Even the Greatest Men Fell

In light of my last two posts I wanted to take this opportunity to say that even the greatest people are not perfect. I was chatting with a friend a few weeks ago, and we began to discuss how even the greatest men in the Bible fell. Not only did they fall, but a lot of those who fell were involved in some form of sexual sin.

Scriptures for this week's study:

Abraham: Genesis 16:1-16; Psalm 83:5-6

Samson: Judges 16

King David: 2 Samuel 11; 12; 16:15-23

Solomon: 1 Kings 11:1-13 (Ecclesiastes)

Abraham was credited with righteousness (Gen. 15:6); however, he was not perfect. God promised to give him descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky (Gen. 15) Abraham believed Him, but still tried to take matters in his own hands by lying with Hagar. Hagar gave birth to Ishmael, and the Israelites always had trouble with the Ishmael's descendants (to this day).

Samson was a great judge during the time of Israel's continual cycle of sin, repentance, redemption, etc... He was Israel's redeemer/leader at the time. But after multiple instances with women, Samson ended up with Delilah. Even though Samson family warned him, he still didn't listen. This not only cost him his life, but probably shortened Israel's redemption period by decades...

King David the "man after God's own heart" and one of the greatest (if not the greatest) kings of Israel. He served God well, but a couple wrong moves (lust, adultery, murder) and he not only lost a son(2 Samuel 12:18), but also suffered great humiliation toward the end of his reign(2 Samuel 16:22).

King Solomon had more wisdom than any other man before or after him, but even that didn't keep him from falling. Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines... (Wow... I can't even begin to fathom that... He could have gone 2.7 years without sleeping with the same woman if he'd have wanted to... Anyways....) And the number of wives wasn't really the issue at this time in history. The problem was where the women were from and what they believed. In his old age Solomon was led to follow other gods because of his many wives... This may have been what started Israel's fall until Jesus came...

One mistake can cost you a lot, but that does not mean it is the end of the world. Jesus Redeemed us by dieing on the cross for our sins. We are forgiven of all of them. We are no longer under the old covenant, but are under the new!

John 8:1-11, "Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. 4“Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” 6They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. 9When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

11“No, Lord,” she said.

And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”"

You are forgiven, but don't keep practicing the sin. And remember God truly does forgive and forget.

~ S*