Is God Particular? by Allen Moon

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jun 1, 1915

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 42, No. 22.

Is God Particular?

By Allen Moon

“YE shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish aught from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.” Deut. 4:2.

Saul, the first king of Israel, received commandment to 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.” 1 Sam. 15:3. Saul went as he was directed, but brought back the best of the sheep and fatlings and lambs. In this he diminished from the word of the Lord.

Saul proposed to offer to the Lord a great sacrifice of these sheep and oxen obtained from the Amalekites. Thus he would add to the word of the Lord.

In both diminishing from and adding to the word of the Lord, he rebelled, and became disobedient to the Lord; and in his rebellion, he proposed to offer to the Lord the sheep and oxen that had been dedicated to the gods of Amalek, instead of the sheep and oxen that had been dedicated to the God of Israel, thus adding insult to rebellion. For this sin he lost his kingdom and his life.

Is God particular? Will He to-day accept an offering of that which has been offered to heathen gods, in place of that which He has commanded? ALLEN MOON.