You Ain’t Know What Obedience and Disobedience Can Bring
(Passage: Jeremiah 44)
It is not good to despise God because the consequence is bad. It is good to obey God’s instruction because it leads to a blessing.
Some children of God in the bible played with God’s instruction; they mistook God for a human being; they reap the consequence.
God had warned his people- the Israelites through Prophet Jeremiah that they should stay put in their location to face his correction. His people should exercise repentance and appease him for the improvement of their status.
The people rebelled against God’s instruction: They proudly opposed God and challenged him to dare attempt to stop them.
It is reported,
“Then all the men who knew that their wives had burned incense to other gods, with all the women who stood by, a great multitude, and all the people who dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying:
“As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will not listen to you! But we will certainly do whatever has gone out of our own mouth, to burn incense to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we have done, we and our fathers, our kings and our princes, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. For then we had plenty of food, were well- off, and saw no trouble. But since we stopped burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have been consumed by the sword and by famine.”
“The women also said, “And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven and poured out drink offerings to her, did we make cakes for her, to worship her, and pour out drink offerings to her without our husbands’ permission?” (Jeremiah 44:15-19).
Never Mess With God!
The worse thing a person (or people) can do is take God’s warning for granted, as the Lord promised to compensate the Israelites for their disobedience equally.
God promised to humiliate the Israelites as they chose to exile in Egypt, contrary to God’s leading.
God said,
“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: ‘You and your wives have spoken with your mouths and fulfilled with your hands, saying, “We will surely keep our vows that we have made, to burn incense to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her.” You will surely keep your vows and perform your vows!’ Therefore hear the word of the Lord, all Judah who dwell in the land of Egypt: ‘Behold, I have sworn by My great name,’ says the Lord, ‘that My name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, “The Lord God lives.”
Behold, I will watch over them for adversity and not for good. And all the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword and by famine, until there is an end to them. Yet a small number who escape the sword shall return from the land of Egypt to the land of Judah; and all the remnant of Judah, who have gone to the land of Egypt to dwell there, shall know whose words will stand, Mine or theirs. And this shall be a sign to you,’ says the Lord, ‘that I will punish you in this place, that you may know that my words will surely stand against you for adversity…” (Jeremiah 44:25-30).
Lesson on Obedience vs. Disobedience:
It is advantageous to obey God; it is disadvantageous to disobey God.
Since God is loving, patient, and forgiving, humans have the tendency to take him for granted. However, any willing act of disobedience leads to double strike action from God. That is, God dislikes people taking him for granted.
- As a person, never take God for granted; since he is God, you are human!
- The fact that God created us specially (with a soul) to feel and understand love does not mean we should compare ourselves with him.
- God remains God, and we remain humans. Our task as human beings is to honor God; do his will, and obey his instruction.
- Our act of obedience often leads to God blessing us more, but when we willingly go against God, the result is a disaster.
- As humans, let’s honor God. Let’s serve him, and let’s obey his instructions. (These acts will make God be happy with us. The more God is happy with us, the more he will be motivated to bless us and make good things happen in our lives.)
Pray and Ask for The Grace To Obey God
Dear God, please give me the grace to obey your instructions. I don’t want to take you for granted, but I want to honor and obey you.
Please give me the heart to serve and honor you with the humility of heart. Lead my path in life bring you joy and be a source of blessing to the people around me.
Finally, I pray that you please keep me your true child so that I can remain worthy of your eternal kingdom. For in the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!
Remember: God Honors Obedience
