Sometimes teachers use object lessons to illustrate a point. These can be stories or literal objects. God is the greatest teacher, and He also uses object lessons. Sometimes He uses people as examples:

1. Adam as an example of the coming Messiah and marriage (Mt 19:1-7, Rom 5:14, 1Cor 15:22 &

45, 1Tim 2:13)

2. Noah and the flood as a symbol of water baptism and the end of this age (1Pet 3:18-21, 2Pet

3)

3. Melchizedek as an example of the priesthood of Christ (Gen 14:18-20, Ps 110:4, Heb 7)

4. Sodom as an example of judgment (Gen 18-19, Deut 29:23, Is 1:9, Is 13:19, Jer 23:14, Jer

49:18, Jer 50:40, Lam 4:6, Eze 16:53-56, Amos 4:11, Zeph 2:9, Mt 10:15, Mt 11:23- 24, Lk

17:29, 2Pet 2:6, Jude 7)

5. Moses as prototype a for Christ (Acts 3:22, Acts 7:37)

6. David as a prototype for Christ (Acts 2:25-35)

Sometimes He uses people as object lessons:

1. Isaiah (Is 20:2-4)

2. Ezekiel (Eze 4, 5, & 12)

3. Jeremiah (Jer 16:2)

4. A potter (Ps 2:9, Is 29:16, Is 41:25, Is 64:8, Jer 18, Rom 9:21)

4. Hosea (Hos 1-2)

Sometimes God uses objects as object lessons:

1. The rod of Moses (Ex 4:1-5, Ex 7-10, Ex 14:16, Ex 17:9, Num 20:8-11)

2. Aaron's rod (Num 17)

3. The tabernacle (Ex 25-Num 19)

4. Stones

a. to symbolize a covenant (Gen 28:11, Gen 31:46, Josh 4, Josh 8:32, 1Ki 18:31-32)

b. to symbolize Israel (Ex 28)

c. to symbolize the church (1Pet 2:5)

d. to symbolize judgment (Josh 7:25-26, Josh 10:11 & 18 & 27, 1Sam 17:40)

5. A bottle (Jer 19)

6. A girdle (Jer 13)

Sometimes God's object lessons seem strange to those experiencing them, especially Ezekiel:

1. Eze 4

a. the tile (vs 1-3)

b. lying on his side (vs 4-6)

c. the bread (vs 9-17

2. Eze 5 - his hair

3. Eze 12 - digging through the wall and moving out

4. Eze 24:18 - his wife

God also uses situations as object lessons. God told Moses to tell Pharaoh that Israel would travel 3 day's journey into the wilderness to meet God there (Ex 3:18, Ex 5:3, Ex 8:27, Ex 10:22-23). After Israel was delivered from Egypt, they did travel 3 days into the wilderness (Ex 15:22-27). When they got there, they complained because the water was bitter, and they called the place Marah, which means bitterness. They were right where God had planned to meet them after their great deliverance; but instead of thanking God and seeking Him in this appointed place, they were complaining about the circumstances. God miraculously healed the water, and took them to a place called Elim where there were 12 wells of water (one for each tribe of Israel), and 70 palm trees (one for each elder).

We need to realize that God uses people, things, and situations to teach us something that will make us closer to Him and more like Him. Instead of being discouraged and confused, we need to find what God is teaching us. God does not do anything on accident or without purpose. He always has a message for us in everything. It is our responsibility to be good students and learn the lessons. Even His chastisement is a demonstration of His love and effort to help us grow (Heb 12:5-11).