Exodus: Bondage, Deliverance, and Passover: As Yet

When You Despise One, You Despise the Other

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2020-10-11

Synopsis: John Weaver teaches from 1 Chronicles 10:13-14 that Saul died for transgressing against the Lord and His word, demonstrating that one cannot separate God from His Word. To despise, reject, or disobey Scripture is to despise God Himself. The sermon traces Saul's rebellion, rejection of God's command, and turn to a witch, showing that rejecting God's Word leads to God becoming one's enemy. Applications emphasize that love for God is proven by love for and obedience to His Word.

[John Weaver] Let's open our Bible's day to 1 Chronicles 10. 1 Chronicles 10. And we're going to be reading verses 13 and 14. 1 Chronicles 10. And notice, if you would please, verses 13 and 14. The title of the message is, When you despise one, you despise the other. When you despise one, you despise the other. 1 Chronicles chapter 10, beginning of verse 13. So Saul died for his transgression, which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not. And also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit to inquire of it and inquired not of the Lord.

[John Weaver] Therefore, he slew him and turned the kingdom unto David, the son of Jesse. You will probably not hear too many people exclaim, I hate God, and neither would you hear too many people exclaim, I hate the Bible. But yet it is true that many people do indeed hate God, and they hate the Bible also. And yet they refuse to come out and state it very bluntly. Instead, what they like to do is to suggest, to question, to insinuate, to denigrate, and to deny both God and His Word in a much lighter way.

[John Weaver] We speak oftentimes of euphemisms. A euphemism is just simply an easy way of saying something that is very difficult or very hard. For instance, you do not hear too many people say, well, my wife died or my uncle died. What they'll say is my wife passed or my uncle passed away. And that's just simply an easier or lighter way of saying that she died. Moreover, you hear people talk about so-and-so had an affair. That's just an easy and lighter way of saying so-and-so committed adultery. In other words, you're not going to just come out and say that. Moreover, many people say, well, he took a life. No, no, he didn't just take a life. He was a murderer. He murdered. And so even though we speak euphemistically at times, that still does not negate the impact of what we actually say.

[John Weaver] Now, there is a passage in the book of Romans, which we've looked at before, which demonstrates very clearly man's natural hatred against God and His Word. You remember that passage in Romans 8, verses 7 and 8, where the Bible says, but the carnal mind is enmity against God. It is not subject to the law of God. Neither indeed can be. So then they that are in flesh cannot please God. Now, when he said the carnal mind is enmity against God, I just simply want to remind you that the word enmity is a very strong word for hatred. I want to show you a passage. I want you to hold First Chronicles chapter 10, but look in your Bibles to the book of Hosea chapter 9. Hosea chapter 9. And so you will have the book of Daniel, Hosea, Daniel and Right after you have the book of Daniel, you have Hosea and then Joel and Amos. So look in Hosea 9. And note, if you would please, verse 7.

[John Weaver] Then I'm going to give you two comments on it just momentarily. But look in Hosea 9 and verse 7. The Bible says, The days of visitation are come. The days of recompense are come. Israel shall know it. The prophet is a fool. The spiritual man is mad for the multitude of divine iniquity and the great hatred." Now, should look at that phrase, and the great hatred. Here's what John Trapp said on this verse. John Trapp's one of the old Puritans. He said, for the multitude of thine iniquity and the great hatred. Then he says, Hebrew, the great satanic hatred that thou hast born against God and thy neighbor, but especially God's faithful prophets whom thou heartily hatest for their plain dealing, as they have did Micaiah, because he never spoke good of him.

[John Weaver] Well, he's referring to that passage in First Kings, Chapter 22, where Ahab is trying to get Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, to go to war with him and recover Ramoth Gilead. And so Ahab has all of his false prophets that are prophesying good, and they're saying, go up and prosper. And Jehoshaphat asks, is there not here a prophet of the Lord that we may inquire of him as well? And in verse 8, the king of Israel, Ahab, said to Jehoshaphat, there is one yet Micaiah, the son of Imla, by whom we may inquire of the Lord. But I hate him because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil." In other words, he's just said it very plainly. He hated him because Micaiah spoke absolutely the truth. Now, he's talking about good-wraith hatred. Let me give you one other quote, and this is by Albert Barnes. He says, the words stand at the close of the verse as the reason of all which had gone before.

[John Weaver] Their manifold iniquity and their great hatred of God were the ground why the days of visitation and recompense should come. They were the ground also why God allowed such prophets to delude them. The words the great hatred stand quite undefined so that they may signify like the hatred of Ephraim against God and good people and his true prophets or God's hatred of them. Yet it most likely means their great hatred sense of them.

[John Weaver] The prophet uses it again in the next verse. Now listen to what he said in this last sentence. The sinner first neglects God. Then, as the will of God is brought before him, he willfully disobeys him. Then, when he finds that God's will, irreconcilably, at variance with his own, or when God chastens him, he hates him. And the prophet speaks out plainly, hates him greatly. So notice, if you would, he talks about, in verse 9, the great hatred. The great hatred. So obviously, there is indeed hatred. It may not necessarily be on the surface all the times, but it is hatred.

[John Weaver] Now, if you've never grasped this one central fact, I want you to do so today. Think about this. When you despise the word of God, you despise God. When you despise God, you despise his word. You cannot separate God from His Word. And the Bible says in Psalm 138, verse 2, that thou hast magnified thy word above thy name. So if God's Word ever fails, then God basically ceases to be God. So it means it's impossible then for someone to hold one attitude toward the Bible, and a different attitude toward God, or to hold one attitude toward God and a different attitude toward the Bible.

[John Weaver] Now, we could say the same thing in different ways. Let me put it like this. When you neglect the Word of God, you neglect God. When you neglect God, you neglect the Word of God. I could still say this another way. When you forget God, you forget His Word. When you forget God's Word, you forget God. Because God and His Word are both immutable. They are unchangeable. That's why the Bible in Psalm 119 and verse 89 says, Forever, O Lord, is Thy Word settled in the heavens. Now, for years I've preached, I've taught, I've harped upon this, I've exhorted people, I've besought people, and I've endeavored to instill this one concept in the minds of people over and over again, and that is, you cannot separate God from His Word. I've said before, a king rules by his law. God is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and God of Gods, and He has a law, and that law is the way that He rules. He is not going to forsake His Word. He's not going to deny His Word.

[John Weaver] Stop and think about this. If God ever denied His Word, He would cease being God. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 2 and verse 13, if we believe not, yet he remaineth faithful. Listen carefully. He cannot deny himself. So God is not going to deny himself, and He's certainly not going to deny His Word.

[John Weaver] Now, we're going to be looking at 1 Chronicles 10, verses 13 and 14. Before we look at that, I want to show you the same exact truth from the life of David. Everyone in this room is quite familiar with David's fall into sin, his adultery with Bathsheba. You're also quite aware of his murder of Uriah the Hittite, who was the husband of Bathsheba. In fact, although David did not kill him directly, he did so indirectly. And God charges him with murder by using the sword of the children of Ammon. So we are familiar with that sin and that failing. We're also familiar with the story that Nathan brought before David to show David his great sin when he talked about the rich man with all of his stock and all of his animals. and the one poor man with the one little ewe lamb. And when the visitor came, the rich man failed to take of his stock and his herd, and he took the poor man's lamb and, of course, killed it and served that to his guests.

[John Weaver] So although we are familiar with that, we may not be quite familiar with exactly what God told David. So I want you to look in your Bibles to 2 Samuel chapter 12. 2 Samuel 12. And let's begin reading there with verse 7. 2 Samuel 12. And look, if you would please, at verse 7. So, Nathan has confronted David. He's told the story. David is greatly upset and he said, the man that has done this shall restore fourfold and he shall die. And so in verse 7, and Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus said the Lord God of Israel. I anointed the king over Israel and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul. And I gave thee thy master's house and thy master's wives into thy bosom and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah. And if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Now look at verse 9. Wherefore, Hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in His sight?

[John Weaver] Now has Kiliurath the Hittite with the sword, and has taken his wife to be thy wife, and has slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon?" Now, let me just stop right there. Note what he asks in verse 9. Wherefore, hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in His sight? Well, we know obviously that David did indeed despise the commandments of God. He despised the seventh commandment, thou shalt not commit adultery. He despised the sixth commandment, Thou shalt not kill. He despised the 8th commandment, Thou shalt not steal, because he stole Bathsheba from Uriah. He also despised the 10th commandment, Thou shalt not covet, for he coveted her. He also despised the 1st commandment, Thou shalt have no other gods before me, because he placed himself before God. He also despised the 5th commandment, Honor thy father and thy mother, because in his actions he dishonored his father and his mother.

[John Weaver] And by the way, The Hebrew word here for despise literally means, listen carefully, to despise, to condemn, to disdain, to scorn, to treat as vile, to treat as useless and worthless, and to treat as contemptible. So what David did is what every sinner does when we violate God's law. We're treating that law as it is absolutely contemptible, that it is useless, that it is worthless of no account.

[John Weaver] And we keep scoring upon scoring upon it. Well, we can see that because he said, wherefore has thou despised the commandment of the Lord? David despised it.

[John Weaver] Now look at verse 10. He says, now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from my house. Because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of your other Hittite to be thy wife." Now note if you would what he said in verse 9, you've despised the commandment of the Lord. Now in verse 10 he said, you have despised me. So now God charges David with despising him. He was treating God as if God was contemptible and vile and worthless and useless and incidentally, The Hebrew word for despised is exactly the same in both verses. So, I think it should be very clear again, you cannot separate God from His Word. When you despise the Word of God, you despise God. When you despise God, you despise His Word. Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to 1 Chronicles 10, because we're going to see the same truth stated very plainly. Watch carefully. 1 Chronicles 10. Look at verse 13. So Saul died for his transgression, which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not.

[John Weaver] Now note, if you would, Saul died for his transgression, which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord. So here it is again. in black and white. You cannot separate the one from the other. Let me say this very plainly. When you transgress against God, you transgress against His law. When you transgress against His law, you also transgress against God. It's impossible to separate the two. First, we need to note the word transgression. The Bible says very clearly, so Saul died for his transgression. Now, when you and I think of the word transgression, we try to associate the word trespass. And in one sense of the word, a transgression is indeed a trespass.

[John Weaver] So if Gary had placed a sign on his property that said no trespassing, and I walked onto that property, Gary could ask me to leave. And if I refuse to leave, he could have me arrested because that would be a violation of his private property rights. So when we think of a trespass, we also think of a transgression and we say that a transgression is a trespass.

[John Weaver] But let me tell you something. The Hebrew word for transgression here means far more than a trespass. It means actually a very sore and grievous falsehood. It means a trespass, an awful trespass and an act of treachery. So you've got to understand that when God is talking about this transgression of Saul, it's not just simply a minor act. It is an act of treachery, so we need to examine and see what this act of treachery really consists.

[John Weaver] So I want you to hold First Chronicles 10 and turn back in your Bibles to First Samuel Chapter 15. I want you to watch this very closely. First Samuel Chapter 15 and notice if you would please be getting there with verse one. First Samuel Chapter 15. And verse one. Note what God says. God sends Samuel to Saul. And Samuel also said in Saul, the Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel.

[John Weaver] Now, therefore, hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid weight for him in the way when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek. and utterly destroy all that they have and spare them not. But slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass."

[John Weaver] Now the interesting thing is what God does very clearly is He sends the prophet to Saul and He tells Saul, look, what you need to do is you go and slay all of the Amalekites. I remember that which Amalek did to Israel when he came out of Egypt. Now, if you want to read about what Amalek did, you can go to Deuteronomy 25 and read the latter part. But Amalek, the Bible tells us in that passage, ambushed Israel.

[John Weaver] Not only did he ambush, but he hit them in the rear and he slew the feeble and the lame and those who could not really defend themselves. And so God says, I remember this.

[John Weaver] Now, here is the time of justice. So I want you to go and kill all of the Amalekites and all of their animals. So it didn't matter if it was man or woman, child, ox, suckling ass. God said each one is to forfeit their lives. Now, Very simple. And by the way, it was Samuel who anointed Saul to be king. And so, God says to Saul, here are your orders. Saul was to be God's king. He was responsible and accountable to obey God. However, Saul disobeyed.

[John Weaver] Now if you'll look in v. 17, note if you would please, 1 Samuel 15, Saul has spared now Agag, the king of the Amalekites, and the best of the oxen and the best of the sheep. He did not obey God. So look in verse 17. The Bible says, And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the Lord anointed thee king over Israel. By the way, When he says, when I was little and on site, you can read when Samuel told Saul that God had chosen him to be king, Saul said, but who am I?

[John Weaver] I'm the least in my father's house. And my father's house is the least in Judah. And our tribe, Benjamin, is the least tribe. Who am I? And when they went to crown him king, so to speak, Where was Saul? He was hiding among the stuff. Somebody had to go find him. So he says, when you were little in your own eyesight, God made you king. Now watch verse 18.

[John Weaver] And the Lord sent thee on a journey and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Wherefore, then, didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord? But didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord? And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil, the sheep, and oxen, and sheep of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal. Now I want you to note what Saul is doing. First of all, He's now blaming the people. I've obeyed God. He said it was the people who spared all of these animals. Well, it wasn't the people who spared Agag. That was Saul himself. But I want you to note something, if you would please. Although Saul is saying the people spared the animals, to whom did God give the orders?

[John Weaver] To Saul. Saul was the king. He was the commander. He was the commander-in-chief. He was accountable. He was responsible. He knew what the orders from God were. The people did not necessarily know, but Saul knew. But I want you to look, if you would please, what he said in verse 19. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, that is disobedience, But did fly upon the spoil, that is, he was covetous. He wanted it himself. And it's evil in the sight of the Lord. So now disobedience in verse 19 is called evil in the sight of the Lord. So when you and I think about disobedience, we just think about we've done something we should not have done.

[John Weaver] Well, there's more to it than that. Skip down to verse 22. And Samuel said, once he says that the people have spared them so they could sacrifice the animals, and Samuel said, have the Lord's great delight in burnt offering as sacrifices, and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord. Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

[John Weaver] Now watch what he says, for rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king."

[John Weaver] Now, when you think about the disobedience in verse 19, now the disobedience becomes more than that in verse 23. Now it is called rebellion. And rebellion is the sin of witchcraft. And witchcraft means that you are to be put to death. Notice, if you would, the disobedience in verse 19 not only became rebellion in verse 23, But note, if you would, the latter part, because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord. So the disobedience then becomes rebellion and rebellion becomes rejection.

[John Weaver] So what we need to do is this. We need to tie these three terms together in our mind, because whenever anyone disobeys God, he's rebelling against God and he's rejecting the word of God. He's saying it's not for me. I'm scorning it. It's worthless. It's useless. It's contemptible. I don't want it. It is indeed an act of treachery. Now, when you reject the Word of God, you are also rejecting the God who gave the Word.

[John Weaver] OK, you cannot have one without the other. When you despise one, you despise the other.

[John Weaver] Now look in verse 24. Saul admits and confesses his transgression, and Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned. For I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and thy words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. Hmm. Now he's saying, well, I feared the people above God, which, of course, would be idolatry, a violation of the first commandment. He says, now, therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin. And turn again with me that I may worship the Lord. And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee, for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. And as Samuel turned about to go away, he saw laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. And Samuel said unto him, The Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor of thine that is better than thou." Note, if you would, what Samuel said. Thou hast rejected the Word of the Lord.

[John Weaver] Let me just say this again. Whenever you reject the Word of the Lord, you are rejecting the God who gave that Word.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to go back to 1 Chronicles 10, and look if you would please at verse 13. Watch carefully. Here it is. So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, that's his person, even against the Word of the Lord, that's what the Lord spoke, which he kept not. Well, obviously, if you are disobedient and rebellious, and reject the word of the Lord and are treacherous, you're not going to keep it. That is for sure. So the Bible says very clearly there that he is going to die for this sin. But look at the rest of this verse.

[John Weaver] And also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit to inquire of it. And he inquired not of the Lord, therefore the Lord slew him, and turn the kingdom unto David, the son of Jesse."

[John Weaver] Now, God says, listen, Saul, what you have done is this. You've disobeyed Me. You've rebelled against Me. You've rejected My Word. And consequently, you've rejected Me. By the way, you must also remember that God rejected Saul. And now, Saul is going to turn to a witch for counsel. I want you to see this. So, whole 1 Chronicles 10 and turn back in your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 28. 1 Samuel chapter 28.

[John Weaver] And let's begin reading there with verse 7. 1 Samuel 28 and verse 7. Watch carefully. Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her and inquire of her. And his servants said unto him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor. By the way, how many of you remember that? TV program, Bewitched, years ago. You remember that?

[John Weaver] Elizabeth Montgomery starred in it, which tried to say that there was such a thing as a good witch, which there is not. But do you remember her mother's name? Endora, from The Witch of Endor. Yeah, yeah, this is where it came from. So, so there is a woman that has a familiar spirit at Indore. Now watch verse 8. And Saul disguised himself and put on another rammet, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night. And he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee. And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards out of the land.

[John Weaver] Wherefore, then, layest thou snare for my life, to cause me to die? And Saul sware to her by the Lord, saying, As the Lord liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing. Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice, in other words, This was not her doing.

[John Weaver] She was not expecting this. And the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why has thou deceived me? Thou art Saul. And the king said unto her, Be not afraid, for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up, and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, And he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed himself. And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed, for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets nor by dreams. Therefore I have called thee that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. Now watch carefully. Then said Samuel, Wherefore, then, dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? And the Lord hath done to him as he spake by me, for the Lord hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbor, even to David, because Thou obeyest not the voice of the Lord, nor executest His fierce wrath upon Amalek.

[John Weaver] Therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee this day." Now, I want you to see several things in this passage. First of all, I want you to see the absolute ignorance as well as arrogance and total rejection of the Word of God by Saul. How can I say that? Well, the Bible says in Exodus chapter 22 in verse 18, thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. In other words, witchcraft merits a death penalty, according to the Bible. In Leviticus 19 in verse 31, God says, regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards to be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God. I want you to look back at verse 10. I want to show you this arrogance. Look at it. And Saul swear to her by the Lord, saying. As the Lord lived. There shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing, really? Really, God has just got out of his mouth, thou shalt not suffer which to live. And Saul is saying, I want you to call me up a man who is dead.

[John Weaver] Well, she said, you know, Saul has put us out of the land. We can't do this. You're going to endanger my life. As the Lord liveth, there's nothing going to happen to you. Really? You mean he could now nullify the law of God and the punishment of God as well? I want you to stop and think about this. This is exactly the attitude and the arrogance of modern day politicians, modern day elites, modern day rulers who think that somehow they have the power and the authority to overrule God. What do I mean by that? Well, look around today and you will find that Most politicians not only allow and tolerate perversions and wickedness, they also subsidize it and say, well, that's just your choice. Nothing's going to happen to you. We're going to protect you. Really? You cannot protect someone from the judgment and the wrath of God. You can't do that. And so Saul arrogantly says, as the Lord liveth, Really, as the Lord liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to pay close attention, if you would, please, to verses 15 and 16. Watch this carefully. And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me? To bring thee up. And Saul answered, I am sore distressed, for the Philistines make war against me. And God is departed from me and answers me no more, neither by prophets nor by dreams. Therefore, I've called thee that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just stop right here. Look what he said. God is departed from me. Let me tell you something, folks. This is a very awesome and horrifying truth. that when you are disobedient, and when you are rebellious, and when you reject the Word of God, when you are treacherous, and you depart from God, God departs from you as well. And look what he said, God doesn't answer me by prophets. Really? Well, why in the world should God send him a prophet?

[John Weaver] He wouldn't listen to Samuel. Samuel was a prophet. Why would God give you any more truth when you refuse to obey the truth that He's already given you? And why in the world should God give him a dream? What is He wanting now? Something over and above and beyond the Word which Samuel spoke to Him? The truth of the matter is, if He had had 15 prophets, He would have still rejected everything they said, because He had already rejected the Word of the Lord.

[John Weaver] Now, watch if you would carefully. Let's look at verse 16. Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? Now, here's the implication. Samuel said, if God has departed from you, and if God has become your enemy, you think I'm going to help you? Are you insane? Why should I align myself with you when God has departed from you and God has become your enemy?

[John Weaver] May I tell you something that we have failed to realize? God can even become the enemy of His own people. I'll show you that in black and white. I want you to turn in your Bibles, whole 1 Chronicles. We're coming back there. But I want you to turn to the book of Isaiah. Look in chapter 63. Isaiah 63. And look, if you would please, at verse 10. In fact, the truth of the matter is We're talking about Israel. Let me just show you. Let's begin reading in verse 7. Isaiah 63, verse 7. I will mention the loving kindness of the Lord and the praises of the Lord according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us We're talking about God's people. "...and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which He hath bestowed on them according to His mercies, according to the multitude of His lovingkindness. For He said, Surely they are My people, children that will not lie.

[John Weaver] So He was their Savior. In all their affliction He was afflicted. And the angel of His presence saved them. In His love and in His pity He redeemed them, and He bared them and carried them all the days of old. But they rebelled and vexed His Holy Spirit. Therefore, He, God, was turned to be their enemy and fought against them." Isn't that amazing? Isn't that amazing? God turned to be the enemy of His own people because they forsook Him and vexed Him.

[John Weaver] Now, when you go back to 1 Chronicles 10, look in verse 13 again. The Bible says, So Saul died for his transgression, which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not. And also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit to inquire of it. Now watch. And inquired not of the Lord. Therefore, he slew him and turned the kingdom unto David, the son of Jesse.

[John Weaver] Now, let me tell you something. Saul did not inquire of the Lord. How can I say this? Look in 1 Chronicles chapter 13. And look, if you would please, at verse 3. Look what David says. 1 Chronicles chapter 13 and verse 3. David says, and let us bring again the ark of our God to us. For we inquired not at it in the days of Saul." So, the ark of God was there, but Saul didn't inquire of it, neither did anybody else, because Saul had rejected the Word of the Lord. And since he'd rejected the Word of the Lord, God rejected him. That is why the Bible says in verse 14,"...and inquired not of the Lord." He went to the witch of Endor, but he did not go to the ark of God.

[John Weaver] Now, listen to me very carefully. If you desire to know God, if you desire to worship him and honor him and glorify him and obey him, then you must know his word. It is impossible to know God apart from his word. It is impossible to love God apart from his word. It is impossible to worship God apart from his word. So let me show you. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of John 12. John 12. And let me show you a very prominent verse, and one that is very clear, I would think. John 12, verse 48. Our Lord is speaking.

[John Weaver] And look what He says. John 12, verse 48. Our Lord says, He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. Now, wait a minute. First of all, He said, and he that rejecteth Me. Do you realize that Jesus Christ is the living Word of God? John 1. Verses 1 through 3. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God, and all things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. When you get down to verse 14, and the Word became flesh, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

[John Weaver] Then when you get to 2 Timothy 3 and verse 16, All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for correction, for reproof, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished, and done all good works. Now, Jesus Christ is the living Word of God. The Bible is the written Word of God. Now look back at verse 48. He that rejecteth me, that is the living Word, and receiveth not my words, that's the written Word, hath one that judgeth him. What is it? The word that I've spoken, the Bible, the same shall judge him in the last day. You cannot separate God from his word. When you despise one, you despise the other. Our Lord is the living word and the Bible is the written word.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you a couple more. I want you to look in your Bible, so the book of Luke chapter 10. Luke chapter 10 and notice if you would please verse 16. Luke 10 verse 16. Our Lord. Says to his disciples basically. Watch carefully. He that heareth you. Here with me. So those whom our Lord sins. as they preach and teach His words, He said, if they hear you, they hear Me. But watch, and he that despiseth you, that is, you who are preaching His Word, despiseth Me. And he that despiseth Me, despiseth him that sent Me. So you cannot say, well, I love the Lord, but I don't like His Bible. I don't love His Word. No, no, no. You can't say, well, I love the Bible, but I don't love the Lord Jesus Christ. No, you can't separate them.

[John Weaver] If you despise the one, you despise the other. If you love the one, you love the other. Now, let me show you another one. I want you to hold Luke. We're coming back there. But turn, if you would, to First Thessalonians chapter four. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. And look, if you would please, beginning there with verse, oh, let's say, let's read beginning there with verse 3. Because in this passage, we're dealing with God's commandments, God's law. And I want you to watch carefully. In fact, years ago, I preached a series of eight messages on this passage on sanctification and sexual purity. But look in verse 3. He says, for this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you should that you should abstain from fornication. So he's saying.

[John Weaver] Do not violate the Seventh Commandment. Do not violate the Eighth Commandment. Do not violate the Tenth Commandment. In other words, he's talking about his law. He says, for this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you should abstain from fornication, that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel, that is his body, in sanctification and honor. We're not to do it in the lust of the concupiscence, even as the Gentiles, which know not God. We're not to live as the unsaved. that no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter, or the matter, that would be fornication or adultery, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we have also forewarned you and testified. Now watch. For God has not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God who also giveth unto us His Holy Spirit. So what he is saying is if you despise His law, if you despise His Word, you are despising God at the same time.

[John Weaver] You cannot separate God from His Word. Now, I want you to go back in your Bibles to Luke chapter 16. Luke chapter 16. I'm trying to drive this one principle home. Luke 16 is a very familiar passage. This is the passage where Lazarus, the beggar, was laid at the rich man's gate. The rich man fared sumptuously every day, and the dogs came and licked Lazarus's sores. And the Bible says that Lazarus died, was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom. But it also says that the rich man died, and in hell he lived of his eyes being in torments. And so he asked Abraham, he said, Father Abraham, send Lazarus.

[John Weaver] that he may dip his fingers in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame." And Abraham says, look, that's not going to happen. There's a great gulf fixed between us. You who are there cannot come here, and we who are here cannot go there. Now watch. The rich man says, but I've got five brethren. And if you're not going to send Lazarus to cool my tongue, Send him to warn my five brethren, lest they come to this place of torment.

[John Weaver] So let's pick up in verse 27, Luke 16, verse 27. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, Father, that thou would send him to my father's house. For I have five brethren that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets. Let them hear them. And he said, Nay, Father Abraham, but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. Now I want you to notice what Abraham said. When he asked for someone to specially go see his brethren, Abraham said, They have Moses and the prophets.

[John Weaver] They have the Word of God. Let them hear the Word of God. No, no, no, he said, Father, but if one went to them from the dead, they would repent. Really? Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. Where are people repenting today? You see what I'm saying? And again, he said, no, if they will not hear Moses or the prophets, they will not be persuaded the one rose from the dead. When you reject the Word of God, you also reject the God of the Word. When you disbelieve the Word of God, you also disbelieve the God of the Word. It's just that simple. You cannot maintain one attitude toward God and a different attitude toward His Word. When you despise one, you despise the other. Now, let me just make this statement in this application. Think about this. Our love for the Lord is demonstrated by our love for his word. And our obedience to his word, when someone tries to tell me I love the Lord and yet their lives are in wicked rebellion against God.

[John Weaver] No, that's not true. What does 1 John 2 verse 4 say? He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. May I remind you of 1 John 5 and verse 3. And this is the love of God that we keep His commandments and they're not grievous unto us. So the proof that we love God is that we love His Word and we obey His Word. We bring our lives into conformity to His Word. You cannot separate God from His Word. And whoever sins against the Word of God, sins against God. When you despise the Word, you despise the God who gave the Word. If you love the Lord, you will love His Word, and you will do everything you can to bring your life into obedience to that Word.

[John Weaver] We're not perfect, but one thing for sure, we're going to be working and praying and seeking for grace to be more and more obedient if we genuinely love the Lord. Because when you despise His Word, you despise Him. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. Help us to see how valuable, how priceless Your Word really is.

[John Weaver] May we understand how we must know it and read it and study it and obey it and apply it so that we may honor the God who gave it. Give us grace that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray, Amen.

When You Despise One, You Despise the Other

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	1019201657455824
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Exodus: Bondage, Deliverance, and Passover: As Yet
Genre	Sermon
Date	2020-10-11
Dictation Name
Book	Book 079: Exodus: Bondage, Deliverance, and Passover - Volume 2 — Chapter 26
Source Timed Segments	66

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: The Hidden Hatred of God and His Word

People rarely say they hate God or the Bible outright, but they show hatred through suggestion, denigration, and denial. Euphemisms soften hard truths but do not change the reality.

Let's open our Bibles today to 1 Chronicles 10. 1 Chronicles 10. And we're going to be reading verses 13 and 14. 1 Chronicles 10. And notice, if you would please, verses 13 and 14. The title of the message is, "When You Despise One, You Despise the Other." When you despise one, you despise the other. 1 Chronicles chapter 10, beginning at verse 13:

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 10:13-14

"So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it; and inquired not of the LORD."

"Therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse." You will probably not hear too many people exclaim, "I hate God," and neither would you hear too many people exclaim, "I hate the Bible." But yet it is true that many people do indeed hate God, and they hate the Bible also. And yet they refuse to come out and state it very bluntly. Instead, what they like to do is to suggest, to question, to insinuate, to denigrate, and to deny both God and His Word in a much lighter way. We speak oftentimes of euphemisms. A euphemism is just simply an easy way of saying something that is very difficult or very hard. For instance, you do not hear too many people say, "Well, my wife died" or "my uncle died." What they'll say is "my wife passed" or "my uncle passed away." And that's just simply an easier or lighter way of saying that she died. Moreover, you hear people talk about so-and-so had an affair. That's just an easy and lighter way of saying so-and-so committed adultery. In other words, you're not going to just come out and say that. Moreover, many people say, "Well, he took a life." No, no, he didn't just take a life. He was a murderer. He murdered. And so even though we speak euphemistically at times, that still does not negate the impact of what we actually say.

The Carnal Mind Is Enmity Against God

Romans 8:7-8 teaches that the natural mind is hostile to God. Hosea 9:7 speaks of 'great hatred,' which commentators identify as satanic hatred against God and His prophets.

Now, there is a passage in the book of Romans, which we've looked at before, which demonstrates very clearly man's natural hatred against God and His Word. You remember that passage in Romans 8, verses 7 and 8, where the Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Romans 8:7-8

"But the carnal mind is enmity against God: it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."

Now, when he said the carnal mind is enmity against God, I just simply want to remind you that the word "enmity" is a very strong word for hatred. I want to show you a passage. I want you to hold 1 Chronicles chapter 10, but look in your Bibles to the book of Hosea chapter 9. Hosea chapter 9. And so you will have the book of Daniel, Hosea—Daniel and right after you have the book of Daniel, you have Hosea and then Joel and Amos. So look in Hosea 9. And note, if you would please, verse 7.

Then I'm going to give you two comments on it just momentarily. But look in Hosea 9 and verse 7. The Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Hosea 9:7

"The days of visitation are come, the days of recompense are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred."

Now, look at that phrase,

Scripture Reading — Hosea 9:7

"and the great hatred."

Here's what John Trapp said on this verse. John Trapp's one of the old Puritans. He said,

Scripture Reading — Hosea 9:7

"For the multitude of thine iniquity and the great hatred."

Then he says, "Hebrew, the great satanic hatred that thou hast borne against God and thy neighbor, but especially God's faithful prophets whom thou heartily hatest for their plain dealing, as they have did Micaiah, because he never spoke good of him."

Well, he's referring to that passage in 1 Kings, chapter 22, where Ahab is trying to get Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, to go to war with him and recover Ramoth Gilead. And so Ahab has all of his false prophets that are prophesying good, and they're saying, "Go up and prosper." And Jehoshaphat asks, "Is there not here a prophet of the LORD that we may inquire of him as well?

Scripture Reading — 1 Kings 22:8

" And in verse 8, the king of Israel, Ahab, said to Jehoshaphat, "

There is one yet, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil." In other words, he's just said it very plainly. He hated him because Micaiah spoke absolutely the truth. Now, he's talking about good-wraith hatred. Let me give you one other quote, and this is by Albert Barnes. He says, "The words stand at the close of the verse as the reason of all which had gone before.

Their manifold iniquity and their great hatred of God were the ground why the days of visitation and recompense should come. They were the ground also why God allowed such prophets to delude them. The words 'the great hatred' stand quite undefined so that they may signify like the hatred of Ephraim against God and good people and his true prophets or God's hatred of them. Yet it most likely means their great hatred sense of them." The prophet uses it again in the next verse. Now listen to what he said in this last sentence. "The sinner first neglects God. Then, as the will of God is brought before him, he willfully disobeys him. Then, when he finds that God's will, irreconcilably, at variance with his own, or when God chastens him, he hates him. And the prophet speaks out plainly, hates him greatly." So notice, if you would, he talks about, in verse 9, the great hatred. The great hatred. So obviously, there is indeed hatred. It may not necessarily be on the surface all the times, but it is hatred.

You Cannot Separate God from His Word

Psalm 138:2 says God magnifies His Word above His name. To despise, neglect, or forget God's Word is to do the same to God, because God rules by His law and cannot deny Himself.

Now, if you've never grasped this one central fact, I want you to do so today. Think about this. When you despise the Word of God, you despise God. When you despise God, you despise His Word. You cannot separate God from His Word. And the Bible says in Psalm 138, verse 2, that

Scripture Reading — Psalm 138:2

"thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name."

So if God's Word ever fails, then God basically ceases to be God. So it means it's impossible then for someone to hold one attitude toward the Bible, and a different attitude toward God, or to hold one attitude toward God and a different attitude toward the Bible.

Now, we could say the same thing in different ways. Let me put it like this. When you neglect the Word of God, you neglect God. When you neglect God, you neglect the Word of God. I could still say this another way. When you forget God, you forget His Word. When you forget God's Word, you forget God. Because God and His Word are both immutable. They are unchangeable. That's why the Bible in Psalm 119 and verse 89 says,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 119:89

"For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven."

Now, for years I've preached, I've taught, I've harped upon this, I've exhorted people, I've besought people, and I've endeavored to instill this one concept in the minds of people over and over again, and that is, you cannot separate God from His Word. I've said before, a king rules by his law. God is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and God of Gods, and He has a law, and that law is the way that He rules. He is not going to forsake His Word. He's not going to deny His Word.

Stop and think about this. If God ever denied His Word, He would cease being God. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 2 and verse 13, "If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself." So God is not going to deny himself, and He's certainly not going to deny His Word. Now, we're going to be looking at 1 Chronicles 10, verses 13 and 14. Before we look at that, I want to show you the same exact truth from the life of David. Everyone in this room is quite familiar with David's fall into sin, his adultery with Bathsheba. You're also quite aware of his murder of Uriah the Hittite, who was the husband of Bathsheba. In fact, although David did not kill him directly, he did so indirectly. And God charges him with murder by using the sword of the children of Ammon. So we are familiar with that sin and that failing. We're also familiar with the story that Nathan brought before David to show David his great sin when he talked about the rich man with all of his stock and all of his animals, and the one poor man with the one little ewe lamb. And when the visitor came, the rich man failed to take of his stock and his herd, and he took the poor man's lamb and, of course, killed it and served that to his guests.

David's Sin: Despising the Commandment and Despising God

In 2 Samuel 12, Nathan charges David with despising God's commandments (adultery, murder, theft, coveting) and then says 'you have despised me.' The same Hebrew word is used, proving the inseparable link.

Now, we're going to be looking at 1 Chronicles 10, verses 13 and 14. Before we look at that, I want to show you the same exact truth from the life of David. Everyone in this room is quite familiar with David's fall into sin, his adultery with Bathsheba. You're also quite aware of his murder of Uriah the Hittite, who was the husband of Bathsheba. In fact, although David did not kill him directly, he did so indirectly. And God charges him with murder by using the sword of the children of Ammon. So we are familiar with that sin and that failing. We're also familiar with the story that Nathan brought before David to show David his great sin when he talked about the rich man with all of his stock and all of his animals, and the one poor man with the one little ewe lamb. And when the visitor came, the rich man failed to take of his stock and his herd, and he took the poor man's lamb and, of course, killed it and served that to his guests.

So although we are familiar with that, we may not be quite familiar with exactly what God told David. So I want you to look in your Bibles to 2 Samuel chapter 12. 2 Samuel 12. And let's begin reading there with verse 7. 2 Samuel 12. And look, if you would please, at verse 7. So, Nathan has confronted David. He's told the story. David is greatly upset and he said, "The man that has done this shall restore fourfold and he shall die." And so in verse 7,

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 12:7-10

"And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; and I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things."

Now look at verse 9.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 12:7-10

"Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight?

Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon." Now, let me just stop right there. Note what he asks in verse 9. "Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight?" Well, we know obviously that David did indeed despise the commandments of God. He despised the seventh commandment, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." He despised the sixth commandment, "Thou shalt not kill." He despised the eighth commandment, "Thou shalt not steal," because he stole Bathsheba from Uriah. He also despised the tenth commandment, "Thou shalt not covet," for he coveted her. He also despised the first commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me," because he placed himself before God. He also despised the fifth commandment, "Honour thy father and thy mother," because in his actions he dishonored his father and his mother.

And by the way, the Hebrew word here for "despise" literally means, listen carefully, to despise, to condemn, to disdain, to scorn, to treat as vile, to treat as useless and worthless, and to treat as contemptible. So what David did is what every sinner does when we violate God's law. We're treating that law as it is absolutely contemptible, that it is useless, that it is worthless, of no account. And we keep scoring upon scoring upon it. Well, we can see that because he said, "Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD?" David despised it.

Now look at verse 10. He says, "Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife." Now note if you would what he said in verse 9, "you've despised the commandment of the LORD." Now in verse 10 he said, "you have despised me." So now God charges David with despising him. He was treating God as if God was contemptible and vile and worthless and useless. And incidentally, the Hebrew word for "despised" is exactly the same in both verses. So, I think it should be very clear again, you cannot separate God from His Word. When you despise the Word of God, you despise God. When you despise God, you despise His Word. Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to 1 Chronicles 10, because we're going to see the same truth stated very plainly. Watch carefully. 1 Chronicles 10. Look at verse 13. "So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not."

Saul's Transgression: Rebellion, Rejection, and Treachery

1 Chronicles 10:13 says Saul died for transgression against the Lord and His word. In 1 Samuel 15, Saul's disobedience is called rebellion and rejection of God's word, leading to God rejecting him as king.

Now note, if you would, "Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD." So here it is again, in black and white. You cannot separate the one from the other. Let me say this very plainly. When you transgress against God, you transgress against His law. When you transgress against His law, you also transgress against God. It's impossible to separate the two. First, we need to note the word "transgression." The Bible says very clearly, "So Saul died for his transgression." Now, when you and I think of the word "transgression," we try to associate the word "trespass." And in one sense of the word, a transgression is indeed a trespass.

So if Gary had placed a sign on his property that said "No Trespassing," and I walked onto that property, Gary could ask me to leave. And if I refuse to leave, he could have me arrested because that would be a violation of his private property rights. So when we think of a trespass, we also think of a transgression and we say that a transgression is a trespass. But let me tell you something. The Hebrew word for "transgression" here means far more than a trespass. It means actually a very sore and grievous falsehood. It means a trespass, an awful trespass and an act of treachery. So you've got to understand that when God is talking about this transgression of Saul, it's not just simply a minor act. It is an act of treachery, so we need to examine and see what this act of treachery really consists.

So I want you to hold 1 Chronicles 10 and turn back in your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 15. I want you to watch this very closely. 1 Samuel chapter 15 and notice if you would please beginning there with verse 1. 1 Samuel chapter 15. And verse 1. Note what God says. God sends Samuel to Saul. "Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel.

Now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass." Now the interesting thing is what God does very clearly is He sends the prophet to Saul and He tells Saul, "Look, what you need to do is you go and slay all of the Amalekites. I remember that which Amalek did to Israel when he came out of Egypt." Now, if you want to read about what Amalek did, you can go to Deuteronomy 25 and read the latter part. But Amalek, the Bible tells us in that passage, ambushed Israel.

Not only did he ambush, but he hit them in the rear and he slew the feeble and the lame and those who could not really defend themselves. And so God says, "I remember this." Now, here is the time of justice. So I want you to go and kill all of the Amalekites and all of their animals. So it didn't matter if it was man or woman, child, ox, suckling ass. God said each one is to forfeit their lives. Now, very simple. And by the way, it was Samuel who anointed Saul to be king. And so, God says to Saul, "Here are your orders." Saul was to be God's king. He was responsible and accountable to obey God. However, Saul disobeyed.

Now if you'll look in verse 17, note if you would please, 1 Samuel 15, Saul has spared now Agag, the king of the Amalekites, and the best of the oxen and the best of the sheep. He did not obey God. So look in verse 17. The Bible says,

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 15:17-23

"And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?"

By the way, when he says,

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 15:17-23

"when thou wast little in thine own sight,"

you can read when Samuel told Saul that God had chosen him to be king, Saul said, "But who am I? I'm the least in my father's house. And my father's house is the least in Judah. And our tribe, Benjamin, is the least tribe. Who am I?" And when they went to crown him king, so to speak, where was Saul? He was hiding among the stuff. Somebody had to go find him. So he says, "When you were little in your own eyesight, God made you king." Now watch verse 18.

"And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD? And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal." Now I want you to note what Saul is doing. First of all, he's now blaming the people. "I've obeyed God." He said it was the people who spared all of these animals. Well, it wasn't the people who spared Agag. That was Saul himself. But I want you to note something, if you would please. Although Saul is saying the people spared the animals, to whom did God give the orders?

To Saul. Saul was the king. He was the commander. He was the commander-in-chief. He was accountable. He was responsible. He knew what the orders from God were. The people did not necessarily know, but Saul knew. But I want you to look, if you would please, what he said in verse 19. "Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD"—that is disobedience—"but didst fly upon the spoil"—that is, he was covetous. He wanted it himself. "And didst evil in the sight of the LORD." So now disobedience in verse 19 is called evil in the sight of the LORD. So when you and I think about disobedience, we just think about we've done something we should not have done.

Well, there's more to it than that. Skip down to verse 22. And Samuel said, once he says that the people have spared them so they could sacrifice the animals, "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Now watch what he says, "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king." Now, when you think about the disobedience in verse 19, now the disobedience becomes more than that in verse 23. Now it is called rebellion. And rebellion is the sin of witchcraft. And witchcraft means that you are to be put to death. Notice, if you would, the disobedience in verse 19 not only became rebellion in verse 23, but note, if you would, the latter part, "because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD." So the disobedience then becomes rebellion and rebellion becomes rejection.

So what we need to do is this. We need to tie these three terms together in our mind, because whenever anyone disobeys God, he's rebelling against God and he's rejecting the Word of God. He's saying it's not for me. I'm scorning it. It's worthless. It's useless. It's contemptible. I don't want it. It is indeed an act of treachery. Now, when you reject the Word of God, you are also rejecting the God who gave the Word.

OK, you cannot have one without the other. When you despise one, you despise the other. Now look in verse 24. Saul admits and confesses his transgression, "And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice." Hmm. Now he's saying, "Well, I feared the people above God," which, of course, would be idolatry, a violation of the first commandment. He says, "Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD. And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou." Note, if you would, what Samuel said. "Thou hast rejected the word of the LORD."

Let me just say this again. Whenever you reject the Word of the Lord, you are rejecting the God who gave that Word. Now, I want you to go back to 1 Chronicles 10, and look if you would please at verse 13. Watch carefully. Here it is. "So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD"—that's his person—"even against the word of the LORD"—that's what the LORD spoke—"which he kept not." Well, obviously, if you are disobedient and rebellious, and reject the word of the LORD and are treacherous, you're not going to keep it. That is for sure. So the Bible says very clearly there that he is going to die for this sin. But look at the rest of this verse.

Saul Turns to a Witch: The Folly of Rejecting God's Word

After God departed from Saul, he sought the witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28), arrogantly swearing by the Lord that she would not be punished, directly contradicting God's law. This shows the depth of his rejection.

"And also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it; and inquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse." Now, God says, "Listen, Saul, what you have done is this. You've disobeyed Me. You've rebelled against Me. You've rejected My Word. And consequently, you've rejected Me." By the way, you must also remember that God rejected Saul. And now, Saul is going to turn to a witch for counsel. I want you to see this. So, hold 1 Chronicles 10 and turn back in your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 28. 1 Samuel chapter 28.

And let's begin reading there with verse 7. 1 Samuel 28 and verse 7. Watch carefully.

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 28:7-18

"Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor."

By the way, how many of you remember that TV program, "Bewitched," years ago? You remember that? Elizabeth Montgomery starred in it, which tried to say that there was such a thing as a good witch, which there is not. But do you remember her mother's name? Endora, from the Witch of Endor. Yeah, yeah, this is where it came from. So, "there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor." Now watch verse 8. "And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee. And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.

Wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die? And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing. Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice"—in other words, this was not her doing. She was not expecting this. "And the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself. And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. Now watch carefully. Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David: because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek.

Therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day." Now, I want you to see several things in this passage. First of all, I want you to see the absolute ignorance as well as arrogance and total rejection of the Word of God by Saul. How can I say that? Well, the Bible says in Exodus chapter 22 in verse 18, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live." In other words, witchcraft merits a death penalty, according to the Bible. In Leviticus 19 in verse 31, God says, "Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God." I want you to look back at verse 10. I want to show you this arrogance. Look at it. "And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing." Really? Really, God has just got out of his mouth, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live." And Saul is saying, "I want you to call me up a man who is dead."

Well, she said, "You know, Saul has put us out of the land. We can't do this. You're going to endanger my life." "As the LORD liveth, there's nothing going to happen to you." Really? You mean he could now nullify the law of God and the punishment of God as well? I want you to stop and think about this. This is exactly the attitude and the arrogance of modern day politicians, modern day elites, modern day rulers who think that somehow they have the power and the authority to overrule God. What do I mean by that? Well, look around today and you will find that most politicians not only allow and tolerate perversions and wickedness, they also subsidize it and say, "Well, that's just your choice. Nothing's going to happen to you. We're going to protect you." Really? You cannot protect someone from the judgment and the wrath of God. You can't do that. And so Saul arrogantly says, "As the LORD liveth." Really, as the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.

God Can Become the Enemy of His Own People

Isaiah 63:10 shows that when Israel rebelled and vexed the Holy Spirit, God turned to be their enemy. Saul experienced this when God departed from him and became his enemy.

Now, I want you to pay close attention, if you would, please, to verses 15 and 16. Watch this carefully. "And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do."

Now, let me just stop right here. Look what he said. "God is departed from me." Let me tell you something, folks. This is a very awesome and horrifying truth, that when you are disobedient, and when you are rebellious, and when you reject the Word of God, when you are treacherous, and you depart from God, God departs from you as well. And look what he said, "God doesn't answer me by prophets." Really? Well, why in the world should God send him a prophet? He wouldn't listen to Samuel. Samuel was a prophet. Why would God give you any more truth when you refuse to obey the truth that He's already given you? And why in the world should God give him a dream? What is He wanting now? Something over and above and beyond the Word which Samuel spoke to Him? The truth of the matter is, if He had had 15 prophets, He would have still rejected everything they said, because He had already rejected the Word of the Lord.

Now, watch if you would carefully. Let's look at verse 16. "Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?" Now, here's the implication. Samuel said, "If God has departed from you, and if God has become your enemy, you think I'm going to help you? Are you insane? Why should I align myself with you when God has departed from you and God has become your enemy?" May I tell you something that we have failed to realize? God can even become the enemy of His own people. I'll show you that in black and white. I want you to turn in your Bibles, hold 1 Chronicles. We're coming back there. But I want you to turn to the book of Isaiah. Look in chapter 63. Isaiah 63. And look, if you would please, at verse 10. In fact, the truth of the matter is we're talking about Israel. Let me just show you. Let's begin reading in verse 7. Isaiah 63, verse 7.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 63:7-10

"I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us"

—we're talking about God's people—

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 63:7-10

"and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses. For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie.

So he was their Saviour. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them." Isn't that amazing? Isn't that amazing? God turned to be the enemy of His own people because they forsook Him and vexed Him.

Now, when you go back to 1 Chronicles 10, look in verse 13 again. The Bible says, "So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it." Now watch. "And inquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse."

New Testament Confirmation: Rejecting Christ and His Words

John 12:48, Luke 10:16, and 1 Thessalonians 4:8 all teach that rejecting or despising God's messengers and His Word is equivalent to rejecting and despising God Himself.

Now, let me tell you something. Saul did not inquire of the LORD. How can I say this? Look in 1 Chronicles chapter 13. And look, if you would please, at verse 3. Look what David says. 1 Chronicles chapter 13 and verse 3. David says,

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 13:3

"And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we inquired not at it in the days of Saul."

So, the ark of God was there, but Saul didn't inquire of it, neither did anybody else, because Saul had rejected the Word of the LORD. And since he'd rejected the Word of the LORD, God rejected him. That is why the Bible says in verse 14, "and inquired not of the LORD." He went to the witch of Endor, but he did not go to the ark of God.

Now, listen to me very carefully. If you desire to know God, if you desire to worship him and honor him and glorify him and obey him, then you must know his Word. It is impossible to know God apart from his Word. It is impossible to love God apart from his Word. It is impossible to worship God apart from his Word. So let me show you. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of John 12. John 12. And let me show you a very prominent verse, and one that is very clear, I would think. John 12, verse 48. Our Lord is speaking.

And look what He says. John 12, verse 48. Our Lord says,

Scripture Reading — John 12:48

"He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day."

Now, wait a minute. First of all, He said,

Scripture Reading — John 12:48

"and he that rejecteth me."

Do you realize that Jesus Christ is the living Word of God? John 1, verses 1 through 3. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." When you get down to verse 14, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

Then when you get to 2 Timothy 3 and verse 16, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." Now, Jesus Christ is the living Word of God. The Bible is the written Word of God. Now look back at verse 48. "He that rejecteth me"—that is the living Word—"and receiveth not my words"—that's the written Word—"hath one that judgeth him." What is it? "The word that I have spoken," the Bible, "the same shall judge him in the last day." You cannot separate God from his Word. When you despise one, you despise the other. Our Lord is the living Word and the Bible is the written Word.

Now, let me show you a couple more. I want you to look in your Bible, to the book of Luke chapter 10. Luke chapter 10 and notice if you would please verse 16. Luke 10 verse 16. Our Lord says to his disciples basically. Watch carefully.

Scripture Reading — Luke 10:16

"He that heareth you heareth me."

So those whom our Lord sends, as they preach and teach His words, He said, "If they hear you, they hear Me." But watch,

Scripture Reading — Luke 10:16

"and he that despiseth you"

—that is, you who are preaching His Word—

Scripture Reading — Luke 10:16

"despiseth me. And he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me."

So you cannot say, "Well, I love the Lord, but I don't like His Bible. I don't love His Word." No, no, no. You can't say, "Well, I love the Bible, but I don't love the Lord Jesus Christ." No, you can't separate them.

If you despise the one, you despise the other. If you love the one, you love the other. Now, let me show you another one. I want you to hold Luke. We're coming back there. But turn, if you would, to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. And look, if you would please, beginning there with verse, oh, let's say, let's read beginning there with verse 3. Because in this passage, we're dealing with God's commandments, God's law. And I want you to watch carefully. In fact, years ago, I preached a series of eight messages on this passage on sanctification and sexual purity. But look in verse 3. He says, "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication." So he's saying.

Do not violate the Seventh Commandment. Do not violate the Eighth Commandment. Do not violate the Tenth Commandment. In other words, he's talking about his law. He says, "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel"—that is his body—"in sanctification and honour; not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God." We're not to live as the unsaved. "That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter"—or the matter, that would be fornication or adultery—"because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. Now watch. "For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit." So what he is saying is if you despise His law, if you despise His Word, you are despising God at the same time.

You cannot separate God from His Word. Now, I want you to go back in your Bibles to Luke chapter 16. Luke chapter 16. I'm trying to drive this one principle home. Luke 16 is a very familiar passage. This is the passage where Lazarus, the beggar, was laid at the rich man's gate. The rich man fared sumptuously every day, and the dogs came and licked Lazarus's sores. And the Bible says that Lazarus died, was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom. But it also says that the rich man died, and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments. And so he asked Abraham, he said, "Father Abraham, send Lazarus,

The Rich Man and Lazarus: Sufficiency of Scripture

Luke 16:27-31 shows that if people reject Moses and the prophets (the Word), they would not be persuaded even by someone rising from the dead. Rejecting Scripture is rejecting God.

that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame." And Abraham says, "Look, that's not going to happen. There's a great gulf fixed between us. You who are there cannot come here, and we who are here cannot go there." Now watch. The rich man says, "But I've got five brethren. And if you're not going to send Lazarus to cool my tongue, send him to warn my five brethren, lest they come to this place of torment."

So let's pick up in verse 27, Luke 16, verse 27. "Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." Now I want you to notice what Abraham said. When he asked for someone to specially go see his brethren, Abraham said, "They have Moses and the prophets." They have the Word of God. Let them hear the Word of God. "No, no, no," he said, "Father, but if one went to them from the dead, they would repent." Really? Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. Where are people repenting today? You see what I'm saying? And again, he said, "No, if they will not hear Moses or the prophets, they will not be persuaded though one rose from the dead." When you reject the Word of God, you also reject the God of the Word. When you disbelieve the Word of God, you also disbelieve the God of the Word. It's just that simple. You cannot maintain one attitude toward God and a different attitude toward His Word. When you despise one, you despise the other. Now, let me just make this statement in this application. Think about this. Our love for the Lord is demonstrated by our love for his Word, and our obedience to his Word. When someone tries to tell me "I love the Lord" and yet their lives are in wicked rebellion against God,

Application: Love for God Demonstrated by Love for His Word

1 John 2:4 and 5:3 teach that knowing and loving God is proven by keeping His commandments. True love for the Lord results in a life increasingly conformed to His Word.

No, that's not true. What does 1 John 2 verse 4 say? "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." May I remind you of 1 John 5 and verse 3. "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." So the proof that we love God is that we love His Word and we obey His Word. We bring our lives into conformity to His Word. You cannot separate God from His Word. And whoever sins against the Word of God, sins against God. When you despise the Word, you despise the God who gave the Word. If you love the Lord, you will love His Word, and you will do everything you can to bring your life into obedience to that Word.

We're not perfect, but one thing for sure, we're going to be working and praying and seeking for grace to be more and more obedient if we genuinely love the Lord. Because when you despise His Word, you despise Him. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. Help us to see how valuable, how priceless Your Word really is. May we understand how we must know it and read it and study it and obey it and apply it so that we may honor the God who gave it. Give us grace that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray, Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Inseparability of God and His Word

Summary: One cannot have a relationship with God apart from His Word; to despise, reject, or disobey Scripture is to despise God Himself.

Evidence: Psalm 138:2; 2 Samuel 12:9-10; 1 Chronicles 10:13; John 12:48; Luke 10:16; 1 Thessalonians 4:8.

The Carnal Mind's Hatred of God

Summary: The natural human mind is hostile to God and His law, often expressed subtly rather than openly.

Evidence: Romans 8:7-8; Hosea 9:7; quotes from John Trapp and Albert Barnes on 'great hatred.'

Disobedience as Rebellion and Rejection

Summary: Disobedience to God's commands is not minor; it is rebellion, rejection, and treachery against God.

Evidence: 1 Samuel 15:19, 22-23; the Hebrew word for transgression means 'act of treachery.'

God Can Become the Enemy of His People

Summary: When God's people persistently rebel and reject His Word, He may turn against them as an enemy.

Evidence: Isaiah 63:10; 1 Samuel 28:16; God departed from Saul and became his enemy.

The Sufficiency and Authority of Scripture

Summary: The written Word is sufficient for salvation and judgment; rejecting it leaves no other remedy.

Evidence: Luke 16:27-31; John 12:48; the Word will judge in the last day.

Love for God Proven by Obedience

Summary: True love for God is demonstrated by keeping His commandments and conforming one's life to His Word.

Evidence: 1 John 2:4; 1 John 5:3; application that love for the Lord is shown by love for His Word.

Key Arguments

Saul's transgression was against both God and His Word

Summary: 1 Chronicles 10:13 explicitly states Saul died for transgression against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, proving the two are inseparable.

Evidence: 1 Chronicles 10:13: 'So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD.'

David's sin of despising God's commandments was despising God

Summary: In 2 Samuel 12:9-10, Nathan first says David despised the commandment, then says 'you have despised me,' using the same Hebrew word.

Evidence: 2 Samuel 12:9-10; the Hebrew word for 'despise' means to treat as vile, worthless, contemptible.

Disobedience escalates to rebellion and rejection

Summary: In 1 Samuel 15, Saul's disobedience is called evil, then rebellion (as witchcraft), then rejection of God's word, leading to God rejecting him.

Evidence: 1 Samuel 15:19, 22-23; 'rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft... because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD.'

Rejecting God's Word leads to seeking false counsel

Summary: After God rejected Saul, he turned to a witch, directly violating God's law and arrogantly swearing by the Lord that she would not be punished.

Evidence: 1 Samuel 28:7-10; Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 19:31.

God can become the enemy of His own people

Summary: Isaiah 63:10 states that when Israel rebelled, God turned to be their enemy. Samuel told Saul that God had departed and become his enemy.

Evidence: Isaiah 63:10; 1 Samuel 28:16.

Jesus Christ and His words are inseparable

Summary: John 12:48 says rejecting Christ and not receiving His words results in judgment by that word. Christ is the living Word; Scripture is the written Word.

Evidence: John 12:48; John 1:1-3, 14; 2 Timothy 3:16.

Rejecting Scripture is rejecting the God who gave it

Summary: Luke 16:27-31 shows that if people reject Moses and the prophets, they would not believe even if someone rose from the dead. Rejecting the Word is rejecting God.

Evidence: Luke 16:27-31; Abraham's response: 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'

Love for God is proven by obedience to His commandments

Summary: 1 John 2:4 and 5:3 teach that claiming to know God while disobeying His commands makes one a liar; love for God is keeping His commandments.

Evidence: 1 John 2:4; 1 John 5:3.

Scripture References

1 Chronicles 10:13-14

Context: Saul died for his transgression against the Lord and His word, and for seeking a familiar spirit instead of the Lord.

Romans 8:7-8

Context: The carnal mind is enmity against God; it is not subject to God's law.

Hosea 9:7

Context: The days of visitation come because of the multitude of iniquity and the great hatred.

1 Kings 22:8

Context: Ahab hated Micaiah because he prophesied evil, not good.

Psalm 138:2

Context: God has magnified His word above all His name.

Psalm 119:89

Context: Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.

2 Timothy 2:13

Context: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

2 Samuel 12:7-10

Context: Nathan charges David with despising the commandment and despising God.

1 Samuel 15:1-3

Context: God commands Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites.

1 Samuel 15:17-23

Context: Saul's disobedience is called rebellion and rejection; God rejects him as king.

1 Samuel 15:24-28

Context: Saul admits sin; Samuel says he rejected the word of the Lord, so the Lord rejected him.

1 Samuel 28:7-18

Context: Saul seeks the witch of Endor; Samuel tells him God has departed and become his enemy.

Exodus 22:18

Context: Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

Leviticus 19:31

Context: Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards.

Isaiah 63:7-10

Context: God turned to be the enemy of Israel when they rebelled and vexed His Spirit.

1 Chronicles 13:3

Context: David says they did not inquire at the ark in the days of Saul.

John 12:48

Context: He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him: the word I have spoken shall judge him.

John 1:1-3, 14

Context: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God; the Word became flesh.

2 Timothy 3:16

Context: All scripture is given by inspiration of God.

Luke 10:16

Context: He that heareth you heareth me; he that despiseth you despiseth me.

Historical References

John Trapp (Puritan commentator)

Context: Quoted on Hosea 9:7 regarding 'the great satanic hatred' against God and His prophets.

Albert Barnes (commentator)

Context: Quoted on Hosea 9:7 explaining that the great hatred is the reason for judgment and that sinners progress from neglect to hatred of God.

Witch of Endor

Context: Saul sought a woman with a familiar spirit at Endor; referenced as the origin of the name 'Endora' from the TV show 'Bewitched.'

TV program 'Bewitched'

Context: Mentioned as a cultural reference; Elizabeth Montgomery starred, and her mother's name Endora came from the Witch of Endor.

Important Quotes

When you despise the Word of God, you despise God. When you despise God, you despise His Word. You cannot separate God from His Word.

Significance: Central thesis of the sermon, repeated throughout.

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

Significance: Shows the progression from disobedience to rebellion to rejection.

As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.

Significance: Illustrates Saul's arrogance in directly contradicting God's law.

God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams.

Significance: Shows the consequence of rejecting God's Word: God departs.

He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Significance: Jesus' own words linking rejection of Him with rejection of His words.

If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Significance: Emphasizes the sufficiency of Scripture and the finality of rejecting it.

He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Significance: Application: love for God is proven by obedience to His Word.

Discussion Questions

In what subtle ways might people today show hatred for God and His Word without saying it outright?

Context: Introduction on euphemisms and hidden hatred.

How does the account of David's sin in 2 Samuel 12 illustrate that despising God's commands is despising God Himself?

Context: David's sin and Nathan's rebuke.

What is the progression from disobedience to rebellion to rejection seen in Saul's life, and how can we guard against it?

Context: 1 Samuel 15 and the terms disobedience, rebellion, rejection.

Why did Saul turn to a witch, and what does this reveal about the state of his heart toward God?

Context: Saul and the witch of Endor.

How should the truth that God can become the enemy of His own people (Isaiah 63:10) affect our view of persistent sin?

Context: God turning to be Israel's enemy.

What does Jesus mean in John 12:48 when He says His word will judge us, and how does this relate to the inseparability of Christ and Scripture?

Context: John 12:48 and the living Word vs. written Word.

Why did Abraham say that if they do not hear Moses and the prophets, they would not be persuaded even by a resurrection?

Context: The rich man and Lazarus.

According to 1 John, how is genuine love for God demonstrated in a believer's life?

Context: Application and 1 John 2:4; 5:3.

Applications

Examine your attitude toward Scripture

Summary: If you despise, neglect, or disobey God's Word, you are despising God Himself. Evaluate whether your treatment of the Bible reflects love or hidden hatred.

Evidence: Central thesis: 'When you despise the Word of God, you despise God.'

Beware of the progression of sin

Summary: Disobedience leads to rebellion and rejection of God's Word. Recognize and repent early to avoid God's departure and opposition.

Evidence: 1 Samuel 15:19, 22-23; Saul's trajectory.

Do not seek counsel contrary to God's Word

Summary: When God seems silent, do not turn to worldly or occult sources. Saul's turn to a witch brought judgment, not help.

Evidence: 1 Samuel 28; Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 19:31.

Fear the possibility of God becoming your enemy

Summary: Persistent rebellion can cause God to turn against His own people. Live in reverent obedience to avoid this.

Evidence: Isaiah 63:10; 1 Samuel 28:16.

Trust the sufficiency of Scripture

Summary: Do not look for signs or special revelations; the Bible is enough. Rejecting it leaves no other remedy.

Evidence: Luke 16:27-31; John 12:48.

Prove your love for God by obeying His Word

Summary: Genuine love for the Lord is demonstrated by keeping His commandments and conforming your life to Scripture.

Evidence: 1 John 2:4; 1 John 5:3; closing exhortation.

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T00:49:53Z

Clean Transcript

When You Despise One, You Despise the Other

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Let's open our Bibles today to 1 Chronicles 10. 1 Chronicles 10. And we're going to be reading verses 13 and 14. 1 Chronicles 10. And notice, if you would please, verses 13 and 14. The title of the message is, "When You Despise One, You Despise the Other." When you despise one, you despise the other. 1 Chronicles chapter 10, beginning at verse 13: "So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it; and inquired not of the LORD."
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"Therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse." You will probably not hear too many people exclaim, "I hate God," and neither would you hear too many people exclaim, "I hate the Bible." But yet it is true that many people do indeed hate God, and they hate the Bible also. And yet they refuse to come out and state it very bluntly. Instead, what they like to do is to suggest, to question, to insinuate, to denigrate, and to deny both God and His Word in a much lighter way.
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We speak oftentimes of euphemisms. A euphemism is just simply an easy way of saying something that is very difficult or very hard. For instance, you do not hear too many people say, "Well, my wife died" or "my uncle died." What they'll say is "my wife passed" or "my uncle passed away." And that's just simply an easier or lighter way of saying that she died. Moreover, you hear people talk about so-and-so had an affair. That's just an easy and lighter way of saying so-and-so committed adultery. In other words, you're not going to just come out and say that. Moreover, many people say, "Well, he took a life." No, no, he didn't just take a life. He was a murderer. He murdered. And so even though we speak euphemistically at times, that still does not negate the impact of what we actually say.
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Now, there is a passage in the book of Romans, which we've looked at before, which demonstrates very clearly man's natural hatred against God and His Word. You remember that passage in Romans 8, verses 7 and 8, where the Bible says, "But the carnal mind is enmity against God: it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." Now, when he said the carnal mind is enmity against God, I just simply want to remind you that the word "enmity" is a very strong word for hatred. I want to show you a passage. I want you to hold 1 Chronicles chapter 10, but look in your Bibles to the book of Hosea chapter 9. Hosea chapter 9. And so you will have the book of Daniel, Hosea—Daniel and right after you have the book of Daniel, you have Hosea and then Joel and Amos. So look in Hosea 9. And note, if you would please, verse 7.
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Then I'm going to give you two comments on it just momentarily. But look in Hosea 9 and verse 7. The Bible says, "The days of visitation are come, the days of recompense are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred." Now, look at that phrase, "and the great hatred." Here's what John Trapp said on this verse. John Trapp's one of the old Puritans. He said, "For the multitude of thine iniquity and the great hatred." Then he says, "Hebrew, the great satanic hatred that thou hast borne against God and thy neighbor, but especially God's faithful prophets whom thou heartily hatest for their plain dealing, as they have did Micaiah, because he never spoke good of him."
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Well, he's referring to that passage in 1 Kings, chapter 22, where Ahab is trying to get Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, to go to war with him and recover Ramoth Gilead. And so Ahab has all of his false prophets that are prophesying good, and they're saying, "Go up and prosper." And Jehoshaphat asks, "Is there not here a prophet of the LORD that we may inquire of him as well?" And in verse 8, the king of Israel, Ahab, said to Jehoshaphat, "There is one yet, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil." In other words, he's just said it very plainly. He hated him because Micaiah spoke absolutely the truth. Now, he's talking about good-wraith hatred. Let me give you one other quote, and this is by Albert Barnes. He says, "The words stand at the close of the verse as the reason of all which had gone before.
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Their manifold iniquity and their great hatred of God were the ground why the days of visitation and recompense should come. They were the ground also why God allowed such prophets to delude them. The words 'the great hatred' stand quite undefined so that they may signify like the hatred of Ephraim against God and good people and his true prophets or God's hatred of them. Yet it most likely means their great hatred sense of them."
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The prophet uses it again in the next verse. Now listen to what he said in this last sentence. "The sinner first neglects God. Then, as the will of God is brought before him, he willfully disobeys him. Then, when he finds that God's will, irreconcilably, at variance with his own, or when God chastens him, he hates him. And the prophet speaks out plainly, hates him greatly." So notice, if you would, he talks about, in verse 9, the great hatred. The great hatred. So obviously, there is indeed hatred. It may not necessarily be on the surface all the times, but it is hatred.
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Now, if you've never grasped this one central fact, I want you to do so today. Think about this. When you despise the Word of God, you despise God. When you despise God, you despise His Word. You cannot separate God from His Word. And the Bible says in Psalm 138, verse 2, that "thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name." So if God's Word ever fails, then God basically ceases to be God. So it means it's impossible then for someone to hold one attitude toward the Bible, and a different attitude toward God, or to hold one attitude toward God and a different attitude toward the Bible.
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Now, we could say the same thing in different ways. Let me put it like this. When you neglect the Word of God, you neglect God. When you neglect God, you neglect the Word of God. I could still say this another way. When you forget God, you forget His Word. When you forget God's Word, you forget God. Because God and His Word are both immutable. They are unchangeable. That's why the Bible in Psalm 119 and verse 89 says, "For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven." Now, for years I've preached, I've taught, I've harped upon this, I've exhorted people, I've besought people, and I've endeavored to instill this one concept in the minds of people over and over again, and that is, you cannot separate God from His Word. I've said before, a king rules by his law. God is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and God of Gods, and He has a law, and that law is the way that He rules. He is not going to forsake His Word. He's not going to deny His Word.
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Stop and think about this. If God ever denied His Word, He would cease being God. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 2 and verse 13, "If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself." So God is not going to deny himself, and He's certainly not going to deny His Word.
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Now, we're going to be looking at 1 Chronicles 10, verses 13 and 14. Before we look at that, I want to show you the same exact truth from the life of David. Everyone in this room is quite familiar with David's fall into sin, his adultery with Bathsheba. You're also quite aware of his murder of Uriah the Hittite, who was the husband of Bathsheba. In fact, although David did not kill him directly, he did so indirectly. And God charges him with murder by using the sword of the children of Ammon. So we are familiar with that sin and that failing. We're also familiar with the story that Nathan brought before David to show David his great sin when he talked about the rich man with all of his stock and all of his animals, and the one poor man with the one little ewe lamb. And when the visitor came, the rich man failed to take of his stock and his herd, and he took the poor man's lamb and, of course, killed it and served that to his guests.
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So although we are familiar with that, we may not be quite familiar with exactly what God told David. So I want you to look in your Bibles to 2 Samuel chapter 12. 2 Samuel 12. And let's begin reading there with verse 7. 2 Samuel 12. And look, if you would please, at verse 7. So, Nathan has confronted David. He's told the story. David is greatly upset and he said, "The man that has done this shall restore fourfold and he shall die." And so in verse 7, "And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; and I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things." Now look at verse 9. "Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight?
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Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon." Now, let me just stop right there. Note what he asks in verse 9. "Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight?" Well, we know obviously that David did indeed despise the commandments of God. He despised the seventh commandment, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." He despised the sixth commandment, "Thou shalt not kill." He despised the eighth commandment, "Thou shalt not steal," because he stole Bathsheba from Uriah. He also despised the tenth commandment, "Thou shalt not covet," for he coveted her. He also despised the first commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me," because he placed himself before God. He also despised the fifth commandment, "Honour thy father and thy mother," because in his actions he dishonored his father and his mother.
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And by the way, the Hebrew word here for "despise" literally means, listen carefully, to despise, to condemn, to disdain, to scorn, to treat as vile, to treat as useless and worthless, and to treat as contemptible. So what David did is what every sinner does when we violate God's law. We're treating that law as it is absolutely contemptible, that it is useless, that it is worthless, of no account.
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And we keep scoring upon scoring upon it. Well, we can see that because he said, "Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD?" David despised it.
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Now look at verse 10. He says, "Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife." Now note if you would what he said in verse 9, "you've despised the commandment of the LORD." Now in verse 10 he said, "you have despised me." So now God charges David with despising him. He was treating God as if God was contemptible and vile and worthless and useless. And incidentally, the Hebrew word for "despised" is exactly the same in both verses. So, I think it should be very clear again, you cannot separate God from His Word. When you despise the Word of God, you despise God. When you despise God, you despise His Word. Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to 1 Chronicles 10, because we're going to see the same truth stated very plainly. Watch carefully. 1 Chronicles 10. Look at verse 13. "So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not."
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Now note, if you would, "Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD." So here it is again, in black and white. You cannot separate the one from the other. Let me say this very plainly. When you transgress against God, you transgress against His law. When you transgress against His law, you also transgress against God. It's impossible to separate the two. First, we need to note the word "transgression." The Bible says very clearly, "So Saul died for his transgression." Now, when you and I think of the word "transgression," we try to associate the word "trespass." And in one sense of the word, a transgression is indeed a trespass.
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So if Gary had placed a sign on his property that said "No Trespassing," and I walked onto that property, Gary could ask me to leave. And if I refuse to leave, he could have me arrested because that would be a violation of his private property rights. So when we think of a trespass, we also think of a transgression and we say that a transgression is a trespass.
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But let me tell you something. The Hebrew word for "transgression" here means far more than a trespass. It means actually a very sore and grievous falsehood. It means a trespass, an awful trespass and an act of treachery. So you've got to understand that when God is talking about this transgression of Saul, it's not just simply a minor act. It is an act of treachery, so we need to examine and see what this act of treachery really consists.
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So I want you to hold 1 Chronicles 10 and turn back in your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 15. I want you to watch this very closely. 1 Samuel chapter 15 and notice if you would please beginning there with verse 1. 1 Samuel chapter 15. And verse 1. Note what God says. God sends Samuel to Saul. "Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel.
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Now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass."
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Now the interesting thing is what God does very clearly is He sends the prophet to Saul and He tells Saul, "Look, what you need to do is you go and slay all of the Amalekites. I remember that which Amalek did to Israel when he came out of Egypt." Now, if you want to read about what Amalek did, you can go to Deuteronomy 25 and read the latter part. But Amalek, the Bible tells us in that passage, ambushed Israel.
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Not only did he ambush, but he hit them in the rear and he slew the feeble and the lame and those who could not really defend themselves. And so God says, "I remember this."
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Now, here is the time of justice. So I want you to go and kill all of the Amalekites and all of their animals. So it didn't matter if it was man or woman, child, ox, suckling ass. God said each one is to forfeit their lives. Now, very simple. And by the way, it was Samuel who anointed Saul to be king. And so, God says to Saul, "Here are your orders." Saul was to be God's king. He was responsible and accountable to obey God. However, Saul disobeyed.
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Now if you'll look in verse 17, note if you would please, 1 Samuel 15, Saul has spared now Agag, the king of the Amalekites, and the best of the oxen and the best of the sheep. He did not obey God. So look in verse 17. The Bible says, "And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?" By the way, when he says, "when thou wast little in thine own sight," you can read when Samuel told Saul that God had chosen him to be king, Saul said, "But who am I?
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I'm the least in my father's house. And my father's house is the least in Judah. And our tribe, Benjamin, is the least tribe. Who am I?" And when they went to crown him king, so to speak, where was Saul? He was hiding among the stuff. Somebody had to go find him. So he says, "When you were little in your own eyesight, God made you king." Now watch verse 18.
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"And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD? And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal." Now I want you to note what Saul is doing. First of all, he's now blaming the people. "I've obeyed God." He said it was the people who spared all of these animals. Well, it wasn't the people who spared Agag. That was Saul himself. But I want you to note something, if you would please. Although Saul is saying the people spared the animals, to whom did God give the orders?
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To Saul. Saul was the king. He was the commander. He was the commander-in-chief. He was accountable. He was responsible. He knew what the orders from God were. The people did not necessarily know, but Saul knew. But I want you to look, if you would please, what he said in verse 19. "Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD"—that is disobedience—"but didst fly upon the spoil"—that is, he was covetous. He wanted it himself. "And didst evil in the sight of the LORD." So now disobedience in verse 19 is called evil in the sight of the LORD. So when you and I think about disobedience, we just think about we've done something we should not have done.
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Well, there's more to it than that. Skip down to verse 22. And Samuel said, once he says that the people have spared them so they could sacrifice the animals, "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
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Now watch what he says, "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king."
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Now, when you think about the disobedience in verse 19, now the disobedience becomes more than that in verse 23. Now it is called rebellion. And rebellion is the sin of witchcraft. And witchcraft means that you are to be put to death. Notice, if you would, the disobedience in verse 19 not only became rebellion in verse 23, but note, if you would, the latter part, "because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD." So the disobedience then becomes rebellion and rebellion becomes rejection.
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So what we need to do is this. We need to tie these three terms together in our mind, because whenever anyone disobeys God, he's rebelling against God and he's rejecting the Word of God. He's saying it's not for me. I'm scorning it. It's worthless. It's useless. It's contemptible. I don't want it. It is indeed an act of treachery. Now, when you reject the Word of God, you are also rejecting the God who gave the Word.
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OK, you cannot have one without the other. When you despise one, you despise the other.
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Now look in verse 24. Saul admits and confesses his transgression, "And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice." Hmm. Now he's saying, "Well, I feared the people above God," which, of course, would be idolatry, a violation of the first commandment. He says, "Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD. And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel. And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou." Note, if you would, what Samuel said. "Thou hast rejected the word of the LORD."
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Let me just say this again. Whenever you reject the Word of the Lord, you are rejecting the God who gave that Word.
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Now, I want you to go back to 1 Chronicles 10, and look if you would please at verse 13. Watch carefully. Here it is. "So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD"—that's his person—"even against the word of the LORD"—that's what the LORD spoke—"which he kept not." Well, obviously, if you are disobedient and rebellious, and reject the word of the LORD and are treacherous, you're not going to keep it. That is for sure. So the Bible says very clearly there that he is going to die for this sin. But look at the rest of this verse.
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"And also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it; and inquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse."
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Now, God says, "Listen, Saul, what you have done is this. You've disobeyed Me. You've rebelled against Me. You've rejected My Word. And consequently, you've rejected Me." By the way, you must also remember that God rejected Saul. And now, Saul is going to turn to a witch for counsel. I want you to see this. So, hold 1 Chronicles 10 and turn back in your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 28. 1 Samuel chapter 28.
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And let's begin reading there with verse 7. 1 Samuel 28 and verse 7. Watch carefully. "Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor." By the way, how many of you remember that TV program, "Bewitched," years ago? You remember that?
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Elizabeth Montgomery starred in it, which tried to say that there was such a thing as a good witch, which there is not. But do you remember her mother's name? Endora, from the Witch of Endor. Yeah, yeah, this is where it came from. So, "there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor." Now watch verse 8. "And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee. And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.
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Wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die? And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing. Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice"—in other words, this was not her doing.
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She was not expecting this. "And the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself. And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. Now watch carefully. Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David: because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek.
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Therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day." Now, I want you to see several things in this passage. First of all, I want you to see the absolute ignorance as well as arrogance and total rejection of the Word of God by Saul. How can I say that? Well, the Bible says in Exodus chapter 22 in verse 18, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live." In other words, witchcraft merits a death penalty, according to the Bible. In Leviticus 19 in verse 31, God says, "Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God." I want you to look back at verse 10. I want to show you this arrogance. Look at it. "And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing." Really? Really, God has just got out of his mouth, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live." And Saul is saying, "I want you to call me up a man who is dead."
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Well, she said, "You know, Saul has put us out of the land. We can't do this. You're going to endanger my life." "As the LORD liveth, there's nothing going to happen to you." Really? You mean he could now nullify the law of God and the punishment of God as well? I want you to stop and think about this. This is exactly the attitude and the arrogance of modern day politicians, modern day elites, modern day rulers who think that somehow they have the power and the authority to overrule God. What do I mean by that? Well, look around today and you will find that most politicians not only allow and tolerate perversions and wickedness, they also subsidize it and say, "Well, that's just your choice. Nothing's going to happen to you. We're going to protect you." Really? You cannot protect someone from the judgment and the wrath of God. You can't do that. And so Saul arrogantly says, "As the LORD liveth." Really, as the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.
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Now, I want you to pay close attention, if you would, please, to verses 15 and 16. Watch this carefully. "And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do."
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Now, let me just stop right here. Look what he said. "God is departed from me." Let me tell you something, folks. This is a very awesome and horrifying truth, that when you are disobedient, and when you are rebellious, and when you reject the Word of God, when you are treacherous, and you depart from God, God departs from you as well. And look what he said, "God doesn't answer me by prophets." Really? Well, why in the world should God send him a prophet?
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He wouldn't listen to Samuel. Samuel was a prophet. Why would God give you any more truth when you refuse to obey the truth that He's already given you? And why in the world should God give him a dream? What is He wanting now? Something over and above and beyond the Word which Samuel spoke to Him? The truth of the matter is, if He had had 15 prophets, He would have still rejected everything they said, because He had already rejected the Word of the Lord.
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Now, watch if you would carefully. Let's look at verse 16. "Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?" Now, here's the implication. Samuel said, "If God has departed from you, and if God has become your enemy, you think I'm going to help you? Are you insane? Why should I align myself with you when God has departed from you and God has become your enemy?"
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May I tell you something that we have failed to realize? God can even become the enemy of His own people. I'll show you that in black and white. I want you to turn in your Bibles, hold 1 Chronicles. We're coming back there. But I want you to turn to the book of Isaiah. Look in chapter 63. Isaiah 63. And look, if you would please, at verse 10. In fact, the truth of the matter is we're talking about Israel. Let me just show you. Let's begin reading in verse 7. Isaiah 63, verse 7. "I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us"—we're talking about God's people—"and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses. For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie.
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So he was their Saviour. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them." Isn't that amazing? Isn't that amazing? God turned to be the enemy of His own people because they forsook Him and vexed Him.
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Now, when you go back to 1 Chronicles 10, look in verse 13 again. The Bible says, "So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it." Now watch. "And inquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse."
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Now, let me tell you something. Saul did not inquire of the LORD. How can I say this? Look in 1 Chronicles chapter 13. And look, if you would please, at verse 3. Look what David says. 1 Chronicles chapter 13 and verse 3. David says, "And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we inquired not at it in the days of Saul." So, the ark of God was there, but Saul didn't inquire of it, neither did anybody else, because Saul had rejected the Word of the LORD. And since he'd rejected the Word of the LORD, God rejected him. That is why the Bible says in verse 14, "and inquired not of the LORD." He went to the witch of Endor, but he did not go to the ark of God.
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Now, listen to me very carefully. If you desire to know God, if you desire to worship him and honor him and glorify him and obey him, then you must know his Word. It is impossible to know God apart from his Word. It is impossible to love God apart from his Word. It is impossible to worship God apart from his Word. So let me show you. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of John 12. John 12. And let me show you a very prominent verse, and one that is very clear, I would think. John 12, verse 48. Our Lord is speaking.
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And look what He says. John 12, verse 48. Our Lord says, "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." Now, wait a minute. First of all, He said, "and he that rejecteth me." Do you realize that Jesus Christ is the living Word of God? John 1, verses 1 through 3. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." When you get down to verse 14, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."
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Then when you get to 2 Timothy 3 and verse 16, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." Now, Jesus Christ is the living Word of God. The Bible is the written Word of God. Now look back at verse 48. "He that rejecteth me"—that is the living Word—"and receiveth not my words"—that's the written Word—"hath one that judgeth him." What is it? "The word that I have spoken," the Bible, "the same shall judge him in the last day." You cannot separate God from his Word. When you despise one, you despise the other. Our Lord is the living Word and the Bible is the written Word.
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Now, let me show you a couple more. I want you to look in your Bible, to the book of Luke chapter 10. Luke chapter 10 and notice if you would please verse 16. Luke 10 verse 16. Our Lord says to his disciples basically. Watch carefully. "He that heareth you heareth me." So those whom our Lord sends, as they preach and teach His words, He said, "If they hear you, they hear Me." But watch, "and he that despiseth you"—that is, you who are preaching His Word—"despiseth me. And he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me." So you cannot say, "Well, I love the Lord, but I don't like His Bible. I don't love His Word." No, no, no. You can't say, "Well, I love the Bible, but I don't love the Lord Jesus Christ." No, you can't separate them.
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If you despise the one, you despise the other. If you love the one, you love the other. Now, let me show you another one. I want you to hold Luke. We're coming back there. But turn, if you would, to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. And look, if you would please, beginning there with verse, oh, let's say, let's read beginning there with verse 3. Because in this passage, we're dealing with God's commandments, God's law. And I want you to watch carefully. In fact, years ago, I preached a series of eight messages on this passage on sanctification and sexual purity. But look in verse 3. He says, "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication." So he's saying.
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Do not violate the Seventh Commandment. Do not violate the Eighth Commandment. Do not violate the Tenth Commandment. In other words, he's talking about his law. He says, "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel"—that is his body—"in sanctification and honour; not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God." We're not to live as the unsaved. "That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter"—or the matter, that would be fornication or adultery—"because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. Now watch. "For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit." So what he is saying is if you despise His law, if you despise His Word, you are despising God at the same time.
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You cannot separate God from His Word. Now, I want you to go back in your Bibles to Luke chapter 16. Luke chapter 16. I'm trying to drive this one principle home. Luke 16 is a very familiar passage. This is the passage where Lazarus, the beggar, was laid at the rich man's gate. The rich man fared sumptuously every day, and the dogs came and licked Lazarus's sores. And the Bible says that Lazarus died, was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom. But it also says that the rich man died, and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments. And so he asked Abraham, he said, "Father Abraham, send Lazarus,
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that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame." And Abraham says, "Look, that's not going to happen. There's a great gulf fixed between us. You who are there cannot come here, and we who are here cannot go there." Now watch. The rich man says, "But I've got five brethren. And if you're not going to send Lazarus to cool my tongue, send him to warn my five brethren, lest they come to this place of torment."
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So let's pick up in verse 27, Luke 16, verse 27. "Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." Now I want you to notice what Abraham said. When he asked for someone to specially go see his brethren, Abraham said, "They have Moses and the prophets."
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They have the Word of God. Let them hear the Word of God. "No, no, no," he said, "Father, but if one went to them from the dead, they would repent." Really? Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. Where are people repenting today? You see what I'm saying? And again, he said, "No, if they will not hear Moses or the prophets, they will not be persuaded though one rose from the dead." When you reject the Word of God, you also reject the God of the Word. When you disbelieve the Word of God, you also disbelieve the God of the Word. It's just that simple. You cannot maintain one attitude toward God and a different attitude toward His Word. When you despise one, you despise the other. Now, let me just make this statement in this application. Think about this. Our love for the Lord is demonstrated by our love for his Word, and our obedience to his Word. When someone tries to tell me "I love the Lord" and yet their lives are in wicked rebellion against God,
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No, that's not true. What does 1 John 2 verse 4 say? "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." May I remind you of 1 John 5 and verse 3. "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." So the proof that we love God is that we love His Word and we obey His Word. We bring our lives into conformity to His Word. You cannot separate God from His Word. And whoever sins against the Word of God, sins against God. When you despise the Word, you despise the God who gave the Word. If you love the Lord, you will love His Word, and you will do everything you can to bring your life into obedience to that Word.
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We're not perfect, but one thing for sure, we're going to be working and praying and seeking for grace to be more and more obedient if we genuinely love the Lord. Because when you despise His Word, you despise Him. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. Help us to see how valuable, how priceless Your Word really is.
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May we understand how we must know it and read it and study it and obey it and apply it so that we may honor the God who gave it. Give us grace that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray, Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T13:35:37Z

When You Despise One, You Despise the Other

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver teaches from 1 Chronicles 10:13-14 that Saul died for transgressing against the Lord and His word, demonstrating that one cannot separate God from His Word. To despise, reject, or disobey Scripture is to despise God Himself. The sermon traces Saul's rebellion, rejection of God's command, and turn to a witch, showing that rejecting God's Word leads to God becoming one's enemy. Applications emphasize that love for God is proven by love for and obedience to His Word.

Introduction: The Hidden Hatred of God and His Word

People rarely say they hate God or the Bible outright, but they show hatred through suggestion, denigration, and denial. Euphemisms soften hard truths but do not change the reality.

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 10:13-14

"So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it; and inquired not of the LORD."

The Carnal Mind Is Enmity Against God

Romans 8:7-8 teaches that the natural mind is hostile to God. Hosea 9:7 speaks of 'great hatred,' which commentators identify as satanic hatred against God and His prophets.

Scripture Reading — Romans 8:7-8

"But the carnal mind is enmity against God: it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."

Then I'm going to give you two comments on it just momentarily. But look in Hosea 9 and verse 7. The Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Hosea 9:7

"The days of visitation are come, the days of recompense are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred."

Now, look at that phrase,

Scripture Reading — Hosea 9:7

"and the great hatred."

Here's what John Trapp said on this verse. John Trapp's one of the old Puritans. He said,

Scripture Reading — Hosea 9:7

"For the multitude of thine iniquity and the great hatred."

Scripture Reading — 1 Kings 22:8

" And in verse 8, the king of Israel, Ahab, said to Jehoshaphat, "

You Cannot Separate God from His Word

Psalm 138:2 says God magnifies His Word above His name. To despise, neglect, or forget God's Word is to do the same to God, because God rules by His law and cannot deny Himself.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 138:2

"thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name."

Scripture Reading — Psalm 119:89

"For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven."

David's Sin: Despising the Commandment and Despising God

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 12:7-10

"And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; and I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things."

Now look at verse 9.

Scripture Reading — 2 Samuel 12:7-10

"Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight?

Saul's Transgression: Rebellion, Rejection, and Treachery

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 15:17-23

"And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?"

By the way, when he says,

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 15:17-23

"when thou wast little in thine own sight,"

Saul Turns to a Witch: The Folly of Rejecting God's Word

And let's begin reading there with verse 7. 1 Samuel 28 and verse 7. Watch carefully.

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 28:7-18

"Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor."

God Can Become the Enemy of His Own People

Isaiah 63:10 shows that when Israel rebelled and vexed the Holy Spirit, God turned to be their enemy. Saul experienced this when God departed from him and became his enemy.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 63:7-10

"I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us"

—we're talking about God's people—

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 63:7-10

"and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses. For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie.

New Testament Confirmation: Rejecting Christ and His Words

John 12:48, Luke 10:16, and 1 Thessalonians 4:8 all teach that rejecting or despising God's messengers and His Word is equivalent to rejecting and despising God Himself.

Scripture Reading — 1 Chronicles 13:3

"And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we inquired not at it in the days of Saul."

And look what He says. John 12, verse 48. Our Lord says,

Scripture Reading — John 12:48

"He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day."

Now, wait a minute. First of all, He said,

Scripture Reading — John 12:48

"and he that rejecteth me."

Scripture Reading — Luke 10:16

"He that heareth you heareth me."

So those whom our Lord sends, as they preach and teach His words, He said, "If they hear you, they hear Me." But watch,

Scripture Reading — Luke 10:16

"and he that despiseth you"

—that is, you who are preaching His Word—

Scripture Reading — Luke 10:16

"despiseth me. And he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me."

The Rich Man and Lazarus: Sufficiency of Scripture

Luke 16:27-31 shows that if people reject Moses and the prophets (the Word), they would not be persuaded even by someone rising from the dead. Rejecting Scripture is rejecting God.

Application: Love for God Demonstrated by Love for His Word

1 John 2:4 and 5:3 teach that knowing and loving God is proven by keeping His commandments. True love for the Lord results in a life increasingly conformed to His Word.

When You Despise One, You Despise the Other

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	1019201657455824
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Exodus: Bondage, Deliverance, and Passover: As Yet
Genre	Sermon
Date	2020-10-11
Dictation Name
Book	Book 079: Exodus: Bondage, Deliverance, and Passover - Volume 2 — Chapter 26
Source Timed Segments	66

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Hidden Hatred of God and His Word: People rarely say they hate God or the Bible outright, but they show hatred through suggestion, denigration, and denial. Euphemisms soften hard truths but do not change the reality.
The Carnal Mind Is Enmity Against God: Romans 8:7-8 teaches that the natural mind is hostile to God. Hosea 9:7 speaks of 'great hatred,' which commentators identify as satanic hatred against God and His prophets.
You Cannot Separate God from His Word: Psalm 138:2 says God magnifies His Word above His name. To despise, neglect, or forget God's Word is to do the same to God, because God rules by His law and cannot deny Himself.
David's Sin: Despising the Commandment and Despising God: In 2 Samuel 12, Nathan charges David with despising God's commandments (adultery, murder, theft, coveting) and then says 'you have despised me.' The same Hebrew word is used, proving the inseparable link.
Saul's Transgression: Rebellion, Rejection, and Treachery: 1 Chronicles 10:13 says Saul died for transgression against the Lord and His word. In 1 Samuel 15, Saul's disobedience is called rebellion and rejection of God's word, leading to God rejecting him as king.
Saul Turns to a Witch: The Folly of Rejecting God's Word: After God departed from Saul, he sought the witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28), arrogantly swearing by the Lord that she would not be punished, directly contradicting God's law. This shows the depth of his rejection.
God Can Become the Enemy of His Own People: Isaiah 63:10 shows that when Israel rebelled and vexed the Holy Spirit, God turned to be their enemy. Saul experienced this when God departed from him and became his enemy.
New Testament Confirmation: Rejecting Christ and His Words: John 12:48, Luke 10:16, and 1 Thessalonians 4:8 all teach that rejecting or despising God's messengers and His Word is equivalent to rejecting and despising God Himself.
The Rich Man and Lazarus: Sufficiency of Scripture: Luke 16:27-31 shows that if people reject Moses and the prophets (the Word), they would not be persuaded even by someone rising from the dead. Rejecting Scripture is rejecting God.
Application: Love for God Demonstrated by Love for His Word: 1 John 2:4 and 5:3 teach that knowing and loving God is proven by keeping His commandments. True love for the Lord results in a life increasingly conformed to His Word.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Saul's transgression was against both God and His Word

1 Chronicles 10:13 explicitly states Saul died for transgression against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, proving the two are inseparable.

1 Chronicles 10:13: 'So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD.'

David's sin of despising God's commandments was despising God

In 2 Samuel 12:9-10, Nathan first says David despised the commandment, then says 'you have despised me,' using the same Hebrew word.

2 Samuel 12:9-10; the Hebrew word for 'despise' means to treat as vile, worthless, contemptible.

Disobedience escalates to rebellion and rejection

In 1 Samuel 15, Saul's disobedience is called evil, then rebellion (as witchcraft), then rejection of God's word, leading to God rejecting him.

1 Samuel 15:19, 22-23; 'rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft... because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD.'

Rejecting God's Word leads to seeking false counsel

After God rejected Saul, he turned to a witch, directly violating God's law and arrogantly swearing by the Lord that she would not be punished.

1 Samuel 28:7-10; Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 19:31.

God can become the enemy of His own people

Isaiah 63:10 states that when Israel rebelled, God turned to be their enemy. Samuel told Saul that God had departed and become his enemy.

Isaiah 63:10; 1 Samuel 28:16.

Jesus Christ and His words are inseparable

John 12:48 says rejecting Christ and not receiving His words results in judgment by that word. Christ is the living Word; Scripture is the written Word.

John 12:48; John 1:1-3, 14; 2 Timothy 3:16.

Rejecting Scripture is rejecting the God who gave it

Luke 16:27-31 shows that if people reject Moses and the prophets, they would not believe even if someone rose from the dead. Rejecting the Word is rejecting God.

Luke 16:27-31; Abraham's response: 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'

Love for God is proven by obedience to His commandments

1 John 2:4 and 5:3 teach that claiming to know God while disobeying His commands makes one a liar; love for God is keeping His commandments.

1 John 2:4; 1 John 5:3.

Scripture References

1 Chronicles 10:13-14: Saul died for his transgression against the Lord and His word, and for seeking a familiar spirit instead of the Lord.
Romans 8:7-8: The carnal mind is enmity against God; it is not subject to God's law.
Hosea 9:7: The days of visitation come because of the multitude of iniquity and the great hatred.
1 Kings 22:8: Ahab hated Micaiah because he prophesied evil, not good.
Psalm 138:2: God has magnified His word above all His name.
Psalm 119:89: Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.
2 Timothy 2:13: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
2 Samuel 12:7-10: Nathan charges David with despising the commandment and despising God.
1 Samuel 15:1-3: God commands Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites.
1 Samuel 15:17-23: Saul's disobedience is called rebellion and rejection; God rejects him as king.
1 Samuel 15:24-28: Saul admits sin; Samuel says he rejected the word of the Lord, so the Lord rejected him.
1 Samuel 28:7-18: Saul seeks the witch of Endor; Samuel tells him God has departed and become his enemy.
Exodus 22:18: Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
Leviticus 19:31: Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards.
Isaiah 63:7-10: God turned to be the enemy of Israel when they rebelled and vexed His Spirit.
1 Chronicles 13:3: David says they did not inquire at the ark in the days of Saul.
John 12:48: He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him: the word I have spoken shall judge him.
John 1:1-3, 14: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God; the Word became flesh.
2 Timothy 3:16: All scripture is given by inspiration of God.
Luke 10:16: He that heareth you heareth me; he that despiseth you despiseth me.

Historical References

John Trapp (Puritan commentator): Quoted on Hosea 9:7 regarding 'the great satanic hatred' against God and His prophets.
Albert Barnes (commentator): Quoted on Hosea 9:7 explaining that the great hatred is the reason for judgment and that sinners progress from neglect to hatred of God.
Witch of Endor: Saul sought a woman with a familiar spirit at Endor; referenced as the origin of the name 'Endora' from the TV show 'Bewitched.'
TV program 'Bewitched': Mentioned as a cultural reference; Elizabeth Montgomery starred, and her mother's name Endora came from the Witch of Endor.

Important Quotes

When you despise the Word of God, you despise God. When you despise God, you despise His Word. You cannot separate God from His Word.

Central thesis of the sermon, repeated throughout.

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

Shows the progression from disobedience to rebellion to rejection.

As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.

Illustrates Saul's arrogance in directly contradicting God's law.

God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams.

Shows the consequence of rejecting God's Word: God departs.

He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Jesus' own words linking rejection of Him with rejection of His words.

If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Emphasizes the sufficiency of Scripture and the finality of rejecting it.

He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Application: love for God is proven by obedience to His Word.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

In what subtle ways might people today show hatred for God and His Word without saying it outright?

[Context]

Introduction on euphemisms and hidden hatred.

[Question]

How does the account of David's sin in 2 Samuel 12 illustrate that despising God's commands is despising God Himself?

[Context]

David's sin and Nathan's rebuke.

[Question]

What is the progression from disobedience to rebellion to rejection seen in Saul's life, and how can we guard against it?

[Context]

1 Samuel 15 and the terms disobedience, rebellion, rejection.

[Question]

Why did Saul turn to a witch, and what does this reveal about the state of his heart toward God?

[Context]

Saul and the witch of Endor.

[Question]

How should the truth that God can become the enemy of His own people (Isaiah 63:10) affect our view of persistent sin?

[Context]

God turning to be Israel's enemy.

[Question]

What does Jesus mean in John 12:48 when He says His word will judge us, and how does this relate to the inseparability of Christ and Scripture?

[Context]

John 12:48 and the living Word vs. written Word.

[Question]

Why did Abraham say that if they do not hear Moses and the prophets, they would not be persuaded even by a resurrection?

[Context]

The rich man and Lazarus.

[Question]

According to 1 John, how is genuine love for God demonstrated in a believer's life?

[Context]

Application and 1 John 2:4; 5:3.

Applications

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