What was the greatest downfall of the Old Testament characters?
The greatest downfall of the Old Testament characters was no faith—unbelief. They refused to believe what God said, as seen in Esau, who could not believe a thing God promised. God's greatest controversy against mankind is unbelief, not immorality, drunkenness, or thievery, because faith is believing God's Word.
Les teaches that when studying some of the Old Testament characters, their greatest downfall was no faith. He points to Esau as an example: people feel sorry for him, thinking he was rooked out of the birthright and blessing, but he was not rooked—his problem was no faith. He could not believe a thing God said. Les explains that the whole world for the most part is that way, operating in a vacuum of no faith. He also says God's greatest controversy against mankind is not immorality, drunkenness, or thievery, though He hates those, but unbelief. It irks God to the core that man refuses to believe what He has said, and that is faith.