I don’t know about you, but I was one to question authority, and mother pulled rank with the clear directive: “Because mother said!” Melba and I agreed, “If a child will not pick up his or her toys at two years of age, he or she will not obey curfew at 16.” If obedience is not learned before pre-school, you will always be arguing with a disobedient child and youth.
Obedience is the watch word of God— see John 14:23. Today, morning and evening, we will be dealing with slaves, slave owners, and disobedient society as a whole. God reserves the right to reward obedience, punish disobedience. Breaking a covenant with God brings captivity, or death by plague, famine, and sword. God is frosted by covenant breakers.
“These things are written so you need not make the errors of those that have gone before you!” —God.