In part 1 of this two-part Q&A, we looked at how disobedience to God’s instructions was life-changing for Adam and Eve, Lot’s wife, King Uzziah, and Gehazi, Elisha’s servant.   Let’s continue with some more examples.

King Saul

In 1 Samuel 8, when Samuel the prophet was old, the elders made a request to him as we read in verses 4 and 5:

“Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, ‘Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.’”

This did not go down well with Samuel as he realized that the request of the people was sinful, but God told him in verse 9:

^“Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.”

Samuel did this in quite some detail in the rest of 1 Samuel 8.

King Saul was the first king of Israel, the son of Kish, who was described as tall and handsome and he started well.   His story is told in 1 Samuel 9 and continues until the end of this particular book in the Bible, chapter 31, where the sub-heading of this chapter is, in some translations: “The Tragic End of Saul and His Sons,” and so there is much information about this first king of Israel.

Initially, he was a humble and successful military leader from the tribe of Benjamin, but later disobeyed God, leading to his rejection as king and a tragic downfall marked by paranoia, jealousy of David, and his death on Mount Gilboa. 

The first problem was his arrogance, as we read in 1 Samuel 13:1-2:

^“Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mountains of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent away, every man to his tent.”

And so, two years into his reign comes his first big mistake. In this chapter, we read that he offered a burnt offering for the nation (verse 9) which only priests were allowed to do.   He had waited seven days according to the time set by Samuel, and Samuel had not turned up and so he arrogantly took upon himself to do something that was prohibited to even a king.   He was chastised by Samuel when he arrived to find that the offering had already been made by Saul.   We read in verses 13-14 how big a mistake this was:

“And Samuel said to Saul, ‘You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.’”

In 1 Samuel 15, Saul was told by Samuel to kill all the Amalekites and all that they had, as we read in verse 3: 

“Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ” 

This was punishment for what they did to Israel (see verse 2). God has the right to take human life, but He used human beings for that purpose who did not understand that it was sin to kill, in order to fulfill His purpose. But, again, Saul was disobedient as we read in verses 8-9:

^“He also took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.”

Saul told Samuel that he had performed the commandment of the LORD (verse 13) but he was rebuked by Samuel who told him what God had said in verses 17-19: 

^“So Samuel said, ‘When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the LORD anoint you king over Israel? Now the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, “Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.”Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do evil in the sight of the LORD?’”

Samuel made excuses but this was the second time that Saul had disobeyed God’s clear instructions.   Samuel made this clear response in 1 Samuel 15:22:

“Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.”

There were many other errors that he made, including his consultations with a witch which led to his death, but the two mentioned above brought wrath from God, showing that disobeying God’s instruction was life-changing! Saul’s story serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of disobedience, pride, and failing to uphold divine commands.

Ananias & Sapphira

In Acts 5 we read about Ananias and Sapphira, a married couple in the early Jerusalem church, and the very bad decision that they both had made.  The incident occurs shortly after the account in Acts 4, which describes the early Christians voluntarily sharing all their possessions and living in a community.

We read in verses 1-2:

“But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.”

The apostle Peter confronted Ananias about the sale of this land that they had sold. They had pretended to donate all of the proceeds received, but secretly kept part of it for themselves. This story emphasizes the need for honesty and reveals the high cost of hypocrisy. 

The story continues in verses 3-6 where Peter confronted Ananias, stating that he had not lied just to humans, but to God.

^“But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.’ Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.”

Peter said that Ananias had not lied just to humans, but to God, which was a fearful thing to do.

And more was to follow, continuing with verses 7-10:

^“Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter answered her, ‘Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?’ She said, ‘Yes, for so much.’ Then Peter said to her, ‘How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the LORD? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.’ Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband.”

The deception was that Ananias, with his wife’s knowledge, sold a piece of land and brought only a portion of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. They were under no obligation to sell any piece of the land. Their sin was that they lied about how much they gave to the apostles, wanting to look great in the eyes of man. 

This story about Ananias and Sapphira finishes in verse 11 where we read:

^“So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.”

The ultimate price was paid for their sin!

Achan

Another biblical example of sinning by disobeying God’s command is that of Achan.  In Joshua 7:1 we read about the problem:

“But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things, for Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed things; so the anger of the LORD burned against the children of Israel.”

These things were devoted to God. They were not to be taken for personal use. 

The men of Ai struck down about 36 men (verse 5) and in verse 11, God revealed why this had happened:

^“Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff.”

Through the process of elimination to find the culprit, Achan was found to be the one (verse 18), and we read his admission in verses 19-21:

^“Now Joshua said to Achan, ‘My son, I beg you, give glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession to Him, and tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.’ And Achan answered Joshua and said, ‘Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I have done: When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it.’”

True enough, those items were found and Joshua and all Israel with them took Achan and all his family and animals that he had to the valley of Achor where they were stoned and then burned with fire (verses 24-26).

Achan was an Israelite from the tribe of Judah who disobeyed God’s command during the Battle of Jericho. By stealing devoted treasures from the city—a Babylonian robe, silver, and a gold bar—he brought divine judgment, causing Israel’s defeat at Ai and leading to his own death and that of his family. 

Even though the Bible does not expressly say so, it appears that the family knew about, consented to and perhaps even participated in his transgression. 

The severity of the punishment emphasizes the seriousness of stealing what was consecrated to God.  Achan’s sin was not just personal; it affected the entire community, illustrating how individual actions can affect a group.

It certainly showed how disobeying God’s instructions can be life-changing, in this case not only for the wrongdoer but for the whole of his family and his possessions.

CONCLUSION

These seven examples which have been looked at briefly, clearly show that disobedience doesn’t pay, and there are others in the Bible.

In these examples, we see that disobeying God’s instructions resulted in loss of access to the Garden of Eden, and to death and leprosy.

We also know that the peoples of Israel and Judah obeyed God, then fell away, came back to God and so the see-sawing went on for a very long time.  It is not what God is looking for in His people and the consequences are telling.

As someone once said: “Strict obedience is better than good intentions.   This isn’t complicated.   When you hear a clear command, don’t analyse or interpret it.   Just obey it.”

In 1 Corinthians 10:11 is a command for all of us to take notice of: “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.”

Paul sets out in Philippians 3:12-14 his strategy for making it into God’s Kingdom which is a great outline for us to take notice of.

^“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Pressing on indicates a continuous active effort which is what God requires of us towards the goal of the prize of eternal life in the Kingdom of God, with our eyes on Jesus Christ showing the importance of a focus on the Ways of God and seeing earthly matters as secondary and subordinate.   And obedience to God’s Ways is a vital component in that pursuit.   All the people of God have to be careful not to play fast and loose with God, as disobedience can be deadly!

These Scriptures should be lessons for us all, but also great encouragement for us to maintain our focus where it should be – on our spiritual journey towards being in the Family of God for eternity!

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

There are a number of stark reminders in the Bible of those who ignored God’s specific instructions when they were given to certain individuals and the consequences were very serious.  All of these should be handy lessons for those of us who have been called in this age that disobedience to God consistently results in serious consequences, ranging from immediate personal struggles and broken relationships to spiritual separation and ultimate judgment.

Obedience is often viewed today as a “bad” or outdated concept in modern society. It can often be equated with forced submission, authoritarianism, and a lack of free will. Obedience can be viewed negatively because it may limit freedom or be used manipulatively, plus the fact that so many don’t like any restrictions in their lives.

However, there are many areas where obedience is vital.   Without a base level of obedience to laws and authority, chaos could ensue.  It is essential for social order and safety, such as following road traffic rules to ensure safety, to maintain social order, and across multiple other facets of life.

Obedience to honour the true God is for Christians of paramount importance and must supersede man’s requirements if there is any conflict.  It is required as per biblical instruction for man’s own well-being. We must always obey God rather than man in any situation and under any circumstances. 

As God the Father created all things through Jesus Christ (compare Colossians 1:16-17), He knows better than any man, however great they may be, what is best for His creation and, therefore, He has our best interests at heart.   Obedience to God and His Way of Life is essential for the best results possible.

Some of these examples that we will look at will be well-known; others not quite so.

Adam & Eve

What a story this is! 

Right at the dawn of civilisation, after God had re-created the earth, we read in Genesis 1:31:

^“Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”

In the following chapter, we read about the Garden of Eden, an idyllic physical creation if ever there was one. Verses 8-9 describe the situation:

^“The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”

Probably most people around the world know the story of Adam and Eve.   There they were at the dawn of civilization, given the Garden of Eden to live in, and God commanded Adam what he could and couldn’t do.

God said that of every tree of the garden they could eat from except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (compare Genesis 2:16:17) but the serpent (Satan) was there to spoil the party.  Eve was encouraged and tempted to eat of the tree that God had said they should not, and Adam did likewise, even though he was not deceived, but he just followed the lead of his wife, which resulted in the first act of man’s disobedience to God taking place.

This broke the one single instruction that God had given them that they shouldn’t do, by just ignoring it, albeit through the subtlety of the serpent.   The consequences were that they were banished from the Garden of Eden, life became difficult in living off the land, women would suffer pain in childbirth, and they would eventually die.   This brought about a separation from God because they trusted the serpent more than they trusted the clear instruction from God.   Instead of relying on God’s perfect wisdom, they chose to take matters into their own hands and make their own wrong decision.

As it is with human nature, it was someone else’s fault; Adam blamed Eve (and in the final analysis, God, who had given Eve to him) and Eve blamed the serpent.  That so often happens today when people play the blame game; it is so often someone else’s fault and we see this behaviour playing out with the two original human beings.

It could be said that Eve was tempted on three levels: physical (good for food), emotional (pleasant to the eyes) and spiritual (desire for wisdom).   This is not dissimilar to what we read in 1 John 2:16:

^“For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.”

They made the choice to disobey God which was clearly an act of rebellion!

In a sermon entitled “What If Adam Hadn’t Sinned?,” given onJune 13, 1981, Mr Herbert W Armstrong said the following: 

“When Adam made that choice, he cut himself off from God! And most humans have cut themselves off from God through sin ever since. Your sins have cut you off from God. And man is on Satan’s wavelength, and ALL have sinned and been cut off from God. But when Adam made that choice and instead of taking the Holy Spirit, which he would have had from God that would have first given him knowledge of the SPIRITUAL LAW — the way of Life: love toward God and love out-going out-flowing towards neighbor … In other words, I help my neighbor. My neighbor helps me. We kind of help one another mutually. And, if we get into trouble, we go to God.”

Disobeying God’s instructions were life-changing for Adam and Eve, and disobeying God’s instructions have continued apace during the last 6,000 years.

Lot’s Wife

The story of Lot’s wife in the book of Genesis (19:1–26), when Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, clearly illustrates the consequences of disobeying divine commands and longing for a sinful past.

The command was simple enough as we read in Genesis 19:15-17 when the two angels were trying to extricate Lot and his family out of an area that was to be razed to the ground.   They knew that the place was to be completely destroyed, leaving nothing standing:

^“When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, ‘Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.’ And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, ‘Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.’”

However, Lot’s wife whose name is not mentioned in the Bible, ignored this instruction and looked back at where she had lived her life for a number of years. As a direct consequence of this disobedience, she was instantly transformed into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26).

It shows that she valued her life-style that she enjoyed, and the worldly possessions she may have had, over obedience to God.    

In Luke 17:28-32, Jesus was speaking about the end times just before His Second Coming and the action His followers at that time must take:

^“Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife.”

Lot’s wife is remembered for her disobedience to God’s instructions through the two angels, and her death, upon her disobedience, was immediate!

King Uzziah

Uzziah’s father, King Amaziah and the three previous kings had all been assassinated. It was a position with not a lot of job security!  However, in 2 Chronicles 26:1-5, it appears that he started his reign well:

^“Now all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah. He built Elath and restored it to Judah, after the king rested with his fathers. Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.”

In verse 5 above, we see twelve important words: “…and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.”  It was conditional. Although Amaziah, his father, had initially done well, we read that he “turned away from following the LORD” (see 2 Chronicles 25:27). His son was, unfortunately, to follow suit.  In 2 Chronicles 26:16 we read the penalty for his pride.   

God had blessed him with great power and military success. Uzziah grew arrogant, which caused his downfall. 2 Chronicles 26:16-21 gives the account of his dreadful demise:

^“But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. So Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him were eighty priests of the LORD—valiant men. And they withstood King Uzziah, and said to him, ‘It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed! You shall have no honor from the LORD God.’ Then Uzziah became furious; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead, before the priests in the house of the LORD, beside the incense altar. And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and there, on his forehead, he was leprous; so they thrust him out of that place. Indeed he also hurried to get out, because the LORD had struck him. King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death. He dwelt in an isolated house, because he was a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD. Then Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.”

Instead of repenting when confronted by the priests, he became furious.  After all of his success, arrogance was the cause of his fall from grace and disobeying God’s instructions brought about his downfall.   He had reigned for 52 years.  The principle of cause and effect was shown to be still in operation… 

He made a good start and did well for a long time but we must remember that it’s not so much how we start, but how we finish.   Disobeying God’s instructions was life-changing for King Uzziah!

Gehazi

In 2 Kings 5, we read about Naaman’s leprosy being healed.   In verse 1, we read:

“Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper.”

The story moves on and is told in 19 verses, and there is a lot that happens.   A young Israelite girl who waited on Naaman’s wife told her that Elisha, her master, would be able to heal him.   Naaman mentions this to the King of Syria who wrote a letter to the King of Israel (Jehoram) to help in this matter and he sent “ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing” (verse 5).   The king tore his clothes, fearing the worst and when Elisha heard of this he said: “Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” That happened, and Naaman was told to wash in the Jordan 7 times which sent Naaman into a rage as he said: “‘Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?’ So, he turned and went away in a rage” (verse 12). However, he was persuaded to do this and was subsequently healed.   Naaman offered gifts for this healing but Elisha refused them, which showed that God’s healing cannot be bought.

Now we come to Gehazi, Elisha’s servant.  In verses 20-27 is the story of Gehazi’s greed and how it played out for him.  He was unhappy that Elisha had turned down, quite categorically, receiving any gifts from Naaman and so he saw an opportunity to acquire gifts for himself.   He ran after Naaman and told lies to extort from a willing giver, silver and garments.  What he asked for was doubled by Naaman, as he was appreciative of his healing and Gehazi hid them away when he returned.   However, Elisha asked him where he had been and Gehazi lied again by saying that he had not been anywhere, but by spiritual discernment, Elisha was aware of the deception.  Gehazi lied to both Naaman and Elisha, and in verse 27, the concluding verse in the chapter, sums up his punishment:

“Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever.” And he went out from his presence leprous, as white as snow.”

His disobedience was life-changing!

(To be continued)

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

In our last Q&A, titled, “Are there phrases in the Bible that have become normal in society today? (Part 2),” we covered this question briefly, as follows:

“God will never give you more than you can handle

“This is another common phrase which, as quoted, is not in accordance with Scripture. It is not found in the Bible. One commentary stated astutely: ‘When someone is going through a difficult time in life, whether they are feeling overwhelmed, stricken with grief, or just generally burdened, they are often encouraged that though their challenges are considerable, God would never give them more than they could handle. But, despite what we might say, God will give us more than we can handle [or bear].  Rather, God will never allow us to be tempted [or tested] beyond what we are able to [handle or bear]. He will always provide a way for us [to escape and] to be faithful to Him, even when the pull toward a different path is as strong as it has ever been.’… So, whatever we are being confronted with, GOD will help us. We need GOD… on our own, we can do and accomplish nothing. But with God, we can do and endure everything.”

We also quoted 1 Corinthians 10:13 in that portion of the above-cited Q&A, which reads:

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

In this Q&A, we will address the issue at question in more detail.

Of course, God does not tempt us so that we sin.   In our booklet: “Teach Us To Pray” on page 60, we read under the heading: “But…God Tests Us:

“While God never tempts us to sin, He does test us, to help us NOT to sin. Sometimes His tests can be very difficult. And so, this is another way we can understand Christ’s admonition to us regarding our prayer to the Father. For instance, in the Jewish New Testament, by David H. Stern, it is written: ‘And do not lead us into hard testing…’ This is also an accurate translation in the context, and here is why:

“The New Testament Greek word for ‘temptation’ (‘peirasmos’), and the Greek word for ‘to tempt’ (‘peirazo’), can also mean, ‘trial’ and ‘to test.’ The same is true for the Hebrew words in the Old Testament, ‘massah’ and ‘nasah,’ which can mean ‘temptation’ and ‘tempt,’ or, ‘trial’ and ‘test.’ The context of the passage dictates the correct usage, and in most cases, the correct rendering is very clear.

“As we will see, we should want God to test us so that we grow stronger in a spiritual sense, so that we will become approved in His eyes. We know, however, that we can ask the Father not to make it too hard for us, as Christ indicated in the outline prayer. Jeremiah once prayed: ‘O LORD, correct me, but with justice; Not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing’ (Jeremiah 10:24). So did David (Psalm 6:1; Psalm 38:1).

“In addition, especially insofar as end-time Christians are concerned, they should also pray, ‘… do not subject us to the final test’ (Matthew 6:13; New American Bible). This refers to the Great Tribulation—’the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth’ (Revelation 3:10). Christ says that those who follow Him diligently will be able to escape that hour of final test (same verse).”

Everyone who has ever lived will have had tests and trials at one time or another, and true Christians are not exempt in any way.   In fact, we read in Acts 14:22 that Paul was “…strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, ‘We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.’”

It is interesting to read about God’s promise and intent in 1 Corinthians 1:8: “… who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

In this verse, stating that God is confirming us to the end, it means that we will make it with His help.   Paul’s expression in Philippians 1:6, under godly inspiration, was very similar, stating that he was “confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ…”

God hasn’t called us to fail and He will do everything He can to see that we succeed. He doesn’t give us anything that we can’t overcome because He is there assisting us, and maybe at times pushing us past our human limits but not beyond our total limit which includes His marvellous and wonderful help.

The overall message and understanding is that God is always faithful to His chosen ones, and with every trial that we encounter, He will offer us the strength needed in such circumstances.   And that is why we need to be and stay close to God, through daily prayer and study, where He sees our commitment to Him, and He will grant us His supernatural help whenever we need it.

So, it is biblically incorrect to say that God will never give us more than we can handle, if we just focus on our human strength. In fact, based on our human strength, we cannot do anything, and we cannot handle any trial which God gives us or allows to test us.

On the other hand, it is biblically correct to say that God will never give us more than we can handle when we focus on God’s help, who will sustain us to succeed. God knows how severe a trial He can allow, as He knows us better than we do, and He knows that with His help, we can succeed.

Prolific Christian writer, Charles R Swindoll, in his book on Abraham, pages 258-259, makes these observations:

“A test usually makes us feel vulnerable.   We get weak.   We begin to panic.   We try to find safety in the familiar.   We avoid taking risks.   But tests of faith call for boldness.   You may have heard it said that ‘God never gives us more than we can handle’.  That’s absolutely wrong!   He frequently challenges us to trust Him more by giving us far more than we can handle on our own.  He wants us to turn to Him in desperation and ask for His assistance.   He’s always willing to help, but he wants us to recognise our need and to want Him.”

When the apostle Paul writes that God won’t test us beyond what we are able to bear, he means not beyond what we are able to bear with God’s help. We are not independent of God when this happens; God makes up the difference between our own capacity and that which we need to handle the situation in hand. It is also important to note again the second part of Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 10:13, which says: “…but with the temptation [He] will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

Sometimes, we need a way out of trouble, and God must show us that way; otherwise, we might indeed be unable to bear the trial.

We said earlier that Paul’s statement that “no temptation” has overtaken us which is uncommon to man, and that God will not allow us “to be tempted” beyond what we are able to bear (as He will provide us with His help), should be rendered with “severe trial” or to be tested.” This is certainly true, as God does not tempt us to sin. On the other hand, God does at times ALLOW Satan to tempt us, and we should be mindful of this fact and ask God not to “lead us into temptation”—that is, not to allow Satan to bring severe temptations upon us. As we should ask God not to test us too severely, so we should also ask God not to allow Satan to tempt us too severely.  But even when those trials and temptations come, which we could not master on our own, we can rely on God who is there to help us so that we can bear (or escape) all of them.

We should note that God’s Spirit LED Christ into the wilderness after His baptism TO BE TEMPTED by Satan (Matthew 4:1) for forty days and forty nights. But God the Father was with Christ the entire time to give Him the power and strength, as well as the wisdom, to reject and overcome Satan’s temptations.

And so, we need God’s assistance at all times and then, with His help, we can truly say that we can handle anything that is thrown at us as we head towards the Kingdom of God.  The good news is that God will give us all the help we need in every situation we face even if by our own normal human standards, such testing is beyond our human capabilities to handle.   And that is the key.  And God gets the glory!

It is not God’s Will that we should fail and He will help us to overcome the testing and trials and temptations that may come our way so that we may have everlasting life in His soon-coming Kingdom!

Lead Writers: Brian Gale (United Kingdom) and Norbert Link

In this new series, we will continue to give examples of phrases from the Bible that are part and parcel of our everyday language.  We will also give examples which are not found in the Bible per se, but which are close and express biblical principles, and we will quote examples which are not in the Bible and even contradict biblical teaching, even though some people think that they are in God’s Word.

Pride goes before a fall 

This is a close quote, but not totally accurate. The passage in Proverbs 16:18 reads: “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.” On Little House on the Prairie, Caroline Ingalls corrected Mrs. Oleson who had just chastened her with the misquote of pride goes before a fall. 

A labor of love

This phrase is used to describe the motive behind working or laboring. Ultimately, we work for God. Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 1:3: “… remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father…”

No rest for the wicked

A common phrase, but again, not totally accurate. The passage in Isaiah 57:21 reads: “‘There is no peace,’ Says my God, ‘for the wicked.’” Of course, both phrases are connected. Someone who has no rest has no peace. He lives in constant fear.

Casting pearls before swine

It is often used to say that we must be careful not to share good advice with others who don’t want it. It goes back to Christ’s stern warning not to teach spiritual knowledge to those who reject and despise it. 

He said in Matthew 7:6: “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.”

Go the extra mile

Again, not a totally accurate quote. It refers to the idea to go beyond and above what we must do… be it in respect to our work or to our relationship with others. Christ used this phrase to warn His disciples not to turn to violent resistance against the government. The Romans had a habit of forcing casual travelers to carry their belongings for a mile. Christ said that rather than violently resisting such practice, volunteer to go even another mile with them. He said in Matthew 5:41: “And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.”

Turn the other cheek

A close quote, but not totally accurate. It stands in direct context with the concept of going the extra mile. Jesus was saying that we must not resist others by resorting to violence; that it is better to suffer injustice than to commit it ourselves. He states in Matthew 5:39: “But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.”

An eye for an eye

A phrase associated today with revenge. However, it is based on equal or retaliatory justice. It has been wrongfully used to justify revenge, but the real purpose was to have a judge or magistrate give fair compensation for a harm done… to pay the victim the value of the incurred damage. 

Exodus 21:24-25 reads: “… eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”

A thorn in the flesh 

This phrase is used in this world to describe a sometimes minor, uncomfortable unpleasantry. However, it is a famous saying by Paul, who suffered, it seems, from an incurable physical sickness which he attributed to Satan’s doing. Paul asked God three times to be healed from this disease but God told him that in that particular case, God said HE wanted Paul to stay “weak” so that God’s strength could rule his life. Paul relates this in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 as follows:

“And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.’”

A house divided against itself will not stand

This phrase can be found in Matthew 12:25 where Christ said: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.”

This quote is often attributed to Abraham Lincoln. But while he used the phrase in a famous speech, he didn’t invent it. Jesus used it when dealing with Pharisees, claiming wrongfully that He was casting out demons because He was allegedly possessed Himself. He asked the Pharisees with what power their sons cast out demons (a power He had given some of them at that time).

See eye to eye

This phrase signifies that people agree on something. It is taken from Isaiah 52:8 which says: “Your watchmen shall lift up their voices, With their voices they shall sing together; For they shall see eye to eye When the LORD brings back Zion.” They will see “eye to eye” or agree with God. 

There are many more examples which we could have given. 

The Bible is, and has been down through the last 2,000 years, respected by so many who appreciate its wisdom and the Truth it reveals.

On the digitalcommons.liberty.edu website, they list 60 famous people, 16 of whom were Presidents of the USA, who speak so highly about the Word of God.  Below are just 6 of these which are a small sample size of those to whom the Bible was precious:

Abraham Lincoln – “But for this Book we could not know right from wrong. I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man.”

Franklin D. Roosevelt – “It is a fountain of strength. I feel that a comprehensive study of the Bible is a liberal education for anyone.”

Winston Churchill – “We rest with assurance upon the impregnable rock of Holy Scripture.” 

Haile Selassie – “The Bible is not only a great book of historical reference, but it also is a guide for daily life, and for this reason I respect it and I love it.” 

Douglas MacArthur – “Believe me, sir, never a night goes by, be I ever so tired, but I read the Word of God before I go to bed.”

Charles Dickens – “It is the best Book that ever was or ever will be in the world.”

And from this Book of books we have only quoted a few examples in this Q&A of its influence on our everyday language and there are scores more which are worth reviewing when you take the time.

On the other hand, we do not want to conclude this Q&A without pointing out that there are “famous” phrases which are NOT in the Bible, even though some people may think that they are. 

 “God helps those who help themselves”

This phrase is not in Scripture. It actually has its origin in ancient Greek, even though it is most often attributed to Benjamin Franklin since it appeared in his book Poor Richard’s Almanac. One commentator wrote: “This runs contrary to biblical teaching, since man can do nothing to help himself apart from God’s grace”—or we might add, “apart from God’s Will.”

“Cleanliness is next to godliness”

This phrase was used by Charles Dickens in his book Great Expectations, but it does not appear in the Bible. 

“God works in mysterious ways”

This is a paraphrase of a 19th-century hymn by the English poet William Cowper (“God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform’). It does not appear in the Bible, but the Bible does say, of course, that there are certain mysteries which He has revealed only to His people. 

“Money is the root of all evil”

It’s close, but not totally accurate. Instead it says, “For the LOVE of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). 

“The seven deadly sins”

This list of seven deadly sins (wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, gluttony) is not in the Bible. It was the Catholic Church that made up this phrase and its accompanying list. It is most certainly inaccurate to assume that these sins are “more deadly” than the violation of the Ten Commandments and its statutes and judgments. 

“Charity begins at home”

This phrase is credited to Terence, the Roman comic writer. But it is also sometimes attributed to Sir Thomas Browne. It is not found in the Bible. 

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions”

A common saying which is not found in Scripture. Another false quote would be: “All roads lead to Rome.”

“Once saved, always saved”

This phrase expresses a completely false concept of salvation. It is not found in the Bible.

God will never give you more than you can handle

This is another common phrase which, as quoted, is not in accordance with Scripture. It is not found in the Bible. One commentary stated astutely: 

“When someone is going through a difficult time in life, whether they are feeling overwhelmed, stricken with grief, or just generally burdened, they are often encouraged that though their challenges are considerable, God would never give them more than they could handle. But, despite what we might say, God will give us more than we can handle [or bear]. 

“Rather, God will never allow us to be tempted [or tested] beyond what we are able to [handle or bear]. He will always provide a way for us [to escape and] to be faithful to Him, even when the pull toward a different path is as strong as it has ever been.” 

Paul assures us in 1 Corinthians 10:13: 

“No temptation [or sore trial] has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

So, whatever we are being confronted with, GOD will help us. We need GOD… on our own, we can do and accomplish nothing. But with God, we can do and endure everything.

“Love the sinner, hate the sin” 

Even commonly used in religious circles, Christ did not say these words. 

St. Augustine’s Letter 211 (c. 424) contains the phrase Cum dilectione hominum et odio vitiorum, which translates roughly to “With love for mankind and hatred of sins.” The phrase has become more famous as “love the sinner but hate the sin” or “hate the sin and not the sinner” (the latter form appearing in Mohandas Gandhi’s 1929 autobiography).

Next time you hear yourself say something that sounds pretty familiar and you think that it might be from the Bible, it is a good reason to find out if it is or not, and if it is, from which book of the Bible it is from.

Lead Writers: Brian Gale (United Kingdom) and Norbert Link

It is interesting that there are so many phrases in everyday use that can be found in the Bible.   Many may use these phrases without even thinking about where they came from and many may be atheists or agnostics anyway.   Some who may never have even opened the pages of the Bible may be surprised how many phrases contained in the Word of God have become everyday phrases in our society.

In one internet forum, a contributor observed that “In general the bible is ignored by modern society. It is ignored largely because people think its moral standards and helpful counsel is hopelessly out of date. Most people want to live their lives without anyone telling them what to do, or what not to do. That has not changed since the Garden of Eden.”   These are just some of the reasons why some never read or consult the Word of God.

With the introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI), so much information has now become even more available at the touch of a button.   An AI overview acknowledges that there are, therefore, challenges and considerations as follows:

Accuracy and Verification: AI models can produce incorrect information (hallucinations), necessitating human verification, particularly when dealing with complex or niche topics.

Information Overload: Despite the ability to summarize, the sheer volume of information generated can become a “knowledge epidemic”.

Over-reliance: Increased reliance on AI for quick answers may hinder the development of in-depth critical thinking skills.

We have to be careful when looking at their overviews on everything, as they may just be quoting from one source or several sources, which might be incorrect or totally wrong.  However, in the case of phrases in the Bible that have become normal in society today, it can be simple to compare with or check with the Bible itself.

Therefore, in this new series, we will be giving just some of so many examples of phrases from the Bible that are part and parcel of our everyday language.   These are readily available on the internet but many may not even have thought about the connection between language from centuries ago, which was translated into English and which has become part and parcel of the way we speak today.

We will also give examples which are not found in the Bible per se, but which are close and express biblical principles, and we will quote examples which are not in the Bible and even contradict biblical teaching, even though some people think that they are in God’s Word.

The blind leading the blind

It describes a situation where a person ignorant of a given subject gets advice and help from someone just as ignorant (Wikipedia). If things are not going well or according to plan, criticising leadership in government, mainstream churches, large corporations and businesses can become the norm and a regular habit.

We could apply this saying to many leaders in the world today as they do not consult the Word of God in their decision making.   We only have to look at the sorry mess the world is in to see how bad decision making has been.   Jesus was talking about the spiritual leaders of His time which is so applicable to so many spiritual leaders today!

In Matthew 15:14, Christ warns us: “Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”

Christ’s warning applies likewise, and perhaps even more so, to the many incompetent political leaders in this world.

Escaping by the skin of your teeth

When we have a narrow escape by just avoiding whatever danger there was and by the slimmest of margins, we can say that we escaped by the skin of our teeth. It may describe a situation where failure was expected or highly likely, and the success was extremely close, almost not happening, and it could happen in many situations in which we may find ourselves.

In Job 19:20, Job exclaims: “My bone clings to my skin and to my flesh; I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.”

A fly in the ointment 

Today, we use this expression in any situation that may cause a problem with someone’s plan(s). Solomon speaks of the stench of a fly in a perfumer’s oil,contrasting it to a small problem that spoils something valuable.  It can also be an expression for a hitch in a plan, especially one that was not at first apparent.

In Ecclesiastes 10:1, King Solomon writes: “Dead flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment, And cause it to give off a foul odor; So does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor.”

A stumbling block

The first mention of stumbling blocks in the Bible is in Leviticus 19:14, where the admonition was not to put a stumbling block in front of the blind.   Wikipediaobserves: “…a stumbling stone or tripwire; anything that makes someone trip and fall. This figuratively means ‘something that causes someone to lose faith in Jesus’.  Of course, today, with the Bible being seen as outdated or irrelevant, many will just see a stumbling block in everyday terms in their own lives such as an obstacle, hindrance, or barrier that prevents progress, agreement, or action.   It is certainly a phrase commonly used by many.  But the Bible speaks about not putting stumbling blocks in front of those new to the faith.

In Romans 14:13, Paul cautions and encourages us: “Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.”

A drop in the bucket

This is quite a common saying that implies that something is small or insignificant.   It is a tiny amount compared with what is needed or expected.  It is trivial, a pittance, that on its own is unlikely to make any difference.   An example would be where a government is sending tons of food to a poor country but, on its own, that would be just a drop in the bucket compared to what is needed.  Of course, if many nations did the same, it could start to become significant.

It refers to something very insignificant, without making a tremendous difference. This is how the nations are in the eyes of God. They can try to usurp God’s plan and reject Him; it will all come to nothing. Isaiah 40:15 reads: “Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, And are counted as the small dust on the scales. Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing.”

The writing is on the wall

It is an idiom indicating that there are clear, inescapable signs of imminent failure, misfortune or downfall and that, unless some unforeseen circumstances arise, the inevitable will happen.

Certain events seem to lead inevitably to a specific outcome. When you see something that predicts an obvious conclusion, you might say the writing is on the wall.

The phrase ironically describes a situation that wasn’t so obvious at the time. No one knew what the writing on the wall in Daniel 5 meant, until God gave Daniel the interpretation that the kingdom would be taken away from the king (Daniel 5:25-28).

In Daniel 5:5, we read about Belshazzar’s Feast: “In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.”

A leopard cannot change its spots

Of course, it is biologically impossible for a leopard to change its spots.   Ginger software observes that “the phrase ‘a leopard never changes its spots’ means that it’s impossible for one to change their character, even if they will try very hard. The expression may also be used to explain the idea that no one can change their innate nature.”

People can get stuck in their ways and cannot change, just like a leopard can’t change its spots. It’s something we can say that means a person’s character, especially if it is bad, will not change, even if they pretend that it will.   Of course, when someone is called by God to His Way of Life, they should change a great deal; nevertheless, they are still subject to the pulls of the flesh and the constant barrage of negative broadcasting from Satan and his demons. And, of course, only a tiny fraction of the world’s population are being called to God’s Way of Life today.

The famous saying can be found in Jeremiah 13:23: “Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or a leopard its spots?”

Salt of the earth

If someone is referred to as the “salt of the earth,” they are deemed to be a good person. You can count on them. They are dependable and honest. It describes humble, straightforward individuals who possess good values and are dependable. At least, that’s how the phrase is often used today.

Jesus said His followers were to be the salt of the earth. This means that they had to have high standards.

He tells us in Matthew 5:13: “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.”

Wolves in sheep’s clothing

This idiom today is, in the world, about those who appear harmless, kind, or trustworthy but are actually dangerous, deceitful, or malicious. With many scams that are rife in our current society, this is a particularly important saying to keep in mind.

In a religious situation, this can refer specifically to those who claim to be literal “prophets,” or leaders. It also applies, in general, to those who make false religious claims. A true Church of God member who “rightly divides the word of truth” (compare 2 Timothy 2:15) and carefully studies the Bible will be able to identify false prophets. 

In Matthew 7:15-16, Christ warns us: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?’

Oh you of little faith 

This is a phrase that many can use in a secular setting as a friendly or cordial good-natured approach to another who may doubt what has been promised, or an expected conclusion or consequence. Jesus used this phrase a number of times to His disciples as a means and expression of encouragement at a time when they may have been going through trials and problems that tested their faith. But He also reminded them that they had to allow their faith to grow to master tremendous challenges. Please see Matthew 6:30: “Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”

Also note Matthew 8:26, 16:8 and Luke 12:28.

A man after my own heart

People say this all the time, referring to someone they admire. In 1 Samuel 13:14, God said this about David, as He recognized his willing heart to repent.

If you’re without sin, cast the first stone

Christ used this somewhat identical phrase when He told the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees who accused the woman caught in adultery and who wanted to trick Him. The direct saying was, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first” (John 8:7).

In the twinkling of an eye 

It describes a very brief moment. Paul uses it to show the tremendously fast change from mortal to immortal when Christ returns. “… we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). Even science fiction writers like Brian Aldiss used this term as the title of one of His books.

The truth will set you free

In general terms, we should recognize that it is always safer to tell the Truth than to resort to a lie, because sin will find us out, and unrepentant liars will end up in the Lake of Fire. Christ used this phrase in John 8:32 for His disciples in this context: “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Free from error and deception.

He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword

Not an exact quote, but close. Christ told Peter to put his sword away when he was willing to defend Christ against those who wanted to arrest and kill Him. He said: “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52). The warning is repeated in Revelation 13:10: … he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword.”

(To Be Continued)

Lead Writers: Brian Gale (United Kingdom) and Norbert Link

This is a very interesting question; particularly, when we think of the ages of some of the patriarchs, and we look at the ages of people at other times during the last 6,000 years.   We want to briefly explore the question of life-spans and why King David only lived to the age of 70 when he was considered to be very old, which is not very old by today’s standards.

From the Bible, many people will know that Methuselah was the oldest man who ever lived – he was 969 years old when he died (Genesis 5:27), Jared was 962 (Genesis 5:20) and Noah 950 years old (Genesis 9:29).   The next oldest were:

Adam – 930 (Genesis 5:5)

Seth – 912 (Genesis 5:6-7)

Canaan- 910 (Genesis 5:14

Enosh – (not to be confused with Enoch) 905 (Genesis 5:11)

Mahalalel 895 (Genesis 5:17)

Lamech 777 (Genesis 5:31)

Enoch 365 (Genesis 5:23)

These were all before the Flood around the year 1,656, but after the new beginning with Noah and his family, ages came down dramatically. Some have proposed that in Genesis 6:3, God reduced the life-span of man to 120 years. However, God’s reference to 120 years in Genesis 6:3 has nothing to do with the average life-span of man; rather, it is God’s expression that He would bring the Flood in about 120 years which would destroy all life. Noah was about 600 years old when the Flood came, and he lived many hundreds of years after the Flood along with Shem, Ham and Japheth. Even several generations later, men like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob lived much longer than just 120 years.

There are many theories as to why this should be the case but the Bible doesn’t specifically give us the full explanation. What we can say is that in Genesis 1:31 we read: “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”  Man would be formed in, and live in, a perfect world, whereas later man would soon go the wrong way.

One commentator wrote this: 

“The most straightforward explanation may be that as time has ticked on since the Flood, disease and other dangers of this world have simply taken their toll on us. Today, mutations of diseases mean that we have more things trying to kill us now than we did a decade ago. Decay and entropy have likewise broken things down more and more as the centuries go by… with the new world breeding various new diseases and other natural problems that took their toll on Moses and his descendants. A comparison would be how the quality of life in first-world countries dramatically affects lifespans compared to those in third-world countries. In this case, we may consider the living conditions before and after the Flood as so different that lifespans were naturally shortened.”

Others try to explain the shortened life-span of man after the Flood with the disappearance of a water canopy. It is suggested that the pre-Flood Earth was surrounded by a dense layer of water vapor or ice. The canopy was believed to have trapped heat uniformly, producing a mild, tropical climate worldwide, and shielding the Earth from harmful cosmic radiation. When the “windows of heaven” opened, the canopy condensed and collapsed, providing 40 days of rain.

We say the following in our free booklet, “The Theory of Evolution, A Fairy Tale for Adults?”

“… many theologians and scientists state that a vapor canopy once surrounded the earth. Theologians refer to Genesis 7:11 where it says that the ‘windows of heaven were opened.’ They feel this is probably a reference to the pre-flood vapor canopy. Another reference to this canopy can be seen in Genesis 1:6-7, where we read that God made a firmament and divided the waters under the firmament from the waters above the firmament, giving reference to a water vapor canopy. This canopy, scientists explain, would have created a greenhouse effect. This seems to be confirmed in Genesis 2:5 where we are told that the antediluvian world was watered by dew or mist, not by rain. This dew would have been dependent upon humidity, saturation, temperature, dew point and condensation—all made possible through the water vapor canopy.”

That could be an explanation for the shortening of the life-span of man after the Flood, or part of it, but we simply don’t have the direct answer from the Word of God.

Later we see that Abraham died at age 175 (Genesis 25:7) and his wife Sarah lived 127 years (Genesis 23:1).  Their son Isaac lived to age 180 (Genesis 35:28) and Jacob (Israel) lived to be 147 (Genesis 47:28), all long life-spans compared to today but many hundreds of years less than those quoted at the beginning of this Q&A.

Moses wrote the following words in Psalm 90:10: “The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”

That would have been true at the time of Moses; it was not necessarily true for the centuries before or since then, nor would it have to be true for us today or for future generations to come.

King David was probably the oldest king except for King Saul who was 70 or 72 when he died. In 1 Chronicles 29:26-28 we read:

“Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. And the period that he reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years he reigned in Hebron, and thirty-three years he reigned in Jerusalem. So he died in a good old age, full of days and riches and honor; and Solomon his son reigned in his place.”

We learn this from 2 Samuel 5:4: “David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.” And so that would mean that he was 70 when he died.

It is interesting what many Bible Commentaries say about 1 Kings 1:1 which reads: “Now King David was old, advanced in years; and they put covers on him, but he could not get warm.” The margin of some of the New King James Bibles explains that “advanced in years” means “seventy years.” The Authorized Version states that he was “stricken in years.”

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers points out:

“Stricken in years—about seventy years old. Since ‘clothes’ mean ‘bed-clothes,’ the meaning is that the King was now too feeble to rise from his bed. His life began its responsibilities early; it had been hard and trying; and, as the history shows, not wholly free from self-indulgence. Hence, at no excessive age, its complete decrepitude.”

The Benson Commentary states:

“They covered him with clothes, but he got no heat — Which is not strange, considering he was a person who had been exercised with so many hardships in war, and with such tormenting cares, and fears, and sorrows for his own sins, (as divers of his psalms witness,) and for the sins and miseries of his children and people. Besides, this might be from the nature of his bodily distemper, which Dr. Lightfoot thinks was a dead palsy. (David now began to feel the effects of old age…).”

Barnes Notes on the Bible explains:

“…..the Jews at this time were not long-lived. No Jewish monarch after David, excepting Solomon and Manasseh, exceeded sixty years… The king was evidently bed-ridden (1 Kings 1:47).”

In passing, some disagree with the view that no Jewish monarch exceeded 60 years except for Solomon and Manasseh, as they say that Uzziah was 68 when he died.   Nevertheless, the ages of kings were not long-lived.

The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary states:

“Now king David was old—He was in the seventieth year of his age (2 Samuel 5:4, 5). But the wear and tear of a military life, bodily fatigue, and mental care, had prematurely, if we may say it, exhausted the energies of David’s strong constitution (1 Samuel 16:12). In modern Palestine and Egypt the people, owing to the heat of the climate, sleep each in a ‘separate’ bed. They only depart from this practice for medical reasons (Ecclesiastes 4:11).”

We want to clarify that we do not necessarily agree with that assessment and especially with the quote of Ecclesiastes 4:11 as proof for sleeping in separate beds.

Gill’s Exposition of the Whole Bible points out:

“…there are many persons at the age he was, that are lively, healthful, and robust, comparatively speaking at least; but David’s strength was impaired, and his natural force abated by his many wars, fatigues by night and day in campaigns, and the many sorrows and afflictions he met with from his family and his friends, as well as enemies; which exhausted his natural moisture, weakened his nerves, and drank up his spirits, and brought upon him the infirmities of a decrepit old age very soon.”

The Pulpit Commentary states in general:

“David’s early hardships and later sorrows and anxieties appear to have aged him prematurely. Possibly he was also afflicted with disease.”

A number of other Bible Commentaries come to pretty much the same conclusions as stated in those already quoted and seem to feel that David’s lifestyle, toils, and hardships contributed to him being feeble, aged and very old. Even though he was “only” 70, he was considered very old in the Bible, based on his condition. In addition, when noting the following explanation, aged 70 could already be described as very old in general terms for people living at the time of David.

On the website “Longevity in the Ancient World,” we read:

“There is little firm information about the collective lives of those who lived in the first centuries BC and the first centuries AD, but the conjecture is that the average life span was about 35 years. The 35-40 average life span of people in the Western world held true through the Dark Ages, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance until the 19th and 20th centuries when modern medicine and its life-preserving discoveries began in earnest. For thousands of years, life was uncertain but it was pretty certain the normal person would not live past 40 years. Ambitious or talented young men, or young men like Herod the Great’s 19-year-old son Archelaus who inherited kingdoms, were forced to grow up quickly because by age 20 their life was already half over. Alexander the Great in the 3rd century BC reigned over his father’s kingdom and commanded the army that would conquer the known world when he was 20. Charlemagne ruled most of western Europe in the 700’s AD when he was 26. Genghis Khan in the 1100’s began building the army that would conquer Asia when he was 20. Chaucer the Father of English Literature wrote his first major work, the Book Of Duchess, in the 14th century when he was 25. Shakespeare wrote his first play when he was 26 in 1590…”

As an example of how life spans have increased in more modern times, we quote from the UK Office for National Statistics:

“In 1841 the average newborn girl was not expected to see her 43rd birthday. Thankfully times have changed and so have life expectancies in the 170 years since the first lifetable was constructed.  The information contained in the Decennial Life Tables release, produced every 10 years, provides a fascinating insight into those changes, spanning three centuries.  In 2011 life expectancy at birth is almost double what it was in 1841.”

And so, when we think about King David being very old at age 70, we may view this through the optics of what we see in life expectancy today or in previous times, and may also have in mind some of the extraordinary longevity of Old Testament examples at the dawn of civilisation and after the Flood.  How things have changed over the centuries!

And they might still change once again. We are told that Christ will rule mankind on earth for 1,000 years, during the Millennium. We do not know what age the people will reach then… how long they will live in the flesh. It is POSSIBLE that some, if not most, will live for close to 1,000 years to qualify before being changed into immortal Spirit beings. We know that people will live for 100 years in the flesh during the Great White Throne Judgment period. 

On June 12, 2013, the BBC website reported that “A Japanese man recognised as the world’s oldest living person, and the oldest man recorded in history, has died aged 116, local officials say. Jiroemon Kimura died of natural causes on Wednesday in a hospital in Kyotango, Kyoto, a government statement said.  In December, Guinness World Records recorded Mr Kimura as the oldest man ever verified to have lived.”

Of course, they are not taking into account biblical examples and the Guinness Book of Records has only been in operation since 1955. We are now more informed about how to prolong our lives through information about health, hygiene, better food supply, nutrition and exercise. Although this Q&A was about King David and his age, we finish by showing just a few examples as to how different it is today. 

In the Countries ranked by life expectancy (2025), we see the following results with the numbers showing the ranking average ages for 201 countries [compare https://www.worldometers.info/demographics/life-expectancy/]:

1. Hong Kong                      85.77

5. Switzerland                     84.23

6. Australia                          84.21

19. Canada                          82.88

20. Israel                              82.77

29. Austria                           82.29

36. Germany                        81.71

37. UK                                 81.60

48. USA                               79.61

201. Nigeria                         54.78

As a footnote to the life of David during his seventy years, we quote from gotquestions:

“God blessed King David with a long and prosperous life. He survived a battle with a giant, multiple attempts by King Saul to murder him, various wars, and a coup led by one of his own sons. In the end, he died of old age. Scripture leaves no doubt that David was of sound mind when he died. Knowing his death was imminent, David was able to give support and guidance to his heir and successor. Despite his many faults, David was admired and respected as a hero by the people of Israel. His dedication to God, loyalty in the face of ill-treatment, courage in war, benevolence in conquest, and faithfulness in friendship were so extraordinary that he would forever be viewed as an ideal king and a man after God’s own heart.”

We might add: David sinned, but his repentance was genuine and sincere. His heart was right, and so he WAS a man after God’s own heart.

Lead Writers: Brian Gale (United Kingdom) and Norbert Link

In other translations of the Bible, this word “repents” in the Authorized Version and in the New King James Bible can be read at times as: relented, regretted, was sorry, was very sad and had sorrow.

The first mention of this in the Word of God can be found in Genesis 6:6-7, in the Authorized Version, in regard to the people living before the Flood:

“And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.”

In the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, we read:

“And it repented the Lord … grieved him at his heart. This is a strong instance of what is called anthropomorphism, an expression descriptive of human emotion or action ascribed to Jehovah… Such expressions have often given rise to superficial criticisms, depreciatory of Holy Scripture, on the part both of those who are ignorant of Oriental literature, and of those who assume that the Books of Holy Scripture must be free from the literary characteristics of the writers’ age and nationality. In this verse Jehovah is represented as intensely grieved at the frustration of His purposes for the human race. The description is given in the childlike simplicity of the language of an early age…”

In Wordnik, we read that “anthropomorphism” is described as “The ascription of human attributes tosupernatural or divine beings; in theology, the conception or representation of God with human qualities and affections, or in a human shape.”

Continuing with the comments from the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges:

“In other passages, e.g. Numbers 23:19, 1 Samuel 15:29, it is asserted that Jehovah is not, like man, capable of repentance. There are two representations in Holy Scripture of the Divine Nature: one, which, as here, makes the Divine Purpose fluctuate, in reflexion, as it were, of man’s changing experiences; the other, which depicts the Divine Purpose as uniform, changeless, and unvarying, cf. James 1:17.”

Before addressing the false interpretation of the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges regarding God’s repentance, let us review the passages in Numbers and 1 Samuel, referred to above. (We will talk about the passage in James later).

In Numbers 23:19, it states (in the Authorized Version; the New King James Bible; and in the Luther Bibel 1984):

“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good.”

1 Samuel 15:29 reads in the New King James Bible: “And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor relent. For He is not a man, that He should relent.” The Authorized Version says “repent,” and so does the Luther Bibel 1984.

We see the context: God has said something, and He will not repent or relent from doing so. But even then, as we will see, He may give a prophecy which He might not carry out, depending on human conduct.

The huge problem of the false perception of the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges lies in a complete misunderstanding of God, in using the word“anthropomorphism” in describing God—as they put it, “the use of human “descriptions of the God being with ‘childlike simplicity,’” concluding that the description of God and His actions and emotions are not to be taken literally. For instance, anthropomorphism postulates that God cannot move from one place to another and that He has no form and shape—no hands, feet, a head, a mouth etc, thereby totally ignoring the biblical fact that man was created in God’s image and according to His likeness.

We state in our Q&A, “Does God travel?”:

“God HAS form and shape. God said that Moses saw the glorified ‘form’ of the LORD (compare Numbers 12:8). God, when creating man, said that man was to be made in accordance with the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27; 9:6). God is described as having a head, arms, a body, feet, eyes and hair, among other aspects. Man is made in the physical form of God–he is a physical reflection, if you please, of the Spirit Beings, God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son. Please also note that Christ is described as the [Spirit] image of God the Father (2 Corinthians 4:4). He looks like God the Father; that is why He could say, even when He was here on earth in human form, ‘He who has seen Me has seen the Father’ (John 14:9). In that same way–on a physical level–man is made in the image of God.

“… This is why we read that God came down from heaven to walk on earth; that Jesus Christ, after His resurrection to a Spirit Being, ascended to heaven; that He was brought before God the Father in heaven to receive kingship and power; and that He will return to this earth, in power and glory, to rule all nations. Of course, we must also understand that God CAN ‘travel’ from one place to another within a ‘split second’… [W]hen God is at a certain place, at that very same moment, He cannot be–as a Person–at a different place at the same time…

“David did not conclude that God’s miraculous omnipresence was due to God being everywhere like a form- and shapeless blob; he knew better than that… God the Father and Jesus Christ are both Spirit beings. They both have form and shape, composed of Spirit. But the Holy Spirit is NOT a being–rather, it is the power emanating from God (compare Micah 3:8; Luke 4:14). It is through the POWER of God’s Holy Spirit that things are created. And God’s Holy Spirit does not have form and shape–God’s Holy Spirit does not exist in a bodily form… God, a Spirit being, who has form and shape, is everywhere through His Spirit…

“Turning… to Genesis 3:8-11, we find that God–actually in the Person of Jesus Christ, as no man has ever seen the Father (John 1:18; 6:46)–‘walked’ in the Garden of Eden. That must be understood quite literally. At that moment in time, Christ appeared to Adam and Eve in a physical manifestation, but through His Spirit, He was still everywhere. [Later, we find that Christ appeared to Abraham and Sarah, together with two angels, manifesting themselves ‘as’ humans, to eat and to speak with them about their future son and to warn Abraham of the impending destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (compare Genesis 18:1-2, 13, 16-33; 19:1).]…

“We read Christ’s words to Abraham in Genesis 18:20-21: ‘Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”’… Some commentaries tell us that this wording [of God coming down and seeing how bad it was] is ‘anthropomorphic’ (applying human characteristics, traits or attributes to God) or a figurative way of speaking, allegedly ‘proving God’s omniscience or all-embracing knowledge.’

“Of course, most commentaries do not believe that God has form and shape, and that man was made, in a physical way, after the spiritual likeness of God. Nor do they believe that God travels, going from one place to another.  But the Bible clearly teaches both…

“A similar conclusion can be gleaned from the account about the Tower of Babel. We read in Genesis 11:5-8: ‘But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The LORD said, ‘If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.’ So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city.’

“This passage implies that Christ came down, apparently in response to a report by His angels, to see what was really happening at Babel, and after having analyzed the situation, both the Father and Christ determined to go down to confuse the languages…”

The same false concept of anthropomorphism is being used when trying to deny that God can “repent,” saying this is just a human expression applied to God in figurative ways. For instance, we clearly read that God has wrath; that He can get angry. These are not just anthropomorphic expressions.

We state in our Q&A, “Does God know anger?”

“God’s wrath—both of the Father and of the Son—is also vividly described in the Book of Revelation…. 

“We read in Psalm 7:11 that ‘God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day.’… God judges and has to be ‘judgemental.’ There is nothing wrong with being angry as long as it is righteous anger – and with God that must always be the case as He is perfect.”

Addressing godly repentance, we always need to look at the context of the particular passage.

There are a number of instances where God repented or “relented, regretted, was sorry, was very sad and had sorrow.”  Let us review a few of these.

In the Authorized Version of 1 Samuel 15:11, we read: “It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.” The Luther Bible1984 renders it the same: “I repent,” or “Es reut mich…” However, in the New King James Version, the word repenteth is translated as “greatly regret”.  God was not repenting of any sin He would have committed–that would be ludicrous, but He greatly repented of or regretted His action in setting up Saul as king over Israel (this is repeated in verse 35). God repented of setting up Saul due to Saul’s rebellious conduct. It shows how much our Creator was grieved at the actions of His people.

In Jeremiah 18:8-10, we read in the Authorized Version: “If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.  And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.”   The same rendering is used in the Luther Bibel 1984. In the New King James Bible, the word used is relent.

Matthew Poole’s Commentaryobserves the above text as follows: “I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them; I will also turn from the methods of my severe providence which I had resolved in case of their impenitency to proceed in against them. There is a difference betwixt repentance in man, and repentance as it is attributed to God; repentance in man must be, not only a change in action, but a change of heart; repentance as attributed to God never signifieth a change of heart, or purpose, or counsels, but only a change in action, all alteration of the course of his providence.”

This distinction between man and God is clearly wrong. As man can and does change his heart or mind by thinking differently, so can and does God. And even though God’s overall purpose or master plan never changes, He is most certainly willing to make changes within His master plan, based on man’s conduct. When the Israelites built a golden calf, God repented that He had made them and He was willing to destroy all of them, while using Moses to makehim a great nation and leading them into the Promised Land. So, we could say that God changed His mind towards the Israelites.

The same can be attributed to Amos 7:3, 6 which states in the Authorized Versionthat “The Lord repented for this: It shall not be, saith the LORD.”   Also, the Luther Bibel 1984. In the New King James Version, the word is “relented,” as it is in Jonah 3:10 and 4:2.

We know from Malachi 3:6 that God does not change: “For I am the LORD, I do not change”. Another verse that shows the unchanging nature of God is found in Hebrews 13:8: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” In James 1:17, we read: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

These Scriptures show that His nature and character do not change. They do NOT alter the fact that He cannot decide to change His conduct due to the behaviour of human beings. Neither do they show that God cannot repent or relent of what He had originally planned, and that He could not change His plan in that regard, but all are subject to the fulfilment of His master plan.

The confusion with regard to the word “repent,” when applied to God, might stem from the idea that repentance, when applied to humans, is normally, but not always, associated with sin, which needs to be “repented” of. God never sins—He cannot sin—so, as the argument goes, the word “repent” could not possibly be used to refer to God. But that is faulty human reasoning, as the word “repent” does not necessitate sinful conduct.

The Hebrew word for repent in Genesis 6:3, “nacham,” can have a variety of meanings. Strong’sdefines it as “to sigh; to be sorry; to avenge; repent.” It simply means, ‘to feel sorry for something you have done.” It can also include a change of mind or behavior.

In our booklet “God’s Teachings on Sexual Relationships,” we read the following on pages 6-8:

“God Can Change His Mind on Temporary Matters.

“There are a number of examples where God DID change His mind, so how do we explain that? Let us look at some of these examples…

“Genesis 18:26–32 relates Abraham’s negotiation with God over how many righteous in Sodom would be needed in order to save the city from destruction. First of all it was 50, then God agreed to 45, then 40, then 30, then 20 and finally 10. We note quite a few changes of mind there because of Abraham’s pleading.

“Numbers 14 tells the story of Israel refusing to enter Canaan, and instead of entering the land immediately, God changed this by deferring their entry for 40 years.

“In 2 Kings 20 we read that King Hezekiah was ‘sick and near death’ (verse 1), and the king prayed about this matter (verse 2–3) and God changed His mind and added another 15 years to his life (verses 5–6).

“Jonah was sent out on a mission to Nineveh but Jonah tried to opt out of this task. Eventually he did deliver the message that in ‘forty days… Nineveh shall be overthrown’ (Jonah 3:4). However, the Ninevites repented and ‘God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it (verse 10).’ Again, a change of mind by God.

“We can see from these examples that God did change, but none of these changes involved alterations to His unalterable spiritual Law. God does not change, nor does He compromise with regard to His plan for mankind, a plan which is revealed through the meaning of His Holy Days. (For more insight, please read our free booklets, The Meaning of God’s Spring Holy Days, and The Meaning of God’s Fall Holy Days, where His plan of salvation for ALL people is revealed, including those who, at this present time, are disobedient to the Truth and Way of Life that God has shown His called-out ones.)

“God does not change with regard to keeping His Law—the Ten Commandments. It is interesting that the Roman Catholic Church has defied God and ‘replaced’ His seventh-day-Sabbath with Sunday. They also observe the paganized holidays, such as Christmas and Easter (and other days), while ignoring and rejecting the Holy Days that God says are His. Leviticus 23:1–2 clearly states: ‘And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.’”’ God then gives details about the Sabbath and all of His annual Holy Days.

“The Church of God has long understood that if one part or passage in the Bible is contradictory, then God’s Word could not be trusted. If God went back and forth about His spiritual Law for mankind, then how could we trust Him? How could we possibly build a relationship with Him?

“We know from God’s Word that He is perfect in all His ways, and we know that the Father and Jesus Christ are one (see John 10:30 and 17:11)—unified and with singleness of purpose.

“We are truly blessed that God is constant and that His integrity is intact so that we can fully trust the great Creator God of the universe. This is confirmed in Proverbs 3:5–6: ‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding.’

“God Does Not Change His Eternal Truths Nor His Character.

“God does NOT change when it comes to the eternal truths that He has made clear in His Word. God has perfect character, which cannot change. So then, we must have the spiritual insight and understanding to comprehend this principal and learn to apply it.”

Repentance is a word that we use when we have sinned and need forgiveness (compare for example Acts 2:38).  That is at the human level but when used in connection with God and, therefore, it most certainly is not to do with any failure or sin, rather that the master plan of God is not altered though the means and initial steps to achieve it may be modified, based on human conduct.

Lead Writers: Brian Gale (United Kingdom) and Norbert Link

In this final part of this series, we will conclude with a number of further false assumptions that can be made that, when reviewed correctly, will shine a different light on these matters.

FALSE ASSUMPTION No.13

Another false assumption is that the rejection of God’s rule and preferring a human king or ruler guarantees that things will get better.

It is interesting to read in 1 Samuel 8 that Israel demanded a king. In verses 5-8, we read:

“Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, ‘Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.’”

Samuel was getting older and his sons did not walk in the ways of God.  Here, the Israelites mistakenly believed that having a king would make them stronger than relying on God.  This is also the prevailing view today.  Politicians are elected usually with great rejoicing, only to fail and their replacements go through the same cycle.  To rely on God and follow His ways does not enter their minds, nor does it enter the minds of those who vote for them. As is the case today, what the Israelites did was to reject God’s rule over them.

Samuel was told by God to heed the voice of the people (verse 7) but they were warned about what would happen by God’s servant in the rest of the chapter. They refused to obey his voice, and the rest, as they say, is history!

God chose Saul as king, but he did not remain faithful to God.  On the collector.com website, we read: 

“King Saul was the first king of Israel and, unfortunately, also the first to show that God’s warnings against a monarch in Israel were justified.

“King Saul was the first king of Israel, appointed by the prophet Samuel. Israel insisted on being like surrounding nations by having a monarch. Though he was physically strong and attractive, he was from the least of the tribes of Israel. Initially, he was a humble and spiritual man, but during his reign, he became jealous, arrogant, and progressively more disobedient to God. Many years passed between the time God informed Saul that he would lose his kingship and when he ended his own life.”

Many think today that in voting for a political leader, they are fulfilling God’s Will. Nothing could be further from the Truth. In fact, when they do this, they act like ancient Israel did, in rejecting God’s rule over them. 

The people made the false assumption that a king was the answer, mistakenly believing that having a king would make them stronger than relying on God. 

It did not!

FALSE ASSUMPTION No.14

Interestingly, the prophet Samuel was also guilty of making a false assumption.   Saul was rejected as king, as we read in 1 Samuel 15:22-23: “So Samuel said: ‘Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.’”

In the following chapter, Samuel was sent by God to Bethlehem, as we read in 1 Samuel 16:1:

“Now the LORD said to Samuel, ‘How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.’” The elders of the town trembled at his coming and following God’s instruction, he said that he had come to sacrifice. This was true, but it was not the only or even the main reason. God had sent him to anoint the next king. But Samuel did not lie when he did not mention this. One does not have to say everything one knows, but what one does say must be true. 

We read further in verses 5-7:

^“And he said, ‘Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.’ Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice. So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, ‘Surely the LORD’s anointed is before Him!’ But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’”  

Samuel looked at the outward appearance but God looked at the heart and Eliab, and the rest of the sons of Jesse were rejected, except for David, who was keeping the sheep. He was the chosen one, as we know, and even Samuel the prophet made a false assumption in thinking, initially, that Eliab might be the one.

As we read in Isaiah 55:8-9: “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.’”

Again we see that even Samuel the prophet made a false assumption. One has to be careful not to judge a person or a matter according to the outward appearance. (John 7:24).

FALSE ASSUMPTION No.15

We can make false assumptions by thinking that socialism or communism (Marxism) is the solution to our problems. 

We recently covered Acts 2:44-45 in a Q&A asking if this was a biblical example of socialism.  https://www.eternalgod.org/isnt-acts-244-45-a-biblical-example-of-socialism/ There have been those who may have used this as an example of communism/socialism. However, this passage describes a temporary situation that arose after the extraordinary events on the day of Pentecost, and no other examples exist in the New Testament which might be used to suggest that socialism is a system which God upholds. In fact, no human system is righteous, but compared with all other existing systems, democracy has been described as the least of all evils. But it cannot solve our problems either. Only Christ’s righteous rule on this earth will bring lasting peace, prosperity and equality for all. 

But it is certainly one matter that can mislead those who carelessly read this account in Acts 2:44-45 and make false assumptions.

FURTHER FALSE ASSUMPTIONS

The Topical Encyclopedia states that “in the biblical narrative, assumptions often lead to misunderstandings, conflicts, and spiritual pitfalls. The Bible provides numerous examples and teachings that highlight the dangers of making assumptions without seeking divine guidance or understanding the full context.”

They also give further examples of making false assumptions which are very well worth reviewing.

Old Testament Examples

“1. Joshua and the Gibeonites: In Joshua 9, the Israelites are deceived by the Gibeonites, who pretend to be from a distant land. Joshua and the leaders of Israel assume their account is true and make a covenant with them without seeking the LORD’s counsel. ‘So the men examined their provisions and did not consult the LORD” (Joshua 9:14). This assumption leads to an alliance that was contrary to God’s command.

“2. Eli and Hannah: In 1 Samuel 1, Eli the priest sees Hannah praying silently and assumes she is drunk. ‘How long will you be drunk?’ he said. ‘Put away your wine!’ (1 Samuel 1:14). Eli’s assumption is incorrect, as Hannah is deeply distressed and praying earnestly to the LORD. This incident underscores the danger of judging based on appearances.

New Testament Examples

“1. Jesus and the Pharisees: The Pharisees often make assumptions about Jesus, questioning His authority and actions. In Matthew 12:24, they assume that Jesus casts out demons by the power of Beelzebub. Jesus refutes their assumption, explaining that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand (Matthew 12:25-26).

“2. Peter and the Gentiles: In Acts 10, Peter initially assumes that associating with Gentiles is unlawful. However, God reveals to him through a vision that he should not call any person impure or unclean. ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean’ (Acts 10:15). This assumption is corrected by divine revelation, leading to the inclusion of Gentiles in the early Church.

“3. Paul and the Corinthians: In 1 Corinthians 4:5, Paul warns against making premature judgments. ‘Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes’  (1 Corinthians 4:5). Paul cautions the Corinthians against assuming they fully understand God’s purposes or the motives of others.”

The Topical Encyclopedia then goes on to give some theological insights and practical applications as follows:

“The Bible teaches that assumptions can lead to false judgments and hinder spiritual growth. Proverbs 3:5-6 advises believers to trust in the LORD and not lean on their own understanding. ‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight’… This passage encourages seeking God’s wisdom rather than relying on human assumptions.

“James 1:19-20 further instructs believers to be ‘quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger’…, emphasizing the importance of understanding before forming conclusions. Assumptions often arise from a lack of listening and a rush to judgment.

“Practical Applications:

“Believers are called to exercise discernment and humility, recognizing the limitations of human understanding. Prayer and seeking God’s guidance are essential in avoiding the pitfalls of assumptions. By relying on the Holy Spirit and the wisdom of Scripture, Christians can navigate complex situations with grace and truth.

“In relationships, assumptions can lead to conflict and division. Ephesians 4:2-3 encourages believers to ‘be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love’… This attitude fosters unity and understanding, counteracting the negative effects of assumptions.

“Ultimately, the dangers of assumptions remind believers of the need for reliance on God, careful listening, and a commitment to truth.”

We should also take note of the false assumption that the Bible contains “hate speech.” 

Dated January 31, 2024 and taken from the website “The Voice of the Martyrs,” we read:

“Lawsuits in the Western world have challenged the Bible as hate speech for decades. In 2013, a lawsuit attempted to show that Bible verses commonly understood to forbid homosexual relationships were, in fact, hate speech. The lawsuit failed as have most attempts to legally classify Scripture in hate speech in the West…”

However, we see that the movement towards attacking the Bible by demeaning and mischaracterizing its commands as “hate speech” is growing. 

It is interesting that the Bible, the written Word of God, is accused of hate speech because it condemns unnatural sexual behaviour. That behavioral condemnation has been there for thousands of years in the Word of God and then the particularly aggressive LGBT+ group expect the Truth to now be condemned because of their current lifestyle.  The Bible contains condemnation of ALL non-godly types of behavior and stands firm because it is the instruction from the One who created all things and who knows best.

One other area that we need to be keenly aware of is that, after receiving a prayer request and not hearing anything further, all must be well.   Perhaps it is, but perhaps it may not be.  We can often say that no news is good news.   But that is making an assumption which could be a false one.  It is much better to ask and ascertain the facts, than jumping to a conclusion.

CONCLUSION

We must be aware of false assumptions which can lead to further problems and difficulties including the law of unintended consequences.   This is particularly important when it comes to biblical understanding and spiritual matters.   One error can lead to another which can become a real problem.   It is best not to make false assumptions in the first place because the consequences can lead us off the path towards the Kingdom of God.

Also, making some false assumptions without really knowing the full facts can diminish what God has done and the mighty miracles that are beyond the understanding of man.

It has been remarked before that the word assume is made up of (humorously) ass, u/me – making asses of us if we assume any matter without being aware of the facts!   Humorous, but having a great deal of Truth in it.

If we are making an assumption, or assumptions about someone else, while ignoring our own condition and mistakes, we may be doing them and us a disservice! It could lead to judging others and justifying our own wrong behavior which we are told not to do in Matthew 7:3-5: 

“And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

This last scriptural reference above is a key to us removing any hypocrisy that we have been guilty of, and to avoid making false assumptions which are not helpful as we strive to be accounted worthy to be born-again members of the Family of God at the return of Jesus Christ.

Lead Writers: Brian Gale and Norbert Link