What other Bible stories show God preventing sin through divine intervention? The God Who Steps In “Then God said to him in the dream, ‘Yes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against Me.’” (Genesis 20:6) Snapshots of Divine Restraint • Laban and Jacob – Genesis 31:24 “But that night God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream and warned him, ‘Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, good or bad.’” • Laban’s temper and greed could have erupted into violence; one midnight warning stopped him cold. • Balaam and the Angel – Numbers 22:22-35 “Look, I have come out to oppose you, because your way is perverse before Me.” (v. 32) • A sword-wielding angel and a talking donkey halted a prophet bent on cashing in by cursing Israel. • David and Abigail – 1 Samuel 25:26, 32-34 “Since the LORD has restrained you from bloodshed…” (v. 26) “Blessed be the LORD…who sent you this day to meet me.” (v. 32) • God dispatched Abigail’s wise words to keep David from slaughtering Nabal’s household in hot anger. • Rehoboam’s Civil War Averted – 2 Chronicles 11:4 “Thus says the LORD: ‘You are not to go up or fight against your brothers…’ So they listened to the words of the LORD.” • A prophetic command turned armies back home and prevented brother-against-brother bloodshed. • Saul of Tarsus on the Damascus Road – Acts 9:3-6 “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?” • A blinding light and the risen Christ interrupted murderous zeal, transforming a persecutor into an apostle. What These Moments Teach Us • God sees the first spark of wrong desire and can quench it before it flames out. • He speaks through dreams, angels, providential meetings, and direct confrontation. • The Lord values both the protection of potential victims and the salvation of would-be sinners. • Yielding to His warnings turns impending disaster into testimony. Walking in the Same Safekeeping • Ask the Spirit daily to “Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; may they not rule over me.” (Psalm 19:13) • Stay quick to heed scriptural counsel and godly voices; they may be heaven’s roadblocks. • Trust that the God who intervened for Abimelech, Laban, Balaam, David, Rehoboam, and Saul still restrains evil and guards His people today. |
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