“To obey is better than sacrifice and to heed is better than the fat of rams” 1 Samuel 15:22 (Samuel)

King Saul was an impressive guy! Tall, handsome, charismatic, a natural leader. He was the man the people of Israel endorsed enthusiastically for their first King! Today he might be a leading Presidential candidate in the U.S. I’m sure he would have been very telegenic! A man after man’s own heart!

One day the Lord through the Prophet gave Saul a very important task. He was to be God’s instrument to judge the Amelekites and eliminate them. The Amaelkites were a roving band of terrorists who slaughtered men, women and children and were gross idolators as well. God’s judgement lingers long but now it was due. God knew that if they continued in their terrorism and idolatrous ways Israel would adopt the worst of their idolatry, always a problem for Israel.

The instructions from Samuel to Saul were explicit. He was to carry out God’s judgment completely and unsparingly, including all the sheep and cattle.

Now we get to the crux of the issue with Saul and it’s very revealing. Maybe not just with him but maybe us as well. Saul practiced “partial obedience”. He obeyed is some things but thought that his judgement was equal to God’s on the “good things” he wanted to allow. He had a list of excuses. Listen to what happens when Samuel comes to inspect what Saul did. By the way, note that Saul set up a monument in his own honor in 1 Samuel 15:12, revealing a heart more concerned about man’s approval than God’s.

Saul says to Samuel when he arrives, “The Lord bless you! I have carried out the Lord’s instructions!” It was not true! This is partial obedience and sometimes people who do this tend to deceive themselves. Maybe he believed it but Samuel simply says, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears?” How easily and quickly God reveals the deceptiveness of Saul’s actions! Samuel is not beating around the bush and when God reveals our hypocrisy on something it is time to listen up! He sees everything!

I think this is a common problem. What if someone is faithful in church attendance but doesn’t pay their bills? Or cheats on their income taxes? Folks, partial obedience is disobedience! We can never make up in sacrifice what we surrender though disobedience! God wants our hearts!

Samuel says in verse 19, “Why did you not obey the voice of the Lord” Why did you pounce on the plunder…? (Folks this also reveals some covetousness in Saul’s heart).

Now we get the “blame game”! Saul says, “But I did obey the voice of the Lord…the soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal”. WOW! Not only is it the fault of others, but Saul puts a little religious spin on it! Do we ever do this?

Samuel’s answer is priceless and I hope it impacts all of us deeply! “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination (witchcraft) and arrogance like the sin of idolatry” 15: 22, 23 In other words, this kind of hypocritical attitude is equal to the worst sin in God’s sight of turning to demons and idols!!

Saul is exposed! Now is the test! What does he do? “I have sinned, but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel” . Sad. His heart is revealed! He cares much more about what the people think than what God thinks!

Is there anything in your life that God is speaking to you about? Are you in a ministry but not morally pure? Overspending on pleasure but not giving to the Lord? Are there rooms in the “house of your heart” that you keep locked that God cannot enter? Anger? Addictions? Sweep the house! Go to God for cleansing. Saul wasn’t fooling God! He failed to repent and he lost everything; the throne, his son and his life.

Ask God to purify your heart today and get rid of partial obedience. He wants your whole heart.

Love,

Pastor Terry