Bible Study Lessons from Failures in the Bible

Are you a Christian who has encountered some failures in your life?

Are you wondering why things went so wrong when you thought you were on the right track?

If you are you can learn the following Bible study lessons from failures in the Bible:

Living with Sin

When the Israelites were fighting to possess their Promised Land they faced a disastrous defeat at Ai which they had considered an easy conquest for they said, Do not send all the men to fight since the inhabitants of Ai are few. (Joshua 7:3)  

However, when the Israelites went up to fight with these few inhabitants of Ai, they were defeated.

The reason for their defeat was a man named Achan who took some of the things that God said should not be taken and buried them in his house. (Joshua 7:20)

Therefore if you do not want to fail in your endeavors, ensure that you are not living with sin. 

This is especially important for spiritual leaders of homes and congregations engaged in spiritual warfare because they may suffer defeat because of the sin of one of their members.


It is therefore important for a spiritual leader in addition to asking God to help them win their battles to also ask Him if there is something or someone under their authority that can cause them to lose their battles if they do not want to be like the Children of Israel who could not stand before their enemies but turned their backs before their enemies because they had become doomed for destruction. (Joshua 7:12)

Failure to Consult God

The Israelites were tricked by the Gibeonites into entering a covenant with them because they Did not ask counsel of the Lord. (Joshua 9:14) 

God had told the Israelites not to enter into an agreement with any of the people who were living in their Promised Land (Joshua 9:24) but they Gibeonites Worked craftily and carried old sacks and old wineskins which were torn and mended. They wore old and patched sandals on their feet and put on old garments. The bread they carried for their provisions was also dry and moldy. They then went to Joshua and said, "Make a covenant with us because we have come from a far country." 

The Gibeonites also said to the Israelites, "We took this bread from our houses on the day we left to come to you while it was still hot. But now look, it is dry and moldy. These wineskins were filled when they were new. But now look, they are torn. These garments we are wearing and our sandals have become old because of the very long journey we have taken. (Joshua 9:12-13)

These people who were pretending to have come from a distant land were actually from a nearby city because After the Israelites had made a covenant with them, they heard that the Gibeonites were their neighbors who lived near them. (Joshua 9:16)

For more read Devices of the Devil: Deception

Failure to Obey God

King Saul received specific directions from Samuel who had anointed him as king when he was  told, "Heed the words of God for thus says the Lord, 'I will punish the Amalekites for how they ambushed the Israelites when they were coming from Egypt. Go and attack the Amalekites and destroy everything they have and do not spare them. Kill the men, women and children, the ox, sheep, camels, and donkeys'. (1  Samuel 15:1-3) 

King Saul gathered armed men and went to attack the Amalekites. However, he spared King Agag of the Amalekites and the best sheep, oxen, and all that was good and they were unwilling to destroy. But they destroyed everything despised and worthless. (1  Samuel 15:9)

As a result, God spoke to Samuel and told him that he regretted making Saul the king because he had not followed his commands. (1 Samuel 15:10-11)

Samuel went to see King Saul and when he met him Saul lied and said, "I have done the Lord's commandment" (1 Samuel 15:13)

Samuel then asked him, "What is this bleating of sheep and lowing of oxen that I hear?" (1 Samuel 15:14)

King Saul blamed the people saying they were the ones who had spared the best sheep and oxen so that they could sacrifice them to God. (1 Samuel 15:15)

Samuel asked Saul, "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings as in obeying the voice of the Lord?" (1 Samuel 15:22)

To obey is better than to sacrifice and to heed is better than the fat of rams.  (1 Samuel 15:22)

Rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness is like iniquity and idolatry.  (1 Samuel 15:23)

Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as being king over  Israel.  (1 Samuel 15:23)

Thus Saul lost his position as being king of Israel because he disobeyed God and did not do what God had told him to do.