at a glance
author: Unknown.
date: Sometime after the division of Israel into the northern and southern kingdoms, around 930 BC.
setting: The nation of Israel went from being led by God to being led by a human king.
verse to remember:“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” (15:22).
theme to consider: God desires that we worship, obey, serve and follow him with all our heart and not just with superficial words.
unchanging truth
“Use our foaming lotion made from organic herbal extracts! You’ll have a blemish-free complexion in ten days!”
“Try our energy bar and excel in your sport!”
Hundreds of commercials and magazine ads make fantastic claims of how their products can improve your life, make you more beautiful or transform you into the most popular girl in school. Eagerly you lay down your hard-earned money. Unfortunately, the products rarely deliver the far-fetched results they promise. They don’t do what they say—their actions don’t match their words. You may even feel a little foolish for believing them in the first place.
The Israelites’ behavior as recorded in 1 Samuel was much like modern-day commercials. The people said all the right things, but they didn’t follow through with God-pleasing actions. But the results of the Israelites’ lack of commitment were much more tragic than losing some money or feeling foolish. They were dissatisfied with God’s leadership. They wanted to be like all the other nations and have a king (see 1 Samuel 8). The Israelites promised to still worship, serve and obey God, but they didn’t really mean it. Their actions proved otherwise.
What about you? Are you living it or just saying it? Make sure your actions are consistent with your words.
1. God expects us to follow through on what we say. Only full commitment is good enough for him (1:10–11, 24–28).
2. God sees past your good words and image and sees you exactly as you are. Saying the right things can’t compensate for not doing the right things (15:20–22).
3. The truest, closest friendships possible are rooted in a love for God and for each other (20:42).