As Christians, we are being perfected; however, we are still in earthly vessels (Hebrews 10:14); that is, we are born with a sinful natures that are being renewed as born-again believers. Our flawed bodies are being transformed and this sanctification process is at work in all believers. There are no exceptions, my friends. The Bible reflects the character flaws and sin nature of even the biblical leaders. And all of God’s people, those in the Bible, as well as believers today, at some point in time, commit sins. Roman’s 3:23 emphasizes that, “we all fall short of the glory of God.” But those who confess their sins; God is faithful to forgive them and begin (or continue) the process of purification from all unrighteousness. (John 1:9) God forgives all who sin and yes, there are consequences for sin. However, in my study of the Word of God and my reflection on human nature, it seems that those who graciously accept the consequences of their sins after repentance find exceptional mercy with God. Moses and David were prime examples of people who found exceptional mercy after sinning against God.
God used Moses mightily. He perform many glorious miracles in freeing the Israelites from four hundred years of bondage in Egypt. He delivered the Ten Commandments to God’s people. And yet in the wilderness, as the Israelites complained of everything, including the lack of water, Moses disobeyed God. God told Moses (and Aaron) to gather the people together and speak to the rock and it would produce water. Moses, in his anger with the complaining Israelites, struck the rock twice with his staff—that did not glorify God. Speaking to the rock publicly would have. As a result of Moses’ disobedience, God told him that he would not enter the Promised Land. (See the note concerning the rock at the end of the blog.) That seemed harsh after all that Moses had done, but Moses was God’ representative, his voice, on the earth. He did not obey the precise words of God. Obedience was an imperative!
Here was God’s servant, his prophet, the one he had chosen to deliver the Israelites from slavery with signs and wonders—the one who had delivered the Ten Commandments, the law, to God’s people. And, in one act of disobedience, he was prevented from entering the Promised Land! Through it all, Moses dealt with the consequences of his sin without murmuring against God. Moses pleaded with God to let him go over to the Promise Land. Moses recounted to the people that the Lord was angry with him and said, “Enough from you; do not speak to me of this matter again. (Deuteronomy 3:26) But God did do this. In verse 27, he told Moses to, “Go up to the top of Pisgah and lift up your eyes westward and northward and southward and eastward, and look at it with your eyes, . . .” God showed Moses the Promised Land from afar! Here is the way that Deuteronomy 32:49-52 puts it:
”Go up into the Abarim Range to Mount Nebo in Moab, across from Jericho, and view Canaan, the land I am giving the Israelites as their possession. There on the mountain that you have climbed you will die and be gathered to your people, just as your brother, Aaron died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people. This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kade’s in the Desert of Zin and because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites.”
Moses accepted his plight and continued to lead the Israelites until he died. This also was, perhaps, the point that marked the transition from Moses’ leadership of the Israelites to Joshua’s leadership. Moses shared the narrative of his disobedience with the Israelites as he taught them God’s statutes. In teaching them, he commanded them to obey God!n
Then there was David, the King of Israel. One night, 2 Samuel 11:1 says that it was the time of year when kings go to war. Well, David was not at war. He was idly walking around on the roof of the palace where he saw a beautiful woman bathing. He sent for her and took her—with another man’s wife. She became pregnant and in his desire to conceal his sin, he had her husband, Uriah, killed. When Nathan, the prophet, confronted David, he used a parable of a rich man taking a poor man’s only lamb. David declared that that man (the rich man) should be punished. David was so caught up in his sin and his lapse in judgment that he did not realize that Nathan was speaking about him. He was that rich man who had taken another man’s only lamb. When that revelation hit David, he confessed his sin and repented to God. He was totally remorseful. David told Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” He did not make excuses for himself, but asked God, as noted in Psalm 51, to have mercy on him and to renew a right spirit in him. Verses 3, 4 and 10 notes this:
For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only , have I sinned, and done this evil in your sight. . . Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
There were consequences to David’s sin: Israel became engulfed in wars; there was continued strife in his family; and the child that was born to him and Bathsheba died. He accepted the consequences of his sins; God did not remove the consequences. In God’s mercy, David remained king, “a Man after God’s own heart.” In addition to that, David’s second child with Bathsheba, Solomon, inherited the throne after David’s death. And our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ came from David’s lineage!
These two mighty men of God were not sinless; their human frailties and lapses in judgment resulted in sins of great proportions. However, it was their reactions to God in repenting and their acceptance of the consequences of their sins that defined their lives after those events. Their complete allegiance to God allowed them to accept their fates and move on in right relationship with God.
What about you, my friends? Are you struggling with anger and bitterness over the consequences of some committed sin? Remember: “We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) and we will reap what we sow. There is grace in accepting the consequences of sin..
Another point to comprehend is that sin is sin—there are no little sins and big sins. Moses’ sin was different from David’s; and yet, there were repercussions and each suffered grave consequences. So, let your reaction to the consequences of sin, whatever kind of sin, be a repentant heart and a gracious acceptance of the consequences. In the end, you will realize as Moses and David did, “that all things work for the good of those who love him (God) and who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
Be blessed, my friends.
Spiritual References:
Matthew 3:8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Acts 3:19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.
Note about the rock from the second paragraph: Back in Exodus 17, Moses was, indeed, instructed to strike the rock—once. It is here that God wanted to establish Jesus as the one and only Rock. His sacrificial death was required only once. God could not allow Moses’ action of striking the rock again— twice withstand! Moses’ works (striking the rock twice in disobedience) could not be allowed to nullify the one and only true Rock, Jesus Christ! According to 1 Corinthians 10:4, “. . . For they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ.” Had he spoken to the rock as God told him to do, it would have pointed to the Christ! No action, other than speaking God’s Word, was needed from Moses!
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