Reading in the Old Testament causes me to have to work really hard to pronounce some of the names. Some words and names are difficult to pronounce. Yet, a word does not need several letters or syllables to be hard to say? What about the very small word NO? For many, it is a difficult word because it expresses rejection. Let's observe some past examples of great suffering because of the word NO.
Children of Israel. "And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the LORD will not hear you in that day. Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, No, but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles." (1 Samuel 8:18-20) The nation decided it needed a king so it could be like the surrounding nations. God told Samuel to warn the people about the misery a king would bring them. They didn't care and said NO to allowing God to be their king. When we study Israel's history, we see that what God said came to pass.
Walking in the old paths. "Thus says the LORD: "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'" (Jeremiah 6:16) God sent Jeremiah to warn Judah of impending destruction as punishment for their disobedience. Judah had watched her sister nation, Israel, go into Assyrian captivity because of its transgression. Now she was repeating the same conduct. God's prophet begged the people to return to the "old paths." They soundly rejected His offer and said NO, we won't walk in those paths. History tells us they, too, went into captivity-in Babylon-because of their spiritual adultery. They endured 70 years of captivity because they said NO!
Egypt's destruction. "Then all the men who knew that their wives had burned incense to other gods, with all the women who stood by, a great multitude, and all the people who dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying: 'As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we will not listen to you!'" (Jeremiah 44:15, 16) The people had to be punished for their conduct. Some thought that, instead of accepting captivity in Babylon, they could go to Egypt and escape God's wrath. Jeremiah warned that God would also destroy Egypt and that they would die there if they didn't submit and go into Babylonian captivity. The people said NO and went to Egypt-and they died there because they failed to listen to the Lord's words! We cannot escape God's judgment, no matter how fast or how far we go.
There are many examples where God's people refused to say NO to sin and followed its destructive course. Sadly, many continue to follow suit today. NO may be a simple word, but rejecting God is serious!