Like all of us, I’m guessing King Saul was a pretty complex guy. Whatever the details of his story during his formative years, from what’s recorded in 1Samuel of his adult years he — like the rest of us — had it all going on. Even though God had given him “another heart” (1Sam. 10:9), internally Saul appears to have been a swirling tempest of insecurities, pride, and the fear of man. The evidence of which, from this morning’s reading, was bleating sheep.

The instructions from God were clear. The persistent, habitual sins of the Amalekites warranted God’s wrath. There would be no more waiting. They had been divinely weighed and found wanting. Their day of judgment had come. Thus, God purposed to “devote to destruction” the descendents of Amalek and all that they had. And King Saul and the people of God were to be His instrument of enacting His sentence. “Do not spare them”, says the Lord.

And King Saul acts upon the LORD’s command. Sort of. Well, mostly.

And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself and turned and passed on and went down to Gilgal.” And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you to the LORD. I have performed the commandment of the LORD.” And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?”

(1Samuel 15:12-14 ESV)

Bleating sheep . . . partial obedience . . . corrupt compliance . . . self-serving submission. That’s what I’m chewing on this morning.

Saul spared the Amalekite king, for there was no greater testimony to one king’s greatness than another, defeated king’s displayed subservience. And he spared the best of the livestock — for why should the spoils of battle go to waste when they are so effective in conveying the conqueror’s worth? So, rather than whole-hearted obedience, King Saul instead devoted to destruction only that which “was despised and worthless” (1Sam. 15:9).

How come? ‘Cause, like the rest of us, King Saul was a pretty complex guy. Aka . . . like the rest of us, he was a mess. A inner whirlwind of insecurities, pride, and fear of man skewing His faithfulness to God.

So, I could sit here this morning, listening too to the bleating of the sheep and judge Saul. I could also identify with Saul, hearing my own bleating sheep, and simply resolve to do better. To determine with my own defiled determination to try harder.

Or, I could think on another King who was raised up as an instrument for God’s judgment. Not to enact God’s judgment (though that day is coming) but to bear God’s judgment. To take upon Himself the sins of the world. Dealing with all our sins and devoting them too to destruction — as far as the east is from the west (Ps. 103:12). Nothing left un-atoned for. No bleating sheep.

I could hear again, by faith, the voice of the Lamb of God as He whispers, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Lk. 23:34), and as He cries out, “It is finished” (Jn. 19:30).

My King perfectly obeying the Father’s command. No bleating sheep.

It is finished.

There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1).

No bleating sheep.

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Only because of His grace. Always for His glory.