"You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you." {Deuteronomy 4:2}
Truly, reading passages such as Moses' words to the children of Israel develops a clearer understanding of Biblical obedience. Why do we read such admonitions? "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." {Romans 15:4-6} Yet, I must wonder whether many of today's Christians have learned this lesson?
Why were Nadab and Abihu destroyed with fire from heaven? "Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them." {Leviticus 10:1} These priests of God disobeyed by offering worship that was different from what God had commanded, and it cost them their lives.
What about the great man, Moses? God gave him simple instructions--fetch from the rock, water for the children of Israel. He was instructed to speak to the rock. What did he do? "And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, "Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?" Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank." {Numbers 20:10,11} This was a sin of disobedience. Moses lost his right to enter the Promised Land.
King Saul had a similar problem. He was to destroy everything in Amalek that drew the breath of life. But Saul saved the king and the best of the sheep and oxen. He told Samuel he intended to offer the animals in sacrifice to God. But God was not pleased. "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offering and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than to sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams." {1 Samuel 15:22} Because of disobedience, Saul lost his kingship.
These three Bible characters have one thing in common. All disobeyed God and suffered terrible consequences for their actions. Each, by simply obeying God, could have avoided the terrible fate he suffered! God gave man a mind with which to reason and understand His teachings. How could anyone read these passages, and many others we could add, and come away without concluding that God has commanded, and expects from His children, TOTAL, TRUE OBEDIENCE? Let us awake out of sleep and realize that God's commands must be obeyed--not debated!