As our One Year Bible Study group of ladies has been reading through the Old Testament, I’ve been profoundly struck of late with the chaotic lives of those who were driven by their own selfish desires and cravings. Samson’s life is one case in point. Although chosen by God as Israel’s deliverer from the dreaded and oppressive Philistines, Samson’s story reads like a sordid romance novel, full of sexual escapades that depict the sad account of a man ruled by his passions and appetites. His life was characterized by poor, impulsive choices, unhealthy relationships, unrestrained bursts of vengeance and rage, a cavalier attitude toward temptation and finally, a heart deceived by his own illusion of invincibility. He toyed with sin (Delilah), thought he could control the outcome but eventually was mastered and enslaved by it. The fleshly appetites and desires that ruled his heart and governed his actions ultimately led to his destruction. Such promise at his birth and such disaster at his death!
King Saul is another example of the shipwreck of a life ruled by the flesh. His humble beginnings early in 1 Samuel are soon forgotten once King Saul experiences his first victory in battle. The rest of 1 Samuel unfolds with one episode after another of a heart ruled by rabid jealousy, abuse of power, irrational decisions, vengeance and murderous plots. He is willing to risk the choicest of Israel’s army traipsing around the countryside in hot pursuit of David. He uses his own daughter as “bait” in hopes of luring David to destruction. Saul nearly kills his own son in a fit of rage and then strips his soldiers of the strength needed for battle by proclaiming a rash decree that no one eats till he is avenged of his enemies. King Saul’s life is characterized by blatant disobedience to God’s clear command, a rabid quest for prominence and reputation and deadly intentions to rid himself of David once for all. He lives for this. His heart is driven by this obsession. His flesh is consumed with ending the life of the one he perceives to be his archenemy. Rather than leaving a godly legacy of a kingdom ruled in wisdom, experiencing the bounty and blessing of God, Saul’s remaining years are marked by chaos, foolishness and destructive, irresponsible behavior. Finally, the book of 1 Samuel ends with the tragic deaths of King Saul and his sons in battle. What great potential…what great waste!
These are the dismal portraits of careless lives ruled by the whims and deceitful passions of their flesh. What a bleak display of recklessness, impulsivity, selfish ambition and pride as the lives of these two men spiraled out of control.
Although it’s disheartening to read these accounts of real people who held such potential and possessed such promise as godly leaders for the nation of Israel, these narratives have been recorded and preserved for us for a very important reason. Their lives still carry a sober message for us today.
In Romans 15:4 we read, “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” And further in 2 Tim 3:16, the apostle Paul reminds us that, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” These honest portrayals of biblical characters, complete with all their gross sins and failures, were not given for the purpose of pointing a smug or condescending finger at “them”. We are not meant to simply marvel at “their” blatant rebellion, self-will and unfaithfulness as if we have nothing in common with these men. Their accounts were given as a solemn warning to every reader of the devastation, chaos, and ruin that awaits a life that is ruled and controlled by the flesh. The lives of these characters were laid bare in the Scriptures in order to instruct us, to shine the penetrating light of truth upon our own lives, to offer reproof and correction to our own ways where needed. Their exploits and actions were written that we might see ourselves in them and recognize how easily we too can be lured into destruction by the deceitfulness of sin if we follow our own passions, cravings, selfish ambitions, and desires. As we read of the havoc that their flesh-driven lives reaped it should produce humility in our own hearts for the countless times God has so abundantly extended His grace and mercy to us in the times we have succumbed to the whims and clamoring of our own flesh.
So the next time you read the Scriptures and are tempted to judge the downfall of a patriarch, priest or prophet, take a good look in the mirror. May we, like the apostle Paul, be willing to regularly proclaim, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Rom. 7:24-25)” Because of Christ’s victory on the cross, not only is the penalty of my sin removed forever but sin’s power no longer has dominion over me. My flesh has been defeated at the cross! Thanks be to God! Let’s live out this truth in our everyday lives, by the grace of God, and say “No” to our fleshly desires and passions!
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