Consequences Of Obedience And Disobedience SS2 Christian Religious Studies (CRS) Lesson Note

KING SAUL 1 SAM.15: 20-26

Soon after Saul was made king of Israel, God gave him an assignment to Amalek To utterly destroy the people because they opposed the Israelites when they left Egypt. This means that nobody should be spared neither young nor old. Saul organized the soldiers and went to the Amalekites and defeated them but not in the way that Saul was instructed. The Israelites destroyed everything but spared the goats, sheep and other valuables. Above all, King Agag of Amalek was spared and they took him captive. This was Saul’s sin and God was not happy with him.

When Samuel confronted him on this, he lied to him. God had revealed everything to Samuel. When Samuel questioned him on the bleating of sheep and other animals, Saul claimed that it was the people who brought those things for sacrifice to the Lord. Saul did not admit his fault, rather, shifted the blame on the people.

KING SAUL REJECTED AS KING 1 SAM 16:14-23

As a result of his disobedience, God rejected Saul as king. This rejection made the Spirit of God leave him and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him. Whenever he is tormented, he can only be relieved when he listens to music. David was called to the palace because he was very skilful in playing the lyre.

KING SAUL AND HIS THREE SONS DIED THE SAME DAY 1 SAMUEL.31: 1-13

The Philistines had a long battle with the Israelites. However, the Philistines gained an upper hand at Mount Gilboa. Saul and his three sons- Jonathan, Malchishua and Abinadab were killed. The Philistines cut off his head, stripped off his armour put it in the temple of Ashtaroth and fastened his body to the wall of Bethsham.

DISOBEDIENCE OF THE YOUNG PROPHET 1 KGS. 13: 11-24

God sent a prophet from Judah to prophesy in Bethel. King Jeroboam was at the altar, burning incense. He prophesied that God would raise Josiah to reform the religious situation of the land. This angered Jeroboam and he stretched out his hand as a way of command to capture the prophet. Immediately he did that, his hand dried up. Jeroboam begged the prophet to ask God to restore his hand which he did and it was restored. The king was pleased and asked the prophet to come and refresh himself with a reward. The prophet refused because God had told him not to take anything when he was to go back.

When an old prophet was informed of this, he went after the prophet on his ass whom he met sitting under an oak tree. He asked if he was the prophet and the latter confirmed it. He told him to come and eat but the young prophet told him what God said to him. However, the older prophet lied that an angel of God told them to bring him back so that he could refresh himself.

When they were eating, God told the old prophet to tell his younger counterpart that his body would not be laid in his father’s tomb. When he was on his way back, he was killed by a lion.

REWARDS FOR OBEDIENCE

Obedience means to adhere to laid down instructions of any given society which enables the smooth running of the society. To obey the laws of the land helps the society to progress socially, morally, economically and politically. To obey instructions could come individually or corporately. Some people obeyed instructions given to them by God and they were rewarded for it.

1. Joseph Gen.39: 7-12

Joseph was a slave in the house of Potiphar, the captain of the guards of Pharaoh. Joseph behaved himself and was meticulous in his dealings. This made his master entrust everything that he had into the hands of Joseph except his wife. 

The house of Potiphar prospered because God was with Joseph. However, Portiphar’s wife liked Joseph and wanted him to have a sexual relationship with her. She disturbed him for several days and prevailed not.

On a particular day, Joseph was going about his duties in the house and there was nobody in the house Portiphar’s wife grabbed him by his garment and told him to lie with him. Joseph left his garment with her and fled. When she realized what happened, she cried out to the men and told them about the attempted rape that Joseph wanted to do. She narrated her side of the event when her husband came and Potiphar was angry with Joseph and put him in prison. From there, Joseph met the cupbearer who later introduced him to Pharaoh and he became the Prime Minister of Egypt. 

2. David 1 Samuel.26:1-12

David had an opportunity to kill Saul when they got to the wilderness of Ziph.  Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched, and David saw the place Saul laid, and Abner the captain of his host were all asleep.  David was with Abishai when they found Saul and Abner and the other people with Saul all asleep. Abishai told David to seize the opportunity because the Lord had delivered his enemy into his hands.  David took the spear and cruise of water from Saul and went away. David refused to lay his hands on the Lord’s anointed this second time.

Thereafter, David made Saul and Abner, the captain of the host, realise that he had the opportunity to kill Saul, but he refused saying that he was the Lord’s anointed.  Saul apologized to David saying that he had sinned.  Saul went on his way, and David also went on his way. Later, he became king of Israel.

3. The Three Hebrews. Dan.3: 1-30

King Nebuchadnezzar had erected a golden image. He wants everybody to bow to it. He instructs that at the sound of musical instruments, everybody should bow to it. However, there were three Hebrew men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, officials in Babylon, who refused to bow. When the news got to Nebuchadnezzar, he summoned them to his court. He asked them if what was told about them was true. He told them to obey at the instance of the musical instruments and their refusal to do so would make him throw them into the burning fiery furnace and who is that God that will save them out of his hands? They replied to him that their God would deliver them from the furnace and his hands and if he did not, they would not serve his god

King Nebuchadnezzar was furious and ordered that the furnace be heated seven times more and that his mighty men in the army should bind them and throw them into the furnace. The Hebrew men were grabbed and thrown into the fire. The heat of the fire consumed the mighty men of Babylon. However, the Hebrew men were walking inside the fire unhurt. Nebuchadnezzar was surprised because he saw four men instead of three. He ordered that they should come out and the people were astonished when they saw that the fire did not affect them.

The king ordered that their God should be the only one that should be served. He promoted them to higher offices

ASSIGNMENT 

1. Describe the persecution of the three Hebrews.
2. Describe the personality of David.