What can we learn from Saul's actions in 1 Samuel 14:35 about obedience? Context of 1 Samuel 14:35 “Then Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first time he had built an altar to the LORD.” This moment comes after Saul’s rash oath that no soldier was to eat until evening, an order that weakened the army and led them to sin by eating meat with blood (vv. 24–34). Saul scrambles to make things right by erecting an altar. Key Observations • First altar—despite years as king, Saul had never before taken this step of worship. • Reactive, not proactive—he acts only after trouble erupts. • Ceremony over substance—he seeks a ritual fix rather than heartfelt repentance. Lessons About Obedience 1. Prompt obedience is expected • Delayed worship reveals a heart slow to submit. • Compare Jonathan’s immediate trust in God earlier in the chapter (vv. 6–14). 2. Obedience must precede sacrifice • “To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22) • Saul’s altar could not erase the effects of his earlier disobedience. 3. God wants whole-life devotion, not crisis management • Deuteronomy 6:5 calls for continual love of God, not occasional rituals. • Saul’s sporadic obedience contrasts with David’s pattern of “inquiring of the LORD” (1 Samuel 23:2, 4). 4. Partial obedience is disobedience • Saul obeyed when it suited him, ignoring God’s broader commands. • James 1:22: “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” 5. Ritual without repentance can harden the heart • Micah 6:7–8 shows that justice, mercy, and humility matter more to God than offerings. • Saul’s later failures (1 Samuel 15) reveal a pattern formed here—surface-level compliance without inner change. Putting It Into Practice • Seek God first, not after a crisis. • Measure obedience by consistency, not occasional grand gestures. • Let repentance be heartfelt and immediate when sin is exposed. • Remember Jesus’ words: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (John 14:15) • Cultivate daily fellowship with God so that obedience flows naturally rather than reactively. The contrast between Saul’s belated altar and God’s call for steady, wholehearted obedience challenges us to respond promptly, thoroughly, and sincerely to every word the Lord speaks. |
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