Topical Bible: The Law of God: The Wicked: Forsake

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The concept of the wicked forsaking the law of God is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, highlighting the contrast between those who adhere to God's commandments and those who choose to abandon them. The forsaking of God's law is often associated with moral decline, spiritual rebellion, and divine judgment.

Scriptural References:

1. Psalm 119:53 · "Rage has taken hold of me because of the wicked who forsake Your law." This verse reflects the psalmist's deep emotional response to those who abandon God's commandments. The psalmist is grieved and angered by the disregard for divine law, emphasizing the seriousness of such rebellion.

2. Proverbs 28:4 · "Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law resist them." Here, the forsaking of the law is linked to the endorsement of wickedness. The proverb contrasts the actions of the law-abiding with those who abandon it, suggesting that adherence to God's law is a form of resistance against evil.

3. Isaiah 5:24 · "Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes the stubble, and as dry grass sinks in the flames, so their roots will decay, and their blossoms will blow away like dust. For they have rejected the law of the LORD of Hosts and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel." This passage illustrates the consequences of forsaking God's law, using vivid imagery to describe the destruction that follows such rejection.

4. Jeremiah 9:13-14 · "The LORD answered, 'It is because they have forsaken My law, which I set before them; they have not walked in it or obeyed My voice. Instead, they have followed the stubbornness of their hearts and gone after the Baals, as their fathers taught them.'" The prophet Jeremiah conveys God's lament over Israel's abandonment of His law, attributing their waywardness to idolatry and stubbornness.

5. Hosea 4:6 · "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children." Hosea warns of the dire consequences of forsaking God's law, linking it to a lack of knowledge and resulting in divine rejection.

Theological Implications:

The forsaking of God's law by the wicked is not merely a legal or moral issue but a spiritual one. It signifies a deeper rebellion against God's authority and a rejection of His covenant. The Bible consistently portrays such actions as leading to personal and communal ruin, emphasizing the importance of obedience to God's commandments as a foundation for a righteous life.

Moral and Ethical Considerations:

From a moral and ethical standpoint, the forsaking of God's law is seen as a departure from the path of righteousness. It is often associated with the embrace of sin and the rejection of divine wisdom. The scriptures call believers to uphold God's law as a testament to their faith and as a means of resisting the influence of wickedness in the world.

Historical Context:

Throughout biblical history, the forsaking of God's law has been a recurring issue among the people of Israel. Prophets and leaders repeatedly called the nation back to faithfulness, warning of the consequences of disobedience. This theme underscores the ongoing struggle between faithfulness to God and the temptations of the surrounding cultures and false gods.

Practical Application:

For believers today, the call to uphold God's law remains relevant. It serves as a reminder of the importance of living according to divine principles and resisting the allure of contemporary forms of wickedness. The scriptures encourage believers to remain steadfast in their commitment to God's commandments, recognizing the blessings that come from obedience and the perils of forsaking His law.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Chronicles 12:1
And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Jeremiah 9:13
And the LORD said, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Meditations against Despair, or Doubting of God's Mercy.
... of such goods and lands, according to God's law (Luke 19:8 ... to this the Lord answereth,
"Let the wicked forsake his way ... have mercy upon him, and to his God, and I ...
/.../bayly/the practice of piety/meditations against despair or doubting.htm

The Need and Nature of Conversion
... person pleads "guilty" in a court of law, the judge ... he pronounces sentence upon him,
and God, the righteous ... of doing so, he says, "Forsake your wicked way, and ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 48 1902/the need and nature of.htm

God's Ways and Man's
... call to repentance and change,' let the wicked forsake his way ... Jew knew that God
was a pardoning God, but to ... upon its relations with the solemn law under which ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/gods ways and mans.htm

Of Repentance.
... and remind them of the contents of the law, and to ... upon Him while He is near: let
the wicked forsake his ways ... and let him return unto the Lord his God, and he ...
/.../theophilus/theophilus to autolycus/chapter xi of repentance.htm

"The Carnal Mind is Enmity against God for it is not Subject to ...
... by faith (Romans 4:5), he must forsake himself, that ... and jealous, and ye are not
only weak, but wicked. ... a natural man, it is not subject to God's law, and it ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xxi the carnal mind.htm

Free Grace (Preached Before the Queen at Windsor, March 12, 1865. ...
... while He is near; that so the wicked might forsake ... pardon; and that he might find
that God's thoughts are ... the prophet rises far above Moses' old law, and the ...
/.../the water of life and other sermons/sermon viii free grace preached.htm

Plato's Opinion, that the Chief Good Consists in Assimilation to ...
... the teaching which had come to him from the law. ... to attention, proving that man's
virtue and God's are not the ... draw near to you, let the wicked forsake his ways ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xxii platos opinion that the.htm

The Justice of God
... A law not executed is but like a wooden dagger ... The wicked shall drink a sea of wrath,
but not ... agnoscit, Deus ignoscit [Man acknowledges his sin, God spares him ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/8 the justice of god.htm

Zain.
... yet have I not shrinked from Thy law" (ver.51 ... only wicked themselves, but even tried
to make the godly wicked. ... which was given in the word of God, who promised ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/zain.htm

"That the Righteousness of the Law Might be Fulfilled in Us,"
... as the encouragement of poor sinners to come to God, and forsake their own wicked
way, is ... faith in a Saviour, without the works of the law, is holden ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xv that the righteousness.htm