Richard and Lindsay Roberts – Second of two parts
Referring to Adam and the first sin, Romans 5:19 tells us, For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. “The obedience of one” is referring to Jesus.
Second Corinthians 10:5 also tells us about obedience, saying, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
First Samuel 15:2˗22 tells the story of the destruction of Amalek. The prophet Samuel said to King Saul, the first king of Israel, “Go down and destroy Amalek. Destroy all the animals — every living thing — destroy it all, for the Lord said, ‘I remember what Amalek did to Israel.”’
King Saul destroyed almost everything, but he kept King Agag alive and saved the best cattle and sheep and brought them back.
Saul said to Samuel, “I’ve done what the Lord told me to do.” And Samuel answered, “If you’ve done what the Lord told you to do, then why do I hear the bleating of sheep and the lowing of the oxen? And why is the wicked King Agag still alive?”
“Oh, I brought them for sacrifice unto the Lord,” explained Saul.
And Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord’s not interested in your sacrifice; He’s interested in your obedience. To obey is better than to sacrifice, and to hearken to God than the fat of rams.” That same day Samuel tore the bottom of his mantel and said, “Today God is tearing the kingdom out of your hands,” and he anointed David, and David became king.
If you read through history, you will find that many of the Amalakites escaped and their descendants are living today in modern-day Iraq and Iran. In that war-torn region, we are still paying the price for the disobedience of King Saul.