OBEDIENCE

Obedience Brings Blessings

Now the LORD had said to Abram:  "Get out of your country,  From your family  And from your father's house,  To a land that I will show you.  I will make you a great nation;  I will bless you  And make your name great;  And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you,  And I will curse him who curses you;  And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." Genesis 12:1-3

 Abraham obeyed God and He was blessed greatly by God. It is that simple. Obedience to God’s voice and His word brings about its own rewards. Prophet Samuel told disobedient  anointed King Saul something that many still have to learn and heed:

Then Samuel said:  "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,  As in obeying the voice of the LORD?  Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,  And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,  And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.  Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,  He also has rejected you from being king." 1 Samuel 15:22-23

God demands and requires obedience and the heeding of His words more than sacrifice and burn offerings. To God rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Those who reject the word on the matter will find themselves rejected by God, no matter what they think or say. For after all, it is what God says concerning any mater that counts and His word is final.

Now it was not an easy matter for Abraham at 75 years of age to obey God and to leave everything behind and to go to a promised future in a strange land. There were real perils and trouble along the way. God’s word records:

Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land. Genesis 12:10

Abraham was in the middle of the will of God and his promised land turned out to be a disaster.  But Abraham did not give up his faith in God or obeying God’s word just because he received the opposite of what he was promised. He still trusted the Lord and went south to Egypt.  God’s word records:

So it was, when Abram came into Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful. The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house. He treated Abram well for her sake. He had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys, and camels.

But the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife. And Pharaoh called Abram and said, "What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? "Why did you say, 'She is my sister'? I might have taken her as my wife. Now therefore, here is your wife; take her and go your way." So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away, with his wife and all that he had.  Genesis 12:14-20

Because Abraham obeyed the Lord and followed Him, God kept His promise and He was an enemy to his enemies. Hence He plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues. Abraham was God’s anointed one and His prophet and the word of God was true for Him:

 "Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm." 1 Chronicles 16:22

Pharaoh’s ignorance of God’s word did not stop God from keeping His word to Abraham and plaguing  Pharaoh. God’s true friends and anointed ones and their possessions are not to be touched by no one or God Himself with deal with them. That is a fact of life and some will even pay with their lives for ignoring God’s word on the matter.

God delivered Abraham and he  went up from Egypt, with his wife  and all that he had, as he was  very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold and with his nephew Lot. Abraham trusted the Lord no matter even when  there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. For the land was not able to support them. Their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. As a result God’s word records:

So Abram said to Lot, "Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. "Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left."

And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other.

Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the LORD.

And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are-northward, southward, eastward, and westward; "for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. "And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. "Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you."

Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the LORD. Genesis 13:8-18

Difficult circumstances or a special particular place did not matter to Abraham being blessed by God. What mattered was the God, Himself, was with Abraham as he obeyed and listened only to God.

Now Sodom and Gomorrah fell to its enemies and they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions,  as well as  Lot, who dwelt in Sodom.  When Abraham heard that his nephew was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants  and pursued them. God’s word records:

He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people. Genesis 14:15-16

Abraham like his Lord and master was a warrior King who was not afraid to fight to take back what was stolen from him.  God again kept His word and delivered Abraham’s enemies into his hand. Even though the battle was the Lord’s, Abraham still fought in it just like David did against the Goliath.

God Himself was Abraham’s  shield and His exceedingly great reward. Abraham was  God’s friend and all the belonged to Abraham belonged to God. As well as all that belong to God now belonged to Abraham. Abraham was transparent before the Lord and held nothing back

But still it was not easy for Abraham as he still did not have a promised son and an heir ten years after he obeyed the word of the Lord. This hurt Abraham and he said to the Lord

 "Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!" And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir." Then He brought him outside and said, "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be."

And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.   Then He said to him, "I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it." Genesis 15:4-7

Abraham walked by faith and not by sight.  He believed God that he would have a son even when it seemed impossible. Abraham was around 85 years old at that time and would still have to walk by faith for quite a while. God’s word records:

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. "And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly." Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: "As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. "No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.

"I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. "And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. "Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God." Genesis 17:1-8

Twenty four years later God was still telling Abraham that He was God almighty, to walk before Him to be blameless and He would make him a father of many nations.  God promised He would make His covenant with Abraham and multiply him exceedingly and make a nation of him with a son that still had not come.

It is to be noted that patience and endurance are very important elements in the Kingdom of God as it was also for Abraham. God’s word records:

But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, "Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you." And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.  Hebrews 6:9-14

Through faith and patience, God true friends and servants inherit the promises; because God does not lie and His word is true. God is faithful and in His set time and appointed season the answer will come.  For God’s word records:

And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had spoken. For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him-whom Sarah bore to him-Isaac. Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. Genesis 21:1-5

But even then the trials and testing were not over for Abraham concerning his long awaited son and heir. God’s word records:.

Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you." So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. Genesis 22:1-3

Abraham all the days of his life on earth remained a man of faith who obeyed God no matter what the test. He did not give up at the first sign of trouble nor did he doubt that God was not with him or that God had changed His mind. As a result God’s word states:

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called," concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. Hebrews 11:17-19

Abraham had faith but his faith was also demonstrated by obedience and faithfulness.  Hence God was proud to call Abraham His friend and to be referred to as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

For the record, Abraham’s promised blessings are still coming true today long after he had died. because He obeyed God.  While King’s Saul’s  name and kingdom was lost because he did not obey God. For God’s word is true to His true ones:

"But you, Israel, are My servant,  Jacob whom I have chosen,  The descendants of Abraham My friend.  You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth,  And called from its farthest regions,  And said to you,  'You are My servant,  I have chosen you and have not cast you away:  Fear not, for I am with you;  Be not dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you,  Yes, I will help you,  I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

"Behold, all those who were incensed against you  Shall be ashamed and disgraced;  They shall be as nothing,  And those who strive with you shall perish.  You shall seek them and not find them- Those who contended with you.  Those who war against you  Shall be as nothing,  As a nonexistent thing. For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand,  Saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.' Isaiah 41:8-13

Thus says the LORD: "As the new wine is found in the cluster, And one says, 'Do not destroy it,  For a blessing is in it,'  So will I do for My servants' sake,  That I may not destroy them all.  I will bring forth descendants from Jacob,  And from Judah an heir of My mountains;  My elect shall inherit it,  And My servants shall dwell there. 0 Sharon shall be a fold of flocks,  And the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down,  For My people who have sought Me.

"But you are those who forsake the LORD,  Who forget My holy mountain, Who prepare a table for Gad, And who furnish a drink offering for Meni. Therefore I will number you for the sword, And you shall all bow down to the slaughter; Because, when I called, you did not answer; When I spoke, you did not hear, But did evil before My eyes, And chose that in which I do not delight."

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, My servants shall eat, But you shall be hungry; Behold, My servants shall drink, But you shall be thirsty; Behold, My servants shall rejoice, But you shall be ashamed; Behold, My servants shall sing for joy of heart, But you shall cry for sorrow of heart, And wail for grief of spirit. You shall leave your name as a curse to My chosen; For the Lord GOD will slay you, And call His servants by another name; Isaiah 65:8-15