Christians continue to debate where King Saul ended up in eternity —Heaven or Hell. Not everyone who has dealings with God ends up in Heaven! There are many episodes in King Saul’s life worth considering, but one is a classic. No one should overlook the timeless principle underlying this story.
Centuries earlier, the nomadic Amalekites had ambushed God’s people and brutally assaulted them. God pronounced judgment on that tribe — all would die. The time had come for God’s sentence on the Amalekites to be executed. King Saul was clearly told to put an end to everything associated with the Amalekites that breathed. All was to be destroyed. It was the commandment of the Lord.
King Saul trounced the Amalekites and won the battle. But the story takes a turn. Saul had a bad habit of redefining the Lord’s commandments. Like ourselves, so often, Saul was good at putting his own spin on what the Lord’s will was. He filtered the directions from God through his own mind and what he thought would be acceptable.
Saul decides to keep Agag, the leader of the Amalekites, alive — perhaps to gloat over his victory and to strut his stuff around.
"Surely the Lord wouldn't mind keeping just one of the Amalekites alive. Oh yes, and don't kill the livestock. Their cattle and sheep are so robust and well-maintained. We'll take them home too but destroy everything else."
The victory party climaxed when King Saul stopped in Carmel to pick up some stones. Can you believe it? He built a monument for himself to celebrate his victory.
God immediately informed the prophet Samuel of Saul’s failures. The very disturbed prophet went to meet King Saul. When Samuel was within speaking distance, the King kickstarted the conversation:
"Look who's here. God bless you, Samuel! You'll be happy to know I fulfilled God's battle plan right to the 't.' It was a sharp and clean operation. I have performed the commandment of the Lord."
I wonder if Samuel cleared his throat when he said:
"Hmmmm… you fulfilled the commandment of the Lord? Really? What is all the bahing, bleating and mooing about? There's a great deal of animal-like noise behind you?"
"Oh Samuel, not to worry!! My men saved a few of the best sheep, rams and cattle so we could sacrifice them to the Lord. But everything else is history!"
Samuel sternly told him that he had not obeyed the Lord. The King shot back:
"I have so obeyed the Lord. I only spared Agag and the best of their stock and everything else was destroyed. Those rams and oxen you hear are the best and they are to be sacrificed to 'your' God, Samuel!"
That’s when the classic verse, so relevant to people of all times, enters the story:
And 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 listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king.” 1 Samuel 15:22-23 ESV
God values obedience in my life more than anything else. I can’t disobey Him in one sphere of my life and then try to buy Him or trick Him by doing a few good things in another sphere of my life. Sinners try that—they swear like troopers or sin like the dickens and then run off to church to make themselves feel better. We often do the same to soothe our bothered consciences.
I could give 20% of every paycheck to the Lord, open my home to entertain Christians and neighbours, stay up late at night preparing for a Bible study, or fly to a hurricane-ravaged island to help—I could make many sacrifices, but our sacrifices do not wow God. To obey is better than sacrifice.
Sacrifices can’t bridge the gap between obedience and disobedience.
Someone said it well: All that God expects from you, dear child of God, can be written on your thumbnail: O-B-E-D-I-E-N-C-E.
When are our sacrifices not appreciated? The unequivocal and timeless answer remains the same in our day as in King Saul’s — when they are voided by disobedience in our lives.
Don’t hesitate to share a thought from your personal experience or a verse that has been a blessing to you – in the comment section below. Or, if you would like to reach out privately, click below.
