We Are Dispensable

"But now your reign will not endure. The LORD has found a man loyal to Him, and the LORD has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not done what the LORD commanded." - 1 Samuel 13:14 HCSB

God desired a relationship with humanity. Adam and Eve messed it up and God had to kick them out of the garden but that didn’t change His overall plan to have a relationship with humanity.[1] Two individuals were kicked out, but God’s plan for mankind continued.

Elohim still sought a relationship with Man but mankind was so evil that He had to reject them all except for Noah and his family.[2] All of mankind was killed except for eight people, but God’s plan continued.

The people of Israel were given the opportunity to enter the Promised Land and out of a lack of faith they rebelled.[3] That entire generation was rejected and had to die in the wilderness, but God’s plan was fulfilled with the next generation.

Saul was to have been not just king over Israel during his lifetime - his lineage was to have been messianic![4] His throne could have endured forever through Jesus Christ. But because of his disobedience the promise “to establish your kingdom forever” was taken from him and given to David. Again, the throne endured though the individual and his family was rejected.

Israel was given the opportunity to have the messianic kingdom established[5] but they rejected it.[6] They were temporarily set aside, but God continued His plan of redemption by giving the Gentiles an opportunity to be “grafted” into God’s vine.

Annanias and Saphira tried to elevate themselves in the church and were killed for their presumption.[7] Here we see a couple rejected, but the church actually thriving after their demise!

Hymenaeus, who was apparently a leader in the church, elevated himself, taught principles that were not founded on scripture but his own thoughts and philosophies and indulged in “worldly and empty chatter…leading to ungodliness…that spread like gangrene.” He was “turned over to Satan.”[8] A leader of the church was rejected, but the church of God marching on anyway.

No one individual is necessary for God’s plan to succeed. He is sovereign and omnipotent. He will succeed whether we go along with His plans or not. To forget that fact is to lose the humility that is prerequisite to a proper relationship with God.

Go back to Saul again.[9] Why was he rejected? Because he disobeyed. Why did he disobey? The problem did not begin until he quit being “little” in his own eyes.[10] He was not building an altar to God but to himself![11]

Do I need you? Sure! Do you need me? Absolutely. But we must not confuse our needs with God’s. He is not human. He is God and He does not need us. The amazing thing is that in spite of that, He WANTS us.

[1] Genesis 3
[2] Genesis 6
[3] Numbers 13 and 14
[4] 1 Samuel 13:14
[5] Matthew 21
[6] Matthew 26
[7] Acts 5
[8] 1 Timothy 1:20; 2 Timothy 2:14-18
[9] 1 Samuel 13
[10] 1 Samuel 15:17
[11] 1 Samuel 15:12