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Examples of Bible characters who made excuses
Making excuses is something people do often, and this was also true for some well-known people in the Bible when they faced tough situations or had to do something important. Let’s visit the story of some prominent Bible characters and learn some lessons.
1. Adam and Eve
Adam and Eve were the first two people made by God. He placed them in a beautiful garden with many trees bearing fruit but told them not to eat fruit from one specific tree, which was called the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. They didn’t listen and ate from it anyway. When they were caught, Adam’s excuse for eating the fruit was that Eve gave it to him to eat and Eve’s excuse for eating the fruit was that the serpent deceived her into eating it. Adam pointed fingers at Eve, and Eve pointed fingers at a serpent. Nevertheless, they were still kicked out of the garden for not following instructions.
2. Aaron
Aaron, who was Moses’ brother and the high priest of Israel, made an idol shaped like a calf out of gold because he felt pressured by the people who were getting impatient waiting for Moses to come back from Mt. Sinai. In the long absence of Moses, The people of Israel gathered around Aaron and demanded a god who would lead them to the Promised Land, thinking Moses might never come back. Aaron, even though he knew better, was afraid of how they might react if he said ‘no’ to them. So Aaron made them bring gold and with it he made a calf to calm them down. In an attempt to justify his actions, Aaron claimed that the golden calf was a representation of the God who saved them from Egypt (Ex 32:5). When Moses came and confronted Aaron about the matter, he made the excuse that it was the Israelites who demanded that he should do it (Ex 32:21-24). Reference Exodus 32:21-24
3. Moses
Moses is another major character in the Old Testament accounts who made excuses for his hesitation to do a job God asked him to do, which was going to Egypt to lead the Israelites out of there. God chose him for this big task, but Moses expressed fear and doubt about his ability to do the task. His excuse for hesitating to go on the Lord’s errand was that he was inadequate for the task for it comes with a great responsibility (Ex 3:11-12). He also made excuses that he was unable to speak eloquently (Ex 4:10-17) and that the Israelites would not believe that God had sent him (Ex 4:1-9).
4. Saul
Saul, the first king of Israel, made excuses to justify his disobedience to God’s commands. When Saul was appointed and anointed as king of Israel, Prophet Samuel told him, “Go down ahead of me to Gilgal. I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do.” (1Sa 10:8). At that time, Israel was at war against the Philistines. Saul went to Gilgal as instructed and the army of Israel was with him. However, they panicked, fearing that the Philistine army would attack them there.
When the seven days were up and Samuel had not yet come, King Saul took it upon himself to offer the sacrifices to the Lord. Samuel arrived shortly after the sacrifice was made and confronted Saul about his disobedience. Saul’s excuse was that because Samuel did not come at the set time and his men were deserting him out of fear and the likelihood that the Philistines would attack them at Gilgal, he was compelled to offer the sacrifices by himself. The prophet made it clear that Saul’s actions were unacceptable and displeasing to God. Reference 1 Samuel 13:1-15
Later, King Saul was commanded by God to destroy all the Amalekites and their livestock. However, Saul spared the Amalekite king, Agag, and the best of the livestock. When Samuel confronted him about what he had done, his excuse was that it was his soldiers who spared the livestock to sacrifice them to the Lord (1Sa 15:15). This act of disobedience angered God, leading to Samuel informing Saul that God had rejected him as king. His excuses exposed an unwillingness to take accountability for his actions, a behavior often observed in people grappling with the consequences of their choices. Reference 1 Samuel 15:1-15
5. Jonah
Jonah was instructed by God to preach to the Assyrian people of Nineveh, but he attempted to escape his responsibility by fleeing by a ship in the opposite direction. He fled not because he feared to die at the hands of the Ninevites. He fled with the excuse that the people of Nineveh were deserving of the judgment of God. The people of Nineveh were wicked. But should they hear the word of God and repent, God would relent from bringing calamity upon them. Jonah did not want to preach to them for them to repent so that God’s judgment would come upon them (Jonah 4:2). Finally, he went on the Lord’s errand and the Ninevites received his message, repented, and did not incur God’s punishment.
Conclusion
The biblical narratives are reminders of how complex human beings are and also that people often make excuses when they face adversity or fear, as well as personal reservations. Excuses are natural ways in which human beings respond to challenges and responsibilities, but one needs to recognize and address them to grow both personally and spiritually.
The stories of the bible characters who made excuses teach us a lot about what people currently experience. This understanding could help individuals reflect on their decision-making process to become better persons hence leading a more accountable and purposeful life. Remember, these alibis offer temporary relief but do not promote personal and spiritual growth. Moses, Jonah, and Saul among others have taught us nothing if not how we ought to face our problems with courage, conviction, and responsibility