THE TWO GREAT WARNINGS
The Bible records
the failure of the people in the olden days so as to warn us who are in the last
days (1 Cor 10: 11, 12).
A. The Greed For Money
1. Because of his
greed for money, Salaam had caused the death of more than twenty thousand
chosen people of God (2 Pet 2: 15; Rev 2: 14; Num 31: 16; 25: 9).
• Consequence:
Salaam himself was also killed (Num 31: 3, 8).
2. King Ahab and
his wife coveted Naboth's vineyard so they plotted and killed him (1 Kings 21:
17- 26).
• Consequence:
Both husband and wife were punished and killed (1 Kings 22: 34, 35; 2 Kings 9:
30-37). Even their 70 sons were killed because of them (2 Kings 10:1-10).
3. Because of his
greed for 30 pieces of silver, Judas betrayed the Lord (Mt 26: 14-16).
• Consequence: He
hanged himself and burst open in the middle (Mt 27: 3-5; Acts 1: 18). His soul will
be punished (cf: Mt 26: 24; Heb 10: 26).
4. Teachings: Covetousness
takes away the life of the possessor of others' properties (Prov 1: 19). Those
who greed for money will wander away from the truth (1 Tim6:10).
• Keep our life
free from love of money (Heb 13: 5).
• Be content with
the food and clothing we have (1 Tim 6: 6-8).
B. Fornication
1. Sodom and
Gomorrah underwent a punishment of eternal fire because of their indulgence in
fornication (Jude 7; 2 Pet 2: 6-8).
2. While the
Israelites dwelt in Shittim they committed adultery with
the daughters of Moab. Hence more than 20,000 people died of plague. (Num 25:
1-9).
3. King David was
cursed for his adulterous act and as such great trouble came upon his family (2
Sam 12: 7-12).
4. Teachings:
• No adulterers
will inherit the Kingdom of God (1 Cor 6: 9, 1 0).
• Shut our eyes
from looking upon evil (Is 33: 15).
• Man and woman
must treat each other with purity (1 Tim 5: 2; Mt 5: 28).
• Do not drink
wine because wine. and immorality .go hand in hand (Prov
23: 31 -33; Gen 19: 30- 38).
• We must pray
constantly and rely on the Holy Spirit to subdue the lust of the flesh (Rom 8:
13; 2 Thess 2: 13).
