What lessons on obedience can we learn from 1 Chronicles 4:43? A snapshot of the verse “They struck down the remnant of the Amalekites who had escaped, and they have lived there to this day.” Background: God’s standing order • Centuries earlier the LORD commanded Israel to wipe out Amalek because of its unprovoked attack on the weak (Deuteronomy 25:17-19). • Saul’s half-hearted response left Amalekite survivors (1 Samuel 15:1-23). • The Simeonite clan in 1 Chronicles 4 obediently finishes the task generations later, showing that God’s word remains in force until fully obeyed. Obedience that finishes what others leave undone • God remembers every command He gives; time passing never nullifies His instructions. • Partial obedience is disobedience; the Simeonites display the completeness God desires (2 Corinthians 10:6). • Their action illustrates corporate responsibility: when one generation fails, the next is still accountable to obey. • The reward is lasting possession—“they have lived there to this day.” Obedience brings stability and blessing (Deuteronomy 5:33). How complete obedience looks in daily life • Persist in finishing assignments God has already revealed—old instructions do not expire. • Remove every lingering compromise, just as the Simeonites removed the remaining Amalekites. • Accept that obedience may involve confrontation with entrenched sin or opposition. • Stand ready to correct unfinished obedience in family, church, or personal history, trusting God’s grace to enable fulfillment. Key takeaways • God’s commands endure until fulfilled. • Wholehearted obedience corrects the failures of partial obedience. • Blessing follows completed obedience, providing security and fruitful territory. • Love for Christ is proved by keeping His commands (John 14:15; Luke 11:28). |
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