🪞 1 Samuel 15:22 | "..to obey is better than.."
PLUS: A song to remember God's faithfulness..

together with

Happy Monday, everyone!
Voice of the Martyrs is graciously offering Malachi Daily readers a free book that I guarantee will help you grow in your faith. More on this below, or if you can’t wait, fill out this form now to get your free copy.
Note: The form will ask you to confirm your email address first.
There are two Sauls in the Bible. One was an apostle, the other a king. One was faithful to death, and one’s unfaithfulness led to his death.
This week, we’ll look at the latter.
In today’s email…
🤴 The bigger picture of Israel’s demand for a king
😤 King Saul’s greatest enemy
🎵 A song to remember God’s faithfulness
✉️ subscribe here | support our work 👐
MEMORIZE 🧠
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 listen than the fat of rams.
1 Samuel 15:22
(Use our free web app to help you memorize in your favorite translation. Instructions to set it up are at the bottom of this email.)
TOGETHER WITH VOICE OF THE MARTYRS
We’re pumped to partner with Voice of the Martyrs to bring you an incredible resource (for free) to help you grow in your walk with Christ!
Choose one of these two books from Voice of the Martyrs:
1. Hearts of Fire introduces you to eight courageous women who showed incredible conviction and commitment to Jesus Christ in the face of opposition for their faith in him.
These inspiring role models of dedication and passion will challenge you to develop a deeper faith, remain steadfast amid life’s difficulties, and pursue Christ with a heart aflame, no matter the cost!
2. When Faith is Forbidden
In this 40-day journey, you will meet men and women who boldly live out their Christian faith at great cost. Each stop on this journey will challenge you to reflect on your own walk with Christ along the sometimes-difficult path toward our heavenly home.
I’m in the middle of reading When Faith is Forbidden and I can’t get enough of it. It’s challenging me to be much more bold in sharing my faith.
Fill out this form to choose which book you want and claim your free copy!
Note: The form will ask you to confirm your email address first. Limited to one free book per person.
CONTEXT 📕
Let’s zoom out before we zoom in.
The book of 1 Samuel is a turning point in the Bible’s storyline. Israel had no king — only prophets and judges. God had been their leader.
But the people grew restless.
They looked around at other nations and wanted what they had: a king.
Someone visible. Impressive. Powerful.
Speaking to Samuel, they said:
“Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
God warned them this wasn’t wise. That this wasn’t what they actually wanted.
But it was as if He said: thy will be done.
God allowed it, and Saul was chosen.
At first glance, Saul had it all: tall, strong, regal.
A man who looked like a king. He even had a few shining moments early in his reign. He was brave, well respected and he gave God credit.
But Saul’s story isn’t one of steady faithfulness. It’s a story of slow unraveling.
Under pressure, Saul cracked.
Again and again.
In moments that called for patience, he rushed. In moments that called for obedience, he compromised. And in moments that called for humility, he grasped for control.
Why?
Because Saul’s greatest enemy wasn’t out there.
It was in here.
His own insecurity. His craving for approval. His fear of being exposed as not enough.
When we meet 1 Samuel 15:22, we’re watching Saul reach a breaking point. He had just directly disobeyed God and tried to cover it up with religious activity.
And Samuel calls him out with this unforgettable rebuke:
“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 listen than the fat of rams.”
In other words, God doesn’t want your performance. He wants your obedience.
But to understand the weight of those words, we have to understand the journey that got us here.
Saul’s calling, his cracks, his choices.
That’s where we’ll spend the next few days.
Watching a man who looked the part of a king, but missed the heart of obedience. Watching a prophet, Samuel, who loved Saul but had to confront him.
And ultimately, watching what happens when someone trades trust in God for trust in themselves.
Because Saul’s story isn’t just ancient history.
It’s a mirror for us today.
APPLY AND RESPOND 🏃♂️
Today, don’t rush past the big picture.
📖 Read
1 Samuel 8 – Israel’s request for a king
1 Samuel 9–10 – Saul’s anointing and insecurities
1 Samuel 13 – Saul’s first cracks under pressure
Pay attention to the subtle compromises Saul makes as the story progresses. Tomorrow, we will take a closer look at chapter 15 and the context surrounding our verse.
🙏 Pray
Father, help me hear Your voice, not just the loudest voices around me. Teach me to trust Your timing, obey Your instructions, and find my confidence in You, not in my own strength or others’ opinions.
SONG OF THE WEEK 🎵
A crack in Saul’s story splinters when he finds himself surrounded by enemies. This song has always helped me when I find myself in a similar place. Enjoy as you meditate on this week’s memory verse.
ANSWER KEY ✅
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 listen than the fat of rams.
1 Samuel 15:22
Best,
The Malachi Daily team 🙏
Today’s Contributors
Payton is a husband, father, and pastor in Vero Beach, FL. He leads a small church and helps Christians master storytelling through his newsletter, Christian Story Lab.
Kieran is a husband and father living in NJ. In addition to Malachi Daily, he writes a personal newsletter about the intersection of faith, fatherhood and entrepreneurship.
Go deeper with Malachi Daily
Pay it Forward
Malachi Daily is (and always will be) free thanks to generous readers who choose to support our mission! 🙏
Click here to support the mission for the price of a few coffees/month ☕️
Give us feedback 💬
How was today's newsletter?Your feedback helps us improve the newsletter! |
Get the Web App 📱
A free and interactive way to help you memorize Scripture.