Before we dive into chapter 9, I want to share a profound insight I’ve observed in most Biblical heroes in Scripture.
I’ve seen this peculiarity in Moses and Abraham…
I’ve also seen it in David and his son Solomon.
What am I talking about exactly?
It’s the fact that even the most famous and celebrated figures in the Bible had some pretty shocking flaws.
In the beginning, they appear almost superhuman…
As if they’re impervious to the same temptations or weaknesses that so easily trip us up…
But then – BAM!
Out of the blue, they’ll mess up big time.
We’ll suddenly see a flawed side we never expected that breaks the perfect image we carried of them in our minds.
There’s a huge lesson here.
It shows us that even these great heroes battled with dark struggles…
Just like we all do.
And in the end, it wasn’t their own strength that got them through…
It was God’s grace that carried them all along.
But you know what’s even more interesting?
It’s the timing of when these Bible heroes fell.
They seemed to trip up at that precise moment when they were at their strongest.
You may have experienced this in your faith walk.
I know I have.
One day I’m feeling spiritually invincible…
My walk with the Lord is going super strong…
And then the very next day…
I’m binging on internet porn like there’s no tomorrow.
We see the same pattern in many of the Biblical characters.
After they’ve accomplished supernatural and amazing things…
After they’ve witnessed God perform amazing miracles for them…
After facing down and defeating their biggest fears…
At that precise instant…
That’s when it happens.
Their life comes tumbling down like a Lego castle being shaken by an earthquake.
It happened with Moses and his brother Aaron.
It happened with Abraham when he turned his wife over to Pharoah out of fear.
And we’ve already gotten hints of it with David (and trust me, we’re about to see a heck of a lot more!).
Later, it’s gonna happen with Elijah too.
So here’s the big takeaway.
God didn’t choose perfect or sinless people to do His work.
He chose ordinary folks like you and me.
Why?
So He could do great things through us.
We don’t have to feel inferior to the heroes of Scripture we all look up to.
Our beloved Bible heroes went through the same struggles, fears, worries, and temptations we all go through…
Sometimes, their situations were much worse.
However, there is one key thing our heroes in Scripture did that many do not.
When the Lord called them, they accepted the call regardless of the consequences of that decision.
They said “I dunno what this is gonna entail, but the heck with it, I’m going with God!”
That response is rare.
Many folks don’t want to say “Yes” to God when called.
Why?
Because their grip on the things of this world is too tight.
They want to hold onto the illusion of control in their lives…
They want to maintain their false peace and security by prioritizing money and social status…
When the truth is one simple blood clot blocking an artery to their brain could cause them instant death.
Someone has a stroke every 2 seconds worldwide.
That means two people just fell over unconscious right now as I typed the last couple of sentences.
Don’t forget that death is the final destination of us all, no matter how rich or poor or in-between you are.
Here’s another key takeaway.
If you’ve answered “Yes” to God…
And are doing great things for the Kingdom that others admire…
You may be in much greater danger than you think.
Why?
Because the higher you scale the mountain…
The further the fall…
And the harder you’ll hit the ground if your foot slips.
Got it?
That’s why staying humble before the Lord is so important.
Rely on His strength, His wisdom, and His power…
Instead of your own smarts and skills.
It’s at that moment when we think we’re too close to God to fail…
That’s when we’re most at risk!
Remember, the Israelites built the Golden Calf…
AFTER God freed them from slavery in Egypt through the Ten Plagues.
AFTER God parted the Red Sea, allowing them to escape Pharaoh’s army.
AFTER God provided manna from heaven and water from a rock to sustain them.
AFTER God led them by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
AFTER God spoke directly to them in an audible voice and gave them His laws at Sinai.
Finally, one last point…
David’s life is going great at the moment…
He is now ruler over all of Israel – both the northern and southern tribes…
And the Lord has given him tremendous military victories over his enemies.
Yet, in the coming chapters, we’ll see David mess up big time.
He’s going to commit some grievous sins that, per the Torah, require the death penalty.
When we read about this…
We shouldn’t be shocked or quick to judge.
Instead, we should view his failings with empathy and sadness.
Why?
Because as I’ve been saying…
Every great Bible hero was just as human as you are.
They needed God’s grace, forgiveness, and favor just as much as you do.
Ya feel me?
See ya all next time!
Done.
NEXT TIME WE BEGIN 2ND SAMUEL CHAPTER NINE
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