Obedience

Obedience is very important to the Lord and it is mentioned in many places in God’s Word.  Sacrifices were also important, but obedience was even more important.  When you were to present a sacrifice, your intentions were very important also.  To obey is better than sacrifice is found in various places in the Word of God from the Old Testament to the New Testament.  It is found in Psalms and Proverbs, Isaiah and Jeremiah, also in Hosea and Micah, Matthew, Mark and Hebrews.  

This is so clearly seen in King Saul’s life when he was to destroy the Amalekites but didn’t obey.  This is what he was told to do read 1 Samuel 15:1-9, “Samuel also said unto Saul, ‘The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, 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. And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt. And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 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: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.”

God had a good reason to want these people destroyed they were a threat to Israel and always would be plus they were idol worshipers and murderers that raided other nations and carried off their wealth and families.  They were a band of guerrilla terrorists that were corrupt and their idolatress relationships were detestable to the Lord and could become a snare to God’s people.  Besides all that, there would never be peace between these two tribes of people.  

Instead of obeying God this is what King Saul did, read verses 13-23 of that same chapter, “And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord. And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed. Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the Lord hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on. And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel? And the Lord sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord? And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal. 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. 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.”

In all this, God loved Saul but through his disobedience he would lose his kingship, but if he repented he would still have a relationship with God.  God always seeks the humble and contrite heart.  If we repent of our sin, and not just make excuses for them, and ask the Lord to forgive us He will be faithful to do it.  Read 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

God is a gracious, loving and forgiving God who is seeking our obedience and our willingness to honor and obey Him.  So, if there are some areas in your life where you need to repent of disobedience; repent and ask God to forgive you and to help you be obedient in the future.  Something to think about!  May you have a super day and may the good Lord bless you and yours with His peace love and joy.  PS don’t forget to thank and Praise the Lord!!