Introduction – Bible Characters Who Tried to Hide From God
You know the story. Fresh off the world’s creation, Adam and Eve go and sin in the Garden of Eden. God finds out and confronts them, asking where they’ve been.
Instead of fessing up, they try to hide from Him. They go so far as to sew fig leaves together and make aprons to cover their bodies. But God isn’t fooled for a second.
What can we learn from these Bible characters? Quite a lot, it turns out. This article will look closely at their story and what it can teach us about our own lives.
Adam and Eve: Hiding From the Lord
The story of Adam and Eve is one of the best-known narratives in the Bible. And it’s a tale of two people who tried to hide from God.
Adam and Eve were the first humans, and God created them. They lived in the Garden of Eden, and everything was perfect. But then Satan came to them as a snake, and he convinced them to eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
When God found out what they had done, He was angry. He banished them from the Garden, and they had to live in exile on Earth. They were punished for their disobedience and had to suffer the consequences of their sin.
Adam and Eve are a reminder that we can’t hide from God. He sees everything, and He knows our every thought and action. We may try to run away from Him, but we can never escape His love and mercy.
Abraham: Deception and Fear of God
Abraham was one of the most famous characters in the Bible, and he was also one of the most dishonest. Abraham was afraid of what would happen if he told the truth about his wife, Sarah, so he lied and said she was his sister instead. As a result, Abraham got Sarah taken away by another man.
Interestingly, Abraham’s deception didn’t just impact him and Sarah. It also affected God. In Genesis 12:17, God told Abraham that his deception would result in “great judgment.” Thankfully, God also promised to protect Abraham and Sarah from harm.
While Abraham’s story doesn’t paint him in the best light, it shows us that even great men and women can make mistakes. It also shows us the importance of being honest with God, even when we’re afraid of what might happen.
Jonah: Running Away From God
You might remember the story of Jonah. He was the prophet who ran away from God and was swallowed by a whale. (Yep, that happened.)
Jonah was trying to hide from God, and he knew it was only a matter of time before he was caught. He knew that God was all-powerful and that there was no escaping Him. But despite this, Jonah still tried to run.
It’s human nature to want to run from God sometimes. We might be ashamed of our sins or be scared of what God might do to us. But we can’t hide from Him. He’s always with us, and He knows everything we do.
Gideon: Avoiding the Call of God
Gideon is another example of someone who tried to hide from God. Gideon was from the tribe of Manasseh, and he was hiding in a winepress when the angel of the LORD appeared to him (Judges 6:11).
Gideon was trying to avoid being called by God because he was afraid. He didn’t think he was good enough or qualified to do what God asked him to do. Sound familiar?
But God reassured Gideon that he was with him and that he would be successful (Judges 6:16). As a result, Gideon led the Israelites to victory against the Midianites.
So, if you feel like you’re not good enough or qualified for something, know that you can trust God. He will equip you and give you everything you need to be successful.
Elijah: Escaping From Danger
Elijah was a prophet of God who was used mightily by Him. He was there when the Lord stopped the rain for three and a half years, and he also prayed that it would rain again. He was taken into heaven in a whirlwind, but not before he anointed Elisha as his successor.
Elijah was a man who was constantly on the run from those who wanted to kill him. Jezebel, the wicked queen, had sent a hitman after him because he had killed all her prophets. So Elijah was running for his life when he came to a stream and prayed that God would open it so he could cross over.
And what can we learn from Elijah? Well, we can learn that sometimes we need to take time to rest. We see this in Elijah’s story because even though he was running for his life, God told him to stop and rest before continuing his journey.
We can also learn that we need to be careful who we trust. When Elijah went to Zarephath, he met a woman who told him she would help him. But it turned out that this woman was working for Jezebel, and she ended up betraying him.
So these are just some of the things we can learn from Elijah’s story. There are undoubtedly more lessons we can glean from it, but these are some of the most important ones.
Jesus: Facing Unexpected Trials
You may be surprised to learn that even Jesus faced unexpected trials in his life. The night before he was crucified, Jesus prayed that God would take away the cup of suffering that was before him (Luke 22:42).
Despite his great faith, Jesus still faced difficult times. And we see from this that it’s okay to pray for God to remove our trials. It’s encouraged!
But even when our prayers are not answered the way we want them to be, we can trust that God is still in control. And we can find comfort in knowing that Jesus understands our hardships because he faced them.
Conclusion
The point is no one can hide from God. He knows what we’re doing, what we’ve done, and what we will do. In the end, we all have to face Him. That might be terrifying, but it’s also comforting to know that He’s always with us, no matter what.
