Let's Go Back to the Bible

You Shouldn’t Have Said That

There are some things you’ve said that you wish you could take back. What if you said them and they were recorded in the Bible? For thousands of years, you would be remembered as the person who said that. Let’s look at some things that shouldn’t have been said and the implications.

Adam was the first man. Like all other men, he was the first to say something he shouldn’t. Adam and Eve had a great gig. The only “Thou shalt not” was to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. So, they did just that. When God began to question them, Adam said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate” (Gen. 3:12). The first person ever thrown under the bus was Eve. They both were given punishment for the transgression (Gen. 3:16-19). However, it was Adam that was called out as the transgressor (Rom. 5:12-15). He could have made a difference, but he blamed others.

Shechem was a prince among the Hivites in Canaan. While Jacob and his family were camped among the Hivites, Shechem sexually assaulted Dinah, the daughter of Jacob (Gen. 34:1-2). Dinah’s brothers heard about it when Shechem’s father offered a dowry for Dinah. The brothers agreed only if all the men of the city were circumcised. To which Shechem said, “Only let us consent to them” (Gen. 34:23). However, on the third day, the Bible says that while the men of the city were in pain two brothers came into town and killed all the adult males and took the rest of the people and all their goods. Never enter into an agreement with angry brothers and never try to buy your way out.

A few years later, Aaron was at the base of Mt. Sinai. It had been a while, and Moses had not come back down. So, the people came to Aaron and asked him to make them a god (Ex. 32:1). Aaron asked for their golden earing and fashioned a golden calf for them. Moses came down the mountain and asked what was happening, and Aaron said, “I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them tear it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf’” (Ex. 32:24). “It was an accident” or “It just happened” are not good choices. “Forgive me for I have sinned,” would be a better approach.

What is the lesson here today? All of these men were leaders. They had the opportunity to do the right thing, but in the moment, they chose to do evil. When they were found out, they blamed others, tried to buy their way out or made excuses. Some men in leadership positions will make mistakes and grievous errors. Even leaders need people to say, “Thou art the man!” and bring sin to light for reconciliation.