Delay, human

Examples of delay as a result of fear

Israel entering the promised land

Numbers 13:31–32 KJV 1900

But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.

See also Nu 13:1–3; Nu 13:17–20; Nu 13:27–30; Nu 14:33–35

Gideon responding to God’s call

Judges 6:36–40 KJV 1900

And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said. And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew. And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

Examples of delay as a result of disobedience

Lot escaping from Sodom

Genesis 19:16 KJV 1900

And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.

See also Ge 19:12–15

Jonah going to Nineveh

Jonah 1:3 KJV 1900

But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

See also Ps 119:60; Jon 1:1–2; Jon 3:1–3 Jonah obeyed the second time.

Nothing should delay believers from following Jesus Christ

Matthew 8:21–22 KJV 1900

And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

See also Mt 9:9; Mk 1:20; Lk 14:15–24; Lk 19:5–6

People should not delay in the matter of salvation

Isaiah 55:6 KJV 1900

Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, Call ye upon him while he is near:

See also Am 6:3; Ac 24:24–26; 2 Co 6:2; Heb 2:3

Believers are not to delay in fulfilling their vows to God and obligations to others

Ecclesiastes 5:4 KJV 1900

When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

See also Le 19:13; Dt 23:21; Ps 61:8

Examples of human responses to delay

Sarah’s wrong response brought trouble

Genesis 16:1–6 KJV 1900

Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee. But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.

Saul’s wrong response cost him the kingship

1 Samuel 13:11–12 KJV 1900

And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.

See also 1 Sa 13:8–10; 1 Sa 13:13–14

Jacob responded with patience

Genesis 29:20–30 KJV 1900

And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid. And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me? And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid. And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

Paul responded by giving instructions to Timothy

1 Timothy 3:14–15 KJV 1900

These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Daniel responded by praying

Daniel 9:19 KJV 1900

O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.

See also Da 9:1–23; Da 10:10–13 Gabriel explains the reason for the delay.

David reponded by calling on the Lord

Ps 13:1; Ps 40:17; Ps 141:1