THE BIBLE AND GOD’S FAVOUR

PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)

NCE (English); Dip (Computer Studies); ND/HD (Journalism); Dip, BA (Theology) MA, PhD.

Call: +2348037346939 E-mail: professorbenonyeukwu@yahoo.com

THE BIBLE AND GOD’S FAVOUR

Devotional Text: Exodus 3:18-22; 12:35-36

INTRODUCTION:

Favour is in focus when someone or group is treated better than others. And, no controversy, throughout history, God treats those who serve Him faithfully better than those who pay lip service to Him and His work, since He is God of justice, “who rewards everyone according to what they have done”, (Rev. 22:12). However, the Oxford Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary which defines the word “favour” as “ treatment that is generous to one person or group in a way that seems unfair to others” may readily suggest to a thoughtless mind that God was unfair to the Egyptians when He favourably disposed them towards the Israelites, (Ex. 12:36). But, that is not the case, for the Lord God only granted the favour as a little pay-back of many years of injustice the Egyptians had meted out on the Israelites before the Exodus, (vs. 35-36)

GENERAL REMARKS

(1)       God often favours those who suffer injustice against those who subject them to such a  treatment, (Ex. 3:18-22)

(2)       God favours His people as a way of comforting them after hard times and mistreatment, (vs.18-22)

(3)       God equally favours His people as a means of providing for His works and services, (Ex.35:4-24)

(4)       God is always angry when the provision of His favour is diverted for satanic services, ( Ex.32:1-10)

GOD’S FAVOUR AND PURPOSE

In addition to what is cited at the general remarks of this lesson which indicates that God favours His people for the purposes of comfort and provisions for His works and services, it becomes equally important to show that the Lord also favours those who serve Him with the plan to adorn them, since He is interested in the total well-being of His children. This informs the message ...”you will not go empty handed. Every woman is to ask her neighbour and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and clothing, which they would put on their sons and daughters”... (Ex. 3:21-22). In today’s context, too, God favours His people to bring comfort and adornment to them, and by the same token positions them as instruments for the sponsorship of His work, just as the children of Israel used the silver and gold which God favoured them to have from the Egyptians, for the building of the ark of God and other services in the wilderness, (Ex.35:4-24). In line with the foregoing, therefore, this lesson restates that God favours His people for the purposes of:

(i)                    Sponsoring His work and services, (vs.4-24)

(ii)                  Bringing comfort and happiness to them, (Ex.3:21-22)

(iii)                 Clothing and giving a sense of belonging to the less-privileged, (vs.21-22)

This makes it a matter of Divine Demand that when God favours one, one should stand out to sponsor His work,

 bring comfort and happiness to those in sorrow, as well as cloth those who need such a help.

GOD’S FAVOUR AND THE RIGHTEOUS

The scriptural expression, “a good man obtains favour from the Lord”... (Prov.12:2A) strongly reveals what moves the Lord to favour someone. By way of analysis, a good man is someone who does what is good, and someone who does what is good, does what is right, and someone who does what is right, is righteous, and such a person is the delight of the Lord, who can attract His favour anytime, anywhere. The citation above is an attempt to biblically show the path to God’s favour, and the need for the believer to take appropriate step towards this end, since the Lord God alone is the source of legitimate favour. This, also brings to the fore that certain favour could be deceptive and should be avoided, as well as points to the fact that any favour which tries to lure one to sin is satanic and not of God, (see Matt.4:8-11). Satan, the Devil is always presenting certain favour to the believer, as he did to our Lord and Blessed Saviour, Jesus Christ, as a way of leading them into sin, which the true believer will always shun, even as the unfaithful believer will always go for them. The simple message here is that:

(i)                    Satan always presents unholy favour, (vs. 8-11)

(ii)                  The believer should always shun unholy favour, (vs. 8-11)

(iii)                 The Lord God should always be trusted for legitimate favour, (Prov.12:2)

Therefore, tell the Lord to arise and have compassion on you, for it is time to favour you,(Psalm 102:13)

GOD’S FAVOUR AND THE WICKED

The second part of the book of Proverbs chapter twelve verse two stresses that the Lord condemns a crafty man, whereas the first shows that He favours a good man, (Prov. 12:2). By way of analysis, also, a crafty man is a dishonest man, and a dishonest man is someone who lives in falsehood, and someone who lives in falsehood is a wicked man, who can hardly be favoured by the Lord, (vs.2). This is because a crafty man wangles his ways by the means of the devil, which the Lord always frowns at. In other words, God is constantly angry with crafty people, since they are the opposite of His Holy character, and cannot be relied on. In this connection, this lesson cites Judas Iscariot as a good example of those forced out of Eternal Favour, as a result of unchecked crafty disposition, (Matt. 26:20-25;27:3-5). Materially, too, Cain lost God’s favour for bountiful harvest when he craftily killed his brother Abel, (Gen. 4:3-12). Based on the biblical narrative above, it becomes obvious that a crafty man, who is definitely a wicked man:

(i)                    Does not receive God’s favour in business, but curses, (vs. 8-12)

(ii)                  Receives condemnation from the Lord, instead of favour, (Prov. 12:2)

(iii)                 Lacks good understanding, and by this reaps hard times, instead of favour, (see Prov. 13:15)

In conclusion, please note that this lesson is a biblical menu that God favours His people, and in turn expects them to favour others, as well as positions them as instruments for the sponsorship of His work. The lesson equally reveals that the favour of the Lord is on the righteous, as the wicked is constantly condemned, (Prov. 12:2). BEWARE OF WICKEDNESS!