What Lessons Can We Learn?

THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL

CAN WE LEARN A LESSON FROM THEM?

Why did the children of Israel keep turning away from God? Over 200 times.

·       After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel. Then the children of Israel did evil in the eyes of the LORD and served Baalim. They forsook the LORD God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped other gods of the people around them. They aroused the LORD’s anger because they forsook him and served Baal and Ashtoreth. (Judges 2:10-13)

When the children of Israel entered the Promised Land and tried to settle, they constantly, for a period of nearly 400 years, kept turning away from God and worshipping idols. Why is this?

Their hearts were still in Egypt and the mysterious gods their ancestors worshipped. (Exodus 32)

Every time something went wrong they complained they had it better in Egypt. They were always looking back. (Exodus 14:11-12; 16:2-3)

They forgot God’s word. The book of the Law wrote about the stories of what God had done before for them. They failed to remind themselves daily of his previous power and why they were there. Kings such as Josiah uncovered these unread scrolls and couldn't believe they were forgotten. (2 Kings 22)

They failed to teach their children about the Lord and the great miracles He performed. Their children grew up not knowing the Lord. (Deuteronomy 6:1-7)

They followed the latest trends. They watched the worship ceremonies of the enemies living around them and found them intriguing and enticing. (Deuteronomy 31:16)

They ignored a direct commandment from the Lord not to give their sons and daughters in marriage to those that worshipped other gods. (Deuteronomy 7:3-4)

They got too busy. Their busy and prosperous lives caused them to turn to their own needs and desires instead of to God’s commands and purposes for them. (Deuteronomy 8:6-18)

They didn’t drive their enemies out of their land. By allowing the idol worshippers to live among them, they were asking for trouble. (Psalms 106:34-36)

Does this happen today? Before we shake our heads at the children of Israel, let’s examine our own lives and ask ourselves, “are we doing the same things?”

We are told that these things happened to them as an example to us and are written for our instruction and learning. (1 Corinthians 10:1-11; Romans 15:4)

·       Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them… Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed… Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted… Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured… Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

We should learn from the children of Israel and not follow in their same footsteps. In the New Testament the apostles warned and taught us how to keep from doing this.

DON’T FORGET GOD’S WORD: Study the scriptures for in them you find eternal life and get to know God. (John 5:39; 2 Timothy 2:15; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Psalms 119:105)

AVOID UNBELIEVERS: Stay away from false teaching and people who do not live righteous lives. (Romans 16:17; Titus 6:3-5; 2 John 1:10, 1 Corinthians 5:11)

DO NOT MARRY UNBELIEVERS: Do not unequally yoke yourselves or give yourselves in marriage to unbelievers. (2 Corinthians 6:14; 1 Corinthians 7:39)

FLEE FROM IDOLATRY: Keep yourselves from idols. (1John 5:21; 1 Corinthians 10:14)

TEACH YOUR CHILDREN: Teach your children about the Lord and His instructions. (Ephesians 6:4)

DON’T LOOK BACK: Forget those things in your past and press forward. (Philippians 2:13-14)

DON’T DESIRE RICHES: Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, and harmful desires that lead to ruin and destruction. (1 Timothy 6:9-10) And those that are rich not to become haughty and rely on the uncertainty of money, but to rely on God. (1 Timothy 6:17-18)

DON’T GET TO BUSY: Make good use of your time because the days we live in are evil. (Ephesians 5:16) Be careful not to be overcome with an overabundant supply of needs and get caught up in the cares of this life. (Luke 21:34)

Are we today, as did the children of Israel, still ignoring God's warnings and sliding backwards? Honestly think about it. Do we have some form of idolatry in our lives? Sports games, TV, money and possessions, OURSELF?

Do we hang out with and participate in ungodly activities with unbelievers? Do we marry unbelievers? Do we diligently teach our children about God and His instructions on a daily basis? Do we pursue money and possessions more than the will of God? Do we study and search the scriptures on a daily basis? Do we think more of pleasing ourselves instead of pleasing God?

It seems most of God’s children today may be falling into the same trap as the children of Israel.