Zion's Voice

Haftarah Reflections   24

Torah portion           Leviticus 1 : 1  to 6 : 7

Haftarah portion     1 Samuel  15 : 2  -  34

Listen to the Prophets

But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?”

This week we see the judgement of God in action. We are familiar with the ‘love’ aspect of God’s character, which even the world recognizes, and with which we readily identify. We are less able to fully understand the righteousness of God which is expressed in our parashah today. That is God, the righteous judge. But it is important that we do.

The Amalekites were a nomadic people. They take their name from Amalek, a grandson of Esau. They had a history of enmity towards Israel. They were a people which chose to harass the vulnerable Children of Israel when they first left Egypt, The Israelites were vulnerable because they were in a desert place, water was scarce, and they pined for the security they knew in Egypt, even though they were in slavery there.

At the place where Moses struck the rock at Horeb, Amalek came and fought with the Israelites. The story is well known. As Aaron and Hur held Moses arms high, the Israelites prevailed, and when Moses arms lowered in fatigue, Amalek prevailed. In the end Amalek was defeated. Moses there declared that God was “Jehovah Nissi” (The Lord is my banner). 

But God said two things to Moses. Firstly, that ‘there would be war with Amalek from generation to generation’.  Secondly, that He would ‘utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven’.  The Amalekites joined in with Midianites, Moabites, Hittites, Edomites, you name it, anyone who had a battle with Israel. But here, in our parashah today, God said “enough is enough”.

Samuel called Saul, the recently anointed king of Israel, and told him that he was to take an army and ‘blot out’ the Amalekites. Everything. Let nothing remain. Saul assembled a large army of over 200,000 foot soldiers, and struck them. They were chased across the length of their territory, which was at that time part of Edom. Many thousands died in that pursuit, But Saul saw that there were good flocks of sheep and cattle. He could not resist the temptation. The weak ones were killed, but the good stock he decided to take back as booty. And for reasons that only Saul would know, maybe as an act of bravado, or gloating, or pride, he took the Amalekite king, Agag, captive too. Triumphantly, he trooped back with his booty. Up to the north of the country, Carmel, where he set up a monument to himself, then back east to Gilgal. A march of triumph and boasting.

But Samuel was in intimate communion with the Lord, who told Samuel that He regretted making Saul king. The whole episode was revealed to Samuel. He was distraught. All night long he cried out to the Lord. By morning he knew what to do.

He went to see Saul, who immediately put on a cheerful greeting and declared that he had done all that was asked of him. (There is a sequel to this story in the Book of Esther, which is recalled every year at the Jewish festival of Purim. The wicked Haman, who plotted the annihilation of the Jews, was an Agagite, so clearly, the commission Saul was given was not completed as instructed.) Then Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?”

The rest of the story you may read for yourself. It is quite graphic in its description of events, and part of the story contains a damning description of what had happened in Saul’s life. (1 Samuel 15: 17-19)

But we need to see the lesson here for ourselves today.

Most of us are delighted to receive the call of God on our lives. As in the parashah today, because of our gifting and experience, many are called upon to carry out specific work in God’s Name, which only they can do. It is also the case, that not everyone completes the task. ‘Things’ get in the way. In Saul’s case it was arrogance and pride. But there are many other pitfalls for the unwary.

In fact, we may be sure that all who come to faith in Yeshua are called to service. Many of us appear not to understand what that calling requires. Consequently there are tasks that are not completed. In simple terms it is our responsibility to seek the Lord on that. Dare I suggest that sometimes it may be as plain as "letting our light so shine before men that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father in Heaven”. The prophet Micah gave us another guide. “to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God”. King Saul was in no such doubt, but he failed the test. What a tragedy it would be, when called to account, thinking that we have completed our mission to hear the words “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?”

We will receive God’s blessing as we seek to do His will for us.

Shabbat Shalom

RS