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1 Samuel 15:22–23 (NKJV)

22 So Samuel said:“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.

23 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.”

(read all of 1 Samuel Chapter 15 to get the entire context).

In Chapter 15 Saul learns from Samuel that partial obedience to the command of God is full disobedience.

He goes on in v23 and refers to it as rebellion and says that rebellion against the Lord is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.

The Lord gave King Saul some marching orders and Saul decided to change them on the fly.....The Lord saw it all, He then sends Samuel the prophet to tell the King that he sinned. Of course, Saul didn't think he had sinned at all. Saul felt pretty good about what he had done concerning the destruction of the Amalakites. Saul partially obeyed Gods' command and God called it sin. Saul didn't think he had sinned because he measured his actions against his own thoughts and opinions of what needed to be done concerning the Amalakites.

What the Holy Spirit and Gods' Word tells us to do...that is what we need to pursue. When we ignore what God says and pursue our own agenda concerning "what He has said", then we are re-writing Gods' word and making ourselves out to be God. And that my friends is rebellion, iniquity and idolatry......sins that God places in the category with witchcraft.

What did God do to Saul? V23 says that God then rejected Saul from being King. Friend, if God has to take responsibility away from us, then we are in trouble.

Our response to all of this? Stay humble and submit to the Word of the Lord. What He says to you through His Word and by the power of the Holy Spirit....pursue it prayerfully and with all your heart.