Sins of our Fathers
Introduction. As we go back and actually read the biographies of those listed as good examples in Hebrews 11, we find they were not perfect. Noah was drunk in his tent (Gen. 9:21) as was righteous Lot (2Pet.2:7-9) in a cave (Gen. 19:32-35). Abraham lied about Sarah (Gen. 12:12-13) and Sarah laughed at God’s promise of a son, then lied about it (Gen. 18:12-15). Isaac showed blatant favoritism toward Esau (Gen. 25:27-28). Jacob was a deceiver and liar (Gen. 25:19,24) and Israel sinned in the wilderness (1Cor. 10:1-12), as did Moses (Num. 20:12-13).
Why did God want us to see these things? Why reveal the tainted unvarnished truth about our heroes? Why not just forgive and forget them? God recorded these things “for whatever things were written before were written for our learning” so “through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Rom. 15:4). These things “became our examples and were written for our admonition” (1Cor. 10:6, 11-13). Paul revealed that his sins were recorded “that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on him for everlasting life” (1Tim. 1:15-16).
These are our fathers and mothers. “Our father Abraham” (Rom. 4: 1.12, Jas. 2:21), “our father Jacob” (Rom. 9:10), and “Sarah, whose daughters you are” (1Pet 3:6), for “we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.” (Gal. 4:28-29). What should we learn from these things?
For our purposes in this article we will focus on the admonition, “lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience” (Heb. 4:11) and the comfort and hope for those who were forgiven and saved.
We need to begin with one of the important keys to understand God’s dealings with those who lived before us. “Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness.” (Rom. 11:22).
We certainly behold the kindness of God in the lives of Rahab, David, and Manasseh. We also see the severity of God with Israel in the wilderness and also Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10:1-3). Those who received God’s severity were those who did not continue in his goodness. They did not trust God, nor repent and confess. They did not manifest godly sorrow and the fruits worthy of repentance.
But those who received God’s goodness were those who trusted God, manifested godly sorrow by repenting and confessing their sins. Though these things are not always recorded they are necessarily inferred. Paul spoke earlier of these same individuals as “vessels of wrath prepared for destruction” and “vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory.” (Rom. 9:22-23). In speaking of all men, Paul said that God, “will render to each one according to his deeds.” Those who “patient continuance in doing good” and those “who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth.” The difference is in the thoughts and actions of each person, “for there is no partiality with God.” (Rom. 2:6-10).
God has always looked to the humble and contrite spirit in man. “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.” “I dwell ... with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit,” and “to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit.” (Ps 34:18; Isa 57:15, 66:2). Since these are the ones God says he dwells with, and there is no partiality with God, all our fathers who received the goodness and mercy of God had this heart. Just because God did not choose to record their “broken heart” and “humble and contrite spirit” doesn’t mean they didn’t have one. Clearly they did! Like all of us, a consciousness of sin leads to bitter sorrow and remorse. How could they be pleasing to God if they did not feel the same disgust at sin as we?
Hence when God struck Nadab and Abihu, Korah, and Uzzah with death, it was because they were “vessels of wrath fitted for destruction.” These things were written for our admonition! When he forgave the sins of David, it was because he was a “vessel of mercy which he prepared beforehand for glory.” This was written for our comfort so we could have hope if we fell as David did. When he cast off Israel, it was because they were “self-seeking and do not obey the truth.” It was “in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath” that God dealt with them so harshly.
God “without respect of persons judges according to each man's work” (Rom. 2:9-11; 1Pet. 1:17). Not one time did God ever show favoritism or partiality. We know God “is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance,” and “would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2Pet 3:9; 1Tim 2:4). So “God who knows the heart of all men” knew that no matter how longsuffering he was, those struck dead would never have repented no matter how long they were given.
On the other side, God knew who would repent if given enough time. So David was given time to repent in bitter tears and great remorse. After some time David said, “I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.” David was also acutely aware of what a wonderful blessing forgiveness actually was. “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,” (Ps. 32:1-5). Can we see the difference?
Conclusion. Never forget one thing! The next time we feel unworthy of God’s grace because we have sinned we can remember our spiritual fathers and mothers. They were called great in the NT, but were revealed to be imperfect in the OT, so “that through patience and through comfort of the scriptures we might have hope.” (Rom. 15:4).
Why did God want us to see these things? Why reveal the tainted unvarnished truth about our heroes? Why not just forgive and forget them? God recorded these things “for whatever things were written before were written for our learning” so “through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Rom. 15:4). These things “became our examples and were written for our admonition” (1Cor. 10:6, 11-13). Paul revealed that his sins were recorded “that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on him for everlasting life” (1Tim. 1:15-16).
These are our fathers and mothers. “Our father Abraham” (Rom. 4: 1.12, Jas. 2:21), “our father Jacob” (Rom. 9:10), and “Sarah, whose daughters you are” (1Pet 3:6), for “we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.” (Gal. 4:28-29). What should we learn from these things?
For our purposes in this article we will focus on the admonition, “lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience” (Heb. 4:11) and the comfort and hope for those who were forgiven and saved.
We need to begin with one of the important keys to understand God’s dealings with those who lived before us. “Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness.” (Rom. 11:22).
We certainly behold the kindness of God in the lives of Rahab, David, and Manasseh. We also see the severity of God with Israel in the wilderness and also Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10:1-3). Those who received God’s severity were those who did not continue in his goodness. They did not trust God, nor repent and confess. They did not manifest godly sorrow and the fruits worthy of repentance.
But those who received God’s goodness were those who trusted God, manifested godly sorrow by repenting and confessing their sins. Though these things are not always recorded they are necessarily inferred. Paul spoke earlier of these same individuals as “vessels of wrath prepared for destruction” and “vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory.” (Rom. 9:22-23). In speaking of all men, Paul said that God, “will render to each one according to his deeds.” Those who “patient continuance in doing good” and those “who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth.” The difference is in the thoughts and actions of each person, “for there is no partiality with God.” (Rom. 2:6-10).
God has always looked to the humble and contrite spirit in man. “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.” “I dwell ... with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit,” and “to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit.” (Ps 34:18; Isa 57:15, 66:2). Since these are the ones God says he dwells with, and there is no partiality with God, all our fathers who received the goodness and mercy of God had this heart. Just because God did not choose to record their “broken heart” and “humble and contrite spirit” doesn’t mean they didn’t have one. Clearly they did! Like all of us, a consciousness of sin leads to bitter sorrow and remorse. How could they be pleasing to God if they did not feel the same disgust at sin as we?
Hence when God struck Nadab and Abihu, Korah, and Uzzah with death, it was because they were “vessels of wrath fitted for destruction.” These things were written for our admonition! When he forgave the sins of David, it was because he was a “vessel of mercy which he prepared beforehand for glory.” This was written for our comfort so we could have hope if we fell as David did. When he cast off Israel, it was because they were “self-seeking and do not obey the truth.” It was “in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath” that God dealt with them so harshly.
God “without respect of persons judges according to each man's work” (Rom. 2:9-11; 1Pet. 1:17). Not one time did God ever show favoritism or partiality. We know God “is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance,” and “would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2Pet 3:9; 1Tim 2:4). So “God who knows the heart of all men” knew that no matter how longsuffering he was, those struck dead would never have repented no matter how long they were given.
On the other side, God knew who would repent if given enough time. So David was given time to repent in bitter tears and great remorse. After some time David said, “I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.” David was also acutely aware of what a wonderful blessing forgiveness actually was. “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,” (Ps. 32:1-5). Can we see the difference?
Conclusion. Never forget one thing! The next time we feel unworthy of God’s grace because we have sinned we can remember our spiritual fathers and mothers. They were called great in the NT, but were revealed to be imperfect in the OT, so “that through patience and through comfort of the scriptures we might have hope.” (Rom. 15:4).