Blood Covenant - Part 9 — Bob Phillips

This is tape number 9 in the series. We urge you to listen to all the tapes in the series in numerical order so that the whole teaching can be received and understood. Listening to a part of the series or to the tapes out of sequence can lead to a misunderstanding of the nature, the intent, and the importance of the series.

The Neglected Command to Teach All of Christ’s Words

Matthew chapter 28. God's covenant of peace that he's made with us. God's covenant of peace. I want you to turn with me first of all to Matthew 28 because I just want to begin by sharing the scripture with you that we have totally neglected.

Isn't it interesting how we take part of the word of God and we emphasize certain parts of it, the rest of it we just kind of bypass and pretend it wasn't even there? Isn't that interesting how we can do that?

For example, let me just give you an example. Matthew chapter 28 verse 18 is probably one of the most popular or well-quoted scriptures, 18 and 19 and 20, of any place that I know of. You'll recognize it immediately.

It says, Now how many of you recognize that? Isn't that a popular scripture? And so we concentrate on baptizing people in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And we're very big on what we do in relationship to that.

But isn't it interesting that we don't pay too much attention to the next verse, particularly the way it starts? Not only are we to baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, but it seems to me like it says something about teaching them to observe all of His commandments.

Are you hearing what I'm saying? But instead we make obedience an option. We just want them baptized. And so we have a way of skipping over certain parts of the Word. That's how we've skipped over covenants.

New Birth as the Fruit of Covenant

We've absolutely ignored that salvation, that being born again is the fruit of covenants. Now let me say this to you. To be born again is the fruit of entering into covenant with God. Are you hearing what I'm saying?

Matter of fact, if you understand covenant, it'll clear up a whole lot of your theology. Like, for example, how do you get born again? I mean, how does that happen? Do you make a decision first? Or does God make a decision first?

Do you make the decision on your own? Then does the Holy Spirit come to you? Or does the Holy Spirit come to you and then you make the decision? Are you hearing me? You see, being born again was never meant to be a term we use to identify an experience we once had.

Being born again is the fruit of entering into a covenant relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. You know why you're born again? You know why it talks about in those words? It literally means being born from above.

Because it means that you're entering into new life. And you remember Jesus spoke that to Nicodemus. And Nicodemus, he knew that he was talking about new life because he said, God, I don't know Jesus, I don't understand.

How can a man reenter his mother's womb and be born again? How can that happen to him? So he at once knew that Jesus, whatever he meant, he knew that Jesus was talking about entering into a new life. Are you hearing what I'm saying?

Now, that's what we do when we're born again. We keep talking to people about, when were you born again? Well, I hope you're still born again. I hope it's a continuing experience with you, because when you enter into covenant with the Lord Jesus Christ, He exchanges His life and puts it in you, and He takes your own life and removes it.

Are you hearing what I'm saying? And so, to be born again is an experience into life. Are you with me? Now, God makes covenant. Born again is the fruit of entering covenant. To understand covenant would answer so many of our questions, theology, and theological questions that we have.

God’s Part and Our Part in the Covenant

Now, I want you to turn with me to Isaiah 54. Isaiah 54. I've been saying this all week. Everything that God does and did throughout the Bible is on the basis of covenant. Everything, regardless of what it is.

If God's going to do anything, it's going to be on the basis of covenant. Now, we're trying to establish something this week. I've said this before. Let me say it again. It's important that you know your part and that you know God's part.

Because you absolutely cannot do God's part. Only God can do God's part. And God will not do your part. Are you hearing me? So it's important that you understand and know what your part is and that you know what God's part is.

Now, I want you to see covenant from God's point of view. And this is where we've missed it. Because we've had a real controversy with falling away. And I want to say this to you right now in the very beginning.

I want you to understand this. Don't want you to miss it. Since I have understood covenant, I am more convinced of my security in Jesus than I ever was with a doctrine. Are you hearing what I'm saying?

I am absolutely convinced that nothing can rob me out of my Father's hand. I'm absolutely convinced of that. Nothing. I'm so convinced that even when I find something that I can't do, I can go to my covenant Father and I can say, God, I don't seem to be able to do this.

Would you work in me so I can perform this? Are you hearing what I'm saying? Because in this covenant, God has provided for me everything I need pertaining to life and godliness. Everything. He's left nothing out.

And that leaves me very secure. I've even found out that when my heart's gotten hard and I have trouble repenting on something, I can even go to my covenant Father with the desire to repent and He'll soften my heart, draw me in, take His word, smash the hardness out of my heart and draw me in loving kindness to Himself and grant me repentance.

Now, is that security? Our God is so loving in covenant, it's a covenant of love. I'm absolutely convinced of that. But as I've become more convinced of my security in Jesus, I have become even more convinced of people who think they're walking with the Lord, even maybe have entered into an experience with God, but walk in rebellion and stubbornness of their own heart.

They're not secure. They have no basis of faith. They have no hope in Christ Jesus. Are you hearing what I'm saying? Because they're not desiring to walk in Christ Jesus. There's no hope for those people.

Are you with me? I want you to make sure you understand that. It's not a matter of how you're going to live it. I've told you, you cannot live it. That's God's part. He must live it through you. He must live His life through you.

Are you with me? But He cannot live His life through you while you're living your life for yourself. Are you with me? All right. Now, I want you to look with me from God's point of view how He looks at covenant.

The Covenant of Peace in Isaiah 54

And here's what God says in Isaiah chapter 54. Isaiah 54, verse 10. Now, let the impact of these words sink into you because this is what God's saying to you. For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake but My lovingkindness will not be removed from you and My covenant of peace will not be shaken says the Lord who has compassion on you.

Do you see that? Every mountain and every hill would have to be removed before His lovingkindness would break. As a matter of fact, what it says is let them all be removed and My covenant of peace still wouldn't be broken from you.

Are you hearing what I'm saying? He says even though they're removed even though the huge mountain ranges you know, I think about because, see, I want you to know a God of covenant. You know what I'd like?

I'd like for you to so know the God of covenant that the next time you're on vacation and you see a mountain range you'll look at that mountain range and you'll look at all of its mass and you'll say, My goodness that thing would have to be removed and even then My covenant with God wouldn't be broken.

Are you hearing what I'm saying? Alright, now listen. He then says in verse 11 O afflicted ones storm-tossed and not comforted behold, I will set your stones in antimony and your foundation I will lay in sapphires moreover, I will make your battlements of rubies and your gates of crystal and your entire wall of precious stones and all your sons now He's talking about this covenant of peace this is what He's going to do for you through this covenant of peace and all your sons will be taught of the Lord.

Isn't that precious? If you'll, if God says if you'll walk in this covenant of peace that I've made for you that absolutely cannot be shaken all of your sons will be taught of the Lord and the well-being of your sons will be great in righteousness you will be established you'll be far from oppression for you will not fear.

I want you to read that again in righteousness you'll be established. You'll be far from oppression for you will not fear and terror for it will not come near you. And if anyone does attack you if anyone fiercely assails you He says, know this it won't be from me.

Are you hearing me? And then He says, now folks I want to tell you something. There's a condition this is for those people who are walking in the covenant of peace. Are you with me? If you're walking in stubbornness and rebellion to God's word this is not for you.

But if you're walking in the covenant of peace He says, know this for sure if you get an attack it's not me attacking you. Now is that what the word says? He says, if you get afflicted if you get attacked it's not from me.

It won't be from me. And whoever assails you will fall because of you. They don't have a very good chance. And it says, behold I myself, God have created the smith who blows the fire of coals and brings out a weapon for its work.

And I've created the destroyer to ruin. In other words, why worry about him? I've created him and I'm going to create him to ruin. Are you hearing what I'm saying? Now notice this. How many weapons? Everybody say it.

None no weapon. None no weapon. No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper. You know, I really don't care too much about what Russia's building next. I'm really not too concerned about what the market's going to be next week.

Now, I'm not saying there's not any concern for the people of this land. There is but I have a covenant of peace that even though a bomb would remove the mountains I'm still in the covenant of peace. And no weapon formed against me shall prosper.

Are you hearing what I'm saying? Because the life I live is not my own it's his life. And to destroy my life would be to destroy him and he cannot be destroyed. Are you hearing what I'm saying? There is value in not living for yourself.

Alright, now listen. No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper. And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you'll do what? You'll condemn. This is the heritage of who? This belongs to all the servants of the Lord and their vindication is from me declares the Lord.

Pretty good covenant, isn't it? Alright, now I want you to turn with me to Psalm 89 the 89th Psalm. Psalm 89. Psalm 89. Again, we're going to look at this covenant from God's point of view. That's what we're doing right now.

We're looking at the covenant from God's side. If you will listen to this carefully this will answer a lot of your questions about walking with the Lord. It'll also answer a lot of your questions about things like eternal security falling from grace things like that.

It'll answer a bunch of your questions. If you'll listen carefully and follow closely through this word I want you to know something God's serious about covenant. And I want you to see how serious He is on His side.

Then we're going to see how serious He is on our side. Are you with me? Now notice this. Psalm 89, verse 30. I want you to see the heart of God. If His sons forsake My law or My word and do not walk in My judgments even if they violate My statutes and do not keep My commandments then I will visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes.

Now, He says if you walk against His judgments against His word if you violate His statutes judgment's going to come on you. Is that what He said? But I want you to notice what God says. God says in the midst of that.

But I will not break off My loving kindness from Him. Are you seeing me? You need to stop listening to the devil. Because I've told you this God is not the least bit interested in where you once were.

Not 50 years ago not 30 years ago not 20 years ago not one hour ago. He's not interested in where you were. He's interested in where your heart is right now. And even if you have violated His covenant violated His laws violated His statutes rejected His law then God says know this My loving kindness still is not cut off from you.

Now, please understand this. That doesn't mean that does not mean that God will not judge the sin. But understand this. Yes, the powers of darkness judge sin. Because when you sin you're no longer walking in that protection of a covenant of peace.

But you've chosen to step out into another kingdom. You've chosen to walk in a foreign country. When you walk in a foreign country you're no longer under the government's protection. We see that with the hostage crisis the government did everything they could to negotiate to try to get the hostages back.

But those hostages were still under the influence of the country on whose soil they were in. Is that right? I say, is that right? Alright, now notice this. If one of those hostages had chosen to stay on that foreign soil there would have been nothing the United States could do to protect them.

Are you hearing what I'm saying? If you choose to walk on foreign soil if you choose to walk in the covenant with Satan by rebellion unrighteousness greed idolatry selfishness criticism backbiting slander gossip lust idolatry.

If you choose to walk there then you choose to walk in the land and the covenant of Satan. Are you hearing what I'm saying? Alright, now God poured His wrath out on Satan. As a matter of fact I want you to think back to something.

Sin, Adam’s Fall, and the Need for Repentance

When Adam and Eve fell in the garden God said this. He said cursed are you serpents. Are you with me? Cursed are you serpents. But He didn't curse Adam and Eve. Now you go read it now. I didn't say they didn't walk under curse.

I said He didn't curse them. He simply cursed Satan. In other words man is not cursed now. Yes when you're born into this world you are born with an Adamic nature that's under curse. Understand that. I understand that.

But Romans 5 tells me why you've got that nature. Don't go blaming it on Adam. It says through death sin entered the world through one man death entered the world and sin spread to all men. Therefore death spread to all men because all sinned.

And so when you had a chance to make a choice you chose sin. And the only thing that changed that you're guilty now because what Adam did he was just the representative head of the race. But you acted like Adam and Adam's nature was like Satan's nature which was to live for itself to go after the lust the eyes, the lust, the flesh the boastful pride of blind.

Are you hearing what I'm saying? So when you entered into covenant with the Lord Jesus you said I'm not going to live like that anymore. I'm choosing to live my life over here. And so God lives His life through you.

Are you with me? God chose to curse Satan and He cursed the ground. Now if you read Genesis chapter 8 you'll find out an amazing thing. God lifted the curse after the flood came and the flood and the flood was no more and there was just no one in His family left.

God said I'll never again curse the ground on behalf of man because His intentions are evil forever. And so He says I'm not going to curse the ground. So this ground is not cursed but it does live under the effects of sin.

But now let me tell you something. When a righteous man gets a hold of the ground and begins to do righteousness the ground yields forth its fruit. That's the principle in the word of God. Are you hearing what I'm saying?

When an ungodly man gets a hold of the ground it yields forth the fruit of ungodliness. So the land is now neutral. But Satan's nature is still cursed. And when you identify with Satan's nature you walk under a curse.

And every time you act like Satan a curse comes on you. Are you hearing what I'm saying? The only way to get out from under it is to repent and move back under the life of God and let the life of God flow through you.

Are you with me? Alright now so there is a curse on acting like Satan. But even though there's a curse on acting like Satan. Understand this God will not violate His covenant of peace. We saw in Isaiah 54 very clearly that even though the mountains be removed and the hills be removed God says I'll not break my covenant of peace with you.

Did we see that? And He says right here in Psalm 89 after He says that if you violate His statutes if you violate His law it says. But verse 33 I will not. I will not break off my loving kindness from Him.

Nor deal falsely in my faithfulness my covenant I will not violate. Nor will I alter the utterance of my lips. How many of you see that? God says I absolutely will not violate my covenant. Is that what He said?

Now look Psalm 89. We're still there. Look at turn. Look with me at verse 35 He says this once I have sworn by my holiness I will not lie to who? David. Now I want you to remember that because this is going to become a significant statement to you before the night's over.

Once I have sworn by my holiness I will not lie to David. His descendants shall endure forever. And his throne as the sun before me it shall be established forever like the moon. And the witness in the sky is faithful.

I'm not going to have you turn there. But you could turn for example to Ezekiel. I think it's Ezekiel chapter 33. Or it might be Jeremiah 33. But there's a covenant that God well I tell you we may go over there.

But there's a covenant that God makes. He says if you can do this if you can make the sun stop giving forth its light. And if you can if you can make the moon stop giving forth its light. Then you could.

Then you could break my covenant. Are you hearing what I'm saying? Alright. But now I want you to notice who he's talking about. Now listen to me carefully. In fact turn over there. Turn with me to Jeremiah chapter 33.

Jeremiah chapter 33 and notice what he says. This is very interesting. We're looking at the covenant from God's point of view. Jeremiah chapter 33. We're talking about God's covenant of peace that he says he will not remove Jeremiah 33.

Now notice this verse 14. Behold the days are coming declares the Lord when I will fulfill the good word which I have spoken spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah in those days.

And at that time I will cause a righteous branch of David to spring forth. Did he ever do that? Who was the righteous branch of David that sprung forth? The Lord Jesus Christ. Now I want you to see something.

We're going to see something in a minute. He says in those days I will cause a righteous branch of David to spring forth and he shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth. In those days Judah shall be saved and Jerusalem shall dwell in safety.

And this is the name by which she shall be called. The Lord is our righteousness. For thus says the Lord David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel. How many of you see that?

Now notice how serious he is about this verse 19. And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah saying thus says the Lord if you can break. Whose covenant? Whose covenant? My covenant. God who's saying this?

Is the Lord saying this? If you can break my covenant for the day and my covenant for the night so that the day and the night will not be at their appointed time then my covenant may also be broken with David my servant that he should not have a son to reign on his throne.

And with the political priests my ministers. Now that's a pretty strong statement. Here's what he said. If you have it in your power to stop the day and the night from coming at their appointed times then you can break my covenant.

Is that what he said? That's a pretty strong covenant. I don't care what kind of bombs man develops. That's a pretty strong covenant. Whether they go off in the morning or in the evening. The covenant's still not broken.

Are you hearing what I'm saying? All right. Now listen to me. Listen to me. I want you to notice something. What covenant will not be violated? God's covenant. And who did he make it with? David. Who does David represent?

The Lord Jesus Christ. Now do you remember earlier in the week when we talked about Abraham making covenants? He took some animals. He cut them in two and he was supposed to walk through the pieces. Walking through the pieces signified a walk of death pledging covenant loyalty.

And instead he fell asleep. God put him to sleep. And instead of Abraham walking through the pieces a flaming torch and a burning oven walked through the pieces. And we saw in Revelation 1 who the flaming torch and the burning oven was.

Who is it? It's none other but the Lord Jesus Christ. Now understand this. God the Father then made covenant not with Abraham but he made covenant with God the Son Jesus. Are you understanding what I'm saying?

That's why you see the phrase in the New Testament used in Christ. Every time you see the word in Christ you know what it means. Now it means covenant. Because Abraham didn't enter into a direct covenant with God he entered into the covenant on the basis of going to Jesus with a whole heart.

And he was in Christ. He was a joint heir then with the covenant between God the Father and God the Son. Are you with me? Now listen that covenant absolutely cannot be broken. Even if the hills and mountains are removed it won't be broken.

Day and night would have to be broken before it would be broken. And even then it wouldn't be broken. Are you hearing what I'm saying? Alright but I want you to notice something the Bible contingently talks about His people breaking covenant.

We don't see that. But if the covenant is that strong how can it be broken? It's not broken between God the Father and God the Son. As long as your trust is totally in Jesus as long as He has your whole heart as long as you keep coming to Him as long as you keep moving your life to be like Him as long as you keep choosing His will.

You are in a covenant that's established between God the Father and God the Son. That there's not a power in hell to shake or break loose. Are you hearing what I'm saying? Now this security that we got in doctrines because of an experience we once had is not helping anybody.

But that covenant understanding will make you absolutely unshaken and unmovable. Are you hearing what I'm saying? Alright. But now notice something. That covenant's between God and David. God and the righteous branch of David.

Between God the Father and God the Son. That covenant won't be broken. But you and I can choose to violate our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Are you hearing what I'm saying? Now as long as you're coming to Jesus with a whole heart folks it's not works.

We've looked at that it's all grace and grace is the power to do what God calls you to do. And even when you're lacking in something you can do all things through Him who strengthens you. Because if you call on Him He'll give you and supply you what you need for life and godliness.

Are you with me? Alright now notice turn with me to Jeremiah 11. Jeremiah chapter 11. Jeremiah chapter 11. We're going to see something for a moment of how this covenant is broken on our part. It can't be broken between God the Father and God the Son.

Are you with me? See this is where people are wondering. Well if the covenant has been made how could I ever fall away? Well because we never understood the covenant is not between us and God. If it were I'm going to tell you something we'd be dead dead already.

It wouldn't be a person in here. It would be alive because you've already transgressed it. Are you hearing what I'm saying? But because it's between the Father and the Son there's where our security is in Christ Jesus.

Are you with me? Now notice this Jeremiah 11 verse 1 the word this is the only way you can break covenant with Jesus. It's the only way we're going to see this. Let me say it again this is the only way you can break covenant with Jesus.

Now in fact I want you to just look at me a second so I can tell you this we've been putting so much bondage. Baptists Pentecostals Baptists have been just walking in fear either that or they just become so peace and safety conscious.

But those who really have a heart for Jesus they look at the sin. And we've been taught well because we had that experience back there because we had that experience and everything's okay. And so we just put our hope in a doctrine.

And then when somebody comes along with a real hard message about our sin we get shaken. You hearing what I'm saying? Because we start looking at the acts we do we start looking at this and this and this and this and this and so then somebody comes along and they say well God couldn't possibly be that because everybody sins.

And that just puts a little bit more peace and safety in our hearts. Then the Pentecostals get in bondage because they've got this doctrine where you get saved and then you get lost again. You get saved and then you get lost again and then you get saved and then you get lost again.

And so they never know if they're in or out. Are you understanding what I'm saying? And then there's all kinds of doctrines between here and there in the middle of this thing. Let me tell you something I'm going to show you how you break covenant with God.

It's the only way to break covenant with God. It's the only way now look at this Jeremiah 11 verse 1 the word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord saying hear the words of this covenant and speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and say to them thus says the Lord the God of Israel cursed is the man who does not heed the words of this covenant which I commanded your forefathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt from the iron furnace.

Now I know this is about the covenant with Abraham with Moses. But we're going to see it applies not only to Moses it's going to apply to us too. Just hang on. He brought them out of the land of Egypt from the iron furnace saying listen to my voice.

And what did he tell them to do. Do according to all which I command you so you shall be my people and I'll be your God in order to confirm the oath which I swore to your forefathers to give them a land flowing with milk and honey as it is to this day.

Then I answered and said amen oh lord. And the lord said to me proclaim all these words in the cities of judah and in the streets of jerusalem saying here's what he told him to say. Hear the words of this what covenant.

And what are you supposed to do. Do them. Sort of sounded like how we started Matthew 28. Verse 20 seemed to me to say 18 through 20 said go behold all authority has been given me in heaven and earth.

I ask you to go and baptize in the name of the father and the son the Holy Spirit which we've done. But then verse 20 says. Teaching them to do. Teaching them to do. Teaching them to do all I command you.

Is that what he's saying here all right now look what he says. Verse 7. For I solemnly warned your fathers in the day that I brought them up from the land of Egypt even to this day. Warning persistently saying listen to my voice.

Listen to my voice. What he said. Warning persistently saying listen to my voice. Yet they did not obey or inclined their ear but walked each one in the stubbornness of his evil heart. How many of you see that.

Therefore I brought on them all the words of this covenant which I commanded them to do. But they did not. Verse 10 they have turned back to the iniquities of their ancestors. Who what did their ancestors do.

They refused to hear my words. And they have gone after other gods to serve them the house of Israel and the house of Judah. What have they done. They have broken my covenant which I made with their forefathers.

Therefore thus says the Lord behold I'm bringing disaster on them which they will not be able to escape. Would you notice that they will not be able to escape though they will cry to me. Yet I will not listen to them all right now let me tell you the only way you can break covenant.

Stop focusing on the sins we've had this argument for so long. How often how long. How many sins did you commit before you fall away. We've missed the whole point because we've never seen that God's after the heart and not looking at the individual sin.

Are you hearing what I'm saying. No one sin will send you to hell. Are you understanding what I'm saying. It's not the sins God's focused on but a stubborn evil rebellious heart that refuses to obey his voice and goes to idols and abominations.

Will break covenant with God. And that's the only way you break covenant with God. Is that clear I say. Is that clear you.

See if I got covenant with God.

Angry with one of you and lost my temper and then I even walked in criticism for a while. That act won't break covenant with God. Are you hearing what I'm saying now. I want you to listen to what I'm saying because a big bunch of people wonder that act won't make won't break covenant with God.

There's not one act you do that breaks covenant with God. That's going to shock some people. Refusing to listen to his voice. Are you hearing what I'm saying. You see. Because if I've given God my whole heart my whole heart belongs to Jesus.

I sin against you through criticism gossip slander anything. The Holy Spirit lives inside me to quicken and awaken to me that that's a sin. He doesn't say you've broken covenant. You better get back in covenant.

He says that's a sin because the Holy Spirit the Comforter was sent into this world to convict of sin. Where I break covenant with God is I don't listen to his voice and I say no they wronged me. I choose to be critical.

I choose to walk in resentment. I choose to walk in rebellion. Are you hearing what I'm saying. Now all during that period of time God's covenant of peace is not shaken or broken. It's not. But I cannot walk in Christ Jesus and have those things in my life.

Are you hearing what I'm saying. I don't care what kind of. I don't care how big the church was. I don't care how famous the preacher was. You can't live that way and walk with Jesus. Are you hearing what I'm saying.

Alright. But what's God going to do. He is going to speak to my heart and say Bob you're in sin. Then when he speaks and I say God I refuse to listen. I have a right to do that. Or even if I say yeah I understand I have sin.

I know it's not right. But praise God. I'm going to go to heaven anyway. I refuse to listen to his voice. Are you hearing what I'm saying. And I broke him covenant. How many of you see that. Right here.

Stephen’s New Testament Warning in Acts 7

Well turn with me to Acts chapter 7. Because see there'd be some people say well that's the old covenant. And I'm sure none of you would. But somebody's going to get this tape. And they're going to say he completely missed it.

He's going back talking about the Abrahamic covenant. You can't talk about sin like that. Because that's the old testament. Alright. Let's see. Let's see how Stephen John in the new testament preached against sin.

Okay. Let's see how he did it. Acts chapter 7 verse 37 this is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel God shall raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren. This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to him on mount Sinai and who was with our fathers.

And he received living oracles to pass on to you. Could that be the word of God the word from the Lord. Now look at this verse 39. And our fathers were unwilling to do what they were unwilling to be obedient to him.