Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice
1 Samuel 15:22-23 (KJV)
22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
*****
The Lord had said to King Saul;
“I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now 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 15:2-3)
God directed Saul to totally and utterly destroy the Amalekites; men, women, children, oxen, sheep, camels, donkeys…everything and everybody.
“But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them.” (1 Sam 15:9)
Saul was a weak leader. His greed and his desire to be popular with the people combined with his rebellious character got the best of him. He decided to make his own rules instead of following God’s directions.
When he got caught he tried to make excuses to justify his actions.
Proverbs 16:25 (KJV)
There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Saul’s disobedience cost him more than his position as king of Israel. He suffered personally; his family suffered; those around him suffered, his relationship with God suffered; Israel suffered. He was entrusted with the leadership of God’s chosen people. His life should have been an example for others to emulate. He trusted his own wisdom more than God’s.
Proverbs 3:5-7 (KJV)
5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
Luke 6:46 (KJV)
And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Matthew 7:21-27 (KJV)
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Matthew 7:13-14 (KJV)
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
These are difficult times we are living in.
We must be sober and ever vigilant.
Sin is rampant.
Temptation is everyway.
Deception has become the norm.
Our adversary, the devil, like a roaring lion is on the prowl hoping to destroy us.
If we take our eyes off of Jesus, even for an instant, we could easily lose sight of God’s plan for our lives.
Don’t let the world get you down.
Jesus said:
“In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
(John 16:33)
1 Samuel 15:22-23 (KJV)
22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
*****
The Lord had said to King Saul;
“I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt. Now 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 15:2-3)
God directed Saul to totally and utterly destroy the Amalekites; men, women, children, oxen, sheep, camels, donkeys…everything and everybody.
“But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them.” (1 Sam 15:9)
Saul was a weak leader. His greed and his desire to be popular with the people combined with his rebellious character got the best of him. He decided to make his own rules instead of following God’s directions.
When he got caught he tried to make excuses to justify his actions.
Proverbs 16:25 (KJV)
There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Saul’s disobedience cost him more than his position as king of Israel. He suffered personally; his family suffered; those around him suffered, his relationship with God suffered; Israel suffered. He was entrusted with the leadership of God’s chosen people. His life should have been an example for others to emulate. He trusted his own wisdom more than God’s.
Proverbs 3:5-7 (KJV)
5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
Luke 6:46 (KJV)
And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Matthew 7:21-27 (KJV)
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Matthew 7:13-14 (KJV)
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
These are difficult times we are living in.
We must be sober and ever vigilant.
Sin is rampant.
Temptation is everyway.
Deception has become the norm.
Our adversary, the devil, like a roaring lion is on the prowl hoping to destroy us.
If we take our eyes off of Jesus, even for an instant, we could easily lose sight of God’s plan for our lives.
Don’t let the world get you down.
Jesus said:
“In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
(John 16:33)