Obedience is Better Than Sacrifice

“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.” (1 Sam. 15:22)
             
   The Israelites were a people of sacrifices.  Throughout the year, God’s people were commanded to come to the place of worship and offer their sacrifices to God.  There were all sorts of sacrifices, and in every case the people were commanded to bring their very best.  You may know that the sacrificial process was committed to the priests and the Levites.  And yet, after a battle with the Amalekites, King Saul thought it was his place to disobey God for the sake of sacrifice.

                God clearly commanded Saul and his army to utterly destroy the Amalekites, keeping nothing alive so that they could no longer be a thorn in their side.  When the people came upon the spoils of war, they decided to keep the best of the animals alive, blatantly disobeying God’s command.  For that reason, Samuel was sent to rebuke cowardly King Saul.  Today’s verse is that rebuke and it makes a very clear statement – “to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.”

                God was simply saying that you can prepare all the sacrifices you want, but if you’re not obedient to God it’s all for nothing.  The same is true in the 21st century – we can go through all the ritual and tradition of our worship, but if we’re not living in humble obedience to God then our ceremonies mean nothing.  You may attend church weekly, put on your Sunday best, and open your Bible when the pastor preaches, but if you’re not striving to obey God then you’re missing the mark.