Deuteronomy 25:13-19 · Exodus 17:8-16 · Numbers 14 · 1 Samuel 15:1-3 · 1 Samuel 27 · 1 Samuel 30 · 1 Samuel 9:1-2 · Esther 2:5 · Esther 3 — Deuteronomy
Honesty and the Promise of God
God fulfills his promises across generations, even when his plan takes centuries to complete. The sermon calls believers to trust God's faithfulness and follow him obediently, remembering that he accomplishes what he intends.
Introduction
My connection to this congregation goes back 53 years. I attended here for 15 years and after leaving, have returned regularly because of family and your graciousness to allow me to preach each year. I do not take such for granted. Besides the encouragement of my dad at age 12 to think about preaching and my mom who often inspired with great discussions about scripture, Bill Clark was the first one to “push” me to speak at age 14. Lincoln Curtis gave me an opportunity to speak at a youth retreat a couple of years later and then Rick Binkley made sure that I had regular speaking engagements later on. I had a teacher in Junior High who threatened to “fail” me if I didn’t participate in a public speaking competition. I took her threat seriously although I’m sure she meant it harmlessly. My point is that people pushed and believed long before I did or wanted to believe that I could stand and preach. I do not have time to name them all, but for every word of encouragement for the last 53 years, thank you. There are some in this audience who will play a role in the lives of some other child or teen in this congregation even now. You may not know it but you are vital for the growth of those who cannot believe or see the potential that is there. Encourage. It is easy to tear down. It is easy to point out the problem. It is far better to build up and to see the good. This is love. Love deeply those who are not yet adults and give them the “push” they need to move forward.
I want to speak today from an obscure text found at the end of Deuteronomy 25. In verses 17-19, God makes a promise that he wants and expects to be carried out. While the text creates questions for us, it also speaks to the ability of God to fulfill a promise. The text reassures us that God can be trusted. God does not forget a promise made and he is more than able to keep a promise that he makes.
A Promise
What exactly did the Amalekites do to Israel as they were leaving Egypt. In Exodus 17 soon after leaving Egypt the Amalekites attack Israel. For four hundred years Israel have been tending animals and working as slaves to build great structures for Egypt. They know very little about war. In Exodus 17:8-16, because of God’s power, Israel wins a great battle against the Amalekites, but the victory is not final. Sometime later the Amalekites in Numbers 14 when part of the Israelite army tries to go against God’s will, God uses the Amalekites to defeat this faction. From this text in Deut., the Amalekites took advantage of Israel and those who were weak as they left Egypt. God makes a promise that the day will come when this nation will be completely wiped out because of their great sin against God and his people.
The Amalekites continue to be a thorn in Israel’s side. They are mentioned several times in Judges as causing trouble and attacking Israel. But eventually the promise of God is to be completed. In 1 Samuel 15:1-3, God gives this command to Saul, the king of Israel. Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the Lord sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the Lord. This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”
From Deuteronomy 25 to 1 Samuel 15 is approximately 400 years. 400 years for the promise to be completed. Some come to 1 Samuel 15 without knowing the background and ask the question “how could God be so cruel?” How could he give permission for an entire group of people to be wiped out. Innocent children and people who had nothing to do with what happened 400 years before? Good questions. While the easy answer is that God is God and he can do whatever he wants is true, it also leaves us frustrated without clearer insight. Let me suggest to you that the real question is the same question from the beginning of time—Can I trust God even when I don’t understand what is going on? Adam and Eve answered “no” and sin entered the world. Cain answered “no” and killed his brother.
What does Saul do? Refuses to kill everything. He leaves the best animals alive. He brings the king, Agag, back as a spoil of war. Agag is a title of royalty rather than the person’s name. Similar to the term “Pharaoh” as it is used to describe the leader of Egypt. We can surmise from what Saul didn’t do that he left others alive as well. In fact, Israel’s next king, David, attacks the Amalekites in 1 Samuel 27 and 30. They are weakened but not destroyed. So perhaps out of compassion or evil, Saul didn’t do what God told him to do and the Amalekites continue to be a problem for Israel.
Turn to Esther 3. The story of Esther is very interesting and one that we do not have time to unpack but God uses Esther to survive an attempt for the Persians to wipe out the Jews. From the time of Saul to Esther is over 500 years. Look at verse 1. After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. Who is Haman? He is from the lineage of Agag. He is an Amalekite. What does Haman want to do? With the king’s agreement he wants to have all the Jews in the Persian kingdom killed and he would have succeeded if Esther with God’s strength hadn’t intervened. The point? Saul’s failure 500 years before almost resulted in Israel’s genocide.
Do you think that God in Deuteronomy 25 could foresee Haman? Do you think the promise made in Deuteronomy 25 means little? Is God being cruel or is he trying to prevent greater cruelty later? Maybe the intensity of God’s instructions and the emphasis help us even more—Don’t forget.
Application
The application from this text is found in that phrase. Don’t forget. God is faithful and when he makes a promise he will fulfill it. Don’t forget.
When God says he will not leave you, don’t forget.
When God says he will give you a way out of every temptation, don’t forget.
When God says that he will work in your life for your good, don’t forget.
When God says you can trust me to do what is best for you, don’t forget.
When God says that he will mold us into the image of Jesus, don’t forget.
When God says that there will be a judgment day and that those who belong to him have nothing to fear, don’t forget.
Let me show you one more thing from this story that is more than coincidental. It is fascinating. It is one of those things that when you see it, you will be amazed at God’s ability to do what he does. Turn to 1 Samuel 9:1-2, There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bekorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else. Israel’s first king came from the tribe of Benjamin. Saul’s father was named Kish.
Now turn to Esther 2:5—Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish. Mordecai is Esther’s uncle. He is the one who encourages Esther to do what she must do to save her people. He is the one who refused to bow down to Haman in the first place and Haman became so angry that he was going to destroy all Jews because of the one who didn’t honor him. The point—the first son of Kish failed to carry out God’s plan. The second son of a different Kish carries out the will of God. Both from the tribe of Benjamin; both royalty; but Saul did not follow the will of God and died. Mordecai followed the will of God and was saved.
This is not coincidence. God finishes the task as he always intended it to be. Don’t forget. God carries out his promises. You can trust him. We may not see all the details; it may take generations to see how God worked, but God never stops working and so he calls on us to trust him. He calls on us to follow faithfully. Invitation.
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