Dear Hope family,

Thought for the Week

Samuel – To obey is better than sacrifice!

1Samuel 15v22 “To obey is better than sacrifice and to heed is better that the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.”

God’s Command – God sent Samuel to tell Saul to destroy the Amalekites. This might feel uncomfortable to us today, but it’s important to remember that Israel was a physical kingdom involving physical battles—unlike Christ’s kingdom, which is spiritual.

The Amalekites appear many times in the Old Testament as a people who were openly hostile toward Israel without provocation. Their first attack happened just after the Israelites left Egypt, when they were exhausted. This is the famous incident where Israel only prevailed in battle when Moses’ hands were held up in prayer.

A later and well-known example is in the book of Esther, where Haman—an Amalekite—attempted to wipe out the Jews. God intervened through Esther and saved His people.

Saul’s Disobedience – Instead of obeying fully, Saul spared the best Amalekite animals and possessions, intending to offer them to God as sacrifices. On the surface, this sounded good and sincere—but it directly violated God’s command.

Samuel explained that disobedience is a mixture of rebellion and arrogance. When we disobey God, we act as if we know better than Him. In Israel, idolatry and witchcraft were considered terrible sins, and Samuel placed Saul’s disobedience in the same category.

The Consequences – Because of Saul’s refusal to obey completely:

  • God declared that the kingdom would be taken from him and given to someone else.
  • Samuel, God’s prophet, would no longer visit or guide him.

Meaning for Us

What sin or evil is God commanding me to get rid of in my life?

  • Let’s be careful not to rank sins as “small” or “big” in a way that excuses ourselves.
  • Let’s be careful not to justify partial obedience as “close enough.”
  • Let’s be careful not to assume we can improve on what God has said.
  • Above all, listen to God—and actually do what He says.

With love and blessing,

Roland