1 Samuel 15:22-23 (NKJV)
22 So Samuel said:
Image via Wikipedia
“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 heed than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.”
Scriptural Context: Read 1 Samuel 15.
King Saul life is worth some consideration. (See 1 Samuel 9 – 31.) In our time he may have been considered a good man and decent leader. He began his reign like a shy, humble man. Yet, within a few short years Israel’s first human king was proud and presumptuous. Although he reigned for 40 years, God rejected Saul’s kingship after two years. He was then troubled with depression and paranoia by a distressing spirit. What caused his fall? He thought more of himself and what the people wanted than obeying God, the True King.
The story of Saul scares me a bit because he had a promising start. Just a few choices he made led him to ruin. From the surface it seems as if the first few missteps of King Saul were not so bad. Yet a closer look at the man and the people he represented reveals the gravity of his actions. He did not take the commands of God seriously. Just like most of the people in his kingdom had done, Saul did what was right in his own eyes. How often do you and I do what is right in our own eyes instead of what God says in His Book?
Image by damselfly58 via Flickr
Yes, King David did some terrible things. Yet, when confronted, he wholeheartedly confessed and turned away from his sins. David was called a man after God’s heart, not for his faults, but for his desire and willingness to do all that God asked of him. Saul, on the other hand, made excuses and claimed to be following the Lord. At times it seemed that Saul’s intentions were good. He even made some sacrifices. However, Saul did not obey God completely.
Obeying God completely with a willing heart demonstrates our faith in Him and His leadership. It reveals our love and commitment to Him like nothing else. Things like singing praises, attending church, and giving to charitable causes are good. Nevertheless, they mean nothing to God if we don’t love Him through complete obedience.
Two earthquakes struck Jerusalem within three days time, caused by unusual events. It was on a Friday 31A.D. and “God With Us” just shouted: IT IS FINISHED. As the breath of life left His body, the earth shook, breaking open graves and tearing the thick curtain in the temple apart. I’m sure it caught everyone off guard. Then just before the sun could rise another earthquake rocked Jerusalem – this one more violent and devastating than the first one.
