1 Samuel 15:22-23
²²And 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.
²³For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,
and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD,
he hath also rejected thee from being king.
King Saul in what would ordinarily be a righteous act of offering sacrifice to God is presented as one in rebellion, and highlighted as a mule whose stubbornness is equated to Sin and Idolatry. He is looked at as so foul even as one performing witchcraft in Gods presence.
Romans 10:3
For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
hupotassō-Grk=be under obedience
This is a military term for submission easily seen as ‘submit oneself unto’.
There is an obedience that is executed whenever it is required of us but without commitment and it will always show.
There is an obedience that requires commitment and unenforced submission. In the military, submission is a system that cannot be breached otherwise it will cause one to be presented before a court martial.
Our commitment should be subject to our submission, some are committed for reasons outside instruction, and thus a strange kind of righteousness as seen in Romans 10:3.
Isaiah 29:13-14
¹³Wherefore the Lord said,
Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth,
and with their lips do honour me,
but have removed their heart far from me,
and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
¹⁴Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people,
even a marvellous work and a wonder:
for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish,
and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.
We are Called to open our hearts to God, like Gideon that was fearful but fully yielded to Gods instructions.
When the battle was won, God truly was magnified in it, first stemming from Gideons yieldedness as nothing was performed and not done as routine considering He was not using experience.
Prophetic Utterance:
The LORD my God within me is mighty;
He has saved me, he rejoices over me with joy;
He rests in his love over me, He joys over me with singing.
I will obey Gods instructions at all times as I am submitted to Him and His word.
Haleluya
【Zephaniah 3:17】
Guiding Text:
Psalms 37:5-6
⁵Commit thy way unto the LORD;
trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
⁶And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light,
and thy judgment as the noonday.