Let’s talk about the word “apostasy” for a second here.
Because the modern dictionary definition that we’re used to and the Biblical definition is different.
Here’s Webster’s definition:
1: an act of refusing to continue to follow, obey, or recognize a religious faith
2: abandonment of a previous loyalty
In other words, according to Webster’s, “apostasy” is to abandon our faith.
However, this modern definition is NOT God’s definition.
The modern nuance is that one completely denounces or abandons God or one’s faith.
For example, if a husband leaves his wife and children and never returns, that’s complete abandonment.
However, that’s not what’s happening here in Judges.
And it’s not what what’s happening in the New Testament when it speaks of apostasy.
So what is God’s definition of apostasy?
Because honestly, that’s really the only perspective that matters now, isn’t it?
According to the Lord, to apostasize does NOT mean to completely renounce or abandon Him.
God’s definition of apostasy means to mix our worship of Him with worship of something else.
Or it can carry this idea of superficially holding onto God as a concept in our heads while our behavior is un-kosher as all hell.
I think that description would fit more than quite a few self-professing believers in our day.
The more accurate phrase to describe Israel’s behavior as they went through the cycle of sinning, being oppressed by the enemy, repenting of their sin and then being delivered is “delusional rebellion”.
Why?
Because they had convinced themselves that their mixing worship of Hashem with other gods was NOT a sin.
They had deluded themselves.
We’ll continue this conversation the next time we meet.
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