Rebellion

I owned a black Labrador Retriever for fourteen years, (or he owned me I’m not really sure}. This dog was very smart. I got him when he was a tiny pup and trained him myself and I put hundreds and hundreds of hours into it and as a result of his intelligence and my hard work, he was extremely well-trained.

I had a two and one half acre lake in my backyard and I could take him to the backside of the lake and instruct him to stay. I would walk all of the way around the lake back to my house, go inside and fix a glass of tea and go back out on my deck and he would still be sitting there waiting for his next command.

From the deck I would raise my hand and wave for him and he would take off running like the wind. I would blow my whistle and he would immediately stop, sit down and wait for his next command. I would wave him on and he would take off again. I would motion to the left and he would go left; motion to the right and he would go right. I would motion him down and he would lie down. He was a wonderful hunting dog and retriever. He would sit next to me in a duck blind and woe unto me if I shot and happened to miss a duck. He would all but bite me and look at me with sheer disgust.

His name was Bear and he was a great dog and companion, but Bear did have his faults. He knew what he should do and he knew what he should not do, but sometimes he just could not help himself. Once he wanted to chase some tame ducks at a local park. He started going in the ducks direction and turned around and looked at me. I called him back. He ignored me and started a slow trot towards them again. I called him, louder this time, and he stopped and looked at me momentarily and I could tell that he was considering his options. I was saying under my breath, “Don’t do it Don’t you do it you hound”, and then he took off like a race horse coming out of the gate and off he went chasing the ducks.

He knew he was wrong to do so, but at times he just did things like this anyway regardless of the consequences that he knew he would endure. In a word Bear was rebellious.

Bear splashed into the pond after the ducks and with great commotion and quacking they flew away. When he came slinking back with that look of, “Uh oh – I’m in trouble now”, I beat him about the head and wherever I could land a blow and he just shut his eyes and took it. When I was through he shook his big head, wagged his thick black tail and smiled at me with his tongue hanging out of his mouth sideways and those expressive loving bright brown eyes shining with a silly look on his face, thankful that I was no longer mad at him and life would be good again.

I wonder how many of us are like old Bear. We know that what we are considering doing is flat wrong, we consider the consequences, and then we deliberately violate God’s laws and do it anyway, knowing full well that there is going to be a consequence to that sin.

I’m sure God takes no pleasure in punishing us, but His holy nature demands our obedience and He cannot and will not tolerate rebellion. He cares that we focus on Him and surrender to Him more and more each day. If we are too rebellious we could suffer a fate worse than death. It happened to satan and one third of the angels in heaven when in an instant they were expelled from heaven as “stars falling from the sky” for rebelling against God. Hell was originally created for satan and the angels who joined him in their rebellion against God. Unfortunately those among us who reject Jesus Christ will join them one day. Worst case punishment for rebellion is “everlasting” torment in the “Lake of fire”; lesser punishment results in a lack of peace and joy while living on this old earth.

The best policy is to submit to God and obey His commands. His commands are for our own good and will lead to peace, joy, and prosperity. He loves us and wants to bless us. As with any loving father, God will discipline us if we force the issue. If we make a mistake and are punished, we should follow old Bear’s example, he knew he was going to get a whuppin’ and he took it like a man… err dog; we should do likewise. Submit to God today and enjoy life.

Isaiah 1:19
If you are willing and obedient,
You shall eat the good of the
land;
But if you refuse and rebel,
You shall be devoured by the
sword