Topical Bible: Forsaking God: Warnings Against

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Topical Encyclopedia

The theme of forsaking God and the accompanying warnings is a recurring motif throughout the Bible. This concept is deeply rooted in the covenant relationship between God and His people, where faithfulness is expected, and the consequences of turning away are clearly outlined.

Old Testament Warnings

1. Deuteronomy 28:15-68: In this passage, Moses delivers a series of blessings and curses to the Israelites. The blessings are contingent upon obedience to God's commandments, while the curses are a direct result of forsaking Him. Verse 20 states, "The LORD will send curses, confusion, and rebuke in everything you do, until you are destroyed and quickly perish because of the wickedness of your deeds in forsaking Me."

2. Joshua 24:20: Joshua warns the Israelites about the dangers of abandoning God after entering the Promised Land. He says, "If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and bring disaster upon you and consume you, after He has been good to you."

3. Jeremiah 2:13: The prophet Jeremiah laments the spiritual adultery of Israel, saying, "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. Isaiah 1:28: Isaiah warns of the consequences of rebellion, stating, "But rebels and sinners will together be shattered, and those who forsake the LORD will perish."

New Testament Warnings

1. Hebrews 10:26-31: The author of Hebrews warns against willful sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth. Verse 29 emphasizes the severity of forsaking God: "How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished who has trampled on the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of grace?"

2. 2 Peter 2:20-22: Peter speaks of the dangers of returning to a sinful life after knowing Christ. He writes, "For if they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning."

3. Revelation 2:4-5: In the letter to the church in Ephesus, Jesus warns them about losing their first love. He admonishes, "But I have this against you: You have abandoned your first love. Therefore, keep in mind how far you have fallen. Repent and perform the deeds you did at first."

Theological Implications

Forsaking God is not merely a matter of neglect but is often portrayed as a deliberate turning away from a relationship with the Creator. This act is seen as spiritual adultery, akin to breaking a sacred covenant. The warnings against forsaking God serve as a call to remain faithful and to recognize the gravity of turning away from divine grace and truth.

Historical Context

Throughout Israel's history, the temptation to forsake God often came in the form of idolatry and assimilation into surrounding cultures. The prophets frequently called the people back to faithfulness, emphasizing the dire consequences of abandoning their covenant with God. This historical backdrop underscores the importance of these warnings and their relevance to the community of believers.

Practical Application

For contemporary believers, the warnings against forsaking God serve as a reminder of the importance of steadfastness in faith. They encourage vigilance against the subtle allure of modern-day idols and the distractions that can lead one away from a committed relationship with God. The call to repentance and renewal is ever-present, urging believers to maintain their devotion and to seek God's guidance continually.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Joshua 24:20
If you forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he has done you good.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Chronicles 28:9
And you, Solomon my son, know you the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts: if you seek him, he will be found of you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off for ever.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Letters of St. Augustin Index of Subjects
... Mercy to man recompensed with mercy from God, [1583]538. ... in the Church no reason
for forsaking it, [1688]283 ... Worldliness, warnings against, [1742]573-[1743]576. ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letters of st augustin index.htm

A Treatise against the Heretic Novatian by an Anonymous Bishop.
... of poverty, whoever he may be, that, forsaking the Church ... no light from spiritual
and saving warnings; as Isaiah says, "The servants of God are blinded ...
/.../a treatise against the heretic.htm

Epistle Lxxiv. Firmilian, Bishop of C??sarea in Cappadocia, to ...
... to which they had attained by forsaking error, although ... Lord, one faith, one baptism;
one God and Father ... fulfilled these salutary commands and warnings of the ...
/.../cyprian/the epistles of cyprian/epistle lxxiv firmilian bishop of.htm

Treatise i. On the Unity of the Church.
... must obey His precepts and warnings, that our ... of the altar, a rebel against Christ's
sacrifice ... brother, despising the bishops, and forsaking God's priests, he ...
/.../cyprian/the treatises of cyprian/treatise i on the unity.htm

The End
... We slay ourselves by forsaking Him, and every sinner is a ... up early and sending' his
servants, God had been in ... of His coming?' and mocked His warnings and would ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/the end.htm

Conclusion
... Again; as we give diligent heed to the prophetic Word, as we take its solemn warnings
to heart ... God's Word explicitly says, "Not forsaking the assembling of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the antichrist/conclusion.htm

The National Oath at Shechem
... to be a Christian indeed; for it means 'forsaking all that we have,' and loving
God with all ... The other half of Joshua's warnings refers to the penalties ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the national oath at shechem.htm

An Advance in the Exhortation.
... unto love and good works; not forsaking the assembling ... To tread under foot the Son
of God is to ... Further, the Apostle's former warnings contained no allusion to ...
/.../the expositors bible the epistle to the hebrews/chapter ix an advance in.htm

The Captive Christ and the Circle Round Him
... Its lessons and warnings are obvious, but this other may ... and, ceasing from self,
and conscious of God everywhere, and ... Cowardly love forsaking its Lord (verse 50 ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture d/the captive christ and the.htm

That There is a Malignant Party Still in the Kingdom.
... is not almost any of their warnings, declarations, or ... by many of the people who feared
God, that there ... them any real evidence of their forsaking their former ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/section i that there is.htm