TO OBEY IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE

1 Samuel 15:1-35 

Key Verse: 15:22b

But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

Read verses 1-9. What message does God give Saul through Samuel? (1-3) Why does God ask him to totally destroy the Amalekites? (2, Ex 17:8, 14-17) What does Saul do? (4-9)

Read 10-15. What does the Lord say about Saul? (10-11a) What does Samuel do for Saul? (11b-12a) Where has Saul gone and why? (12b) What excuse does Saul make about what he had done? (13-15)

Read verses 16-23. How does Samuel rebuke Saul? (16-19) Why does Saul say that he did obey the Lord? (20-21) What does Samuel reply? (22-23) Why is ‘obedience’ better than ‘sacrifice’? (23a) What is the consequence of his disobedience? (23b)

Read verses 24-35. What is Saul’s explanation for his sin? (24) What does he beg Samuel to do? (25) How does Samuel reply? (26) What happens as Samuel turns to leave? (27-29) What does Saul want Samuel to do? (30) What does Samuel do? (31,26) How does Samuel carry out the Lord’s command? (3,32-33) How does Saul’s failure affect both Samuel and the Lord? (34-35)