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terrible for being long delayed。 〃The Lord shall rise up as in Mount
Perazim； He shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon； that He may do His
work； His strange work； and bring to pass His act； His strange act。〃 Isaiah
28：21。 To our merciful God the act of punishment is a strange act。 〃As I
live； saith the Lord God； I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked； but
that the wicked turn from his way and live。〃 Ezekiel 33：11。 The Lord is
〃merciful and gracious； long…suffering； and abundant in goodness and truth；
。 。 。 forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin。〃 Yet He will 〃by no
means clear the guilty。〃 Exodus 34：6； 7。 While He does not delight in
vengeance； He will execute judgment upon the transgressors of His law。 He is
forced to do this； to preserve the inhabitants of the earth from utter
depravity and ruin。 In order to save some He must cut off those who have
become hardened in sin。 〃The Lord is slow to anger； and great in power； and
will not at all acquit the wicked。〃 Nahum 1：3。 By terrible things in
righteousness He will vindicate the authority of His downtrodden law。 And
the very fact of His reluctance to execute justice testifies to the enormity
of the sins that call forth His judgments and to the severity of the
retribution awaiting the transgressor。
But while inflicting judgment； God remembered mercy。 The Amalekites were to
be destroyed； but the Kenites； who dwelt among them； were spared。 This
people； though not wholly free from idolatry； were worshipers of God and
were friendly to Israel。 Of this tribe was the brother…in…law of Moses；
Hobab； who had accompanied the Israelites in their travels through the
wilderness； and by his knowledge of the country had rendered them valuable
assistance。
Since the defeat of the Philistines at Michmash； Saul had made war against
Moab； Ammon； and Edom； and against the
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Amalekites and the Philistines； and wherever he turned his arms； he gained
fresh victories。 On receiving the commission against the Amalekites； he at
once proclaimed war。 To his own authority was added that of the prophet； and
at the call to battle the men of Israel flocked to his standard。 The
expedition was not to be entered upon for the purpose of
self…aggrandizement； the Israelites were not to receive either the honor of
the conquest or the spoils of their enemies。 They were to engage in the war
solely as an act of obedience to God； for the purpose of executing His
judgment upon the Amalekites。 God intended that all nations should behold
the doom of that people that had defied His sovereignty； and should mark
that they were destroyed by the very people whom they had despised。
〃Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur； that is
over against Egypt。 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive； and
utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword。 But Saul and
the people spared Agag； and the best of the sheep； and of the oxen； and of
the fatlings； and the lambs； and all that was good； and would not utterly
destroy them： but everything that was vile and refuse； that they destroyed
utterly。〃
This victory over the Amalekites was the most brilliant victory that Saul
had ever gained； and it served to rekindle the pride of heart that was his
greatest peril。 The divine edict devoting the enemies of God to utter
destruction was but partially fulfilled。 Ambitious to heighten the honor of
his triumphal return by the presence of a royal captive； Saul ventured to
imitate the customs of the nations around him and spared Agag； the fierce
and warlike king of the Amalekites。 The people reserved for themselves the
finest of the flocks； herds； and beasts of burden； excusing their sin on the
ground that the cattle were reserved to be offered as sacrifices to the
Lord。 It was their purpose； however； to use these merely as a substitute； to
save their own cattle。
Saul had now been subjected to the final test。 His presumptuous disregard of
the will of God； showing his determination to rule as an independent
monarch； proved that he could not be trusted with royal power as the
vicegerent of the Lord。 While Saul and his army were marching home in the
flush of victory； there was deep anguish in the home of Samuel the prophet。
He had received a message from the Lord denouncing the course of
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the king： 〃It repenteth Me that I have set up Saul to be king： for he is
turned back from following Me； and hath not performed My commandments。〃 The
prophet was deeply grieved over the course of the rebellious king； and he
wept and prayed all night for a reversing of the terrible sentence。
God's repentance is not like man's repentance。 〃The Strength of Israel will
not lie nor repent： for He is not a man； that He should repent。〃 Man's
repentance implies a change of mind。 God's repentance implies a change of
circumstances and relations。 Man may change his relation to God by complying
with the conditions upon which he may be brought into the divine favor； or
he may； by his own action； place himself outside the favoring condition； but
the Lord is the same 〃yesterday； and today； and forever。〃 Hebrews 13：8。
Saul's disobedience changed his relation to God； but the conditions of
acceptance with God were unalteredGod's requirements were still the same；
for with Him there 〃is no variableness； neither shadow of turning。〃 James
1：17。
With an aching heart the prophet set forth the next morning to meet the
erring king。 Samuel cherished a hope that； upon reflection； Saul might
become conscious of his sin； and by repentance and humiliation be again
restored to the divine favor。 But when the first step is taken in the path
of transgression the way becomes easy。 Saul； debased by his disobedience；
came to meet Samuel with a lie upon his lips。 He exclaimed； 〃Blessed be thou
of the Lord： I have performed the commandment of the Lord。〃
The sounds that fell on the prophet's ears disproved the statement of the
disobedient king。 To the pointed question； 〃What meaneth then this bleating
of the sheep in mine ears； and the lowing of the oxen which I hear？〃 Saul
made answer； 〃They have brought them from the Amalekites： for the people
spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen； to sacrifice unto the Lord thy
God； and the rest we have utterly destroyed。〃 The people had obeyed Saul's
directions； but in order to shield himself； he was willing to charge upon
them the sin of his disobedience。
The message of Saul's rejection brought unspeakable grief to the heart of
Samuel。 It had to be delivered before the whole army of Israel； when they
were filled with pride and triumphal rejoicing over a victory that was
accredited to the valor and generalship
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of their king； for Saul had not associated God with the success of Israel in
this conflict； but when the prophet saw the evidence of Saul's rebellion； he
was stirred with indignation that he； who had been so highly favored of God；
should transgress the commandment of Heaven and lead Israel into sin。 Samuel
was not deceived by the su