Prophet Samuel certainly had a knack for delivering iconic one-liners to kings, and “obedience is better than sacrifice” is right up there. If Nathan’s “You are the man” to David was a masterclass in rhetorical confrontation, Samuel’s retort to Saul is theologically loaded and just as memorable. Men often believe they can outmaneuver God by meeting the external terms and conditions, much like a crafty lawyer arguing, “The law says stabbing with a sharp object, but my client used a blunt knife.” We all love finding loopholes! Think of the school kid skipping two lines between sentences to fill up a 10-page essay—technically correct but fundamentally missing the point. Saul’s justification was no different. God said destroy, and Saul figured, “Why stop there? I’ll one-up God and offer sacrifices instead!” Samuel, however, was quick to point out the folly in this reasoning. Saul, like Uzzah who touched the ark of the covenant (2 Samuel 6:6-7), believed there was room for improvisation where none existed. What Saul failed to grasp is that God desires a transformed heart, not mindless actions. The Christian faith is not about checking off boxes but about actions born from faith (Romans 14:23). God, as always, is far more interested in attitude than mere outward compliance.
So why did Saul do what he did? Commentators and scholars give some reasonable suggestions. In the broader cultural context, sparing a king was seen as a way to show superiority, but 1 Samuel 15:24 further indicates that Saul confessed he feared the people and obeyed their voice. This fear of losing favor with his soldiers likely influenced his decision to allow them to keep the spoils. What the text further shows is that this was the end for both Saul and Agag. Agag was hacked into pieces by Samuel (1 Samuel 15:33), and Saul was defrocked (1 Samuel 15:26-28).
What do we make of it? We see that God’s vengeance fell heavily on Saul, who used his God-given honor and position to serve himself. And look where it ended him—disobedient and rejected by God. Instead of fearing the Lord, he severed himself from God’s will and feared the people. Often, compromise looks like this: where the heart is far removed from the deed, and we are tempted to find middle grounds and justifications for our tasks rather than actual obedience.
Why do I conflate obedience and intentions, though? This is key in understanding the sin of Saul. James says that our deeds originate from desire (James 1:14-15). When our hearts are disposed to serving and loving the Lord, the inevitable fruit is obedience. Our sin causes us to try and outmaneuver God or justify our sin with sacrifices. But the Lord makes it clear that He is not pleased with sacrifices. “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Hosea 6:6). The only true and perfect sacrifice for us was Christ (Hebrews 10:12), and believers are living sacrifices today—both by merit and in their actions (Romans 12:1). And what does being living sacrifices entail? It means you are wholly given to the Lord in love and obedience. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Let us be such people! People who wholly give ourselves to the Lord.
