Written ~ 07-25-2023
1 Samuel 15:20-23
“But I did obey the LORD,” Saul insisted. “I carried out the mission He gave me. I brought back King Agag, but I destroyed everyone else. Then my troops brought in the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and plunder to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.” But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the LORD your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to His voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So, because you have rejected the command of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”
(Reading 1 Samuel chapter 15 in its entirety will give better context)
When we read about Saul in this passage it’s quite sad how far from the LORD he had become.
If we go back and look at 1 Samuel 10:1 it says,
“Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it over Saul’s head. He kissed Saul and said, “I am doing this because the LORD has appointed you to be the ruler over Israel, His special possession.”
1 Samuel 10:9 says,
“As Saul turned and started to leave, God gave him a new heart, and all Samuel’s signs were fulfilled that day.”
Verse 10:10 says,
“When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, they saw a group of prophets coming toward them. Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he, too, began to prophesy.”
The Israelites wanted a king. They weren’t turning to God for help, they wanted a ruler, a king. So, God appointed Saul, the LORD’s Spirit was powerfully upon him. I think at the very beginning of his reign he wanted to do right in the eyes of the LORD. But it didn’t take very long that because of his arrogance, his impatience, his stubbornness, he made some very disobedient decisions. The LORD would still rescue the Israelites time and time again, but not without Samuel coming to rebuke Saul for some of the things he had done without waiting on the LORD.
In our passage today – let’s back track to the verses in 1 Samuel 15:1-19.
God gave Saul the command, to “completely destroy” the Amalekite nation – very clearly the LORD said to destroy men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.
But what did Saul do?
Look at verse 15:9,
“Saul and his men spared King Agag’s life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs – everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality.”
Samuel once again had to come and rebuke Saul. (Verses 15:10-19)
And that brings us to our verses for today. What is Saul’s response to Samuel’s rebuke?
Saul’s reply to Samuel in verse 15:20 was,
“But I did obey the LORD!”
After he said that, there was a list of “compromises” Saul believed he had the right to do. He thought he obeyed the LORD, he insisted that he did what the LORD had asked of him, commanded him!
Look though, do you see what word comes from Saul’s mouth next?
~ BUT ~
But I did what you asked LORD! All of it!
But even though I did bring back King Agag alive – everyone else is dead!
But even though I did bring back the best sheep, goats, cattle, and plunder – I wanted to sacrifice it all to you LORD!
~Compromise~
Now let’s look at you and me, how do we fit into this scenario? We probably will never go into battle and have the command to destroy everything. But we do have a powerful GOD who commands us to obey His word. Maybe there is something in your life that the LORD is asking you to rid yourself of. You have good intentions, and you make a good effort to get rid of whatever God has asked, but you hold some of it back. You’re happy that you have given the LORD part of His request, but come to find out, holding back is rebellion. It’s, plainly speaking, stubbornness, when we don’t follow the FULL Word of God.
So, what’s your next move? Argue with God that you did the best you could?
Verse 15:22 says,
“What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices?
(Offerings/Sacrifices – Only the part of your life you’re willing to give the LORD)
“Or obedience to His voice?
(Obedience in everything – everything you have, everything you are)
LISTEN! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission (surrendering ALL) is better than offering the fat of rams (the portion you think is good enough to give and the only thing you need to give.)
Verse 15:23 is a very strong verse! We need to be so careful how we perceive our obedience to the Word of God! This verse says,
“Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.”
REBELLION:
- Defiance or resistance to one in authority, disobedience, insubordination, waywardness, opposite to what is desired or expected, contrary, unruly
STUBBORNNESS:
- Unreasonably or perversely unyielding, difficult to handle, hardened, head strong, inflexible, adamant
I don’t think any one of us would mean, truly mean to be rebellious or stubborn when it comes to obeying the Word of God. This is something personal- something each of us would need to examine within ourselves. Has there ever been a time where you knew God was asking you to do something for Him? Or you needed to act in a particular situation to bring Glory to God? And you didn’t do it? For whatever reason you didn’t follow through with God’s request? Or you read something in the Bible and figured you could never adhere to what it was saying so you disregard it?
In the rest of verse 15:23 it says,
“So, because you have rejected the command of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”
I think what we can gather from this is… the LORD GOD Almighty means what He says. It is not up to us to change the commands, or any part of the Word of God to fit our own ideals. Or place the word “but” after one of the LORD’s messages to us.
I am fully convicted by this passage today. I pray that I will honor the voice of the LORD and completely obey with full submission – no matter how difficult the task may seem. I’ll need your guidance LORD – help me listen to your voice and obey.
~AMEN~