Sunday School Lesson

1. 1 Samuel 15:1-35
Judged
When God Has Had Enough!
July 10, 2016
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA
What’s the number one thing?
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The glory of God!
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1 Corinthians 10:31
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
July Memory Verse
1 Peter 2:16
16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but
living as servants of God.

2. Reminder: The Source & Purpose of All Evil
2 Corinthians 11:14-15
14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not
surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness.
Their end will be what their actions deserve.
1 Peter 5:8
8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring
lion looking for someone to devour.
References
• ESV (English Standard Version) Study Bible (Wheaton, IL, 2008).
• Smith, Colin, How Do You Deal With Difficult People? YouTube Video
Themes in 1 Samuel
1. Leadership – Examples of Eli, Samuel and King Saul leading the Israelites.
2. Lordship – Yahweh possesses absolute authority over every aspect of
nature and history.
Introduction to 1 Samuel 15
1 Samuel 13:1 (NIV)
1 Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel
forty- two years.
1 Samuel 14:47-48
47 When Saul had taken the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his
enemies on every side, against Moab, against the Ammonites, against Edom,
against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned he
routed them. 48 And he did valiantly and struck the Amalekites and delivered
Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them.
The Kingdom of Saul

3. 1 Samuel 15:1-6
1 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. 2 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. 3 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. '" 4 So Saul summoned the people and
numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand men on foot, and ten thousand
men of Judah. 5 And Saul came to the city of Amalek and lay in wait in the
valley. 6 Then Saul said to the Kenites, "Go, depart; go down from among the
Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them. For you showed kindness to all the
people of Israel when they came up out of Egypt." So the Kenites departed from
among the Amalekites.
Who were the Amalekites?
• Descendants of Esau (Amalek was his grandson).
• After Jacob and Esau parted ways, Esau settled in the southern area of
Israel and married women of Canaan.
• Related to but distinct from the Edomites.
• They attacked the Israelites during the exodus at the battle where Moses’
hands had to be held up all day for the Israelites to win (Exodus 17:8-16).
Exodus 17:14-16 (After defeating the Amalekites)
14 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in
the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under
heaven." 15 And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The Lord Is My
Banner, 16 saying, "A hand upon the throne of the Lord! The Lord will have war
with Amalek from generation to generation."
Deuteronomy 25:17-19 (Another reminder)
17 "Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt,
18 how he attacked you on the way when you were faint and weary, and cut off
your tail, those who were lagging behind you, and he did not fear God.
19 Therefore when the Lord your God has given you rest from all your enemies
around you, in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance to
possess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; you shall
not forget.
The reputation of the Amalekites
• Waged continual war against the Israelites.
• Nomadic people known for barbaric lives.
• Considered the symbol of evil in Jewish folklore.
• Haman in the Book of Ruth is considered to be an Amalekite.
• They were the savage terrorists of the middle east at the time.

4. God chose this time in history and Saul to destroy the Amalekites
• ESV translates “devote to destruction”
• NIV translates “total destroy everything”
• NKJV translates “utterly destroy”
• This was a battle to destroy a group of evil people, not a war to protect or
defend territory.
• Saul and the Israelites were God’s agents against evil.
God’s instructions to Saul
• Totally destroy everything (all that they have).
• Do not spare them – kill everyone.
• The Israelites were instructed not to bringing home plunder (goodies) or
spoils of war.
Past events where God totally destroys a group of people because of their evil.
• The Great Flood in Genesis 6 (Noah’s family spared).
• Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19 (Lot and his 2 daughters spared).
• Amorites in Genesis 15:16 & Joshua 10:1-27.
1 Samuel 15:7-9
7 And Saul defeated the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of
Egypt. 8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive and devoted to
destruction all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 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.

5. 1 Samuel 15:10-21
10 The word of the Lord came to Samuel: 11 "I regret that I have made Saul king,
for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my
commandments." And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the Lord all night.
12 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." 13 And Samuel came to Saul,
and Saul said to him, "Blessed be you to the Lord. I have performed the
commandment of the Lord." 14 And Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of the
sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?" 15 Saul said, "They have
brought them from the Amalekites, for 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." 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, "Stop! I will tell you what the Lord said
to me this night." And he said to him, "Speak."
17 And Samuel said, "Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head
of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. 18 And the Lord sent
you on a mission and said, 'Go, devote to destruction the sinners, the
Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.' 19 Why then did
you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do
what was evil in the sight of the Lord?" 20 And Saul said to Samuel, "I have
obeyed the voice of the Lord. I have gone on the mission on which the Lord sent
me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the
Amalekites to destruction. 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen,
the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in
Gilgal."
1 Samuel 15:22-23 (Saul’s sins are named)
22 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,
and to listen than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination,
and presumption (arrogance) (stubbornness) is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
he has also rejected you from being king."

6. What is the sin of rebellion?
• Rebellion is defiance or disobedience against authority.
• Rebellion is sin personified in Satan – Genesis 3:1-13.
• Rebellion is comparable to witchcraft – 1 Samuel 15:23.
• Rebellion is the practice of evil people – Proverbs 17:11.
• Proverbs 17:11
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion, and a cruel messenger will be sent
against him.
• Rebellion results in the loss of blessings from God – Numbers 20:10-24;
Joshua 2:1-15.
• Rebellion angers God – Isaiah 65:1-7; 1 Peter 3:18-22.
• Rebellion results in death – Romans 5:12-19.
What is the sin of presumption?
• Translations of presumption (ESV), arrogance (NIV); stubbornness (NKJV).
• Definition – making claims or pretensions to superior importance or rights.
• Saul’s example sets aside what God has said in favor of man’s
rationalization.
• I know better than God and God wants me to just be happy!
• The sin of presumption foolishly assumes that God’s favor will override
obedience to His word.
• Galatians 6:7-8
7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will
he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh
reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap
eternal life.
1 Samuel 15:24-26
24 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. 25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may bow
before the Lord." 26 And 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."
What has happened here with Saul?
• Samuel names Saul’s sins (Rebellion and Presumption).
• Samuel shows the magnitude of the sins.
• Samuel tells Saul the consequences of his sins.
• Saul tries to minimize the sins and offers excuses.
• Saul just did not want to lose face.
• Lesson: You will never come to repentance until you understand the
magnitude or scale of your sins.

7. 1 Samuel 15:27-33
27 As Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of his robe, and it tore.
28 And Samuel said to him, "The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this
day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. 29 And also
the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should
have regret." 30 Then he said, "I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders
of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may bow before the
Lord your God." 31 So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul bowed before the
Lord.
32 Then Samuel said, "Bring here to me Agag the king of the Amalekites." And
Agag came to him cheerfully. Agag said, "Surely the bitterness of death is past."
33 And Samuel said, "As your sword has made women childless, so shall your
mother be childless among women." And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces
before the Lord in Gilgal.
1 Samuel 15:34-35
34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul.
35 And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel
grieved over Saul. And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over
Israel.
Lesson Application
• How did Saul get so off track as God’s chosen King for Israel that he
ignored the clear directive from God to destroy the Amalekites?
• How does a Christian get caught up in a life pattern or situation where
he/she ignores the clear word of God?
3 Alarms God Uses To Wake You Up From Sin!
1. Work of the Holy Spirit in your conscience.
2. Another Christian speaks truth to you or calls you out for your sin.
3. Disaster on the battlefield (direct discipline from God).

8. 1. The work of the Holy Spirit.
John 16:8, 13a
8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and
righteousness and judgment:
13a When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth,
• You have spiritual sensitivity (conscious).
• That “still small voice”.
You will recognize the Holy Spirit speaking
John 10:3-4
3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He
calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out
all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because
they know his voice.
• The mark of a Christian is that they hear His voice.
2. God uses another person to speak truth to you.
Ephesians 4:15-16
15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him
who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held
together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working
properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
• Samuel spoke truth to Saul and he ignored it.
David’s response was different than Saul’s when confronted with his sin by
Nathan.
2 Samuel 12:1a, 13a
1a And the Lord sent Nathan to David.
13a David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord."
Psalm 51:1-2
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!

9. 3. Disaster on the battlefield of life.
1 Samuel 16:14-15
14 Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the
Lord tormented him. 15 And Saul's servants said to him, "Behold now, a harmful
spirit from God is tormenting you.
• The direct effect of Saul’s continual disobedience was the loss of God’s
spirit.
Romans 1:21-23 (When you refuse God’s truth)
21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks
to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were
darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the
glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and
animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the
dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged
the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather
than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
Ignoring God’s Alarms.
1. Work of the Holy Spirit in your conscience – You harden your heart and
you turn off the alarm.
2. Another Christian speaks truth to you or calls you out – You become
defensive and angry at the messenger.
3. Disaster on the battlefield (direct discipline from God) – You have to hit
rock bottom first!
Closing Thoughts – How will God deal with evil (Satan) at the end of time?
• There are only 2 options at the end:
1. If you repented and accepted Jesus as Savior, you will go to the
place prepared for you by Jesus.
2. If you rejected Jesus, there is judgment on the last day.
Jesus has prepared a special place for those who believe in Him!
Revelation 21:3-4
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of
God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God
himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their
eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying,
nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

10. Judgment Day for those who do not believe in Jesus!
Isaiah 2:17
17 The arrogance of man will be brought low and human pride humbled; the Lord
alone will be exalted in that day,
Revelation 20:10
10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur,
where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented
day and night for ever and ever.
Revelation 20:14-15
14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second
death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book
of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 21:8
8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the
sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the
lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Do you know Jesus?
Romans 10:9-11
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your
heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart
one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
11 For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame."
The Plan of Hope & Salvation
John 3:16
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes
in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 14:6
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to
the Father except through me.”
Romans 3:23
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

11. Romans 6:23a
23a For the wages of sin is death,
 Death in this life (the first death) is 100%.
 Even Jesus, the one who doesn’t deserve death, died in this life to pay the
penalty for our sins.
 The death referred to in Romans 6:23a is the second death explained in
Revelation 21:8.
Revelation 21:8
8 “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the
sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the
lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Romans 5:8
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for
us.
Romans 6:23b
23b but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Revelation 21:7
7 "The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will
be my son.”
 Romans 10:9-10 explains to us how to be conquerors.
Romans 10:9-10
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your
heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart
one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Romans 10:13
13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
If you have questions or would like to know more, please, contact First Baptist
Church Jackson at 601-949-1900 or http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/