To Obey Is Still Better Than to Sacrifice

Recall the episode that sealed King Saul’s fate as Israel’s true king described in 1 Samuel 15 and that classic statement on obedience and sin (1 Sam 15:22-23). The Amalekites were under a ban and Saul was commanded to destroy king, people, and cattle (Ex. 17:14). It is repulsive to us as Christians for God’s king to hack Agag to pieces and that failing for Samuel, a prophet and priest to do so. Perhaps it was because of God’s just decree to destroy those who had assaulted his people during their escape from Egypt – Amalekites who followed the escaping slaves to cut off stragglers in the rear (Dt. 25:17-18). God will enact justice.

To obey is better than the excuses to avoid doing God’s command. Saul had several: 1) “But the people… (1 Sam. 15:9, 15, 21), 2) Set up a monument for himself (1 Sam. 15:12), 3) “I have sinned, yet honor me now” (1 Sam. 15:30). To obey is better than our excuses.

Yes, as disciples of Jesus we should reject such violence. Jesus did (John 18:36) and he forbade his disciples to do so (Luke 9:49-50, 54-55). But still there are those excuses to avoid doing Jesus’ hard, non-violent teachings as in the Sermon on the Mount. “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy, cast out demons, do mighty words in your name?” Those deeds do not excuse us from doing the will of Jesus’ Father in heaven (Mt. 7:21-23).

To obey Jesus and his disciples is still better. We prefer James’ command to “love your neighbor as yourself” but may excused ourselves saying, “today and tomorrow we shall go to this city and spend a year there and trade and make a profit” (James 4:13-17). Maybe it is a part of our DNA or the spirit of our times that we find some teachings to be “a combination of contradictory or incongruous words” (oxymorons). For example, James’ Law Liberates, Paul’s Obedience of Faith (Rom. 1:5; 16:26) and Jesus’ Love Obeys Commands (John 14:15; 2 John 6). To obey is still better.

—Tom Yoakum