He Obeyed And Sacrificed

Before I get to the story of Jesus, I want to speak of Israel’s first king. His name was Saul.

God spoke to Moses long before Saul was born. He said to Moses, “Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you were coming out of Egypt, how he met you on the way and attacked your rear ranks, all the stragglers at your rear, when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God. Therefore it shall be, when the Lord your God has given, you rest from your enemies all around, in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance, that you will blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. You shall not forget.” [1]

The Amalekites attacked the weak and weary of Israel when Israel was no threat to them. It was a slaughter. God gave the Amalekites a long opportunity to repent of their sin.

After the Lord anointed Saul to be Israel’s first king, he said to him, “I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them…” [2]

Saul attacked the Amalekites and defeated them, but he spared their king and the best of their livestock. He failed to adhere to God’s plan… as king, which was his job.

The Lord told Samuel, “I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.” [3]

The Lord’s word to Saul via His messenger Samuel was, “Has 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 heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.” [4]

Fast forward to the Garden of Gethsemane! Jesus is kneeling and praying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done.” “Being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” [5]

Jesus obeyed God’s plan. He drank the cup of God’s wrath against humanity’s sin. He did not disobey God’s plan for Him. He also sacrificed. His sacrifice on the cross was for our disobedience and rebellion… not His own.

Earthly kings cannot save us from death. Jesus can! Jesus is the resurrection and the life. He raises everyone who believes in Him from the dead. He gives believers in Him eternal life. Salvation is His gift to everyone who believes in Him.

[1] Deuteronomy 24:17-19
[2] 1 Samuel 15:1-3
[3] 1 Samuel 15:7-11
[4] 1 Samuel 15:22-23
[5] Luke 22:41-44