1 Samuel 15:10-35 “God Rejects the Proud”  By Bob DeWaay

By studying the narrative where the prophet Samuel rebukes Saul, we learn how to see the validity of authorial intent in interpreting narrative. In this case, Saul refused to listen to God, but wanted to be honored before the people. The section of narrative has an inclusio where the beginning and end bracket the larger narrative (the Lord regretted that He made Saul king – verse 11 and verse 35).  Saul’s self-delusion what such that even while blaming others and making a monument for himself, he failed to see his own sin and rebellion. In the process we learn a lot about God’s revealed nature and the pervasiveness of sin. Human pride causes obvious self-delusion that obscures what should be obvious. Saul even was willing to privately admit to Samuel that he sinned, if we could receive honor before the people. When the 1 Samuel 15:23 says that “rebellion is as divination,” it is more literal that most people realize. We discuss the implications of rejecting the truth.