Beware of your choices

God created us as free moral agents, which means we have the ability to make our own choices. Our choices can make and unmake us, and every choice has consequences. The decisions we make can result in either positive outcomes or negative consequences that may even affect generations after us.

In the Scriptures, we see many people making choices. Some were positive, like that of Noah (Genesis 6:8-9; Hebrews 11:7), and some were negative. In this article, I want us to learn from one of the negative choices made by the daughters of Lot in Genesis 19.

Lot and his family lived in Sodom and Gomorrah. However, due to the wickedness of the people in these cities, God decided to destroy them (Genesis 18:20-21; Genesis 19). When God determined to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their great sin, He sent angels to rescue Lot and his family. God told Lot to flee with his family to the mountains, but Lot hesitated and requested to go instead to the small city of Zoar (Genesis 19:18-22).

Later, living in isolation in a cave, Lot’s daughters, believing there were no men left for them to marry, chose a desperate and sinful solution. They got their father drunk and slept with him, bearing children through incest (Genesis 19:30-36). These sons, Moab and Ben-Ammi, became the fathers of the Moabites and Ammonites (Genesis 19:37-38), nations that later opposed Israel and led others away from worshiping the true God.

Scripture records how these descendants became enemies of Israel. The Moabites refused to help Israel during the wilderness journey and even hired Balaam to curse them (Deuteronomy 23:3-4; Numbers 22:5-6). They also led Israel into sin through idolatry and immorality at Baal of Peor (Numbers 25:1-3). Later, the Moabites oppressed Israel under King Eglon for eighteen years until God raised up Ehud as a deliverer (Judges 3:12-14). In addition, Moab joined forces with the Ammonites and Amalekites against Israel (Judges 3:13). During the time of the kings, the Moabites rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab (2 Kings 1:1; 2 Kings 3:5), leading to war.

Likewise, the Ammonites were hostile toward Israel. They refused peaceful passage when Israel was journeying to the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 2:16-21; Judges 11:12-17). They oppressed Israel for eighteen years in the days of the judges (Judges 10:7-9) and made war that led to Jephthah’s rise as leader (Judges 11:4-6). Later, Nahash the Ammonite threatened Jabesh Gilead, seeking to disgrace Israel (1 Samuel 11:1-2). Furthermore, the Ammonites continually opposed Israel during the reigns of the kings (2 Samuel 10:1-6; 2 Chronicles 20:1). Both Moab and Ammon are also listed among nations that conspired against Israel (Psalm 83:6-7), and God declared judgment against them for mocking His people (Zephaniah 2:8-9).

The lives of Lot’s daughters teach us that choices have serious consequences. Decisions made for convenience, comfort, or personal reasoning, without seeking God’s guidance, often lead to negative outcomes. Lot may not have intended to produce nations that would become enemies of God’s people, yet the choices made in his family led to generational repercussions.

This narrative reminds us that our choices do not only affect us; they leave an impact that can be either positive or negative. A decision made in a moment can echo through generations. Therefore, we are called to seek God’s wisdom, align ourselves with His will, and trust that His ways, though sometimes difficult, lead to life and blessings (Proverbs 3:5-6).

My dear brothers and sisters, let’s beware of the choices we make in this life. Think about the consequences before you make your choice. Moses said in Deuteronomy 30:19, “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.” Let’s make the right choices that will bring glory to God and blessings upon us and our descendants.

Thank you for reading, and God bless you richly.

Stay blessed and safe,

Frank Obeng Addae