Crossroads Church

Struggling with 1 Samuel 15...

This past weekend at Crossroads I preached on Saul's sad life (one of the greatest train wrecks in the Bible). One of the commands he disobeys is found in 1 Samuel 15—essentially he's to go and totally wipe out the Amalekites—men, women, children, babies, and livestock. The command was clear, yet (in our minds) cruel.

Many of us struggle with the "God of the Old Testament." How do we interpret or deal with a passage like this? It it hyperbole? Not in my opinion. Did God make a mistake and lose his temper? Not in my opinion. Did God really want them ALL destroyed? I believe he did. I believe God meant what he said. The problem is it's impossible for us to see things through God's eyes. For example:

Do we fully grasp God's holiness and justice? How much God hates sin? Do we have a clue how wicked the Amalekites were? That they burnt their children in front of statues of Molech, their idol? That their religion goes down in history as perhaps the most depraved known to mankind?

And do we fully grasp God's patience? He has put up with this vile nation for hundreds of years. This is no "blow-a-fuse" act of God. He's given them plenty of time to repent. Sin ultimately will be punished. Perhaps it was the Amalekites day of judgment.

Finally, do we fully grasp God's mercy? Yes, he commanded innocent children and babies to be killed...but perhaps that was an act of MERCY. No, I haven't gone mad. Think of the corrupt culture those babies/children were being raised in. Think about many of them being sacrificed (burned) to the idol Molech. And remember that children up to a certain age are not held responsible for their sins. Hmm. Maybe this command was an act of mercy—taking those children out of their godless environment to their eternal home in heaven. Maybe this was their only chance/hope of heaven.

Something to think about.