Read: 1 Samuel 15:1-31
22 But Samuel replied:“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23)
The purpose of Lent is to reflect, repent, and pray as a way to prepare our hearts for celebrating the resurrection. It is a time of waiting and preparation. Lent begins with Ash Wednesday (this year it falls today – March 6) and continues for forty days until Resurrection Sunday. In reality, there are forty-six days until Easter, but the six Sundays are not included in the forty days since they are always, even in the season of Lent, a celebration of Jesus’ resurrection.
In the Old Testament, God’s people were promised the Messiah would come and crush Satan as early as Genesis 3:15. Over the years, Israel lived with a persistent pattern of sin and repentance; wandering and return from the beginning until Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Many people choose to fast from something during Lent. It is a chance to “suffer” in a small way as a reminder of Jesus’ suffering for our sake on the cross. We willingly choose to not eat something; or to not participate in something for the forty days of Lent. We “suffer”, we “sacrifice” because Jesus did. As we consider our lives and seek to be more aware of our sin and our part in sending Jesus to the cross, our fast can be a vivid way of bringing us into the story. It can help to create in us a deeper awareness of Jesus’ presence and of our sin.
Throughout the Old Testament, sacrifice was a way to show love to God; to show repentance for sin; and to show a desire to make things right. And yet, from the beginning of creation until today obedience has always been better than sacrifice. Why? Why would this be the case?
Perhaps the biggest reason is that obedience is an even truer demonstration of love. It does not require repentance or need to make things right. It honors God from beginning to end. Obedience shows a love that puts God’s will above one’s own. It chooses to die to self rather than exalt one’s one desire above God’s. In obedience, there is sacrifice, but it is a sacrifice that submits to God and acknowledges him out of love and joy and a whole relationship.
We often struggle to live obediently. There are a variety of reasons we choose to do our own thing, but at their root are selfishness and pride. We think we know best. We put our desires above God’s. We want what we want.
In our passage today, Saul was given specific instructions to destroy the Amalekites completely. He was not to keep anything or anyone alive – no people, no livestock (1 Samuel 15:3). But Saul spared Amalekite king and the best of the sheep and cattle – everything that was good (1 Samuel 15:9).
When Samuel went to see Saul, Saul greeted him and said he had obeyed the Lord. Samuel confronted this boldfaced lie saying, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear” (1 Samuel 15:14)? Saul tried to justify his actions. He tried to say he did obey the Lord. He kept the best of the cattle “in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God…” (1 Samuel 15:21).
At that point, Samuel responded with the words above. Saul had not obeyed. He pridefully thought he knew better than God. He was unwilling to do all he had been instructed to do…stubbornly refusing to sacrifice his pride and his “wisdom”. He compounded his sin by rationalizing it; by defending it; by trying to say he had done what was right when he clearly had not.
When confronted, Saul admits his wrong and says, “I was afraid of the men and so I gave in to them.” He begs Samuel to return with him and when Samuel refused, he again asks forgiveness and says, “Saul replied, “I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord your God.” (1 Samuel 15:25, 30).
Is that true repentance? Is he showing fear of God? No! He wants to save face and not be dishonored before his men. He is still more concerned with appearances than with his heart. In his case, his sacrifice is meaningless because there is no repentance and obedience.
Questions to ponder:
Why is obedience better than sacrifice? How is sacrifice a part of obedience? How can sacrifice combined with obedience bring greater blessing?
As we begin the season of Lent, is God inviting you to sacrifice something?
Salem as a church is inviting members to take one day each week during Lent to fast. Have you chosen to participate in that? Why or why not? Is there another way you sense God calling you to obey and sacrifice instead or in addition to this?