What can we learn about obedience from Hazael's actions in 2 Kings 8:14? Scripture Focus “Then Hazael left Elisha and went to his master, who asked him, ‘What did Elisha say to you?’ And Hazael answered, ‘He told me that you would surely recover.’” (2 Kings 8:14) What Hazael Actually Does • He promptly carries Elisha’s answer back to Ben-Hadad. • He deliberately alters the prophet’s words, omitting Elisha’s warning of the king’s death (v. 10–13). • The next day he suffocates Ben-Hadad and seizes the throne (v. 15). Snapshots of Obedience—And Disobedience • Outward compliance can mask inward rebellion. • Selective obedience—relaying only part of God’s message—is disobedience. • True obedience submits to God’s sovereignty rather than manipulating outcomes for personal gain. • The heart motive is decisive; God weighs intentions, not merely actions (1 Samuel 16:7). Lessons for Our Walk • Tell the whole truth of God’s Word, even when it is uncomfortable (Acts 20:27). • Integrity in small conversations protects us from larger compromises (Luke 16:10). • Ambition unbridled by submission to God leads to destructive shortcuts (James 3:16). • God-given assignments are fulfilled God’s way or they become sin (1 Samuel 15:22). • Obedience flows from love, not convenience (John 14:15). Supporting Scriptures • Proverbs 14:12—“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” • James 1:22—“Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” • Galatians 6:7—“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.” Walking in Wholehearted Obedience Today Hazael’s story reminds us that half-truths and hidden motives erode obedience. God calls us to transparent, full allegiance—speaking His word plainly, resisting self-serving schemes, and trusting His timing. Wholehearted obedience honors the Lord and shields us from the ruin that follows Hazael-style shortcuts. |
    |