Page 105 - Overcoming Addiction

Testament will help us in this matter. In the life of King Saul we observe numerous
examples of one who failed to rule over the Kingdom of God properly. As a result
the Kingdom was taken from him and given to another. If we will view his life
serves as a type, or a shadow, of spiritual truth that Christians can learn from
today, we can gain valuable insight.
At Yahweh’s command, the prophet Samuel anointed Saul to be king over
Israel. After Saul had been king for some time, God instructed him to go to war
against Amalek. In the same way God will instruct the Christian to wage war
against some sin in his/her flesh. God’s instructions were very precise. Saul was to
destroy all the people of the land, and he was to destroy all the animals. Nothing
was to be left alive. Saul was not to pity or spare anything. Saul went forth into
battle as the leader of Israel, and God was with them to give them the victory. Yet
Saul did not carry out Yahweh’s desire. We read:

I Samuel 15:7-9
So Saul defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is
east of Egypt. He captured Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and
utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the
people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the
lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to destroy them utterly;
but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.

Although Saul did not carry out the command of God, when Samuel came
out to meet him after the battle Saul declared that he had done so. When Samuel
pressed him on the matter Saul made excuses.

I Samuel 15:13-21
Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, "Blessed are you of Yahweh! I
have carried out the command of Yahweh." But Samuel said, "What then is
this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I
hear?" Saul said, "They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the
people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to Yahweh your
God; but the rest we have utterly destroyed..." Samuel said, "Is it not true,
though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the
tribes of Israel? And Yahweh anointed you king over Israel, and Yahweh
sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the
Amalekites, and fight against them until they are exterminated.’ Why then
did you not obey the voice of Yahweh, but rushed upon the spoil and did
what was evil in the sight of Yahweh?” Then Saul said to Samuel, "I did
obey the voice of Yahweh, and went on the mission on which Yahweh sent
me, and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly
destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and
oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to
Yahweh your God at Gilgal."

How stubborn Saul was in this matter. He kept insisting he had carried out
God’s will when it was very plain that he had not. This account was not recorded