Abandonment
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Definition and Context:
Abandonment in the biblical context refers to the act of forsaking or leaving someone or something behind. It can be physical, emotional, or spiritual in nature. The Bible addresses abandonment in various forms, including the abandonment of people, places, and even God. It is often associated with feelings of desolation, loneliness, and despair.

Biblical Instances and Themes:

1. Divine Abandonment:
The Bible speaks of instances where God appears to abandon His people due to their disobedience and sin. This is often a form of divine judgment intended to bring about repentance and restoration. In Deuteronomy 31:17, God warns Israel of the consequences of forsaking Him: "On that day My anger will burn against them, and I will abandon them and hide My face from them, so that they will be consumed. Many evils and troubles will befall them, and on that day they will say, ‘Have not these disasters come upon us because our God is no longer with us?’"

2. Human Abandonment:
The Bible also records instances of human abandonment, where individuals are left by family, friends, or communities. One notable example is the account of Joseph, who was abandoned by his brothers and sold into slavery (Genesis 37:23-28). Despite this, God remained with Joseph, turning his abandonment into a path for eventual deliverance and reconciliation.

3. Abandonment of God:
There are warnings against abandoning God and His commandments. In Jeremiah 2:13, God laments Israel's abandonment of Him: "For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living water, and they have dug their own cisterns—broken cisterns that cannot hold water."

4. Jesus and Abandonment:
Jesus experienced abandonment during His earthly ministry. In the Garden of Gethsemane, His disciples fell asleep and later fled when He was arrested (Matthew 26:40, 56). On the cross, Jesus cried out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46), expressing the depth of His suffering and the weight of humanity's sin.

5. Promises of God's Presence:
Despite instances of abandonment, the Bible reassures believers of God's enduring presence. In Hebrews 13:5, it is written, "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: 'Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.'" This promise is a source of comfort and hope, emphasizing God's faithfulness even when others abandon us.

Theological Implications:
Abandonment in the Bible often serves as a catalyst for spiritual growth and reliance on God. It highlights the consequences of sin and the importance of faithfulness. The theme of abandonment also underscores the human need for divine presence and the assurance that God will not ultimately forsake those who seek Him.

Related Concepts:
· Forsakenness
· Loneliness
· Divine Judgment
· Repentance
· Restoration

Key Verses:
· Deuteronomy 31:17
· Genesis 37:23-28
· Jeremiah 2:13
· Matthew 27:46
· Hebrews 13:5
Topical Bible Verses
Psalm 22:1
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
Topicalbible.org

Mark 15:34
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Topicalbible.org

Mark 10:11-12
And he said to them, Whoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, commits adultery against her.
Topicalbible.org

John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Topicalbible.org

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (n.) The act of abandoning, or the state of being abandoned; total desertion; relinquishment.

2. (n.) The relinquishment by the insured to the underwriters of what may remain of the property insured after a loss or damage by a peril insured against.

3. (n.) The relinquishment of a right, claim, or privilege, as to mill site, etc.

4. (n.) The voluntary leaving of a person to whom one is bound by a special relation, as a wife, husband, or child; desertion.

5. (n.) Careless freedom or ease; abandon.

Greek
630. apoluo -- to set free, release
... to the lengthy treatment of marriage/divorce by Paul in 1 Cor 6:15-7:16 (which permits
divorce on a broad definition of constructive or actual abandonment). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/630.htm - 10k
Library

Abandonment to Divine Providence
Abandonment to Divine Providence. <. Abandonment to Divine Providence
Jean-Pierre de Caussade. Table of Contents. Title Page. INTRODUCTION. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/de caussade/abandonment to divine providence/

Letter xvii. --Abandonment in Trials.
Abandonment to Divine Providence. <. ... THE FRUIT THEREOF. Letter XVII."Abandonment
in Trials. To Sister Charlotte-Elizabeth Bourcier de Monthureux. ...
/.../abandonment to divine providence/letter xvii abandonment in trials.htm

Abandonment to God --Its Fruit and Its Irrevocability --In what it ...
... A SHORT METHOD OF PRAYER. CHAPTER V. ABANDONMENT TO GOD"ITS FRUIT AND ITS
IRREVOCABILITY"IN WHAT IT CONSISTS"GOD EXHORTS US TO IT. ...
/.../chapter v abandonment to godits.htm

Self-Abandonment to God.
... DEVOUT EXERCISES. 462. " Self-abandonment to God. 462. SM Gruenbeck.
Self-abandonment to God. 1 Lord! bring me to resign My ...
/.../adams/hymns for christian devotion/462 self-abandonment to god.htm

Letter iv. --Practice of Abandonment.
Abandonment to Divine Providence. <. ... SECOND BOOK: ON THE EXERCISE OF THE
VIRTUE OF ABANDONMENT Letter IV."Practice of Abandonment. ...
/.../abandonment to divine providence/letter iv practice of abandonment.htm

Letter i. --Happiness and Peace of Abandonment.
Abandonment to Divine Providence. <. ... LETTERS ON THE PRACTICE OF
ABANDONMENT TO DIVINE PROVIDENCE. FIRST BOOK. ON THE ...
/.../abandonment to divine providence/letter i happiness and peace of.htm

Abandonment a Pledge of Predestination.
Abandonment to Divine Providence. <. ...
/.../abandonment to divine providence/section iii abandonment a pledge of.htm

The Different Duties of Abandonment.
Abandonment to Divine Providence. ... THE DUTIES OF THOSE SOULS CALLED BY GOD TO THE
STATE OF ABANDONMENT: SECTION III."The Different Duties of Abandonment. ...
/.../abandonment to divine providence/section iii the different duties of.htm

Letter xiv. --Abandonment in Trials.
Abandonment to Divine Providence. <. ... FIFTH BOOK: FRESH TRIALS, SUFFERINGS AND
PRIVATIONS. Letter XIV."Abandonment in Trials. To the same person. ...
/.../abandonment to divine providence/letter xiv abandonment in trials.htm

Letter iii. --Abandonment During Trials.
Abandonment to Divine Providence. <. ... FOURTH BOOK: THE FIRST TRIALS OF SOULS
CALLED TO THE STATE OF ABANDONMENT. ARIDITIES, WEAKNESSES AND WEARINESS. ...
/.../abandonment to divine providence/letter iii abandonment during trials.htm

Thesaurus
Abandonment (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Abandonment (1 Occurrence). Romans 8:7 Abandonment
to earthly things is a state of enmity to God. Such ...
/a/abandonment.htm - 7k

Apostasy (6 Occurrences)
... (n.) A total desertion or departure from one's faith, principles, or party; as,
Julian's apostasy from Christianity; An abandonment of what one has voluntarily ...
/a/apostasy.htm - 14k

Repentance (28 Occurrences)
... into mere remorse (Matthew 21:29, 32; Matthew 27:3). Judas repented only in the
sense of regret, remorse, and not in the sense of the abandonment of sin. ...
/r/repentance.htm - 31k

Apostate (5 Occurrences)
... Not found in the English Versions of the Bible, but used twice in the New Testament,
in the Greek original, to express abandonment of the faith. ...
/a/apostate.htm - 14k

Abandoned (45 Occurrences)

/a/abandoned.htm - 19k

Kenosis
... of the kenosis in its "classical" form that the Son, by an exercise of His will,
determined to be ignorant as man, is not helpful, as the abandonment by God of ...
/k/kenosis.htm - 14k

Off (5363 Occurrences)
... 4. (adv.) Denoting a leaving, abandonment, departure, abatement, interruption, or
remission; as, the fever goes off; the pain goes off; the game is off; all ...
/o/off.htm - 8k

Departure (22 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) Removal from the present life; death; decease. 4. (n.) Deviation or abandonment,
as from or of a rule or course of action, a plan, or a purpose. ...
/d/departure.htm - 13k

Backsliding (19 Occurrences)
... 2. (a.) Slipping back; falling back into sin or error; sinning. 3. (n.) The act
of one who backslides; abandonment of faith or duty. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/b/backsliding.htm - 12k

Resources
Does the Bible say that abandonment is a valid reason for divorce and remarriage? | GotQuestions.org

How should a Christian view borderline personality disorder (BPD)? | GotQuestions.org

What should a believer do if his or her spouse chooses to live a transgender lifestyle? | GotQuestions.org

Abandonment: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Abandonment (1 Occurrence)

Romans 8:7
Abandonment to earthly things is a state of enmity to God. Such a mind does not submit to God's Law, and indeed cannot do so.
(WEY)

Subtopics

Abandonment

Related Terms

Abarim (8 Occurrences)

Abandonment (1 Occurrence)

Selfsurrender

Self-surrender

Repentance (28 Occurrences)

Baptist (16 Occurrences)

Interpretation (45 Occurrences)

Job (60 Occurrences)

Backslide

Baptism (76 Occurrences)

Abandoning Sinful Lifestyles
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