30.3 – Devotion

What Bible account does this describe? God gave people instructions. The people disobeyed God. God punished the people and kicked them out of their home.

You might have said that this story described Adam and Eve, or the Babylonians and Assyrians exiling Judah and Israel. All of these are correct, and there’s probably more too. None of us can perfectly obey God. Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, so God cursed them and sent them out of the Garden of Eden. The Israelites and Judeans worshiped other gods, so God allowed Assyria and Babylon to conquer and exile them.

There’s another story this describes—us. God gave us His commandments, and we break them every day. These sins deserve punishment. Our sin separates us from God, because God is perfect, and we are not. God had no choice but to kick us out of His paradise. We are all sinful and deserve to be separated from Him forever.

Thankfully, this isn’t the end of the story. Although our sins separate us from God, Jesus took all those sins upon Himself and died for them on the cross. Because He is perfect, His death made up for all of our imperfection and we are forgiven. God gladly welcomes us into His heavenly home, and we will live with Him forever in joy and peace.

  1. What’s another Bible narrative where people disobeyed God? What happened?
  2. How have you disobeyed God’s laws? Look at the Ten Commandments if you need help thinking.
  3. How does Jesus make up for our sins?

Let’s pray:

Almighty God, we know we are sinful people and have disobeyed Your commandments. Through Your Son, Jesus, please forgive us of our sins and welcome us into Your heavenly home. In Your holy name we pray. Amen.