Why Hesitate? Listen and Obey!
“HE WHO hesitates is lost,” says a popular maxim. This is certainly true where it concerns doing what our Creator, Jehovah God, asks us to do.
The Bible contains many pointed examples of those who hesitated to obey God, or who chose a course of action independent from him. The lessons they teach us are vital for our day.
Lot and His Wife
One case in point was that of Lot and his wife, some 3,900 years ago. Lot and his uncle Abram were nomadic alien residents in the land of Canaan. Crowded pasturage caused conflicts between their respective herdsmen. To avoid further problems Abram and Lot agreed to go their separate ways. Unselfishly Abram gave Lot the first choice of land. His nephew chose the well-watered region of the lower Jordan and Salt Sea. He finally settled his tents near the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. From a material standpoint it seemed a wise choice. From the spiritual one it could hardly have been worse.
Lot’s neighbors in Sodom “were gross sinners against Jehovah.” They were depraved homosexuals, “from boy to old man.” (Genesis 13:13; 19:4) How did Lot view the situation? The apostle Peter answers: “That righteous man by what he saw and heard while dwelling among them from day to day was tormenting his righteous soul by reason of their lawless deeds.” Their depravity, however, was not to go unpunished. The Bible account explains: “Consequently Jehovah said: ‘The cry of complaint about Sodom and Gomorrah, yes, it is loud, and their sin, yes, it is very heavy.’” So heavy in fact that Jehovah determined to destroy those cities together with their perverted inhabitants. Lot’s well-watered region was no longer such a rosy prospect.—2 Peter 2:6-8; Genesis 18:20, 21.
How were Lot and his family to escape the impending destruction? The very angels who were to act as executioners of the cities’ inhabitants were sent to Lot to give him life-saving instructions. What were he and his family to do? Abandon the city without delay!
Indecision Does Not Pay
How did Lot and his family react to those clear instructions? After being rebuffed by his sons-in-law, who considered the threat of destruction to be a joke, Lot kept lingering around the place. Rather than obeying immediately God’s command to flee, he delayed. But the angels did not. They had their instructions and obeyed them. “In the compassion of Jehovah upon him, the men [materialized angels] seized hold of his hand and of the hand of his wife and of the hands of his two daughters and they proceeded to bring him out and to station him outside the city.”—Genesis 19:15, 16.
Did Lot and his family then flee to the mountainous region as instructed? Not at once. Whether he was influenced by his wife or not we do not know, but he implored Jehovah’s angel to let him seek refuge in a nearby city. This was granted and they fled to Zoar. (Genesis 19:18-22) How did Lot’s wife react to this uprooting and sudden change of home? Apparently she did not trust Jehovah’s judgment in the matter. Like her husband, she was indecisive, but with the difference that he eventually obeyed. She did not. She “began to look around from behind him [Lot], and she became a pillar of salt.” (Genesis 19:26) She hesitated and lost.
Did the Early Christians Obey?
Just as Lot and his family were instructed to flee without delay from their wicked neighbors, so Jesus gave a similar warning to those of his generation. He told them that in time Jerusalem would be surrounded by encamped armies and that the only escape would be flight to the mountains. (Luke 21:20, 21) He warned of the danger of hesitation or delay: “Let the man on the housetop not come down to take the goods out of his house; and let the man in the field not return to the house to pick up his outer garment.”—Matthew 24:17, 18.
When the Roman armies temporarily withdrew their siege of Jerusalem in the year 66 C.E., alert Christians remembered Jesus’ instructions. They listened and obeyed. They got out of Judea without delay and fled to the mountains to the east of the river Jordan. The unbelieving Jews and any Christians who doubted stayed behind in what appeared to be a divinely protected holy city. Four years later the Romans came back with a vengeance and wiped out over a million of Jerusalem’s inhabitants. They left the city in ruins. How happy and relieved were those obedient Christians up in the mountains when they heard the news of Jerusalem’s destruction! Their unhesitating obedience had been blessed.
Is There a Modern Application?
What can we learn from these vivid pictures of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and of Jerusalem? Jesus Christ used the annihilation of those cities as a parallel for the time “when the Son of man is to be revealed.” (Luke 17:28-30; 21:5-36) For earnest Bible students the events since 1914 indicate that we are rapidly approaching that time for execution of judgment. Soon Jehovah and Christ will act to rid the earth of all gross sinners.—Revelation 19:11-21.
How should this knowledge affect you? For example, if you are contemplating Christian baptism in water, should you hesitate about this vital step? Should the decision seem like a mountain to you? Not if you listen to Jesus’ command and obey him. (Matthew 28:19, 20) Having taken in knowledge of Jehovah and the Kingdom, you can show that you value a relationship with Jehovah through Christ by undergoing water baptism. This would be an open confession of your unequivocal dedication to God.—Matthew 10:32, 33.
Christians who are already baptized should also analyze their situation. How? By reflecting on the attitude of Lot’s wife. She lost out because she did not wholeheartedly trust in God. She did not move forward with confidence. (Luke 17:31, 32) Maybe some today hold back from a fuller participation in Christian service, even though their circumstances allow for it. For example, some may be in a position to serve as auxiliary or regular pioneers. Think of the blessings that could result! Many today who acted on their opportunities are now joyfully serving as Gilead missionaries or are in Bethel, special pioneer, circuit or district service. They are glad they entered this open door of service.—Revelation 3:8.
For Christians today this is no time for hesitation. This corrupt system of things is doomed. Why, then, look back in doubt? Be ready, always, to listen and obey. Look forward and trust in Jehovah. Be like Abraham, who obeyed without hesitating, even as the apostle Paul states: “Because of the promise of God he did not waver in a lack of faith, but became powerful by his faith, giving God glory and being fully convinced that what he had promised he was also able to do.”—Romans 4:20, 21.