According to 1 Samuel 15:22-23, what is more pleasing to the Lord than burnt offerings and sacrifices?

• A. Sacrifices and burnt offerings
• B. Obedience to the voice of the Lord
• C. Prayer and worship
• D. Church attendance

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is that obedience to what God commands takes priority over outward religious acts. In 1 Samuel 15, Saul has been commanded to utterly destroy the Amalekites and everything that belongs to them, but he spares Agag and keeps some of the best livestock instead. Samuel confronts him and states that the Lord takes greater delight in obeying His word than in sacrifices. The line “to obey is better than sacrifice” expresses the heart of this lesson: following God’s instructions and listening to His voice shows true submission and trust, whereas performing religious rituals while ignoring His commands misses what He values most. The passage also makes clear that rebellion and stubbornness are serious sins, equated with witchcraft and idolatry, underscoring why disobedience cannot be compensated by offerings. So, the answer that best fits is obedience to the voice of the Lord. Sacrifices, prayer, and worship are important, but they do not supersede faithful obedience in this context, and church attendance is not the focus of this passage.