Wednesday, February 11, 2004
Usual Abstinence Today
Hieromartyr Blaise of Sebaste
Kellia: 1 Kings 15:1-3, 7-23 LXX Epistle: 1 John 3:21-4:5 Gospel: St.Mark 14:43-15:1
1 Kings 15:1-3, 7-23 LXX (1 Sam. 15:1-3, 7-23 MT),
especially vs. 23, " Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you
from being king." The Prophets taught that God always is ready to forgive those who confess
their errors and repent. Among the Lord Jesus' Disciples, Peter's example is a monument to the
possibility of repentance, forgiveness, and restoration; yet among them also is the dark shadow of
Judas who failed to repent and seek forgiveness, which resulted in his self-destruction. Sadly,
King Saul of old would eventually likewise come to despair and suicide (1 Kngs. 31:5).
Long before the events described in today's reading, King Saul already had received a solemn
warning from God. We can only leave to speculation the question of whether the loss of the
kingdom pronounced by Samuel earlier (1 Kngs. 13:13, 14) would have come about for Saul, for
even when God forgives, often He allows consequences to remain. In today's passage, the
Prophet Samuel continued stating the dire and inevitable outcome of the King's persistent self-will. His poignant message also is a stern warning to us to confess, repent, and struggle for God-pleasing change. Ultimately, God always permits those who insist on defying His commands to
reap the harvest of rejecting Him. Saul was rejected by God as a result of his own choice.
First, let us trace King Saul's choice to disobey within the substance of his actions. In very clear
terms, God told the king, "Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have; do
not spare them, but kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass"
(1 Kngs. 15:3). The Septuagint (LXX) translation of vs. 3 vividly exposes the intent of God's
command to Saul: "thou shalt smite Amalek and Hierim and all that belongs to him, and thou
shalt not save anything of him alive, that thou shalt utterly destroy him: and thou shalt devote him
and all his to destruction...." (vs. 3 LXX).
Notice the introduction of the name "Hierim" in the LXX version. This word, together with the
verb "devote" later in the sentence, reveals that the order which God gave to Saul was a special
command having two aspects: to place Amalek under a "ban" ("herem"in Hebrew), and, by the
rules of a ban, to destroy totally what was thereby "devoted" to God. A "ban" was a practice of
dedicating an enemy and his goods utterly to God. It meant killing the people and destroying all
their property. Nothing could be retained or left alive by the human agents of God's will: "No
one devoted, who is to be utterly destroyed from among men, shall be ransomed; he shall be put
to death" (see also Dt. 13:12-18). The center of Amalekite power, Agag the king, his city, its
inhabitants, and all physical property, was marked for total destruction.
All of Saul's delight in himself - that he had "performed the commandment of the Lord" (1 Kngs.
15:13), was plainly rationalization. "Stop!," commanded Samuel, because he could hear the
animals they had saved. The more Saul rationalized, the more thoroughgoing was the evidence
of his disobedience. He seeks to shift the blame: " "They have brought...the best of the sheep and
of the oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord" (vs. 15), but exposes his own guilt: "I have gone on the
mission on which the Lord sent me, I have brought Agag the king of Amalek" (vs. 20). Why?
To what end? Samuel sees clearly enough that they swooped "on the spoil" (vs. 19).
Let us have done with all rationalizing, shallow gilding of facts, and efforts to assure ourselves
that we have done the Lord's will when we have not. God views disobedience as rebellion,
stubbornness, and rejection (vs. 23). Let none believe that one may do whatever he wishes,
persist in indulgent delusions, continue disobeying God, and escape dire consequences.
Grant us to serve Thee, O God, in holiness all the days of our lives.
