Scripture Study: 1 Samuel 15:22

What does it mean that "to obey is better than sacrifice"?

[You can listen to the audio version of this essay here.]

The main focus of Climbing the Rainbows is to explore the restored gospel and its connections to science, literature, art, professional and creative work, and other aspects of our lives. To do that I’ll be writing sequences of essays. Each sequence will take on certain connections or topics within the gospel.

Sometimes, though, in between sequences, I’ll be writing about the scriptures. Interspersing these scripture studies will allow us to look at verses or stories that might not come up otherwise.

Today will be the first of these scripture studies, and we’ll be thinking about 1 Samuel 15:22.

1 Samuel 15:22

And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

Hearing, listening, and obedience

I was a missionary when I first discovered this verse—my mission president mentioned it in a zone conference once. I forgot what he said about it but I’ve never forgotten the idea that obedience is “better than sacrifice.”