Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - FAILURES

 FAILURES

One of the features that contribute to the authenticity of the Bible is the fact that it does not pull any punches in so far as the character of the most important people in the Book is concerned. In this context, the inability of such people, especially males, to live up to their responsibilities is not hidden but in fact is emphasized to show how the entire story of the Bible has unfolded.

Most, if not all, of the main protagonists of the Biblical stories have been failures to some degree beginning with the earliest events in the Biblical narrative. And this refers to Adam himself, who, according to the Bible, was put in the garden “…to tend and keep it.” (Genesis 2:15)

In other words, he was to protect and guard the area God had placed him in. This he apparently did not do for when Eve disobeyed God and ate from the forbidden tree, Adam was “with her” (Genesis 3:6) and so failed to protect and keep both the garden and his companion from the wiles of Satan. After all, it was to Adam that God gave the initial instruction not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and not to Eve.

Abraham also failed to protect his wife when circumstances required it. When he entered Egypt due to a famine in his homeland, he said to Sarah:

“Please say you are my sister, 

that it may be well with me for your sake, 

and that I may live because of you”

(Genesis 12:13) 

and again when he stayed in Gerar:

 

“…Abraham said of Sarah his wife, 

‘She is my sister’…”

(Genesis 20:2) 

and so failed to protect and support his wife.

Isaac seemed to be no different for when he also was at Gerar, and the men of the area asked about his wife Rebekah He said:

“…‘She is my sister,’ 

for he was afraid to say,

 ‘She is my wife’…”

(Genesis 26:7) 

and so failed in the same way as did his father Abraham.

In a different context but also in a similar way, David failed to protect his kingdom, his relationship with God, and his honour by falling for Bathsheba and having her husband killed so that he could have an adulterous relationship with her. As a result, the Lord said;

“…‘I will raise up adversity against you from your own house;

and…the child who is born to you shall surely die.”

(2 Samuel 12:11,14)

These are only four cases where the head of the house, the male, failed to protect that which was under his charge; his lands, his wife, or his position and yet God continued to bless each of these people. But there still seemed to be consequences. In each case, the eldest son seemed to pay to some extent for the father’s misdoings. Adam’s son Abel was killed by his brother Cain; Abraham’s eldest son Ishmael was supplanted by his second son Issac, and Issac’s eldest son Esau was displaced by the second son Jacob. And the first son of the relationship between David and Bathsheba died.

In a way, this is similar to the way the eldest son of Pharaoh and the other Egyptians died when they failed to listen to God. 

“…the Lord struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, 

from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne 

to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, 

and all the firstborn of livestock…

there was not a house where there was not one dead.”

(Exodus 12:29-30)

In view of this, perhaps our failure in the expectations of God and in not protecting our family, property, etc., over which we were given control has more consequences than might be otherwise considered.

In any case, it should give one something to think about.