2. Obedience
Obedience: compliance with an order, subject, or law or submission to another’s authority (Oxford Dictionary)
Abraham willfully submitted himself to God’s authority. He walked in obedience to the instructions God continuously gave to him. Why did he do this? Because he believed God and the promises God made to him.
The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran.
Genesis 12:1-4 (NIV)
God had pretty much asked Abraham (then Abram) to leave what he knew and his life’s work, for a promise. God did not supernaturally make Abraham a great nation right there and then. All He did was to make Abraham a promise. He gave Abraham a word and that is all it took to make Abraham obey.
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.
Hebrews 11: 8(NIV)
And we know that his obedience was not in vain:
When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
Hebrews 6:13-15 (NIV)
Abraham not only obeyed God when a promise was attached to his obedience. He obeyed God even when the instructions he received seemed to be contrary to the promise.
Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”“Here I am,” he replied.” Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about…When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
Genesis 22:1-3, 9-10 (NIV)
Succeeding verses let us know that God stopped him from sacrificing his son Isaac. But why would Abraham willingly obey God when the instruction was very painful?
By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice.He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.
Hebrews 11:17-19 (NIV)
Abraham showed his belief in God by walking in obedience.
You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone
James 2:22-24( NIV)
Your Turn:
The blessings of God are realized when you walk in obedience to His instructions. Are you walking in obedience?
But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom,and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
James 1:25( NIV)