[NIV] 1 Samuel said to Saul, "I am the one the LORD sentto anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen nowto the message from the LORD.
[NLT] 1 One day Samuel said to Saul, "It was the LORD who told me to anoint you asking of his people, Israel. Now listen to this message from the LORD! - P112
2 This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘I will punish theAmalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaidthem as they came up from Egypt.
- P112
3 Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy allthat belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to deathmen and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep,
camels and donkeys."" - P112
6 Then he said to the Kenites, "Go away, leave the Ama-lekites so that I do not destroy you along with them; foryou showed kindness to all the Israelites when they cameup out of Egypt." So the Kenites moved away from theAmalekites. - P113
9 But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of thesheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs-everythingthat was good. These they were unwilling to destroycompletely, but everything that was despised and weakthey totally destroyed.
9 Saul and his men spared Agag‘s life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, thecattle, the fat calves, and the lambs-everything, in fact, that appealed to them. Theydestroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality. - P113
Samuel tells Saul to attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongsto them. - P113
Saul assembles his men and warns the Kenites, who had been kindto Israel, to depart from the Amalekites. - P113
Then Saul attacks the Amalekites anddestroys all the people, but he spares King Agag and the best of the livestock. - P113
The Amalekites continue to threaten Israel‘s existence as a people.
Because of this threat,
God commands Saul to lead the Israelite army inthe total destruction of Amalekite society. - P114
No plunder is to be taken,
indicating that this battle is not meant to enrich Israel but is a sign ofGod‘s judgment against His enemies. - P114
However, by sparing King Agagas a trophy of war and allowing the army to take the plunder for them-selves, Saul dishonors God while seeking to honor himself. - P114
Obedienceto God brings its own reward. - P114
Disobedience, however profitable itmay seem at the moment, carries with it consequences. God honorsthose who honor Him. - P114
But those who seek honor for themselves atthe expense of obedience to God will eventually be put to shame. - P114
Letus not obey the Lord selectively but devote our whole hearts to Himand Hisways. - P114
Dear Jesus, You are our Lord. Forgive us for the times we do not fully follow Yourinstructions. - P115
Give us the courage to fight our sinful desires so that we may obeyYou in all things. In Your name, amen. - P115
Djibouti is a small East African nation situated between Eritrea and Somalia. - P114
It was a Frenchcolony for almost a century before gaining independence, and France still maintains asignificant military presence in the country. - P114
Because of the nation‘s lack of natural resources,its economy is based on its strategic location on the Red Sea, with the nation‘s port servingto facilitate the trade of goods along East Africa. - P114
Djibouti‘s physical conditions also makemissions work a challenge, and the small number of believers often face spiritual oppressionfrom their Muslim neighbors. - P114
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