What Jehovah Required in the Past

Jehovah instructed the first human pair, Adam and Eve, to rear children, subdue the earth, and have animal life in subjection.  The man and his wife were also blessed with a spacious park-like home.  (Genesis 1:27, 28; 2:9-15)  But there was a restriction. They were not to eat of a certain tree, one among the many fruit-bearing trees in the garden of Eden. (Genesis 2:16, 17)  That was not asking too much, was it? (No) Would you not have enjoyed carrying out such an assignment, with the prospect of living forever in perfect health?  though a tempter appeared in the garden, you not have rejected his argument? And would you  not agree that Jehovah had the right to impose the one simple restriction? -Genesis 3:1-5. 

Later, Jehovah asked Noah to construct an ark as a means of preservation through a global flood. In view of the ark's huge size, the job was not easy and was probably carried out in the face of much ridicule and  hostility. Yet, what a  privilege it was for Noah to be able to save his household, not to speak of the many  animals!  (Genesis 6:1-8, 14-16; Hebrews 11:7; 2 Peter 2:5)  If given such an assignment, would you have worked  hard to fulfill it? or would you have concluded that Jehovah was asking too much of you?  

God asked Abraham to do something very difficult, telling him:  "Take, please, your son, your only son whom you so love, Isaac, and make a trip to the land of Moriah and there offer him up as a burnt offering." (Genesis 22:2)  Since Jehovah had promised that the then children Isaac would have offspring, Abraham's faith in God's ability to restore Isaac to life was tested.  When Abraham attempted to sacrifice Issac, God preserved the young man.  This incident illustrated that God would offer his own Son for mankind and would later resurrect him.  -Genesis 17:19; 22:9-18; John 3:16; Acts 2:23, 24,  29-32; Hebrews 11:17-19)

Some  may think that Jehovah God was asking too much of Abraham. But was he?  Is it really unloving for our Creator, who can resurrect the dead to ask  to be obedient to him even if this should result in our sleeping temporarily in death?  Jesus Christ and his early followers did not think so.  They were willing to do the same? Consider some of the things that Jehovah required of those who agreed to be his people.  

Next time: Jehovah's Law to Israel

From the Watchtower magazine, 1999