441 – Israel’s Perpetual Backsliding

SEMESTER 3

441 – Israel’s Perpetual Backsliding

BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE

COURSE: BIBLE SURVEY III LESSON # 41

ISRAEL’S PERPETUAL BACKSLIDING

Read Jeremiah 3:1-25

INTRODUCTION:

1. While this chapter was written at a time considerably later than where we now stand in Bible chronology, it is an account of their perpetual conduct.
2. The future of Israel and God’s administration to them cannot be understood, unless we understand something of this particular conduct.
3. At least three things must be seen as fundamental elements of this lesson:

i. The biblical meaning of the term backsliding.
ii. Israel’s perpetual and persistent tendency in this direction.
iii. The reason for it, bound in nature not circumstances.

I. THE BIBLE MEANING OF THE TERM BACKSLIDING

1. The contemporary connotation is to become less fervent in proper activity (usually by an eroding process).
2. This is very different from the biblical meaning, or my meaning in this lesson.
3. The basic Hebrew Old Testament word (the word never appears in the New Testament) is (showbab) which means an apostate or in verb form to apostatize.
4. It means to turn away from, reject, or rebel against the “Spirit and truth” of God and thus against God.
5. It is not, as many suppose, a state of apathy or neutrality, but a state of enmity.

II. ISRAEL’S PERSISTENT TENDENCY IN THIS DIRECTION

1. It was the claim of the Jew in Christ’s day, and is the opinion of some today, that the Israelites were basically “God seekers.” (Ex. 19:8, Ex. 20:19)
2. Somewhere along the way, they just “got a little off the track” and God had to “fine tune” them.
3. Let it be known, that except for very short and relatively few periods, their conduct was that of hard-hearted rebels. (Isa. 1:2-9)
4. They were wicked and rebellious in the person of Jacob and his ten eldest sons.
5. They were wicked rebels in Egypt in their conduct even toward each other. (Ex. 2:11-15)
6. They were rebels as they came out of Egypt. (Ex. 14:10-12)
7. They were rebels in their desert trek. (Ex. 15:24, Ex. 16:2-3, Ex. 16:16-26, Ex. 17:2-3, Ex. 32:1-6)
8. They began to rebel as soon as they had entered the land. (Josh. 7:1-9)
9. Their history throughout the 330 years under the judges was one of constant rebellion, even to their insistence upon a king.
10. Their conduct under Saul, David and Solomon was an extension of past conduct.
11. Under the kings that followed, in both Israel and Judah, this conduct continued.
12. After their return to Judah, after the captivity, this continued throughout all the remaining Old Testament history of Israel. (Hag. 1:4-5, Mal. 3:7, Mal. 3:13-14)
13. This continued even unto the days of our Lord upon the earth. (Mat. 11:16-20)

III. THE REASON FOR IT IS IN NATURE, NOT CIRCUM­STANCES

1. Let this brief historical summary teach us a needed lesson about Israel.

i. Circumstances changed, but their conduct, as far as character, remained the same.
ii. Thus, we conclude that behavioral motivations flow from them, not to them.
iii. Thus, we conclude that the order in nature (state of being) causes action, which causes circumstances.

2. Let the simple analysis above teach us a lesson about ourselves and all men.

i. Israel was a people exemplary to us. (I Cor. 10:9-13)
ii. Their nature was the same as our nature.
iii. Thus, know that we (evil men) create evil circumstances, contrary to the world’s idea that “unfortunate circumstanc­es” bring about our evil conduct.