Learning from Bad Examples

Daily Devotional – Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
1 Corinthians 10:11 (NKJV)

The Bible has all kinds of characters, including very wicked ones. Scripture does not gloss over human sin. Indeed, it sometimes goes into such depths that we fear reading some stories aloud. Yet, it is from the bad examples set by Biblical characters that we glean critical life lessons.

They Happened to Them as Examples

Paul told the believers in Corinth how the ancient Israelites had rebelled against God by becoming sexually immoral and idolaters, among other sins. God, after having warned them severally, punished them severely.

Why did the apostle review the story of the Israelites in his first epistle to the Corinthians? He wrote: “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” (1 Corinthians 10:11).

Learning from Bad Examples

The Bible does not only present righteous people doing what pleases God. It describes the lives of evil people for our sake. Through them, we learn about the depths of God’s mercy and His wrath when we persist in sin. In the Holy Book, we see people who God rescued from sin and others who choose rebellion and death.

In essence, before you condemn the ancient Israelites and other wicked people in scripture, remember their stories were written for your sake. Learn from their bad examples how not to relate to God because the Lord wants you to escape the pitfalls they fell into.

Prayer
Almighty God, may the examples of rebellious people in the Bible deepen my understanding of your love, mercy, and justice.