What God Regrets

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting September 5 to study 1 Samuel 15.  This is a very interesting chapter.  It recounts one of Saul's victories listed in chapter 14, but also the final failure and rejection of Saul as king.  There is no "time-table" so we don't know how far into his reign this happens.  It could be a decade or more of his twenty or so years reign.  Since for this account, timing is not important, we'll just study it as it's presented.

Read through the chapter several times, and note items like where are people when they are doing what is described.  It may be helpful to trace Saul's route on a map (or two maps perhaps - there's one down below).  Be sure to read the chapter in a few translations.  They read differently, and those differences are your clues to "difficulties" and the various possible solutions.  Make some note and bring them - we had some real good ones last week.

After reading through a few times, read back through using the questions below:

• Samuel gives Saul some instructions from God.  How explicit and clear are these instructions?  How much "room for error" did Samuel/God leave Saul?
• How long did Saul wait to start out?
• Who are the Kenites?  Look them up here.  Why let them go?  What "kindness" did they show Israel in the desert wandering?
• Verse 7 sounds good, then verses 8 and 9 depart from his instructions.  In the previous chapter (14:48), Amalek is described as ones having plundered Israel.  What difference might this make in influencing their obedience to the command of God?
• In verse 11, we are introduced to a word ascribed to God, a characteristic of His.  Look up H5162 in Strong's Concordance (your own or online).  Think about what this means, essentially all the meanings have a common thread.  What does this mean that God can do this?  Why might that be a problem "theologically" for people?
• This is where we trace Saul's route to Gilgal.  He comes back and goes to Carmel first.  Look at the map below.  Why is that a strange route to take?  Consider what he does there.  Hold that thought.
• When Samuel shows up at Gilgal, how does Saul greet him?  Consider that along with the thought you were holding from the previous question.  Now, how does Saul seem to view the situation?
• When Samuel asks Saul about the sheep and cattle, Saul says they are for sacrifice.  In such an act of worship, what happens to the sacrifice?  (think about this from previous references in Samuel).  So what is the intent of the people/Saul?
• In all the places where "utterly destroyed" or "completely destroyed" is used, it refers to this word at H2763, listen to it in addition to reading about it. Does the word sound familiar, but from a different context in the Middle East?  What is allowed to escape the "ban"?  Why or why not?
• Even through verse 16, Saul doesn't seem to grasp the situation.  Why might that be?  How could he not know he's done something wrong?
• Even as he answers Samuel, he still protests his innocence.  What is it the difference between Saul's intent, and the intent of the "ban"?  Wouldn't the end result be the same?
• In Samuel's response to Saul, he uses two words for "sacrifice", one the "whole burnt offering" where nothing is spared, all is burned, and then the word Saul has used throughout.  What's the difference?  How does this illuminate more about what is really wrong here?  But what would have been different had they intended a "whole burnt offering"?
• If God delights more in obedience than offerings, what does that say about our worship on Sunday's?  What is supposed to characterize us throughout the week?
• Read verse 23 in as many versions as you can find.  Saul's sins are rebellion (as bad as divination), and what?  What is as bad as idolatry?  Why might that be true, and connected to idolatry?
• Samuel calls what Saul has done, "rejection of God's command/word".  How aware was Saul of what he was doing and what it really meant?  Does God take that into account?
• Read both verses 24 and 30.  From Samuel's response, how much difference does it seem to make whether Saul is sincere or not?
• When Saul grabs Samuel's robe and it tears, consider what he says to Saul, what will God not do? This word "change His mind" or "relent" or "repent" is the same word used previously for God in verse 11 (H5162).  What's the difference here?  Why not here, but before God does?  Hold that thought.
• Samuel does go back with Saul, but he has other reasons than making Saul look good to the elders and the people.  What does Samuel do to Agag?  Look at verse 33 in as many versions as you have.  The NIV is "nicer" but the others are more accurate.  How does this influence your thinking about God?
• In verse 35, God again is said to "repent" or "regret", and it's our same word.  Again, why here, but not in verse 29?  What does Samuel's claim mean in verse 29?
• How does Samuel feel about all this?  Consider verses 11, along with 35.  Keep this in mind, because it comes back around in the next chapter.

That should keep us busy Thursday.  I look forward to studying with you then.