We often hear "delayed obedience is disobedience" and experience bears this out to be true. When God tells us to act, timing is part of the obedience. He is telling us to act in a specific way in that specific time. But could early obedience not be the same?
Just as there are numerous examples of waiting too long being a detriment, there are many cases where going too early causes loss and ruin. In friendly games such as chess to deadly battles in war, attacking before the proper moment will lead to defeat just as surely as an over-extended delay.
Babies are in greater danger the earlier they are born. Food can be dangerous if not cooked long enough. Relationships can be damaged if we assume early on that it is much closer than it actually is. Timing is important, not only in waiting too long, but in acting too early.
Saul, the first king of Israel, found this to be the case when he made a quick decisions that had eternal consequences.
In 1 Samuel 13:7-14, Saul is waiting with his army on the arrival of Samuel. The last of the judges and the first of the prophets was coming to offer a sacrifice to God and ask His blessing on Israel's military incursion against the Philistines.
The fierce enemy was fast approaching Saul's encampment and Samuel had not yet arrived. They had been told to wait seven days. It was now the seventh day and Saul's men were beginning to scatter. The fledgling monarchy was falling apart in the face of Philistine army.
Saul decided to take matters into his own hands. He told the men to bring him the materials for the sacrifice. He was going to offer them to God and ask His blessing on their attack.
As is most often the case, Samuel shows up right as Saul is finishing the offering. The king explains that he was worried about his men deserting and the Philistines attacking, both legitimate concerns.
The enemy was gathering close by, on the verge of launching their assault and Samuel was not there to ask God for His favor. Saul knew that the Israelites needed God's blessing to overcoming the opposing army. He did not want to engage in battle without asking God for His favor, so Saul decided he had waited long enough. It was time to act.
Samuel rebukes the anxious king for not following God's command, which demonstrated that Saul was not a man after God's own heart. The kingdom is now Saul's temporarily, but will soon be ripped out of his hand and given to another. This new king will have his line extend forever, whereas Saul's will end with his own life.
It seems like such a heavy penalty for merely doing something early. Saul claimed he wanted to make sure God was blessing their efforts. He said he didn't want to run the risk of going to war without God's favor. Is that a reason to take the kingdom from his family forever?
Yes, because it pointed to something deeper within Saul. This was much deeper than it appears. Saul tried to do things ahead of God's schedule. He wanted to show the troops that he was in control. It didn't matter that God's prophet had said, "Wait." The king said, "Go."
In Saul's heart was a seed of pride that was taking root. He was determined to run things the way he saw fit. This brings bitter fruit through out Saul's reign as Israel's king, as he continually attempts to rule in his own authority and his own power, outside of God's.
David committed adultery, had a man killed and lied about the whole affair. Despite those actions being heinous and seemingly drastically more serious that offering a sacrifice too early, God knew David's heart was pointed in the right direction. Yes, serious mistakes were made that had to be dealt with, but David was a man that desired to please God. We see Saul as a man that desired to please and promote himself.
In what area of your life are you attempting to wrest control away from God and exert your dominance by going ahead of his schedule? An obvious answer for much of our culture would be sex before marriage.
Young adults feel as if God has no right to tell them what they can do. Or Christians attempt to rationalize their behavior by saying, "I'm going to marry them anyway" or "We might as well be married now, except for the legal document."
That's the obvious answer, but it is not the only one. Many times we attempt to run ahead of God's timeline because deep down we feel we know better. Invariably, we discover that our pride has once again led to our downfall. God establishes his timetable for a reason that may not be obvious from the start, but it is vital nonetheless.
Delayed obedience is disobedience, but so is early obedience. Neither is actual, true obedience. Neither is what God calls us to. Both point to heart issues that, unimpeded, will develop into larger issues of rebellion. Don't attempt to obey God early or late. Don't try to obey God in your own time. Just obey God.
Just as there are numerous examples of waiting too long being a detriment, there are many cases where going too early causes loss and ruin. In friendly games such as chess to deadly battles in war, attacking before the proper moment will lead to defeat just as surely as an over-extended delay.
Babies are in greater danger the earlier they are born. Food can be dangerous if not cooked long enough. Relationships can be damaged if we assume early on that it is much closer than it actually is. Timing is important, not only in waiting too long, but in acting too early.
Saul, the first king of Israel, found this to be the case when he made a quick decisions that had eternal consequences.
 |
| Photo from RGBstock.com by Jay Simmons |
The fierce enemy was fast approaching Saul's encampment and Samuel had not yet arrived. They had been told to wait seven days. It was now the seventh day and Saul's men were beginning to scatter. The fledgling monarchy was falling apart in the face of Philistine army.
Saul decided to take matters into his own hands. He told the men to bring him the materials for the sacrifice. He was going to offer them to God and ask His blessing on their attack.
As is most often the case, Samuel shows up right as Saul is finishing the offering. The king explains that he was worried about his men deserting and the Philistines attacking, both legitimate concerns.
The enemy was gathering close by, on the verge of launching their assault and Samuel was not there to ask God for His favor. Saul knew that the Israelites needed God's blessing to overcoming the opposing army. He did not want to engage in battle without asking God for His favor, so Saul decided he had waited long enough. It was time to act.
Samuel rebukes the anxious king for not following God's command, which demonstrated that Saul was not a man after God's own heart. The kingdom is now Saul's temporarily, but will soon be ripped out of his hand and given to another. This new king will have his line extend forever, whereas Saul's will end with his own life.
It seems like such a heavy penalty for merely doing something early. Saul claimed he wanted to make sure God was blessing their efforts. He said he didn't want to run the risk of going to war without God's favor. Is that a reason to take the kingdom from his family forever?
Yes, because it pointed to something deeper within Saul. This was much deeper than it appears. Saul tried to do things ahead of God's schedule. He wanted to show the troops that he was in control. It didn't matter that God's prophet had said, "Wait." The king said, "Go."
In Saul's heart was a seed of pride that was taking root. He was determined to run things the way he saw fit. This brings bitter fruit through out Saul's reign as Israel's king, as he continually attempts to rule in his own authority and his own power, outside of God's.
David committed adultery, had a man killed and lied about the whole affair. Despite those actions being heinous and seemingly drastically more serious that offering a sacrifice too early, God knew David's heart was pointed in the right direction. Yes, serious mistakes were made that had to be dealt with, but David was a man that desired to please God. We see Saul as a man that desired to please and promote himself.
In what area of your life are you attempting to wrest control away from God and exert your dominance by going ahead of his schedule? An obvious answer for much of our culture would be sex before marriage.
Young adults feel as if God has no right to tell them what they can do. Or Christians attempt to rationalize their behavior by saying, "I'm going to marry them anyway" or "We might as well be married now, except for the legal document."
That's the obvious answer, but it is not the only one. Many times we attempt to run ahead of God's timeline because deep down we feel we know better. Invariably, we discover that our pride has once again led to our downfall. God establishes his timetable for a reason that may not be obvious from the start, but it is vital nonetheless.
Delayed obedience is disobedience, but so is early obedience. Neither is actual, true obedience. Neither is what God calls us to. Both point to heart issues that, unimpeded, will develop into larger issues of rebellion. Don't attempt to obey God early or late. Don't try to obey God in your own time. Just obey God.
