LIVING EXAMPLES FROM GREAT BIBLE PATRIARCHS

 Noah, Abraham and Joseph; Eli and David; God the Father

The bible is a book of examples and of instruction (Rom.15:4; 1Cor.10:11), it is a guide book for pilgrims on their way to the Eternal City. Whatever character we read about, we are meant to learn some life lesson from them. There are many prominent fathers in the Bible from whom we can learn a great many lessons for life. This Fathers Day we consider a few.

Some of their actions may be negative and we need to take warning. Other actions will be godly and we are called upon to emulate those.

1.     The Godly Examples Of Noah Abraham and Joseph

Noah (Gen.5:32; 6:1-22). Noah was a righteous man. That was how the bible described him. God testified to his righteousness (Gen.7:1) It was because of his righteousness that He received the divine assignment from God. God told him to build an ark for the salvation of his family and a percentage of all living things (Heb.11:7). During his time the world was full of wickedness as the bible testifies (Mat.24:37-39). It was said that Noah began the construction of the Ark when he was about 500 years old, preaching righteousness for over 100 years as some believe.

Noah was married. He had three sons – Shem, Ham and Japheth.

What lesson can Godly fathers of today learn from Noah?

(i)    You can live godly in an extremely godless generation.

(ii)  You can bring up godly children in an extremely godless generation.

Abraham (Gen.18:17-19; 21:1-3; 22:1-3, 10-18). Abraham was known as the friend of God! He was a man of obedience, a man of great faith. His actually called the father of faith. The first time he came into contact with the God of the universe he was instructed to leave his kindred to a new land of promised inheritance. He immediately obeyed. The faith of Abraham was counted as righteousness (Gen.15:1-6).

The first 25 chapters of Genesis were devoted to telling the story of the life of Abraham.

(i)                Called at the age of 75 with a promise of being the father of many nations (Gen.12:1-4).

(ii)              At the age of 99, yet without a child, God reappeared to him and renewed His covenant with him.

(iii)            At the age of 100 his dream was fulfilled, Isaac was born and the promise of God was fulfilled.

(iv)            When Isaac became a teenager God told Abraham to sacrifice him on Mount Moriah.

(v)              Abraham OBEYED God. God showed him it was a test of his faith.

There is a lot we fathers of today can learn from father Abraham.  Faith in God, unquestionable obedience. His acceptance to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice unto God was a stunning example of obedience difficult for men of this age to accept. You can begin to see why he is called the friend of God. The offering up of Isaac as a sacrifice was a picture of what God intended to do with His own Son.

Abraham brought up Isaac as the son of promise. He taught him about God and obedience to Him so that Isaac completely gave himself up to be offered as a sacrifice. Children usually copy what their fathers do. Many young children want to be like their fathers, so fathers must live by example.

Joseph: the Husband Of Mary. What can fathers learn from Joseph? Humble, obedient, trustworthy, protective, priest. His job was to protect the infant Messiah which he did very faithfully. He taught Him by his example how to obey and honour God.

 

2.     The Ungodly Examples of Eli and David

David (2Sam.11:1-6, 15-17; 12:7-12). David was a great King, a man after God’s own heart but he did a couple of things so wrong that the anger of the Lord was kindled. First he took advantage of a vulnerable young woman – Bathsheba the wife of Uriah the Hittite – while her husband was at the war front fighting for Israel. Then when he was told that Bathsheba was pregnant, he abused his royal power by manipulating events to kill Uriah and cover up his sin.

That one sin started a long chain of devastation in the family of David. His was a polygamous family. His children went into many unspeakable vices. Amnon David’s son raped Tamar David’s daughter. Absalom Tamar’s brother killed Amnon. Absalom revolted against his father David the King, sending him into temporary exile. Absalom died in the war to overthrow his father. When he became king, Solomon killed Adonijah his older half-brother. Solomon became interested in many women, went beyond his father and married 700 wives and took another 300 women as concubines against God’s commandment concerning kings These foreign women turned his heart away from God(1Kings 11:1-10; Deut.17:17).

This tells us that as parents today, whatever God commands us to do today, we must do for our own benefit. If not for some lines he wrote in the book of Ecclesiastes (Eccl.12:13), you could be forgiven to think that he was eventually lost! Fathers and Fathers to be, sin has consequences. Except you repent and turn away from your sin, you will perish (Rom. 6:23).

Eli (1Sam.2:12-17, 22)

Eli was the priest of Israel from the line of Aaron. His children were bad, scoundrels. They did not know the Lord and so always defiled the altar and the sacrifices of the Lord. We know that children will normally do that which they have learned from other people. The behaviour of Hophni and Phinehas shows that their Father failed to teach them godly principles! Many fathers of today are like that. They care little what their children are growing up to be. They care not what they do, what they eat, what they watch on TV and see online. They care not what clothes they were, what friends they keep! Such fathers are failing in their duty (Deut.6:5-7; Eph.6:4).

 

God: The Perfect Example for All Mankind

2Cor.6:14-18; Mat.5:43-48; 6:9-14;

Our Father in heaven is our perfect example for all human fathers. He leads by example. He offered his son for the ransom of sinner (John 3:16). He forgives all who would come to him. He even cares for his enemies and those who hate him!

Godly father are needed everywhere today, who would bring up godly children. Mothers you must assist your husbands to be the great fathers they must be, support them in providing leadership, in being the priests they are called to be at home.

Fathers do not forget Deut.6:5-9 is meant for you. It is a command from God our Father to teach our children his commandments and His word.

 

WALK A LITTLE PLAINER DADDY

Walk a little plainer, Daddy,
Said a little boy so frail.
I'm following in your footsteps,
And I don't want to fail.
Sometimes your steps are very plain,
Sometimes they are hard to see,
So walk a little plainer, Daddy,
For you are leading me.

I know that once you walked this way
Many years ago,
And what you did along the way,
I'd really like to know.
For sometimes when I am tempted,
I don't know what to do.
So walk a little plainer, Daddy,
For I must follow you.

Someday when I'm grown up,
You are like I want to be.
Then I will have a little boy,
Who will want to follow me.
And I would want to lead him right,
And help him to be true.
So walk a little plainer, Daddy.
For we must follow you.

(Unknown)
And what you did along the way
I'd really like to know:
For sometimes when I am tempted
I don't know what to do
So walk a little plainer, Daddy,
For I must follow you.
Someday when I'm grown up
You are like I want to be.
Then I will have a little boy
Who will want to follow me
And I would want to lead him right
And help him to be true.
So walk a little plainer, Daddy
For We must follow you."