When Our Disobedience Comes Back to Bite Us

Everything we do has consequences. Although we might not see it immediately, our disobedience always comes back to bite us. Look no further than King Saul. In 1 Samuel 15, Saul was given explicit instructions to destroy the Amalekites for their sin and treatment of Israel. Men, women, property, livestock. Nothing was to be left. Instead, Saul disobeyed God.

“Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, near the eastern border of Egypt. He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.” 1 Samuel 15:7-9

Saul spared King Agag and the best of the plunder. In response, God rejected Saul as king and Samuel the prophet beheaded Agag. End of story? Think again. Remember, our disobedience always comes back to bite us. Although Agag was killed, some of his descendants survived because of Saul’s disobedience. Fast forward several hundred years and you’ll see the consequences.

In the book of Esther, the Israelites are in captivity for their disobedience to God. While in exile, they face an existential threat and the genocide of their race by an evil royal official, Haman. Wait, here’s the good part: “So the king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.” Esther 3:10

Because of Saul’s disobedience, the descendants of Agag survived, and hundreds of years later, Haman the Agagite almost wiped out the Jews. Our disobedience always comes back to bite us.

QUESTION: When has your disobedience come back to bite you?