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Patriarchs and Prophets
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 unaltered—God’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 of their king, for Saul
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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 subterfuge of the king. With
mingled grief and indignation he declared, “Stay, and I will tell thee