What other scriptures highlight the importance of obedience to God's commands? Setting the Scene Jeremiah 32:23 records Israel’s tragic confession: “And they came in and took possession of it, but they did not obey Your voice or walk in Your law; they did not do anything You commanded them to do. So You have brought upon them all this disaster.” Their story invites us to trace the same theme across the whole Bible—God blesses obedience and warns against neglecting His commands. Obedience in the Law of Moses • Deuteronomy 28:1-2, 15 – Blessings follow diligent obedience; curses follow disobedience. • Exodus 19:5 – “Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession.” • Joshua 1:8 – Prosperity and success are tied to doing “everything written in” the Law. Prophetic Warnings and Promises • Jeremiah 7:23 – “Obey My voice… that it may go well with you.” • Isaiah 1:19-20 – Willing obedience brings the best of the land; rebellion brings the sword. • 1 Samuel 15:22 – “Obedience is better than sacrifice.” • Ezekiel 20:19-20 – Walking in God’s statutes is a sign that He is the LORD. Wisdom Literature on Obedience • Psalm 119 (select verses) – v. 1 “Blessed are those… who walk in the law of the LORD.” – v. 60 “I hurried without hesitating to keep Your commandments.” • Proverbs 3:1-2 – Keeping commandments adds length of days and peace. Jesus on Obedience • John 14:15 – “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” • John 15:10 – Obedience keeps us in Christ’s love just as He remains in the Father’s love. • Luke 6:46 – “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I say?” • Matthew 7:24 – The wise builder hears and acts on Jesus’ words. • Matthew 28:20 – The Great Commission includes “teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you.” The Apostles on Obedience • Acts 5:29 – “We must obey God rather than men.” • Romans 6:16 – We are slaves to the one we obey—either sin or righteousness. • Philippians 2:12 – “Just as you have always obeyed… continue to work out your salvation.” • Hebrews 5:9 – Christ is “the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.” • James 1:22 – Be doers of the word, not hearers only. • 1 Peter 1:14 – “As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance.” • 1 John 2:3-5 – Obedience proves genuine knowledge of God. Living It Out • Obedience is love in action—rooted in relationship, not mere ritual. • Blessing and protection consistently accompany those who heed God’s voice. • Disobedience invites discipline, yet God’s goal is always restoration, as seen in Jeremiah’s day and ultimately in Christ. • Today, true freedom and joy still flow from a heart that echoes Samuel’s ancient conviction: “Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening”—and ready to obey. |
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