Abandonment

The state and experience of being forsaken, shared by God as well as by human beings.

God is abandoned

God's people deliberately abandon him

Jeremiah 2:13 See also Deuteronomy 32:15; Judges 2:12; 1 Kings 9:9 parallel 2 Chronicles 7:22; 2 Chronicles 13:11; Isaiah 1:4; Jeremiah 17:13

“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.

God's people abandon his law

Jeremiah 9:12–14 See also 1 Kings 18:18; 2 Chronicles 12:1; Psalm 89:30, Psalm 119:53; Proverbs 4:2, Proverbs 4:6; Hebrews 10:28

Who is the man wise enough to understand this? To whom has the mouth of the LORD spoken, that he may explain it? Why is the land destroyed and scorched like a desert, so no one can pass through it? And 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.”

God's people abandon his covenant

Deuteronomy 29:25 See also Jeremiah 22:9, Jeremiah 31:32; Daniel 11:30

And the people will answer, ‘It is because they abandoned the covenant of the LORD, the God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.

God's people abandon his temple

2 Chronicles 24:18, 2 Chronicles 29:6

Those who abandon the gospel

1 Timothy 4:1 See also Hebrews 10:26, Hebrews 10:29; Revelation 2:4

Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,

God abandons those who forsake him

2 Chronicles 24:20 See also Numbers 32:15 Moses warns the Transjordan tribes; Deuteronomy 31:17 Israel's rebellion predicted; DEU 32:301SA Deuteronomy 18:12, 1 Samuel 28:15 1 Kings 9:7 parallel 2 Chronicles 7:20; 1 Chronicles 28:9; Nehemiah 9:28; Isaiah 2:6; Jeremiah 12:7; Lamentations 2:7

Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood up before the people and said to them, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has forsaken you.’”

God shows mercy to those who have been justly abandoned

Isaiah 54:7 See also Nehemiah 9:19, Nehemiah 9:28, Nehemiah 9:31; Jeremiah 51:5

“For a brief moment I forsook you, but with great compassion I will bring you back.

Those who feel abandoned by God

God's people

Lamentations 5:20 See also Psalm 22:1, Psalm 43:2, Psalm 71:11, Psalm 74:1, Psalm 89:38

Why have You forgotten us forever? Why have You forsaken us for so long?

Their prayers

Psalm 38:21–22 See also 1 Kings 8:57; Psalm 27:9, Psalm 71:9, Psalm 71:18, Psalm 119:8; Jeremiah 14:9

Do not forsake me, O LORD; be not far from me, O my God. Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Savior.

Jesus Christ's feelings of abandonment

Matthew 27:46 parallel Mark 15:34 See also Psalm 22:1; Acts 2:27; Psalm 16:10

About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

God promises never to abandon his people

Deuteronomy 31:8 See also Leviticus 26:44; Deuteronomy 4:31, Deuteronomy 31:6; 1 Samuel 12:22; Psalm 37:25, Psalm 37:28, Psalm 94:14; Isaiah 49:14–16; Matthew 28:20; 2 Corinthians 4:9; Hebrews 13:5

The LORD Himself goes before you; He will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”

Examples of people who were abandoned

Genesis 16:7–8 Hagar; 1 Samuel 30:13 a slave; Isaiah 49:15 a newborn baby; Ezekiel 16:3–6 Jerusalem; Acts 14:19 Paul