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- Oct 26, 2007
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Saul replied, "I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God." 1 Samuel 15:30
The prophet Samuel had just finished telling Saul, “Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king” (v.23). Saul then admitted, “I have disobeyed…the Lord’s command, for I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded” (v.24).
Despite that, he still had the nerve to ask Samuel, “Honor me before the elders of my people.”
Saul feared people, and being accepted and honored by them was all that mattered to him. He was not very concerned whether he pleased God. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were the same. “They loved human praise more than the praise of God” (John 12:43). As Jesus pointed out, “You gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from…God” (John 5:44).
The Lord understands the human need to save face and be respected. He gets it. Nevertheless, He insists that you seek to please Him above all. It can be difficult, but life would be so much simpler if people simply sought the praise of God first and foremost.
The prophet Samuel had just finished telling Saul, “Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king” (v.23). Saul then admitted, “I have disobeyed…the Lord’s command, for I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded” (v.24).
Despite that, he still had the nerve to ask Samuel, “Honor me before the elders of my people.”
Saul feared people, and being accepted and honored by them was all that mattered to him. He was not very concerned whether he pleased God. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were the same. “They loved human praise more than the praise of God” (John 12:43). As Jesus pointed out, “You gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from…God” (John 5:44).
The Lord understands the human need to save face and be respected. He gets it. Nevertheless, He insists that you seek to please Him above all. It can be difficult, but life would be so much simpler if people simply sought the praise of God first and foremost.
