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Day 209

Psalm 81:12a "So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart..."

Day 209 – Psalm 81

“So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart…” Psalm 81:12a

HOW WOULD GOD RESPOND TO PEOPLE WHO REJECT HIM?

God has many options. He could choose to do a number of things. The following text reveals an option that He took.

“So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart,
To walk in their own counsels.”
Psalm 81:12

1. “So I gave them over”

a) God would take a step back.
b) He would not impose Himself on anyone.
c) Since Israel did not want God in their life, so He withdrew and kept His distance.

2. “Their own stubborn heart”

a) The human heart can be very stubborn indeed.
b) In the case of Israel several features were noted (Psalm 78).
i) They refused to keep the covenant of God (Psalm 78:10).
ii) They forgot all the works God had done for them (Psalm 78:11).
iii) They sinned against God more and more (Psalm 78:17).
iv) They refused to believe and trust in God (Psalm 78:22).

3. “To walk in their own counsels”

a) They thought that God could be flattered into blessing them (Psalm 78:36a).
b) They thought they could get away with lying to God (Psalm 78:36b).
c) They put God to the test again and again (Psalm 78:18a, 56a).
d) They imperiled themselves because they had foolishly rejected God (Psalm 78:59-64).

GIVEN UP BY GOD

This thought of God giving man up to do what they please was noted by the apostle Paul.

“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge,
God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things
which are not fitting.”
Romans 1:28