What other scriptures warn against forsaking God's ways like in 2 Chronicles 29:6? Setting the Scene 2 Chronicles 29:6 captures King Hezekiah’s blunt confession: “For our fathers were unfaithful; they did evil in the eyes of the LORD our God and forsook Him. They turned their faces away from the LORD’s dwelling place and turned their backs on Him.” Scripture consistently echoes this warning. Below are key passages—arranged by genre—that call God’s people to remain faithful and spell out the cost of turning away. Foundational Warnings in the Law (Torah) • Deuteronomy 28:20 — “The LORD will send on you curses, confusion, and rebuke… because of the wickedness you have committed in forsaking Him.” • Deuteronomy 31:16-17 — God foretells Israel’s future apostasy and the resulting judgment. • Deuteronomy 29:25-27 — Nations will ask, “Why has the LORD done this to the land?” The answer: “Because they abandoned the covenant of the LORD.” • Joshua 24:20 — “If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and bring disaster upon you, after He has been good to you.” Historic Narratives Reinforcing the Lesson • Judges cycle (summarized in Judges 2:12-15) — Israel repeatedly “forsook the LORD… and He sold them into the hands of their enemies.” • 1 Samuel 12:15 — Samuel warns, “If you disobey the LORD… His hand will be against you.” • 2 Kings 17:15, 18 — The northern kingdom is exiled “because they had forsaken His covenant.” Poetic and Wisdom Literature • Psalm 78:10-11 — “They failed to keep God’s covenant… They forgot what He had done.” • Psalm 106:13 — “Yet they soon forgot His works and did not wait for His counsel.” • Proverbs 14:12 — “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Major Prophets’ Pleas • Isaiah 1:4 — “They have forsaken the LORD; they have despised the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on Him.” • Jeremiah 2:13 — “They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living water, and dug cisterns… that cannot hold water.” • Jeremiah 15:6 — “You have forsaken Me… so I will stretch out My hand against you and destroy you.” Minor Prophets’ Echoes • Hosea 4:10 — “They have stopped obeying the LORD.” • Hosea 6:7 — “Like Adam, they transgressed the covenant; there they were unfaithful to Me.” • Amos 5:14-15 — A call to “seek good and not evil” so the LORD’s presence will remain. New Testament Continuity • Hebrews 3:12 — “See to it… that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God.” • Hebrews 10:26-27 — Deliberate, ongoing sin after knowing the truth brings “a fearful expectation of judgment.” • 2 Peter 2:20-21 — Turning back after knowing Christ leaves a person “worse off… than at the beginning.” Takeaway Truths • God’s covenant love is steadfast, yet He will not ignore persistent rebellion. • Forsaking Him always leads to loss—of protection, blessing, and intimate fellowship. • Each generation must personally choose faithfulness; heritage alone cannot shield from judgment. • The call remains urgent: turn to the Lord, cling to His ways, and walk in wholehearted devotion. |
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