and distracts.
Yet Scripture is also clear that the double-minded condition is not permanent for those who belong to Christ. Romans 8:1 declares, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” The solution is not found in human resolve but in Spirit-empowered transformation. Paul says in Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” This renewal is key: double-mindedness fades as the mind is saturated in the truth of God’s Word and reshaped by the Holy Spirit.
Wholeheartedness, then, is not merely a personality trait or a matter of strong will — it is the fruit of a purified heart made new in Christ. Joshua and Caleb are powerful Old Testament examples of this. Numbers 14:24 says of Caleb, “But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land.” They were not double-minded; they were all-in, trusting God’s promises against all odds. Their faith was not selective or conditional; it was total. They illustrate what it means to follow God “fully” — to obey not just in part but in whole, regardless of popular opinion or personal cost.
For the Christian, this kind of undivided heart is cultivated through a few clear biblical practices: First, repentance is essential. Not just a one-time act, but a continual posture of turning from self to God. As David models in Psalm 51, true repentance is heartfelt and God-focused.
Second, abiding in Christ is non-negotiable. Jesus said in John 15:4, “Abide in me, and I in you.” Intimacy with Christ through daily communion in prayer, worship, and Scripture purifies affections and aligns our will with His.
Third, obedience strengthens obedience. 1 John 5:3 says, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.” As love for God deepens, obedience becomes not only possible but desirable. We want what He wants. Our wills are conformed to His.
Fourth, walking by the Spirit is how we overcome the flesh. Galatians 5:16 says, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” The power to live wholeheartedly comes from the Spirit of God working within us to produce fruit that the flesh cannot manufacture — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22–23).
Fifth, set your mind on eternal things. Colossians 3:2 urges believers, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” A heavenly mindset anchors the heart, clarifies purpose, and dissolves the pull of worldly distractions.
So the question still remains, as Samuel asked Saul: Why did you not obey the voice of the Lord? For the Christian, the answer must never be self-justification or blame-shifting. It must be an honest confession followed by humble surrender. The good news is that Jesus does not despise the struggling heart that seeks Him. He purifies it. He transforms it. And He makes it wholly His.
1 Samuel 15:20-21 – And Saul said to Samuel, “I have obeyed the voice of the Lord…”
Even after confrontation, Saul denies wrongdoing. He deflects and blames the people, refusing to own his failure. This pride prevents repentance. Excuses are the enemy of growth. We must own our sins if we are to be changed by grace.
1 Samuel 15:22 — Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.
True worship is obedience to God’s word, not just ceremony and superficial displays of emotion or sacrifice. Disobedience is a rejection of God’s Lordship and makes an idol of ourselves as we place our selfish desires over God’s commands. Once again (intentional repetition for emphasis), partial obedience is disobedience, and like Saul, we have a tendency to hold something back from God, often telling ourselves, “God is OK with it; he understands.” As you consider your life and your fidelity to God can you hear the “bleating of the sheep… and the lowing of the oxen?” What sins have you been holding on to that you need to surrender this moment? “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel (Mark 1:15).”
- James 4:7 — Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
1 Samuel 15:22-23 – And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice…. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.”
This is the heart of the matter. God is not impressed by ritual or performance; He wants obedience. Saul’s outward actions could not compensate for inward rebellion. True worship is shown by submission, not ceremony. Rejection of God’s Word results in God’s rejection of our leadership.
1 Samuel 15:23 — For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king.
As stated previously, when we reject and disobey God’s word, we make idols of ourselves and serve ourselves instead of God. We might not practice witchcraft or worship statues, but the Bible says that rebellion and presumption are essentially the same thing, prioritizing something over the LORD.
- Colossians 3:5 — Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
1 Samuel 15:24-25 – Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice…”
Saul finally confesses, but it is laced with self-preservation and blame-shifting. He feared people more than God. When our fear of man exceeds our fear of God, we will never lead rightly. This was not repentance from the heart, but regret over consequences.
1 Samuel 15:25 — Please pardon my sin.
Being regretful and being repentant are not the same thing. A person can be sorry because they don’t want to suffer the consequences of their sins, while still lacking a heart that is genuinely sorrowful for having sinned at all, regardless of consequences, and that earnestly desires to never sin again. Are you just regretful or truly repentant?
1 Samuel 15:30 – Then he said, “I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel….”
Even in confession, Saul’s concern is about appearances. He wants to be honored before people more than being restored before God. This is not godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10) but worldly regret. He cares more for reputation than for righteousness.
1 Samuel 15:35 – And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.
The chapter ends with a solemn statement. God is not indifferent to our disobedience. Saul’s kingship began with promise but ended in ruin because his heart was not surrendered. God desires leaders whose hearts beat in rhythm with His.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 29 July 2025: Obedience Over Appearances. Today, examine your heart for any area where you have justified partial obedience. Ask God to reveal where you might be clinging to self-interest, fear of people, or outward religion instead of wholehearted submission. Confess honestly. Then, take one concrete step of costly obedience, even if no one sees it but God. Let today be about obeying God in full, not appearing godly in part. Obedience is better than sacrifice.
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 