‘I wish one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would no longer kindle a useless fire on my altar! I am not pleased with you,’ says the Lord of Armies, ‘and I will accept no offering from your hands.
But I have received everything in full, and I have an abundance. I am fully supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you provided #– #a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.
Then Samuel said: Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? Look: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.