Rebellion & Recovery 1 Samuel 15:23a For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD,… Proverbs 17:11 An evil man seeketh only rebellion:therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.
Why do believers rebel against the Lord? How can we return to fellowship with Him after a season of feeling distant? This study will help you answer these questions.
1.Causes of Rebellion There are many different reasons that people walk away from God’s plan for their lives. We will look at three common motivations for disobeying Him.
A. Impatience God promised Abram a son. Initially he believed the Lord according to Genesis 15:4-6 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. Why did Abram decide to have relations with Hagar in Genesis 16:1-3 Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid;it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.
What was the immediate fruit of Abram’s lack of trust in God in Genesis 16:4 ? And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
Describe the prediction the Lord made over Ishmael ’s life from Genesis 16:11-12 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. Sometimes in our impatience. We try to make God’s promise happen apart from His timing & leadership.
In Abram’s case. The Lord made it clear that Ishmael was not the chosen son in Genesis 17:18-21 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. Read Psalm 27:13-14 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. What is the key to being able to wait on God’s timing? How can you apply this to what you are waiting for in this season of your life? B. Fear God revealed to Moses that He was going to give the people of Israel the land of Canaan See Numbers 13:2 Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.
Describe how the spies reported about the fruit of the land in Numbers 13:25-27 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. What did most of them say would be a problem in Numbers 13:26-31 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan. And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. How did the people respond to the spies’ report in Num. 14:1-8? For their lack of faith.
What was the punishment for that generation Num 14:27-32? For the ten doubting spies of Numbers 14:37 Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD. Belatedly, the people decided they would attack the land after all. What was the result found in Numbers 14:45 Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill,and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah. What does this consequence teach about obedience to the Lord’s commands? Instead of simply obeying God’s instructions. Many people focus on circumstances. They look at all the reasons why His plans will fail. Read Psalms 62:5-8 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah. What three actions does this Psalm suggest for times when you feel afraid? Write a prayer committing your fear(s) to the Lord. Reaffirming your trust in Him to provide the very best for you.
C. Greed Joshua 6:17-19 And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD. At the battle of Jericho. God commanded the Israelites not to take the spoils of war for themselves The next battle they fought ended in an embarrassing defeat.
What did God reveal was the reason in Joshua 7:11-12 Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.
What had Achan kept in Joshua 7:19-21 And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me. And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it. Why? Why do you think Achan’s punishment was so severe in Joshua 7:25-26 And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day. Read 1 Timothy 6:6-11. According to 1 Timothy 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
What happens to those who want to get rich?
What do you think Paul means by the “many griefs” that torment those who focus on becoming wealthy in 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
How can you apply 1 Timothy 6:11 to your life this week? But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 2.The Cure for Rebellion A. Confession Sum up what the following verses teach about God’s response to our confession of wrongdoing: Psalms 32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. Proverbs 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Ultimately, confessing is agreeing with God that He was right. Is there an area of your life where you have rebelled against God’s will for you? If so, don’t wait to confess your sin to Him. He will be faithful to forgive you according to 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. B. Repentance Confession admits sin. Repentance is a change of mind that results in a change of behavior See Ezekiel 18:31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Isaiah 30:15 says, For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.
“In your own words, what is the fruit of genuine repentance, according to this verse? Why do you think repentance brings such results? Although God will forgive us every time we commit a particular sin. Our intimacy with Him will never grow to its full potential unless we are willing to repent. C. Restoration Rebellion against God harms every aspect of our lives. Which including relationships, careers, finances, & health. See 1 Samuel 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
Restoration is the process of returning to wholeness in every area. Zaccheus’s desire to make restitution demonstrated that his change of heart was genuine. What did he promise those whom he had cheated? Restoration can be others centered as in the example above. Or it may mean a time of physical, emotional, or spiritual healing that is more personal in nature. Have you been in a period of rebellion? If so, what wrongs should be set right? Which areas of your life need to return to a healthier balance?
In Closing: The best way to guard against wandering from God’s will. Is to remain in close fellowship with Him. We do that through daily Scripture reading & prayer. That way, your mind will be renewed with His perspective. Satan ’s ability to deceive you will be diminished. Prayer: Father, thank You for Your grace. Which makes a way for me to return to fellowship with you. Give me the humility to confess my sin. The perspective to repent of it. The boldness to pursue restoration where needed. In Jesus ’ name I pray. Amen.
The altar is now open for business. As the music plays please come. Salvation, join, or just to spend time with the Lord. As the Bible says in Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. (A promise from the Lord to all of us) Please come now!
