Obedience and Disobedience

In the Christian Religious Studies syllabus, obedience is defined as the act of following God's commands and instructions faithfully, while disobedience is the failure or refusal to follow divine instructions. This study examines the motives, actions, and consequences associated with both concepts through specific biblical characters.

1. Obedience and Rewards

Obedience to God stems from faith, fear of the Lord, and total submission to His will. It often leads to divine favor, preservation, and the fulfillment of promises.

• Abraham (Gen. 22:1-19): God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. Abraham obeyed without hesitation. Reward: God provided a ram for the sacrifice and reaffirmed His covenant, promising that Abraham's descendants would be as numerous as the stars.
• Hebrew Midwives (Ex. 1:8-22): Shiphrah and Puah were ordered by Pharaoh to kill all male Hebrew infants. Because they feared God more than man, they disobeyed Pharaoh and saved the babies. Reward: God dealt well with them and established households for them.
• David (1 Sam. 30:1-20): When the Amalekites raided Ziklag and took the women and children captive, David did not act in anger alone. He consulted God using the ephod. God told him to pursue. Reward: David recovered everything that was lost and took great spoil, which he shared with his men and the elders of Judah.

2. Disobedience and Consequences

Disobedience is often rooted in pride, impatience, fear of man, or lack of trust in God's provision. It carries severe consequences ranging from physical death to spiritual separation and loss of leadership.

• Adam (Gen. 2:15-25; 3): Adam and Eve disobeyed the direct command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Reason: Temptation and the desire to be like God. Consequence: Expulsion from Eden, the introduction of death, and a curse on the ground.
• Collection of Manna (Ex. 16:22-30): God commanded the Israelites not to gather manna on the Sabbath. Some disobeyed and went out to gather. Consequence: They found nothing, and God rebuked their refusal to keep His laws.
• The Golden Calf (Ex. 32): While Moses was on Mount Sinai, the people became impatient and pressured Aaron to make a god. They worshipped a golden calf. Consequence: About 3,000 men were killed by the Levites, and God sent a plague upon the people.
• Moses (Num. 20:7-12; Deut. 34:1-6): At Meribah, God told Moses to speak to the rock. Instead, in anger, Moses struck the rock twice and took credit for the miracle. Consequence: Moses was barred from leading the Israelites into the Promised Land; he only saw it from Mount Nebo before he died.
• Saul (1 Sam. 15): Saul was commanded to utterly destroy the Amalekites. He spared King Agag and the best of the livestock. Reason: He feared the people and wanted to offer sacrifices. Consequence: Samuel told him, 'To obey is better than sacrifice.' God rejected Saul as king and removed His spirit from him.