Better Things

"The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal." But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD ? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king." (I Samuel 15: 21-23 NIV)

There are lots of comparisons and contrasts made in the holy scriptures relative to certain things. The word "better" is a word of comparison.

Most of the verses in the bible, like the above, where things are compared and contrasted, deal with things that are generally misunderstood and misappraised, or wrongly evaluated.

Obedience to God is better than sacrifice. Saul disobeyed God's clear and explicit command, and tried to justified the act, saying the animals which God had ordered him to kill, could be used in sacrifice to God. He evaluated things wrongly, thinking sacrifice was better than obedience.

"Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous." (Psalm 37: 16, 17 NIV)

"Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil." (Proverbs 15: 16 NIV)

Oh how many err in judgment here! They err in thinking that wealth will make them happy and is far better than any kind of religious satisfaction, when the fact is, it is living in the fear of the Lord, in obedience to his ways, that make life happy and peaceful.

"Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you." (Psalm 63: 3 NIV)

"Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked." (Psalm 80: 40 NIV)

"It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man...It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes." (Psalm 118: 8, 9 NIV)

Oh how much better is fellowship and communion with the Lord in one's heart and soul! Truly nothing is to be compared with it! Sinners make an awful choice when they choose inferior carnal delights to infinite spiritual joy.

"Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her." (Proverbs 3: 13-15 NIV)

But how many today do not appraise things thusly? How many rather think "ignorance is bliss," especially in things relating to serving God? How many devalue a spiritual education? How many value amusement over musement?

"Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred." (Proverbs 15: 17 NIV)

"Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice." (Proverbs 16: 8 NIV)

"Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife." (Proverbs 17: 1 NIV)

Oh how men need God's help so that they properly evaluate things as these verses direct them do! Oh how many houses are filled with material things, but they lack real peace, joy, and love!

"Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud." (Proverbs 16: 19 NIV)

Oh how many today exalt pride as the Greeks exalted Huburis!

Meekness, shyness, humility, and such like, are all devalued. We live in such a society as Neitzche or Hitler would admire, where those who are viewed as "weak" and "timid," who are humble and non-assuming characters, as being inferior citizens.

"Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city." (Proverbs 16: 32 NIV)

We are quick to compliment our heroes today, the men and women who fight for us as soldiers, for the warriors. But, what a mighty warrior is the man who can control his temper! Why do we not call this man "hero" today?

"Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly." (Proverbs 17: 12 NIV)

How true is this! How many know it to be so by sad experience!

"...better to be poor than a liar." (Proverbs 19: 22 NIV)

Yes, and poverty is so hated today, and dreaded above every other thing! This is not good. Poverty is not so bad as other things. But, sinful man has his spiritual value system all "out of whack," and he is "reprobate," and therefore unable to make proper value judgments in regard to holiness, to morals, and to spiritual things. Being "poor" is much better than being a liar, or a thief, or of being rich without having peace or joy, or hope of heaven.

"Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife...Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife." (Proverbs 21: 9, 19 & 25: 24 NIV)

Oh how many have seen how bad they chose when they chose a mate for life! Did they not enter the marriage because they misappraised? because they did not put the proper estimation and importance on certain things?

"A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold." (Proverbs 22: 1 NIV)

"A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth." (Ecclesiastes 7: 1 NIV)

Truly this needs repeating today.

"Better is open rebuke than hidden (silent) love." (Proverbs 27: 5 NIV)

This one also needs constant repeating. Men need to be taught and shown how it is better to be open and frank with our neighbors, and not lie to them, or deceive them, but to give them honest critiques, and sound judgment, and not be of those who only seek to "flatter," and who does not have our good at heart.

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work." (Ecclesiastes 4: 9 NIV)

Marriage and friendship is much better than being a hermit, or a loner, or non-social. Life if better if shared, when we are able "to weep with those who weep" and "rejoice with those who rejoice." (Romans 12: 15)

"Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning." (Ecclesiastes 4: 13 NIV)

How true again is this saying! Why do we as a society not value the "poor wish child"? Why do we inflate the worth and value of the rich fools? Where are the good Oliver Twist novels?

"It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it." (Ecclesiastes 5: 5 NIV)

Oh how many sinners do this in time of crisis! When they are near death! When they are in great need? When they are suffering? But, oh how soon do they forget those vows they make to God, in those evil times, when they are well!

"A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he." (Ecclesiastes 6: 3 NIV)

How many people are described by these words? Do they describe us?

"Better what the eye sees than the roving of the appetite. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." (Ecclesiastes 6: 9 NIV)

Dreamers beware! Do not leave reality! Dream, but be realistic and practical! Do not overestimate your abilities and set yourself up for unneeded disappointment.

"The day of death better than the day of birth." (Ecclesiastes 7: 2 NIV)

Yes, this is true, but mostly in regard to the righteous, who in this age, go to heaven to be with the Lord. But, it is in some sense also true of the wicked, who though going to Hades in soul or spirit, upon death, nevertheless do not suffer in body, in their "intermediate state." It may be also better for others, for our families, if we are dead, being wicked to them.

It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure. It is better to heed a wise man's rebuke than to listen to the song of fools." (Ecclesiastes 7: -5 NIV)

Oh how most have all this greatly reversed! Oh how comedy gets promoted over contrition of spirit and over godly sorrow and repentance! No wonder the characters of most is not good, for they have been forged in the wrong house.

"Anyone who is among the living has hope —even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!" (Ecclesiastes 9: 4 NIV)

Every unrepentant and unbelieving sinner needs to realize that he has hope of salvation while he is living, and that there is no hope for it after death. Rejoice that God has kept you alive another day, giving you another opportunity to repent and live. But, do not think that you are guaranteed it tomorrow.

"(for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God." (Hebrews 7: 19 NIV)

"Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant." (Hebrews 7: 22 NIV)

"...the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises." (Hebrews 8: 6 NIV)

"It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these." (Hebrews 9: 23 NIV)

"You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions." (Hebrews 10: 34 NIV)

"longing for a better country—a heavenly one...better resurrection." (Hebrews 11: 16, 35 NIV)

"Better" is probably the "key word" for the Book of Hebrews. What God gave to the Jews, in giving them his Old Covenant, was "good." What Christians have in Christ, in the New Covenant, is "better," much, much better! Better priests! Better sacrifices! Better temple! Better blood!

"It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil." (I Peter 3: 17 NIV)

"It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them." (II Peter 2: 21 NIV)

"It would be better for him if he had not been born." (Mark 14: 21 NIV)

Certainly we all need to ponder these words of betterment!

The people of God under the Old Testament had their good things. The people of God under the New Testament have their better things. But, for the people of God, the best is yet to come!