Total Obedience to God's Commandment

http://www.anglican-nig.org/main.php?k_j=13&d=33&p_t=index.php

[Church of Nigeria] 25 Oct 2007--“So 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, and to heed than the fat rams.”

King Saul gathered his people, fought and defeated the Amelekites. But he took Agag alive, spared the best of the sheep, oxen, fatlings, lambs and all that was good, contrary to the commandments of God. When King Saul was challenged by Samuel, his defense was that the animals were spared to be sacrificed to God. He asked King Saul, as in the text, “Has the Lord as great delight in sacrifices as in obedience?” Although Saul was not a man of great acquaintance with religion, yet he could not but know this:

That nothing is so pleasing to God as obedience, no, not sacrifice and offering, and fat of rams. See here what we should aim at and endeavour in all exercises of religion, even acceptance with God that he may delight in what we do. If God is well pleased with us and our services, we are happy; we have gained our point, otherwise, to what purpose is it? Isaiah 1:11 says: “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me? Says the Lord. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs or goats.”

What Samuel is telling us is that humble, sincere, and conscious obedience to the will of God is more pleasing and acceptable to him than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.