Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the Lord sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the Lord. This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’ ”
— 1 Samuel 15:1-3

Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and attacked all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God. When the Lord your God gives you rest from all the enemies around you in the land he is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you shall blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!
— Deuteronomy 25:17-19

“Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
— Genesis 18:25

~~~~~

The Judge of All the Earth
By Jennifer Kane

Against proud Egypt’s gods He rose,
Their power crushed in mighty blows.
Yet mercy shone in blood-stained doors—
For all who trusted, wrath passed o’er.

To Canaan’s lands, with idols steeped,
His judgment came, for sins run deep.
But Rahab’s faith found refuge there—
A scarlet thread, God’s mercy spared.

The Amalekites with hearts of stone,
Struck stragglers weak, when hope was gone.
But Israel’s sword fulfilled God’s plan—
Still justice waited, held by hand.

To Nineveh, so steeped in wrong,
He sent a prophet, slow but strong.
They bowed in dust—He stayed the flame,
And mercy clothed their cursed name.

To Edom, filled with prideful hate,
Their fall was just, their ruin great.
Yet still God wept for Esau’s kin,
And offered peace if they’d give in.

And Israel—His chosen bride,
He warned with tears, then turned aside.
But mercy followed exile’s pain,
To plant them home and heal again.

Jerusalem, how oft He pled,
Yet prophets bled, and mercy fled.
Still from that hill, a cross arose—
Where justice met the One He chose.

So nations fall, and empires bend,
Yet mercy moves from end to end.
The Judge is good, His ways are true—
He breaks to heal, He cuts to renew.

~~~~~

Scripture: 1 Samuel 15:1-3, Deuteronomy 25:17–19, Genesis 18:25

When reading difficult passages like 1 Samuel 15:1–3—where God commands Saul to bring complete destruction on the Amalekites—we may struggle to understand such a severe judgment. Yet Scripture consistently affirms that God’s ways are perfect, His justice is pure, and His judgments are always right.

The Amalekites attacked the Israelites when they were weary and vulnerable, targeting the stragglers with cruel intent (Deuteronomy 25:17–19). Though this sin happened centuries before Saul’s time, God’s memory of injustice is not dulled by time. Time does not erase sin; only the blood of Jesus can do that. In His mercy, God had allowed the Amalekites hundreds of years to repent. But they remained hardened. “The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked.” (Nahum 1:3)

God’s judgment on Amalek was not only punishment but also a test of obedience for Israel’s king. Saul’s failure to fully carry out God’s command reveals how human compassion or political calculation can become disobedience when it contradicts divine righteousness.

Yet we must remember that under the New Covenant, God no longer calls His people to execute physical judgment on nations. Jesus made this clear: “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight…” (John 18:36)

Still, the truth remains: God continues to judge the nations, not with swords in our hands, but with sovereign authority and perfect justice. “He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained.” (Acts 17:31)

Let us take comfort in knowing that God’s justice is never arbitrary. He sees what we do not. His judgments are rooted in truth, not impulse; in righteousness, not vengeance.

And let us also respond in reverent humility. As Abraham once said: “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:25)

~~~~~

Heavenly Father, Your ways are higher than ours, and Your justice is perfect. When we read of Your judgments, let us not shrink back in fear, but lean in with reverent trust. Help us to remember that You are both holy and merciful— slow to anger, yet just in all Your ways. Teach us to obey You fully, not out of fear, but out of love for Your truth. And as we wait for Your final justice to be revealed, may we walk humbly, love mercy, and trust in Christ, our refuge and righteousness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

May 21 2025