SS 2 CRS
2nd Term
CONSEQUENCES
OF OBEDIENCE
To be obedient means to do as commanded. God has
commanded all human beings, and these commandments are enshrined in the Bible
as the Ten Commandments. Since a command is not just a piece of advice,
obedience or disobedience of God’s command must attract some consequences. It
is these consequences that we shall find in this segment as we treat some
personalities that obeyed or disobeyed the command and see the result of their
action.
Joseph was
rewarded for obeying God’s laws (Ex 20:1-17, Gen 39:7-12): the 7th
commandment states “You must not commit adultery”. During the life time of
Joseph, the Ten commandments hadn’t been published, but being an eternal law,
it had always existed in the heart of humanity (conscience). Thus, when joseph
was confronted with the temptation of sleeping with his master’s (Potiphar’s)
wife, he allowed his conscience to direct him on the right path. Hence, by
sincerely obeying his conscience, Joseph obeyed God. At first he suffered, but
later God blessed him and lifted him so high that he became the Governor of
Egypt. This shows that if we obey God, we may encounter some temporary
difficulties but we should understand that it is not those difficulties that
are the consequence of obedience to God, rather, it is the permanent grace that
comes afterwards.
David was
rewarded for respecting a civil rule (Exo 20:13; I Sam 26:1-12): David
lived in a period when the Ten Commandments had been published and is in vogue.
The 6th commandment states “you must not murder.” David had an ample
opportunity to murder Saul, but he remembered God’s command and refrained from
doing so. Because of this obedience, seeing that he wasn’t eager to ascend the
throne before his appointed time and at the expense of the life of the anointed
king, God blessed him by making him king at his appointed time.
The three
Hebrew youth escaped death for obeying God to avoid idolatry (Exo 20:3; Dan
3:1-30): the first commandment states “thou shall not worship any other gods
beside me.” Although these Hebrew youth were exiled in Babylon yet they
remembered and feared God. Nebuchadnezzar made a golden statue and invited all
his officials and nobles to its dedication. He commanded all to bow to this
image. Others did, but the 3 Hebrew youth didn’t. they preferred to obey God
instead of mortal man. Nebuchadnezzar decided to punish them by throwing them
into a fiery furnace. But God was with them in the fire, and delivered them.
This made the king astonished; hence he declared that no one should speak
against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. In fact, they were promoted.
The lesson to be learnt here is that whenever the commands of human authorities
contradict God’s command, one should uphold God’s command, and whenever
legality contradicts morality, one should uphold morality.
Esther
obeyed Mordecai (Esth 4:1-16): the 5th command states “honour
your father and mother…” Mordecai was Ester’s guardian before she became Queen.
Haman was the enemy of the Jews; he had paid huge sum of money into the king’s
treasury to have the Jews exterminated. When Mordecai got to know this, he and
other Jews became troubled. Mordecai sent a message to Esther to go and plead
the course of the Jews before the king, but Esther reminded him that going
before the king without his express invitation was a suicide mission. However,
Esther honoured Mordecai’s persistent appeal, and she had to take the risk. God
blessed Esther for her obedience by making her to find favour in the sight of
the king.
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