Today's Bible Study Lesson:

Today's verse is astounding!

It illustrates the utter stupidity of sin!

Look for a man who is a Father, a Daddy to his two sons. Then watch him put his business above his boys! Not just once mind you, but twice!

His greed led to the deaths of his most precious heritage, his very offspring!

"In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun." 1st Kings 16:34

At first glance one might wonder, "So what? The man was a builder. His most recent project was a city, a whole city! Jericho!"

But just a minute!

Back in the days of Joshua, immediately after the destruction of the wicked city of Jericho, God commanded: "Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it." Joshua 6:26

Ignoring God's "curse," Hiel rebuilt the city anyway!

Money?

Reputation?

Determination?

We do not know why!

But God was disobeyed, defied really, and the city was built!

Rebuilt actually.

But look what happened!

At the beginning of this vast project Hiel, whose name means "God lives," had to bury his firstborn son! Even Pharaoh hesitated there! But not Hiel! He kept building anyway, still in rebellion to God!

Disobedience costs!

Sin has wages!

But the economy must be foremost!

Right?

Hiel kept building.

But by the time the gates of the city had been completed, one of the "finishing touches" of the job, another son had died! This time it was his youngest!

Which was most important?

Boys or buildings?

Sons or security?

The Hebrew word for sons, "ben," comes from a root verb that means "to build!" But Hiel either did not know that or did not care! He chose rather to build a city ... than to build a family!

And, according to Psalm 127, one's sons or daughters are "arrows" in Dad's hands. Now that's real security! "As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate." Here it is, Psalm 127:4-5.

Someone reading here today is perhaps on the verge of financial success, at the cost of his very own family!

Be careful!

Jesus taught that "gaining the whole world" is not worth loss in the spiritual realm!

A sad commentary today, sad indeed!

                                                                            --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

The name "Abiram" means something about being "exalted." It also includes the word "father" or "ab." In Hebrew "rum" means "to rise up, to be lofty, to be placed on high." But, instead, he may have literally been buried in the city's very foundation!

The name "Segub" is derived from yet another word, "sagab, meaning "to be inaccessibly high." Too high for capture! Too elevated for danger to be a threat!

Oh, the folly of sin!