In part 1 of this two-part Q&A, we looked at how disobedience to God’s instructions was life-changing for Adam and Eve, Lot’s wife, King Uzziah, and Gehazi, Elisha’s servant. Let’s continue with some more examples.
King Saul
In 1 Samuel 8, when Samuel the prophet was old, the elders made a request to him as we read in verses 4 and 5:
“Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, ‘Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.’”
This did not go down well with Samuel as he realized that the request of the people was sinful, but God told him in verse 9:
“Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.”
Samuel did this in quite some detail in the rest of 1 Samuel 8.
King Saul was the first king of Israel, the son of Kish, who was described as tall and handsome and he started well. His story is told in 1 Samuel 9 and continues until the end of this particular book in the Bible, chapter 31, where the sub-heading of this chapter is, in some translations: “The Tragic End of Saul and His Sons,” and so there is much information about this first king of Israel.
Initially, he was a humble and successful military leader from the tribe of Benjamin, but later disobeyed God, leading to his rejection as king and a tragic downfall marked by paranoia, jealousy of David, and his death on Mount Gilboa.
The first problem was his arrogance, as we read in 1 Samuel 13:1-2:
“Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mountains of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent away, every man to his tent.”
And so, two years into his reign comes his first big mistake. In this chapter, we read that he offered a burnt offering for the nation (verse 9) which only priests were allowed to do. He had waited seven days according to the time set by Samuel, and Samuel had not turned up and so he arrogantly took upon himself to do something that was prohibited to even a king. He was chastised by Samuel when he arrived to find that the offering had already been made by Saul. We read in verses 13-14 how big a mistake this was:
“And Samuel said to Saul, ‘You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.’”
In 1 Samuel 15, Saul was told by Samuel to kill all the Amalekites and all that they had, as we read in verse 3:
“Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ”
This was punishment for what they did to Israel (see verse 2). God has the right to take human life, but He used human beings for that purpose who did not understand that it was sin to kill, in order to fulfill His purpose. But, again, Saul was disobedient as we read in verses 8-9:
“He also took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.”
Saul told Samuel that he had performed the commandment of the LORD (verse 13) but he was rebuked by Samuel who told him what God had said in verses 17-19:
“So Samuel said, ‘When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the LORD anoint you king over Israel? Now the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, “Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.”Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do evil in the sight of the LORD?’”
Samuel made excuses but this was the second time that Saul had disobeyed God’s clear instructions. Samuel made this clear response in 1 Samuel 15:22:
“Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.”
There were many other errors that he made, including his consultations with a witch which led to his death, but the two mentioned above brought wrath from God, showing that disobeying God’s instruction was life-changing! Saul’s story serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of disobedience, pride, and failing to uphold divine commands.
Ananias & Sapphira
In Acts 5 we read about Ananias and Sapphira, a married couple in the early Jerusalem church, and the very bad decision that they both had made. The incident occurs shortly after the account in Acts 4, which describes the early Christians voluntarily sharing all their possessions and living in a community.
We read in verses 1-2:
“But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.”
The apostle Peter confronted Ananias about the sale of this land that they had sold. They had pretended to donate all of the proceeds received, but secretly kept part of it for themselves. This story emphasizes the need for honesty and reveals the high cost of hypocrisy.
The story continues in verses 3-6 where Peter confronted Ananias, stating that he had not lied just to humans, but to God.
“But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.’ Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.”
Peter said that Ananias had not lied just to humans, but to God, which was a fearful thing to do.
And more was to follow, continuing with verses 7-10:
“Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter answered her, ‘Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?’ She said, ‘Yes, for so much.’ Then Peter said to her, ‘How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the LORD? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.’ Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband.”
The deception was that Ananias, with his wife’s knowledge, sold a piece of land and brought only a portion of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. They were under no obligation to sell any piece of the land. Their sin was that they lied about how much they gave to the apostles, wanting to look great in the eyes of man.
This story about Ananias and Sapphira finishes in verse 11 where we read:
“So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.”
The ultimate price was paid for their sin!
Achan
Another biblical example of sinning by disobeying God’s command is that of Achan. In Joshua 7:1 we read about the problem:
“But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things, for Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed things; so the anger of the LORD burned against the children of Israel.”
These things were devoted to God. They were not to be taken for personal use.
The men of Ai struck down about 36 men (verse 5) and in verse 11, God revealed why this had happened:
“Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff.”
Through the process of elimination to find the culprit, Achan was found to be the one (verse 18), and we read his admission in verses 19-21:
“Now Joshua said to Achan, ‘My son, I beg you, give glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession to Him, and tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.’ And Achan answered Joshua and said, ‘Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I have done: When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it.’”
True enough, those items were found and Joshua and all Israel with them took Achan and all his family and animals that he had to the valley of Achor where they were stoned and then burned with fire (verses 24-26).
Achan was an Israelite from the tribe of Judah who disobeyed God’s command during the Battle of Jericho. By stealing devoted treasures from the city—a Babylonian robe, silver, and a gold bar—he brought divine judgment, causing Israel’s defeat at Ai and leading to his own death and that of his family.
Even though the Bible does not expressly say so, it appears that the family knew about, consented to and perhaps even participated in his transgression.
The severity of the punishment emphasizes the seriousness of stealing what was consecrated to God. Achan’s sin was not just personal; it affected the entire community, illustrating how individual actions can affect a group.
It certainly showed how disobeying God’s instructions can be life-changing, in this case not only for the wrongdoer but for the whole of his family and his possessions.
CONCLUSION
These seven examples which have been looked at briefly, clearly show that disobedience doesn’t pay, and there are others in the Bible.
In these examples, we see that disobeying God’s instructions resulted in loss of access to the Garden of Eden, and to death and leprosy.
We also know that the peoples of Israel and Judah obeyed God, then fell away, came back to God and so the see-sawing went on for a very long time. It is not what God is looking for in His people and the consequences are telling.
As someone once said: “Strict obedience is better than good intentions. This isn’t complicated. When you hear a clear command, don’t analyse or interpret it. Just obey it.”
In 1 Corinthians 10:11 is a command for all of us to take notice of: “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”
Paul sets out in Philippians 3:12-14 his strategy for making it into God’s Kingdom which is a great outline for us to take notice of.
“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Pressing on indicates a continuous active effort which is what God requires of us towards the goal of the prize of eternal life in the Kingdom of God, with our eyes on Jesus Christ showing the importance of a focus on the Ways of God and seeing earthly matters as secondary and subordinate. And obedience to God’s Ways is a vital component in that pursuit. All the people of God have to be careful not to play fast and loose with God, as disobedience can be deadly!
These Scriptures should be lessons for us all, but also great encouragement for us to maintain our focus where it should be – on our spiritual journey towards being in the Family of God for eternity!
Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)