Hearken Unto God Ps. 81:10-16 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
Israel Should Have Hearkened Unto God
We should hearken unto God. God promised Israel blessings if they would have hearkened unto him. In Ps 81:10-16, the Lord said that if Israel had hearkened unto him he would have:
- Subdued their enemies
- Turned his hand against their adversaries
- The haters of God would have submitted unto him
- Israel’s time would have endured forever
- God would have fed them with the finest wheat
- God would have satisfied them with honey out of the rock
But they wouldn’t hearken unto him. And so the Lord gave them up to their own hearts lust and they walked in their own counsels.
We Should Hearken Unto God
We can draw some spiritual insight from this passage by making a spiritual application to ourselves.
When You Hearken Unto God, He Will:
Make You Free
Jn 8:32 says, “ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” There is nothing like walking in the liberty of the Spirit of God [2 Cor 3:17] under the perfect law of liberty [Jas 1:25] free from the bondage of sin [Rom 6:7, 16-18]. But when you refuse to hearken to the word of truth, you are held in bondage [Jn 8:33-34; Prov 5:22-23]. You may think you are free, but you are only free from righteousness [Rom 6:20]. You are now the servant of sin and you are brought in bondage [2 Pet 2:18-19].
Make His Words Known Unto You
In Prov 1:23, 33, when you read the Bible, which is where God speaks with you, the Lord will make known to you the things he wants you to see and the things he wants you to do. He will protect you and keep you quiet from the fear of evil. But if you turn away from his words and decide not to hearken to him, he’ll laugh at your calamity, mock your fear, turn a deaf ear to your prayer, and hide from you [Prov 1:24-30]. You’ll be on your own, just like Israel, to walk in your own counsel and eat the fruit of your own way [Prov 1:31-32].
Keep You Clean
In Ps 119:9, 11, a young man keeps his way clean by taking heed to the word of God and he sets up a prevention against sin by hiding God’s word in his heart. Even as saved sinners, the word of God cleanses us [Jn 15:3]. But when you turn away your ear from the words of God, you backslide and you’ll be filled with your own ways [Prov 14:14]. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap,” [Gal 6:7]. You sow the wind and you will reap the whirlwind [Hos 8:7]. You always reap more than you sowed.
Reward You
In Prov 13:13, the Lord will reward you with all that obedience to his word entails. He’ll provide for you and give you peace, direction, grace, comfort, joy, love, strength, assurance, satisfaction, wisdom and many more things he has promised us. But God can destroy you if you turn away from his words and refuse to hearken to him. I’ve seen the disobedient destroy their families, their businesses, their health, their reputation, their very lives. If you’re not destroyed on this side of glory, certainly all you have worked for will be destroyed at the judgement seat of Christ [2 Cor 5:10-11; 1 Cor 3:11-15]. The Lord rewards fools and transgressors [Prov 26:10].
Conclusion
Listen to God’s voice in his words. You will see that they work in your life. They make you perfectly content when you obey them.