Actually, there is no Hebrew word for “obey" but the word “obey” shows up around 130 times in your Old Testament. So here is a question, How can we put a word in our Old Testament over 130 times that’s never even there in the original manuscript’s language?
The Hebrew word behind the English word “obey” is the verb שמע (Sh.M.A, shema). The term ‘shema is actually more accurately translated as “listen” or “hear.” The famous “Shema” from Deuteronomy 6 gets its name from this beautiful Hebrew word. The Shema begins, “Hear, O Israel, the LORD your God, the LORD, is one!” (Deuteronomy 6:4). That, “hear,” is the Hebrew term 'shema'. Hear. Listen. Heed. Pay attention.
To Jesus, listening without obedience is foolish.
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”- Matthew 7:24-27
Jesus brother, James tells us later,
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do”
There is deep connection between listening and obeying. Maybe, then, we are only truly listening to God when we are obeying Him.
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