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April 12th
Our Bible reading for today is in 1 Samuel chapters 15,16,17.
As always, the main player in this reading is God. We will see His purposes, His heart, and His complexity in relation to Saul and David.
Now to the text. “And the Lord regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel.”
Some Biblical history. God purposed to judge the Amalekites. He made that clear to Moses some 400 years earlier. He also told Moses that Israel would fight against Amalek in every generation. And Saul’s generation was no different.
Saul would be reminded of the history between God’s people and the Amalekites. Shortly after Israel left Egypt, the wicked Amalek led his merciless army to terrorize and murder the weakest of Jacob’s family. Men, women, and children around the fringe of this “caravaning” nation were targeted and mercilessly tortured and killed.
God had not forgotten the deed nor His promise to judge Amalek. And He chose Saul to carry out the judgment...Saul accepted the assignment.
Then Saul disobeyed God’s command. Instead of destroying all of the Amalekites and their stuff as directed, Saul took their king, Agag, alive...and also confiscated the best of their flocks and herds as well as the best of their valuables as spoils of war.
God told Samuel what Saul had done, and scripture says Samuel grieved. God told Samuel that He was rejecting Saul as King and would be replacing him. And the Biblical record says that God “regretted” that He made Saul King in Israel.
This part of the story leads us to wonder about God and His ways. And by the way ”wondering” is ok...God’s name is “full of wonder”.
If God “regretted” making Saul king wouldn't that imply that God did not have “predestined foreknowledge” of Saul’s disobedience? Thus God was caught off guard by Saul’s actions. Can God almighty really be caught off guard? He created time and everything on that line. It also implies that a Sovereign God could not lament over a state of affairs that He chose to bring about.
My question may sound simple but “Why” not? Why couldn't God do that? Just thinking out loud.
Moses said in the book of Numbers, “God is not a man that He should lie...neither the son of man that He should repent...or regret. Complicated? Yes. Complex? Absolutely He’s God.
Our regrets lead us to desire to “do something over” if we had another chance. God? His plans, His purposes, His declarations, His decisions are all perfect.
He would never have to wish for a do-over. So where does God’s lamenting, His regretting come from?” Isaiah 55...”The Lord says, My thoughts are not your thoughts...My ways are higher than your ways.”
It’s alright for me not to get it. But I do believe Him and want to believe Him more! And when He wants to reveal more of His thoughts and ways to you and me...He will! He’s good at that too!
Have a great day!
