Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice!

God gave King Saul a commandment to keep, but instead of keeping the commandment God gave to him, he disobeyed it, and tried to offer sacrifice instead to God, thinking he could use that to bribe God and cover up for his sin, as he thought that God delighted in sacrifices. I Samuel 15:13-21.

But this was God's response to him through Samuel His prophet:

"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." 1 Samuel 15:22-23 (KJV)

Hence God rejected King Saul because God doesn't delight in sacrifices but the obedience of His Word, because to God, obedience of His Word is better than sacrifice.

The same thing happened to the children of Israel who believed that God delighted in sacrifices, hence instead of keeping God's commandments, they would be offering God sacrifices.

But while they were yet offering God sacrifices instead of keeping His Word, God would chase them out of their own land and render it desolate, because God doesn't delight in sacrifices but in obedience as He revealed through His prophets whom He sent to them.

Hosea 6:6 (KJV)

For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Micah 6:7-8 (KJV)

Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Unfortunately, the same mistake of Saul and God's people Israel that made God to reject them, is repeating itself up til this very day, even though God had sent His Son to bring a higher level of knowledge and understanding of His ways to mankind, as some haven't yet learned.

Hence the higher level of Words and Teachings Jesus brought from above, which the prophets and Kings of the past had desired to hear, including some of those who already knew this Truth, were being wasted on those who are still speaking of sacrifices today, as though God had ever delighted in sacrifices. Luke 10:24.

They still believe they could get away with their iniquity and disobedience of the Word of God by offering Him sacrifices. Then it was lambs and rams, today it's Jesus they want to use, they view Him as the perfect excuse to justify their works of iniquity and continual disregard of His Word.

Perhaps what they do not know is that God would never change His ways for any man, because to God, obedience is better than sacrifice! Whether that of lambs and rams or Jesus, sacrifice is sacrifice!

So anyone who doesn't obey the Word of God, but try to offer Him sacrifices instead as Saul and the Israelites did, they should also expect to face the same rejection they faced, when they appear before the Lord on the last day, because to God obedience is better than sacrifice!

Matthew 7:23 (KJV)

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

He that has ears, let him hear.

God bless.

The person that God used to replace King Saul whom He rejected because he offered Him sacrifices instead of obedience, was a man who knew what God delighted in, as this was what God said of him to his son Solomon:

1 Kings 3:14 (KJV)

And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.

So that was the reason David was said to be a man after God's heart, because he offered God the obedience of His Word instead of sacrifices as Saul his predecessor had done, knowing very well that God doesn't delight in sacrifices but in the obedience of His Word.

Btw, this is part of a series I'm doing on righteousness to expose the gross error of undermining its importance in one's salvation or walk with God using God's Word, especially those that emanated from His own mouth, and also His ways as depicted in the Bible.

Let God's Word be true and that of any man which contradict His own Words be a lie.

God bless.

Good message, this truth is lacking in most church

okenwa:
Good message, this truth is lacking in most church

Really sad but true...

Many are not willing to preach or hear the Truth but what appeases the flesh.

Thanks and God bless.

jay jay Otumokpor.

CodeTemplar:
jay jay Otumokpor.

Cod-evil, what brings you here?

^^^^^ Jay jay O.

CodeTemplar:
^^^^^ Jay jay O.

Co-devil you didn't answer the question.

There are obviously many Sauls in this generation who still believe that God delights in sacrifices, so instead of obeying God's Word, they're offering Him sacrifice...

They should expect the same rejection Saul faced from God, when they appear before Him on the last day, because to God, obedience is better than sacrifice!

God bless.

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD. Proverbs 15:8 (KJV)