“Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy ALL that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass” (1 Samuel 15:2-3)
When God told King Saul to go and destroy the Amalek, the instruction was for him to go and completely destroy the entire Amalek nation – men, women, babies, little children, oxen, sheep, camels, and donkeys. Saul was not meant to spare anything alive. God already knew that many years later if the Amalek nation was not destroyed, will be a thorn in the flesh of Israel. However, King Saul went on that mission, but failed to carry out God’s marching orders explicitly. He spared what appeared to him the best looking of the abominations that he had been ordered to destroy completely. He could not see Amalek with the eyes of God. So what God saw ahead of time, Saul could not see; hence he spared some alive.
Notice that many years after Saul was dead, a surviving seed of Amalekites grew into a great monster that threatened the whole Jewish race. That seed was called “Haman the Agagite,” alias “the great enemy of all the Jews” (Esther 8:3; 9:24). The enemy that King Saul failed to deal with, many years later became a thorn in their flesh.
Brothers and sisters, hear God’s word for you today. God says, “the enemy you spare today will not spare you tomorrow” (1 Kings 20:39-42). The iniquity you excuse today will condemn you tomorrow. The sin you conceal now will expose you tomorrow. That sin you call a “weakness” today will gradually grow so strong that tomorrow it will conquer, enslave and destroy you, if not dealt with.
Brothers and sisters, it is better to deal with that matter now and nip it in the bud. It is better to address it while it is still a “weakness”, before it becomes a conquering “master”.
Had Saul been obedient to God and done to Amalek as God had instructed him to, there would not have been a Haman, over 600 years later, to pose so much danger to the generation of Jews.
I pray that you receive grace to address whatever issue that needs to be addressed in your life before it gets out of hand in the name of Jesus Christ.
Have a wonderful week
Your brother
Chuka Duru
