SUNDAY April 28, 2019
Obedience Better than Sacrifice
So Samuel said: “Has 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 heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.”
1 Samuel 15:22-23
Samuel continued to firmly rebuke King Saul. Do you think God was pleased with his disobedience? No way! Neither was God pleased with his sacrifices; He would rather have Saul obey Him. When the prophet Samuel spoke God’s words to Saul, he revealed the root cause of Saul’s disobedience––rebellion. Saul was a rebellious person, and because of the gravity of his sin, the Lord officially rejected him from being King of Israel.
God had done so much for Saul in allowing him to become King of Israel; He had given him such a great opportunity. Now, through Saul’s disobedience, it was as if he had spit in the face of God––sad! God was not pleased with his stubbornness and rebellion. Saul’s sin was compared to witchcraft and idolatry! Saul’s life serves as a stern warning to any child of God who is stubborn and rebellious. Seriously, if there is no obedience, God will disregard the work you are doing for Him. God desires your obedience more than anything else.
Some people attend church thinking it will make up for the things they have done wrong in life. Others believe giving financial sacrifices will cover their sin and make them in good standing with God, but He will not honor them. God is displeased with people’s sacrifices because of their bad attitudes, their murmuring and complaining, or their rebellion and stubbornness. He wants true repentance and obedience to the Word of God. Then God will honor them. What is the key to the Christian life? It is to obey––obey––obey.
Nothing is more fatal to us than to refuse to give ourselves in obedience to God.
~John Calvin~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!