“Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22)

God commanded King Saul to destroy the livestock of the Amalekites, but he kept some alive. When the prophet Samuel condemned him for this, Saul gave the excuse he saved some to offer as sacrifices to God.

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 … For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft” (1 Samuel 15:22–23).

This is a profound truth for saints today.

1) God wants you to obey His Word. Many saints disobey God and make up for it by returning to dead works to appease their conscience (Hebrews 6:1). They must repent, and return to their first love, and do the first works out of love for God (Revelation 2:5).

2) You can never add to the sacrifice of Christ. If you think lighting a candle (or doing any sacrifice or good work), will influence God to give you something, you’ve not only forgotten the basis of your salvation, but you belittle the sacrifice of Christ (Galatians 2:21, 2 Peter 1:9).

3) The only sacrifice that’s pleasing to God is a life of obedience and praise out of gratitude for what Christ did (1 John 2:1–2). So if you light a candle (or obey Him in good works), in thanksgiving for what He’s already done for you, this is acceptable to God (Romans 12:1).

4) A life of obedience and praise to God is this: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30).

Even if you gave your body to be burned, and all your possessions to feed the poor, if you don’t obey God from your heart, all your sacrifices show, is you’re blind, and you’ve forgotten the basis of your salvation (1 Peter 1:9).

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