examples – Moment to Moment (Bible blog)

Let’s be honest. There are things in Numbers that are hard to read. Especially when it comes to God’s judgment.

But according to the apostle Paul, there is a reason God recorded all these things. He wrote this in 1 Corinthians 10.

Now these things took place as examples for us, so that we will not desire evil things as they did.

Don’t become idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to party.

Let us not commit sexual immorality as some of them did, and in a single day twenty-three thousand people died. Let us not test Christ as some of them did and were destroyed by snakes.

And don’t grumble as some of them did,, and were killed by the destroyer.

These things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages, have come. (1 Corinthians 10:6-11)

The first event Paul mentions happened in Exodus 32. The rest occured in the chapters we’ve been reading in Numbers, including today’s chapter.

Why did God record all these things?

For our instruction.

What can we learn?

1. God takes sin seriously, especially willful, rebellious sin.

We saw this in chapters 15-17, and we see it again here in verse 6.

While the people are weeping over their sin and God’s judgment, a man brashly brings into his tent a Midianite woman to sleep with her, probably as part of a religious ritual.

2. The wages of sin, particularly willful, rebellious, and unrepentant sin is death.

Because of that we dare not take sin lightly in our lives. Rather we are to flee from it.

And so Paul warns us:

So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall. (1 Corinthians 10:12)

We need to constantly be on our guard against sin.

But the good news is that God is with us to help us stand against sin and be victorious over it.

As Paul says,

No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity.

But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Causing others to fall

Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come.

It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. (Luke 17:1-2)

Those are pretty heavy words. But Jesus then lends even heavier weight to them, saying,

So watch yourselves. (Luke 17:3)

I don’t know about you, but those words give me pause.

I have a 5-year old daughter who certainly qualifies as a “little one.” What kind of father am I to her?

I do my best, but I’m far from a perfect father. Yet she is watching me. Am I being a good example to her? Or am I doing things that would cause her to fall?

As I think of that, I can only say, “God have mercy on me, a sinner.”

But what of the other people in my life? My wife? My coworkers. The people at church, especially the younger Christians, but all that I come into contact with.

Do I cause any to fall because of my actions? Because of my attitudes?

How about you? What kind of person are you to those around you? Do you help them to come closer to Christ? Or do you cause them to stumble into sin?