Anchor Scripture: 1 Corinthians 14:40

“But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way, (NIV).”

In the referenced scripture above, the Apostle Paul charged the church to always do everything decently and in order. Things should be done in a proper sequence and at the right time, rather than in a haphazard or impulsive manner. The text infers the creation of system structures to ensure things work in predictable ways. This was Paul referring to what he learned in the course of his close walk with God. God works in a decent and orderly manner and requires the same from all His children.

God of Order, Plan, and Purpose

The Old Testament contain the covenant God made with the children of Israel. Moreover, the covenant was a shadow of things to come (Col. 2:17). The acts of God as experienced in the wilderness by the children of Israel up to their entry and while in the Promised Land, was a reflection of how God purposed to run and order his universe, his kingdom as a whole at the eschatology. Hence, the children of Israel were witnesses of God’s purpose and plan for mankind. In essence, God modelled the idea of doing things with orderliness and decency in his transactions with the church in the wilderness. The choice of the children of Israel as witnesses was, therefore, to showcase the order of eschatological or end time events. 

The Choice of Israel: The Obedience of One Man

The created order, by God’s wisdom and foresight, was intentional to reveal what God was about with mankind. And so, “the heavens declare the glory of the Lord” (Psalm 19:1). The choice of Israel to be a witness of God’s purpose was not by any means out of favoritism. It was based on a track record of faith, submission, and obedience of their ancestors. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob’s obedience positioned them to be that vessel of honor; as it is written, “and Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness” (Gen 15:16, Rom 4:3, Gal 3:6). This testimony of Abraham and the nature and character of God as righteousness, judgment, and loving kindness, in which God is no respecter of persons, was the basis for the choice of the descendants of Abraham to model the things to come.

Notice then how the obedience of one man secured an ancestral blessing for generations after him. Abraham procures the blessings of God upon the children of Israel. What is the fate of you and I today? It calls for a heart search for each one of us; to ask ourselves questions that should reveal our innermost thoughts about what we are doing with the instruction and commandment we have received from God. Are we executing them in the proper order that pleases God? Will you be that person to start a new movement of obedience and compliance with God’s instructions, so much so that you may secure an everlasting memorial for your children’s children?

Other Examples of Obedience in the Bible

David secured a memorial for his generation through obedience. God called him a man after His own heart. And it was the basis for which God cut the unwavering covenant with David. God promised to establish the throne of David forever and to never withhold mercy from his descendants (2 Sam 7:15); all because of the obedience of one man. Obedience always brings the best out of God towards the obedient. Imagine what your loved ones would do to make you feel loved. It is the same way with God. A simple act of obedience shows how much we truly love God. This is why Jesus said to his disciples, “If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever” (John 14:15, 16). Obedience provokes a blessing from God every time.

Recall the story of the Rechabites (Jeremiah 35). Their progenitor, upon entering the Promised Land instructed them not to go about life with the sole purpose to amass material wealth (Jere 35 1-11). They were to live in tents in all their generations; and must not drink any kind of alcohol. The lesson of this instruction was to show that the life of a man does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses (Luke 12:15), but rather in the obedience of faith to, and walking in God’s righteousness.

Rechab called his children to a life of obedience and absolute consecration to God. Because of their obedience, Jeremiah recorded that God blessed them (Jere 35:12-18). This story shows how paramount obedience is to God. In it, God used the example of the children’s obedience to their father’s instruction to teach us the importance of obedience. My heart desire is that my life and ministry will be well-pleasing in obedience to God (Eph 5:10). It is also my challenge to you today; that you may do that which is well-pleasing to the Lord, both for the sake of the life that is now, and for the blessings it may provoke upon your generations to come.

This introductory section lays a foundation about the intentionality for order and structure that comes through adherence to rules, or obedience to God’s commandments. It forms the basis for our discussions going forward in this series. The series itself is to unpack the mysteries of the Jubilee law code as found in Leviticus 25 and 26. It will highlight the Jubilee of God in reference to eschatological events. Thus, the next installations in the series will explore the doctrine of Jubilee to draw out a deeper understanding of the law code for its full intent and purpose in the reconciliation of all things by God to himself. Read more here.