Rejection of God

The deliberate rejection of God lies at the heart of human sin. It is seen in rebellion against God's authority, purpose and instruction and results in the rejection of God's servants and, ultimately, in the rejection of his Son.

Rejection of God

Rejection of God's authority

2 Kings 17:15 See also Isaiah 1:4

They rejected His statutes and the covenant He had made with their fathers, as well as the decrees He had given them. They pursued worthless idols and became worthless themselves, going after the surrounding nations that the LORD had commanded them not to imitate.

Rejection of God in favour of other gods

Deuteronomy 32:15–18 See also Exodus 22:20; Deuteronomy 31:20; 1 Samuel 8:8; Isaiah 1:28, Isaiah 65:11; Jeremiah 15:6; Ezekiel 14:5

But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked— becoming fat, bloated, and gorged. He abandoned the God who made him and scorned the Rock of his salvation. They provoked His jealousy with foreign gods; they enraged Him with abominations. They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to gods they had not known, to newly arrived gods, which your fathers did not fear. You ignored the Rock who brought you forth; you forgot the God who gave you birth.

Rejection of God as king

1 Samuel 8:7 See also 1 Samuel 10:19

And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected Me as their king.

Rejection of God's ways

Psalm 95:10; Isaiah 30:15 See also Exodus 16:7–8; Numbers 11:18–20, Numbers 14:27; Psalm 81:11–13; Isaiah 8:6, Isaiah 30:1–2; Luke 7:30

For forty years I was angry with that generation, and I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known My ways.”

For the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said: “By repentance and rest you would be saved; your strength would lie in quiet confidence — but you were not willing.”

Rejection of the covenant

1 Kings 19:10 See also Leviticus 26:15; 1 Kings 19:14; Hosea 8:1

“I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.”

Rejection of the promised land

Numbers 14:1–4, Numbers 14:31; Nehemiah 9:30

Rejection of God's compassion

Matthew 23:37 See also 2 Chronicles 36:15; Nehemiah 9:30; Hosea 11:1–4

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!

Rejection of God's word

Rejection of God's instruction

1 Samuel 15:10–11; 1 Thessalonians 4:8 See also 1 Samuel 15:23, 1 Samuel 15:26; Psalm 50:17; Proverbs 1:24–25, Proverbs 5:12

Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying, “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My instructions.” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all that night.

Anyone, then, who rejects this command does not reject man but God, the very One who gives you His Holy Spirit.

Rejection of God's law

Leviticus 26:43; Hosea 4:6 See also 2 Kings 17:26; Isaiah 5:24; Jeremiah 6:19, Jeremiah 8:8–9; Ezekiel 5:6, Ezekiel 20:13, Ezekiel 20:16, Ezekiel 20:24; Amos 2:4; Mark 7:13 parallel Matthew 15:6

For the land will be abandoned by them, and it will enjoy its Sabbaths by lying desolate without them. And they will pay the penalty for their iniquity, because they rejected My ordinances and abhorred My statutes.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.

Rejection of God's messages

Isaiah 30:12 See also Isaiah 65:12; Jeremiah 6:10, Jeremiah 7:13, Jeremiah 35:17, Jeremiah 36:23–24; Acts 13:46

Therefore this is what the Holy One of Israel says: “Because you have rejected this message, trusting in oppression and relying on deceit,

Rejection of God's messengers

2 Chronicles 36:16; Acts 7:52 See also 2 Chronicles 30:10; Jeremiah 20:8; Zechariah 7:12; Matthew 21:33–39 parallels Mark 12:1–8, Luke 20:9–15; Acts 7:35, Acts 7:39

But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy.

Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers —

Rejection of Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ's rejection was prophesied

Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 53:3 It is generally accepted that God's servant in Isaiah chapter 53 refers to Jesus Christ; Mark 8:31 parallels Matthew 16:21, Luke 9:22 See also Isaiah 49:7, Isaiah 50:6, Isaiah 52:14, Isaiah 53:7–8MAT Isaiah 21:42 parallels Mark 12:10, Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:7 Mark 9:12 parallel Matthew 17:12; Luke 17:25; Romans 9:33; Isaiah 28:16

The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

Then He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and that He must be killed and after three days rise again.

The rejection of his earthly ministry

John 1:11 Matthew 13:54–58 parallel Mark 6:1–6; Luke 4:28–29; John 5:40, John 5:43, John 6:41–42, John 8:59, John 9:16, John 10:31; Matthew 27:22–23 parallels Mark 15:12–14, Luke 23:20–23; John 11:53, John 19:6, John 19:15; Acts 2:23, Acts 4:10, Acts 7:52

He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.