What Old Testament examples illustrate the failure to submit to God's righteousness? Setting the stage: Romans 10:3 “Since they were ignorant of the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.” Patterns of self-made righteousness in Genesis • Cain – Genesis 4:3-7. Cain brought “some of the fruit of the soil,” while Abel brought the firstborn of his flock. Cain substituted his preference for God’s revealed pattern of blood sacrifice (cf. Hebrews 11:4). • Tower of Babel – Genesis 11:4. “Let us build for ourselves a city… Let us make a name for ourselves.” Human ingenuity tried to reach heaven on its own terms, so the Lord scattered them (11:8-9). Wilderness failures • Golden calf – Exodus 32:1-8. Israel fabricated a visible god and proclaimed, “This is your god, O Israel.” They reshaped worship to fit their comfort, rejecting the covenant they had just affirmed (24:3-8). • Nadab and Abihu – Leviticus 10:1-2. They “offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to His command”; fire from heaven consumed them. Sincerity did not excuse innovation. • Kadesh Barnea – Numbers 14. Refusal to enter the land (14:1-4) showed distrust of God’s promise; the next day they tried to go in after judgment fell (14:40-45). Both unbelief and presumption ignored God’s word. Kings who redefined obedience • Saul – 1 Samuel 13 & 15. Impatient sacrifice (13:8-14) and partial obedience with Amalek (15:13-23) illustrate a ruler shaping righteousness around convenience. “Obedience is better than sacrifice.” • Jeroboam – 1 Kings 12:26-33. He made golden calves at Bethel and Dan, changing priesthood and feast days to secure political control, not divine approval. • Uzziah – 2 Chronicles 26:16-21. Strength bred pride; he entered the temple to burn incense, a priestly duty only. Leprosy marked the cost of self-appointed holiness. Prophets expose superficial righteousness • Isaiah 1:11-17. God rejects multiplied sacrifices without justice and humility. • Amos 5:21-24. Festivals and songs are loathsome when hearts pursue oppression. • Micah 6:6-8. Lavish offerings cannot replace “to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” • Jeremiah 7:21-24. Burnt offerings without obedience are “no good.” The people walked “in the stubbornness of their evil hearts.” Summary: why these examples matter Every scene showcases people inventing, adjusting, or half-keeping God’s commands to craft a righteousness of their own. The literal history of Scripture confirms that from Cain to the prophets, self-styled worship ends in judgment, while humble submission opens the way for the righteousness God freely provides—perfectly fulfilled in Christ, the goal of the law for all who believe (Romans 10:4). |
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