When did disobedience first take place? Right after Creation. Adam and Eve had full liberty and freedom in the garden of Eden. They were allowed to eat fruit from any tree except the Tree of Knowledge that stood in the middle of the garden. Satan worked his cunning way and created doubt against the Father in the mind of Eve. What seemed like a trivial act became a grave act of disobedience which separated them from the Lord. It is natural to fill up something which is empty. Here we can see that the place of the Lord was taken over by Satan. He is trying to do so even today in each heart and in each home.
Let us have a look at some people who were blessed because of their steadfast heart and obedience.
1.Noah: Genesis 6: 9, 9 This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.
Genesis 6:13-14, 13 So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. 14 So make yourself an ark of cypress wood;…
The Lord has given clear instructions to Noah about how to construct the ark, the materials to be used, the size, number of rooms, etc. Something that would have brushed off by others as joke was taken seriously by Noah. He gave due importance to the instructions of Lord. In those days, in the absence of modern technologically advanced tools or electricity, Noah built the ark together with his family. No one questioned the instructions by the Lord. they built it in accordance to what the Lord wanted.
The next set of instructions to Noah and his family was to gather two pairs of every animal and bird and bring them to the ark. They followed this also and did as told. It rained for continuously for 40 days and 40 nights. The earth was covered with water everywhere. Only Noah and his family along with the animals and birds in the ark survived. Genesis 9:1-3,Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. 3 Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.
Noah and his family were blessed in the same way as our first parents, Adam and Eve.
2.Abraham: It was prosperous time for our forefather, Abraham. He was flourishing in trade during that time. Unexpectedly, one day Abraham received a call from the Lord
Genesis: 12: 1-4,The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
2 “I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”
4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him.
Abraham did not have a child till he was old. He was blessed with a son in his advanced age at 100. The Lord asked Abraham to sacrifice his young son as an offering. Genesis 22:2, 2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” Abraham was ready to follow even this order. When Abraham took out his knife to kill Isaac, the Lord called out and asked him not kill his son. Genesis 22:12-13, 12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”
13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.
Abraham even today is known as the father of believers. Is there a greater blessing to anyone who has been born? We call upon not just the name of Abraham, but of his two descendants also. We call upon the Lord of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. For one to receive such a blessing you should be ready to follow the Lord’s instructions without any doubt and questions.
3.Moses: It was the time of slavery for the children of Israel. Moses was leading a peaceful life as a shepherd to flock of sheep, living with his father in law and wife. The Lord came to him as a vision and said to him that I have chosen you to deliver my children from slavery under Egyptian into the land of Canaan. Moses replied by telling about his shortcomings and tried to step away from the duty handed to him. The Lord promised him, Exodus 3:12,12 And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain. The pharaoh was a very powerful ruler. the Lord performed several miracles(10 plagues) through Moses and rescued the people of Israel from slavery. We received the Ten Commandments through Moses which is ever revered and obeyed for generations.
The children of Israel disobeyed the Lord who performed several miracles for them and also gave them food to eat. As a result they were severely punished. Moses is respected and given importance among the forefathers by believers across the world. The reason is that despite being aware of his shortcomings and flaws, he obeyed and followed every instruction that the Lord gave.
In the New Testament also we read about numerous people being blessed when they obey the Lord.
These may trivial and small to you. Yet small acts of obedience became the way to greatness and blessings. Luke 6:46-49, 46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
Dear children of God, let us also like our forefathers obey the Father Almighty. Let us also receive His grace and blessings for our obedience. Let us all try and live by their example. May the Word of God strengthen and guide us all. Amen
Jehovah Roi 