Forsaking God - Not a Pretty Sight!

When a person decides to forsake something, they have decided to give it up or abandon it. We can forsake our marriages, our jobs, our friendships and yes, ever our selves. Does it take any effort to do these things? Some, but for those who are willing to give these things up it begins in the heart.

Those things mentioned above can have some bad repercussions, but nothing like what can happen if we decide to abandon or turn our backs on Almighty God. How many times have we read about the children of Israel repeatedly doing this? In 2 Kings 17:7-18 we read of yet another account where they turned their backs on God. Unlike Peter's statement in Acts 5:29, “We ought to obey God rather than men,” these Israelites feared man more than God. Beginning in verse 7 we see that they are now slaves again. Not to Egypt, but to Assyria this time. You would think that they would wise up sooner or later and realize that Jehovah God was impenetrable. They had not figured out that with God all things are possible (Matt. 19:26). Sad but true in this instance!

We discover from our reading in this chapter of Kings that Israel feared other gods and walked in the statutes of the nation whom the Lord had cast out from before the children of Israel. They even went behind God's back, like that's possible, and built for themselves high places in all their cities. They set up for themselves pillars and wooden images on every high hill and under every green tree. Can you believe this? They went as far as to burn incense on all the high places and do wicked things to provoke the Lord to anger. They had to be very close to losing all their senses when they allowed themselves to do these things. They followed all these insane actions while serving idols, of which the Lord had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.” (Ex. 20:3-5)

God had sent His prophets, namely every seer, saying “Turn from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers.” Did they heed this admonition? Absolutely not! Verse 14 reveals to us that they would not heed these commandments, but rather stiffened their necks, like the necks of their fathers, who did not believe in the Lord their God. Have you ever heard of such stupidity? What were they thinking? Did they think God was playing a joke on them? They even allowed their sons and daughters to practice witchcraft and soothsaying, and sold themselves to evil in God's sight just to provoke Him to anger. Did their foolish tactics work? Sure did! In verse 18 we read that the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from His sight. He did what? He wouldn't even look upon them any longer.

Forsaking the assembly (Heb. 10:25), is a serious matter. Have you been guilty of this action? Has God given you a warning that you have not totally heeded yet? If so, you might better turn a listening ear and a focused eye in His direction before He turns His very sight from you. To not be seen by the Lord should frighten us to death. Now is the time to make amends and be steadfast, not forsaken in your service to the Lord.

God's Blessings,

Eddie