The King Who Would Not Obey
(1 Samuel 15)
God had made Saul the king of Israel, and Samuel the prophet was God's messenger. One day, Samuel gave Saul an important command from God. "This is what the Lord says," Samuel said. "Go and attack the Amalekites, for they were very cruel to Israel long ago. Now God will punish them. Destroy everything they have. Do not spare anyone or anything: men, women, children, babies, and all their animals, oxen, sheep, camels, and donkeys."
Saul gathered a huge army, two hundred thousand soldiers from Israel and ten thousand more from Judah. He warned the Kenites to leave first, since they had been kind to Israel, then attacked the Amalekites and won a great victory, chasing them all the way from Havilah to Shur.
But Saul did not completely obey God. He captured King Agag alive and let him live. Saul and his troops also kept the best sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs, everything that was good. They did not want to destroy those valuable things. They only destroyed what was weak and worthless, the things nobody wanted. The animals they kept bleated and mooed in the camp.
Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel. God said, "I regret that I made Saul king. He has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions." Samuel was very sad and cried out to the Lord all night long.
Early the next morning, Samuel went to find Saul, and heard that Saul had gone to Carmel and built a monument to himself before going down to Gilgal. When Samuel finally met him, Saul greeted him cheerfully. "May the Lord bless you!" Saul said. "I have carried out the Lord's instructions."
But Samuel heard the animals. "What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears, and this lowing of cattle I hear?" Samuel asked. Saul made excuses: "The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites. They spared the best sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord, but we destroyed the rest."
Samuel stopped him and reminded Saul that God had sent him to destroy the Amalekites completely. "Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in his eyes?" Saul insisted he had obeyed, that he brought back Agag and destroyed the people, and that the army only kept the best things to sacrifice to God at Gilgal.
Then Samuel spoke the most important words: "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king."
Saul finally admitted, "I have sinned. I violated the Lord's command, because I was afraid of the men and gave in to them." But it was too late. As Samuel turned to leave, Saul grabbed the edge of his robe, and it tore. Samuel said, "The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and given it to your neighbor." Samuel then killed King Agag himself, and Saul went home. Samuel never saw him again.
A Curious Question
Why would God reject a king for keeping the best sheep and cattle, when Saul planned to offer them as a sacrifice to God Himself?
Jesus Connection
God wanted a king who would obey from the heart. Saul's disobedience showed his heart was full of pride and fear of people. He cared more about looking good and keeping valuable things than about following God's word. This story points forward to Jesus, the perfect King. Where Saul failed to obey, Jesus always obeyed His Father perfectly. In Luke 22:42, Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, "Not my will, but yours be done," and then gave up His own life because He trusted His Father's plan completely. He is the King who always does what is right, and He helps us learn to obey too.
Discussion Questions
- Why did God tell Saul to destroy everything from the Amalekites? What was the main thing God was testing in Saul's heart?
- Saul made excuses and blamed his soldiers for keeping the best animals. Why is it so easy to make excuses when we do something wrong?
- What does it mean that "to obey is better than sacrifice"? Can we ever give God something else instead of our obedience?
"So What?" What Can I Do?
- When you know what is right: Think about a time you knew what God wanted you to do. Did you do it right away, or did you make excuses?
- When you want to look good: Saul cared more about what people thought than what God thought. Are you sometimes more worried about looking good for your friends or parents than doing what God says?
- When you make a mistake: God gave Saul many chances to obey. When you mess up, you can tell God about it right away. He wants to help you obey.
Memorize God's Word
1 Samuel 15:22: "To obey is better than sacrifice."
- To obey point up with both index fingers to show God.
- is better than move your right hand like you are weighing something, tipping the scale toward "obey."
- sacrifice clasp your hands together like you are giving an offering.
Praying with Kids
Dear Father, thank you for loving us and showing us what is right. We are sorry for the times we make excuses and do not obey. Please help us to obey you with all our hearts, just like Jesus did. Amen.
Craft or Activity
Obedience Heart Mobile
Kids will create a hanging mobile that contrasts a heart of obedience with a heart of disobedience, based on 1 Samuel 15.
Materials Checklist:
- Cut out two large hearts from the construction paper, one red and one dark color.
- On the red heart, write "Obedience" and draw pictures of things that show listening to God (like helping a friend or telling the truth).
- On the dark heart, write "Disobedience" and draw pictures of things that show rebellion (like making excuses or being selfish).
- Use the hole punch to make a hole at the top of each heart.
- Tie a piece of yarn or string through each hole to create a hanger.
- Hang the two hearts side-by-side to compare them. You can tie the hearts to a hanger or a stick to make a mobile.
Effective Teaching Techniques
- For Younger Children: Focus on the simple idea of listening and obeying. Use the animal sounds (bleating and mooing) to grab their attention and help them remember the story. Ask them, "Why did the sheep and cows give Saul away?"
- Prep Shortcut: Have the hearts pre-cut before class to save time and allow more focus on the craft's meaning. Provide a printed list of the memory verse for kids to copy onto the heart.
- Classroom Management: During the story, have kids make the sound of a sheep or cow when you mention the animals Saul kept. This keeps them engaged and helps them remember the key point of the story.
- For Older Kids: Discuss the deeper meaning of sacrifice vs. obedience. Challenge them to think of modern "idols" or "valuable things" that can distract them from full obedience to God.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why did Saul keep the best sheep and cattle?
- God told Saul to destroy everything the Amalekites had, but Saul and his troops kept the best animals alive, saying they wanted to sacrifice them to God.
- Who was King Agag?
- Agag was the king of the Amalekites. God told Saul to destroy him along with everything else, but Saul captured Agag alive and let him live instead.
- What did Samuel mean by 'to obey is better than sacrifice'?
- Samuel meant that God cares more about our hearts actually obeying Him than about giving Him gifts or offerings while disobeying what He said.