Theme: “To obey is better than a sacrifice”
In what way did Saul disobey Jehovah, and what may his reasons have been?
Comment 1:
Saul did not fully obey Jehovah’s instruction. Although he defeated the Amalekites, he kept Agag alive and preserved the best sheep, cattle, and rams. Jehovah had commanded that everything be destroyed, but Saul decided on his own what he would obey and what he would not.
Comment 2:
Saul and his men destroyed only what was worthless or of no interest to them. That shows they let the material value of the animals influence their decision. Perhaps they thought it made no sense to destroy something so good, but Jehovah had already given clear instructions.
Comment 3:
One reason may have been that Saul let himself be swayed by what his men wanted. The account says that “Saul and his men” kept the best. Instead of standing firm and obeying Jehovah, he allowed the desire to keep valuable things to outweigh the divine command.
Comment 4:
He may also have thought that obeying in part was enough. But Saul’s case teaches us that we cannot pick and choose the instructions from Jehovah that seem easier or more reasonable to us. Partial obedience is, in reality, still disobedience.
Comment 5:
Saul acted presumptuously because he put his own judgment above Jehovah’s. Perhaps he did not intend to reject Jehovah directly, but by changing what Jehovah had commanded, he showed that he trusted his own opinion more than God’s guidance.
Why is obeying better than offering a sacrifice?
Comment 1:
Obeying is better because Jehovah does not need us to try to make up for disobedience with something that seems spiritual. Saul could offer many animals, but that did not erase the fact that he had rejected a clear command. Jehovah desires a heart that is willing to obey.
Comment 2:
A sacrifice could have value if it was offered with the right attitude. But if someone disobeyed first and then offered a sacrifice, he was trying to substitute something else for obedience. Jehovah does not accept our using our works to justify disobedience.
Comment 3:
Obedience shows trust. When we do what Jehovah asks, even if we do not understand all the reasons, we acknowledge that he knows more than we do. Saul did the opposite: he decided that his reasoning was better than Jehovah’s instructions.
Comment 4:
Obeying is better because it shows love and respect for Jehovah. A sacrifice could be visible and eye-catching, but obedience reveals what is in the heart. Jehovah pays attention to whether we truly value his guidance and want to please him.
Comment 5:
This account teaches us that Jehovah does not look only for results. Saul won a battle, but he did not fully obey. So it is not enough to do many things in Jehovah’s service; we must also do them by following his direction.
Why is rebelliousness as serious as the sin of divination?
Comment 1:
Rebelliousness is serious because it means rejecting Jehovah’s authority. Divination seeks guidance from a source that is not Jehovah. In a similar way, the one who rebels decides to follow his own judgment instead of accepting the guidance that God provides.
Comment 2:
Saul received a clear instruction, but he acted as though he could decide for himself which parts to obey. That is dangerous because it puts a person in the place that belongs only to Jehovah: deciding what is right and what is wrong.
Comment 3:
Samuel compared rebelliousness to divination because both show a lack of trust in Jehovah. Instead of depending on his guidance, the person looks to another direction: his own desires, the opinion of others, or a wrong source.
Comment 4:
The text also compares acting presumptuously to idolatry. When we insist on doing things our own way, we can turn our opinion, our desires, or our convenience into something more important than Jehovah.
Comment 5:
Rebelliousness is never a small matter, even if it seems like a single decision. If we do not correct that attitude, we can become accustomed to ignoring Jehovah’s direction. That is why it is so important to be humble and to gladly accept his guidance.
Why should we be obedient even in matters that seem less important? — Luke 16:10
Comment 1:
Luke 16:10 teaches that faithfulness is shown first in small things. If we obey Jehovah when a decision seems unimportant, we show that our desire to please him does not depend on whether others see us or on whether the situation seems serious.
Comment 2:
Small matters reveal what is in the heart. Sofía, in the video, could have copied without anyone noticing, but she chose to be honest. That seemingly small decision showed that she wanted to obey Jehovah even when no one else was watching.
Comment 3:
If we are obedient in small things, we will be better prepared to obey when a bigger test arises. Faithfulness does not suddenly appear in a difficult situation; it is strengthened each day through many small decisions.
Comment 4:
Being obedient in the least things protects our conscience. When we justify a small act of disobedience, it becomes easier to justify another one afterward. But if we act with honesty and obedience in simple details, we keep a clean conscience before Jehovah.
Comment 5:
Jehovah greatly values our faithfulness in private. Even though others may not know what we do, he sees it. Remembering that helps us to make good decisions even when it seems that no one will find out.
What things might some view as less important matters?
Comment 1:
Someone might think that copying an answer on a test does not matter if no one notices. But the video shows that Sofía understood that being honest was more important than getting the best grade in the class.
Comment 2:
Some might think it does not matter to tell a small lie to avoid a problem. However, Jehovah expects us to be truthful at all times, not only when the truth is easy or convenient.
Comment 3:
It may seem unimportant to keep a rule when no one is watching. But those situations show whether we obey Jehovah out of conviction or only out of fear that someone will catch us.
Comment 4:
Someone might downplay the way he speaks, behaves, or treats others when he is tired or upset. But obedience is also shown in those daily details, because they reflect whether we let Bible principles guide our conduct.
Comment 5:
Sometimes we may think that a private decision does not affect anyone. However, Jehovah sees what we do and knows what kind of person we want to be. That is why there are no matters “too small” when it comes to keeping our loyalty to him.
Video: “Become Jehovah’s Friend: Why Obey God If We Cannot See Him?”
Question: What do we learn from this video?
Comment 1:
We learn that obeying Jehovah includes being honest even when no one else sees us. Sofía refused to copy an answer during the test, even though doing so could have made her the best in the class. To her, being honest was more important.
Comment 2:
The video reminds us that Jehovah sees what we do. When Cati asked Sofía who would have known that she copied, Sofía answered: “Jehovah.” That helps us to remember that Jehovah knows our decisions, even in private.
Comment 3:
We learn that we can explain Jehovah’s existence by using creation. Sofía’s father helped her to think of something that Cati could see, and Sofía remembered that Jehovah created the heavens, the earth, and human beings.
Comment 4:
The video teaches that the good things in creation can help us to remember Jehovah’s love. Sofía mentioned sunsets, fruit, playing with her dog, and being with her mom. Her father explained that Jehovah made those things because he loves her.
Comment 5:
The main idea is very beautiful: even though we cannot see Jehovah, the things he has created remind us that he does see us. That motivates us to want to obey him, not only out of fear of doing something wrong, but because we love him.
Discover more from Comentarios para la Reunión TJ
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
