Ignorance of Prophecy

An ignorance of prophecy and God’s commands can lead to costly mistakes.

“Hiel the Bethelite rebuilt Jericho; he laid its foundations with the loss of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates with the loss of his youngest son Segub, in accordance with the word of the LORD.”—1 Kings 16:34 NASB

Capturing Jericho was a critical moment in Israel’s history. This miracle demonstrated that nothing was impossible when they obeyed God. The destruction of this city was so important that Joshua declared it never was to be rebuilt. He made all of Israel take an oath, promising that any man who violated this word would pay with “the loss of his firstborn” (Joshua 6:26).

Gradually, Israel forgot this story, as well as many other parts of their history. They failed to remember God’s laws and prophecies, the mistakes they had made, and the consequences of disobedience. By the time of King Ahab, the worship of idols was encouraged, and prophets like Elijah had to hide or face death.

In this environment, a man named Hiel decided to rebuild Jericho. He may not have realized it, but he was violating God’s Word—and he paid a terrible price with the loss of both his firstborn and youngest sons.

Today, the Bible’s teachings, prophecies, and stories continue to instruct or warn us. But, like Hiel, we pay a price when we’re ignorant of His Word, forget His prophecies, or ignore His laws. Paul wrote, “Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they indeed craved them” (1 Corinthians 10:6).

Make sure to fill your life with God’s Word. Learn His prophecies and principles. Obey Him!

Reflection Question: What mistakes do you make when you forget God’s Word?