Today I read 1 Samuel 15, in which Saul is rejected as king because he did not utterly destroy everything from the Amalekites. Today I considered that God prefers obedience to sacrifice.
Disobedient King
The king is rejected because of disobedience (1 Samuel 15:1-35). Samuel told Saul the Lord wanted Saul to destroy Amalek, all the Amalekites, and everything they own. God remembered what Amalek did to Israel when Israel came up out of Egypt. Saul destroyed all the people except Agag, the king of the Amalekites. Saul and the people also kept the best cattle and other things they believed were good but destroyed everything they believed was foul. God told Samuel that Saul turned from following the Lord and God rejected Saul as king over Israel. Samuel cried to the Lord all night, got up in the morning and went tell Saul. Saul tried to justify saving the animals saying they would sacrifice them to God. Samuel explained God prefers obedience to sacrifice. Samuel had them bring Agag to him. Samuel said like Agag’s sword made women childless Agag’s mother would be childless, and he killed Agag. After Samuel left he did not go to see Saul until the day of his death.
Questions and Thoughts for Today
Many people have heard the phrase “to obey is better than sacrifice” but now we know it comes from 1 Samuel 15:22 (KJV).
What in your life do you need to change or to do to obey God?