Honour comes when one enjoys high regard or one is greatly esteemed in life. Honour is good. Honour is godly: God receives and bestows honour. God wants us His people to be people of honour. Sadly many of us live and die without attaining to the honour or to the level at which God had envisaged for us.
Generally honour can come in three ways:
There were many instances in the bible where people devoted themselves to deeds of honour and were able to receive rewards that put them into position of honour:
For many years, the Ark of the covenant was dwelling in the tent in a village in Israel, so when David became the King and finished his city, he thought it would be a good thing to bring the Ark of God into a befitting place in his city.
II Sam. 6:1-11, the bible says David’s men used oxen driven cart to draw the Ark, which stumbled along the way, Uzzah that quickly stretched out his hand to stabilise the Ark was struck dead by God instantly! David became very fearful and displeased that he had to look for an alternative place for the Ark to rest.
Obededom name then came up and the Ark was taken there. What a deed of honour he embarked upon. He sacrificed his life and that of his family to host the Ark and removed shame from Jehovah’s emblem. He did not decline for safety as his wife or his children might touch it and die.
His honourable service paid off greatly. In three months, it was reported to David that God had blessed Obededom household exceedingly. Throughout his life, Obededom was a blessed man. He had 8 sons; 62 grandsons; all of who were special in the service of God (I Chro. 26:4-8). For God blessed him with men of Valour, valiant, able men in strength for service.
In another account, it was David that demonstrated a deed that accorded him a position of great honour in Israel. In I Sam. 17:1-54, the Israelites and Philistines were at war and their armies encamped against each other. It happened that the battle will be fought by just two people only, one from each side, the country of the individual that won was to be the conqueror and the country of the loser to become slaves. The Philistines had the Goliath of Gath to represent them, the Israelites had no one.
Goliath taunted, challenged, abused and cursed the nation of Israel for 40 days, yet no one had the courage to confront him. It took David (who was at the war by Divine arrangement) to remove the shame and reproach from Israel.
David became very wealthy, became an in-law to the King, his family was exempted from tax and he became a man of national honour at just 17 years of age!
In Numbers 13 & 14, Moses sent out 12 spies to check out the Promise Land and to bring back report. The people chosen were leaders in their tribes, who were already occupying a certain level of honour. When they came back, 10 of them brought back sad news and just 2 brought good news.
The action of the 10 dishonoured God greatly, so they and everyone above the age of 20 years died in the wilderness. Joshua and Caleb however entered the Promised Land and became men of great honour till today!
In II Sam. 23:8-14, the bible talked about certain men who were followers of David (Josheb, Eleazer and Shammah), they overheard David said that he longed to drink water from the well at gate of Bethlehem. These men took it upon themselves to go to after this water without any instruction to do so.
The well was guarded at the time by a garrison of Philistine soldiers, just 3 of them were able to break through the whole garrison, fetched the water and made their way to safety!
The sacrifice they paid was so great for David to bear, he refused to drink the water, it was like blood to him, he had to pour it as a sacrifice before the Lord.
These guys later became David’s mighty men of valour, commanding division of the Army.
In Luke 7:1-10, the bible records the act of a foreigner in Israel whom his deed brought him reward of honour by Jesus. He was a Centurion, possibly a Roman soldier whom his servant was gravely sick. He thought Jesus might not come to him as a foreigner, so he sent the elders of the Jews to Him.
When the elders got to Jesus, what they said regarding the Centurion was so moving that Jesus could not resist going. The man loved the people of Israel and had built a temple for them!
The words in the mouth of the Centurion even brought him more rewards of honour.
Someone might say, forget works, that they only need to have faith in God to make it to heaven. Truly, faith makes us candidates of heaven, but without good works a believer may not enter.
What will yours and mine be?
In conclusion, do you really want to be a man or woman of honour in this life and in the life to come?
Today we still have the opportunity to embark on good deeds and be certain our name is in the book of life. If you have not been involved in good deeds, please start today..
Prayers
The sermon, The Best Way to Become a Man or a Woman of Honour, by Pastor Samuel Obafaiye, was delivered on April 10, 2016.
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