To obey is better than sacrifice.
I Samuel 15:22
The value of obedience over sacrifice expresses the piercing and precise message of judgment from the prophet Samuel to King Saul. The prideful and pretentious monarch was confronted with divine accountability, and God’s winnowing hand exacted judgment against Saul’s willful disobedience as he attempted to hide under the guise of religious zeal. King Saul’s life sadly reflected one who “boasted of obedience to the commands of God but indulged the flesh with a love for self in the neglect of holy duties.”[1] The narrative surrounding the severity of the king’s disobedience offers a significant message of accountability for each of us: “to obey is better than to sacrifice.”
Within God’s covenant with Israel, sacrifices and offerings were prescribed and directed by the Lord, and given unto the Lord as acceptable worship, but only when offered with a heart truly penitent over sin in sincere faith and devotion. This however was not the case for King Saul, and when confronted by Samuel (I Samuel 15:19) for retaining the spoils from the victory over the Amalekites, Saul attempted to quickly align himself with God ceremonially by making an offering out of the spoils. Disobedience was being passed as obedience blatantly before God. Thus, Saul’s sinfully pretentious acts were divinely rejected and severely judged.
In the confrontation from Samuel, Saul was held accountable on two points. First, Saul’s disobedience was an act of rebellion against God. I Samuel 15:23 compares the spirit of such rebellion with the spirit of idolatry (divination). Second, Saul was more interested in pleasing man than God. In I Samuel 15:21, the people desired to keep the spoils of the Amalekites, which was directly opposed to what God had instructed. Saul acquiesced to man’s approval instead of obeying God (I Samuel 15:24, “I feared the people and listened to their voice.”).
Sin lures the human heart into acts of rebellion against God’s Word and God’s way, and the usual motivation is to please self or others than to honor and please God. This represents the very reason Samuel confronted Saul with, “to obey is better than sacrifice.” For Saul, the offerings were unacceptable because of his heart of disobedience to God’s commands, and because of his desire to “save face” in front of the people.
The very temptation that lured Saul to destruction falsely directs many lives today. The temptation to look good in serving God, and to perform certain spiritual or religious duties can sadly become prioritized over a heart truly devoted to Jesus.
Because God sent His Son to die on the cross for the forgiveness of sin, every life is accountable to Jesus. Every person must decide what he or she will do in response to the love of God manifested in the cross and the empty grave. And, through faith in Jesus Christ, we are called to humble obedience in response to His great love (and, not as a way to earn His love).
Responding to His love through a genuine heart of faith and obedience becomes more pleasing and acceptable to God than all burnt offerings and sacrifices could ever offer. And such a response is our expression of devotion and consecration.
Never let good works be an end to themselves. For, this is directly opposed to what God desires, and can become only a show of goodness before man.
Today, consider prioritizing a consecrated heart of obedience to Jesus over simple acts of religious duties and functions. Allow your heart of love for Jesus to be the reason and purpose of your good works. And the result will be the glory of our blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Blessings.
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Read Jesus’ teachings in Matthew 5 and 6 and be encouraged in how our LORD has prioritized matters of the heart.
