The Old Testament records in Numbers 13 and 14 the account of a great rebellion in the nation of Israel. In these chapters, the Bible tells of twelve men who were sent into the land of Canaan to spy out the land. After they returned, 10 of the 12 spies brought back an evil report, saying that they could not take the land.
Their report said, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight” (Numbers 13:32, 33).
Only two of the Israelite spies, Joshua and Caleb, gave a favorable report. “But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: ‘The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’ Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them” (Numbers 14:6-9).
But the people of Israel would not listen to them and rebelled against God instead. Therefore, God caused the people to wander in the wilderness for 40 years; one year for each day they spent spying out the land. Surely during that 40-year period, the people would have had plenty of time to think of this incident with serious regret. They must have thought many times of how they should have trusted and obeyed God instead of choosing to disobey Him.
Several additional Bible examples are written concerning those who had occasion to have serious regrets. Felix and Agrippa were two Roman rulers that had the opportunity to hear the apostle Paul preach the Gospel that could have saved their souls. The answer Felix gave was, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you” (Acts 24:25). The answer Agrippa gave was, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian” (Acts 26:28).
Both of these men are long dead now, awaiting the Day of Judgment. As far as the New Testament tells us, Felix and Agrippa are never mentioned as obeying the Gospel by being baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:27). If this is the case, they will be lost because they did not obey the Lord (2 Thessalonians 1:8, 9). Many are the times they will have opportunity to think, “If I had just become a Christian when I had the ability!”
Jesus told a parable in Luke 16 about a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. The beggar sat at the rich man’s gate, full of sores and starving. But the rich man ignored the beggar’s needs.
Jesus said both of them died. Lazarus was taken to the bosom of Abraham (paradise). The rich man ended up in torment, begging for water, but none would be given. He desired Lazarus to go back and warn his family not to come to that place of torment, but he could not.
In torment the rich man will have eternity to consider the things he now regrets. He will have regrets for his hard-hearted treatment of this beggar. He will also regret that he had not led his family to obey the Lord while he had the opportunity. But now, it is too late.
Have you surveyed your own life? Like most of us, you probably have regrets that you wish could be changed. But I hope you will not need to come to the end of your mortal life and say, “I have messed up my eternal state! If only I had obeyed the Gospel when I had the opportunity!”
Please consider these things carefully before you will have to spend your eternity filled with regret. Jesus said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). (See also Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:21). The most foolish choice you can make in this life is to do nothing!