The concept of forsaking God and the subsequent divine response of God forsaking men is a recurring theme throughout the Scriptures. This principle underscores the covenantal relationship between God and His people, where faithfulness is met with blessing, and unfaithfulness with divine withdrawal.

Biblical Foundation

The Bible consistently warns against the dangers of forsaking God. In the Old Testament, the Israelites are repeatedly admonished for turning away from the Lord to follow other gods. This act of spiritual adultery provokes God to withdraw His presence and protection. In Deuteronomy 31:16-17, God warns Moses, "Behold, you will rest with your fathers, and this people will rise up and prostitute themselves with the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake Me and break the covenant I have made with them. On that day My anger will burn against them, and I will forsake them; I will hide My face from them, and they will be consumed."

The prophetic books echo this theme, as seen in Jeremiah 2:13, where God laments, "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." The forsaking of God leads to spiritual barrenness and vulnerability to external threats.

Consequences of Forsaking God

Forsaking God results in a series of consequences that affect both individuals and nations. The withdrawal of God's presence often leads to moral decay, societal unrest, and eventual judgment. In 2 Chronicles 15:2, the prophet Azariah tells King Asa, "The LORD is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you."

The history of Israel serves as a poignant illustration of this principle. When the Israelites turned away from God, they faced invasions, captivity, and exile. The Book of Judges repeatedly highlights the cycle of apostasy, oppression, repentance, and deliverance, emphasizing the consequences of forsaking God.

New Testament Perspective

The New Testament continues to affirm the importance of remaining faithful to God. Jesus warns in Matthew 10:33, "But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven." The apostle Paul, in Romans 1:24-28, describes how God gives people over to their sinful desires when they choose to reject Him, leading to further moral and spiritual degradation.

Call to Faithfulness

Despite the grave consequences of forsaking God, the Bible also offers hope and a call to repentance. In 2 Chronicles 7:14, God promises, "If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land." This assurance of forgiveness and restoration is a testament to God's enduring mercy and desire for reconciliation with His people.

The theme of forsaking God and the resulting divine response serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of faithfulness and the consequences of spiritual infidelity. The Scriptures call believers to remain steadfast in their devotion to God, recognizing that His presence is both a privilege and a responsibility.Judges 10:13
Yet you have forsaken me, and served other gods: why I will deliver you no more.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Chronicles 15:2
And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him, Hear you me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while you be with him; and if you seek him, he will be found of you; but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Chronicles 24:20,24
And the Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said to them, Thus said God, Why transgress you the commandments of the LORD, that you cannot prosper? because you have forsaken the LORD, he has also forsaken you.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

A Word for the Persecuted
... death itself to the disgrace of forsaking a cause ... I am addressing any one who has
persecuted God's saints in ... point with all fathers." Nothing provokes the Lord ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 20 1874/a word for the persecuted.htm

Concerning Salutations and Recreations, &C.
... there are many of us, to whom the forsaking of these ... be taken out of the way which
provokes the Lord ... and worldly pleasures, without any sense of God's fear, or ...
/.../proposition xv concerning salutations and.htm

part ii
... "There shall not a hair of your head perish;" [750] that is, not a single holy thought
of your intellect shall be lost, not only for God, but also for men. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/my life in christ/part ii.htm

How should a Christian view the Mafia? | GotQuestions.org

Did God divorce Israel? | GotQuestions.org

What is spiritual adultery? | GotQuestions.org

Forsaking: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus