We come to 1 Samuel 15 which contains the well-known verse:

To obey is better than sacrifice. (1 Samuel 15.22, ESV)

The setup is simple. God orders a complete destruction of the Amalekites:

Samuel said to Saul, “GOD sent me to anoint you king over his people, Israel. Now, listen again to what GOD says. This is the GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies speaking: ” ‘I’m about to get even with Amalek for ambushing Israel when Israel came up out of Egypt. Here’s what you are to do: Go to war against Amalek. Put everything connected with Amalek under a holy ban. And no exceptions! This is to be total destruction—men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys—the works.’ ” (1 Samuel 15.1 – 3, MSG)

So he goes to war…

Then Saul went after Amalek, from the canyon all the way to Shur near the Egyptian border. He captured Agag, king of Amalek, alive. Everyone else was killed under the terms of the holy ban. Saul and the army made an exception for Agag, and for the choice sheep and cattle. They didn’t include them under the terms of the holy ban. But all the rest, which nobody wanted anyway, they destroyed as decreed by the holy ban. (1 Samuel 15.7 – 9, MSG)

Samuel catches up to Saul in Gilgal after Saul “set up a monument in his own honor” at Carmel. And we have this odd exchange:

As Samuel came close, Saul called out, “GOD’s blessings on you! I accomplished GOD’s plan to the letter!” Samuel said, “So what’s this I’m hearing—this bleating of sheep, this mooing of cattle?” “Only some Amalekite loot,” said Saul. “The soldiers saved back a few of the choice cattle and sheep to offer up in sacrifice to GOD. But everything else we destroyed under the holy ban.” (1 Samuel 15.13 – 15, MSG)

Samuel went on to remind Saul of the order, and Saul continued to defend himself:

What are you talking about? I did obey GOD. I did the job GOD set for me. I brought in King Agag and destroyed the Amalekites under the terms of the holy ban. So the soldiers saved back a few choice sheep and cattle from the holy ban for sacrifice to GOD at Gilgal—what’s wrong with that? (1 Samuel 15.20 – 21, MSG)

Then we get the unequivocal condemnation:

Then Samuel said, Do you think all GOD wants are sacrifices— empty rituals just for show? He wants you to listen to him! Plain listening is the thing, not staging a lavish religious production. (1 Samuel 15.22, MSG)

As I read this, I wondered what the modern-day application is other than obedience. After all, we’re not often told to destroy people! But how do I compromise? The text is clear:

“Staging a lavish religious production” while not listening to God.

We work hard at our Sunday morning services, some of which are lavish productions, but often we’re not doing the basic things God requires. How about taking care of the poor?

I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. (Amos 5.21 – 24, ESV)

God has told us to care about justice for the poor, something Jesus included in his opening introduction:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. (Luke 4.18, 19, ESV)

I must tell you that I just read Letter from a Birmingham Jail (from which I quoted yesterday) in its entirety. Among other things, it includes a condemnation of churches and Christians complicit in racial oppression.

God also told us to equip saints for the work of ministry.

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,… (Ephesians 4.11, 12, ESV)

James echos Samuel:

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1.22, NIV)