Biblical Basis for Earthly Rewards of Obedience
The biblical basis for the concept of earthly rewards for obedience is rooted in various passages throughout the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, the book of Deuteronomy presents a clear connection between obedience to God's laws and earthly blessings. Moses exhorts the Israelites to obedience, promising that if they hearken diligently to the voice of the Lord their God, they will be blessed in the land of Canaan [10]. The blessings for obedience include a happy temporal life and a continuance of it in the good land, with an enjoyment of its blessings and good things [11].
Proverbs also emphasizes the theme of earthly rewards for obedience. For instance, Proverbs 22:4 states that "the reward of humility is the fear of Yahweh—wealth and honor and life" [2]. Similarly, Proverbs 11:31 notes that "if the upright man is rewarded on earth, how much more the evil-doer and the sinner!" [1]. These passages suggest that obedience to God's commands can result in tangible earthly benefits.
The Psalms reinforce this idea, with Psalm 58:11 declaring, "Most certainly there is a reward for the righteous. Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth" [3]. Zechariah 8:12 also promises that obedience will be rewarded with prosperity: "For the seed of peace and the vine will yield its fruit, and the ground will give its increase, and the heavens will give their dew" [4].
In the New Testament, the concept of earthly rewards for obedience is not as prominent, but it is still present. The book of Revelation, for example, promises that those who are victorious and obedient will share in Christ's reign [8]. According to Tyndale House, the reward for obedience in Revelation 2:7 is "fruit from the tree of life—that is, eternal life" [6].
Theological traditions have interpreted these biblical teachings in various ways. John Calvin, one theologian, emphasizes that the promise of reward is not a matter of merit but rather a gracious gift from God [12]. Charles Hodge, another Reformed theologian, notes that the reward promised to Adam on condition of his obedience was life [7]. Thomas Aquinas, a Catholic Scholastic theologian, argues that obedience is a virtue that derives its value from its adherence to God, rather than its contemning of earthly things [9].
The Dead Sea Scrolls, specifically the War Scroll, also reflect a similar understanding of reward and obedience, highlighting God's judgment and the ultimate triumph of the righteous [5].
Sources
- Proverbs “Proverbs 11:31 (BBE) — If the upright man is rewarded on earth, how much more the evil-doer and the sinner!”
- Proverbs “Proverbs 22:4 (LEB) — The reward of humility is the fear of Yahweh— wealth and honor and life.”
- Psalms “so that men shall say, “Most certainly there is a reward for the righteous. Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth.” -- Psalms 58:11”
- Zechariah ““For the seed of peace and the vine will yield its fruit, and the ground will give its increase, and the heavens will give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things. -- Zechariah 8:12”
- Dead Sea Scrolls “War Scroll (Milhamah) (late 1st century BCE), section 15: commissioning the hosts of Your elect by their thousands and tens of thousands together with Your holy ones and Your angels, and directing them (5) in battle so as to condemn the earthly adversaries by trial with Your judgments. With the elect of heaven they shall prevail. (7) And You, O God, are awesome in the glory of Your dominion, and the company of Your holy ones is in our midst for eternal support. We shall direct our contempt at kings, derision (8) and disdain at mighty men. For the Lord is holy, and the King of Glory is with us ”
- Revelation (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Revelation 2:7: 2:7 The reward for obedience is fruit from the tree of life—that is, eternal life (22:2; Gen 3:22).”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 31: § 2. The Promise . The reward promised to Adam on condition of his obedience, was life. (1.) This is involved in the threatening: “In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die.” It is plain that this involved the assurance that he should not die, if he did not eat. (2.) This is confirmed by innumerable passages and by the general drift of Scripture, in which it is so plainly and so variously taught, that life was, by the ordinance of God, connected with obedience. “This do and thou shalt live.” “The man that doeth them shall”
- Revelation (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Revelation 3:21: 3:21 The reward for victorious and obedient faith is to sit with Christ on his throne. Christians do not become divine, but they share in Christ’s victorious reign (20:4, 6; 22:5; Col 3:1-4; 2 Tim 2:12).”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Second Part of the Second Part (Secunda Secundae), Of Obedience, Art. 3: Article: Whether obedience is the greatest of the virtues? I answer that, Just as sin consists in man contemning God and adhering to mutable things, so the merit of a virtuous act consists in man contemning created goods and adhering to God as his end. Now the end is greater than that which is directed to the end. Therefore if a man contemns created goods in order that he may adhere to God, his virtue derives greater praise from his adhering to God than from his contemning earthly things. And so”
- Deuteronomy (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Deuteronomy 28 (introduction): THE BLESSINGS FOR OBEDIENCE. (Deu. 28:1-68) if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God--In this chapter the blessings and curses are enumerated at length, and in various minute details, so that on the first entrance of the Israelites into the land of promise, their whole destiny was laid before them, as it was to result from their obedience or the contrary.”
- Deuteronomy (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Deuteronomy 30:15: See, I have set before thee this day,.... Moses here returns to press the Israelites to the present observance of the laws, statutes, and judgments of one sort and another, he had been delivering to them; as being of great moment and importance to them, no other than life and good, and death and evil; which are the effects and consequences of obedience and disobedience to them; a happy temporal life, and a continuance of it in the good land of Canaan, and an enjoyment of the blessings and good things thereof to them that are obedient; for not spiritual and ete”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 73: a seed in whom all the families of the earth should be blessed; the propagation of a seed that for number should equal the stars of heaven, and the sand of the sea, &c. Many years after he prepares, in obedience to a divine message, to sacrifice his son. Having done this act of obedience, he receives the promise, “By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son; that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of”