Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  8000 The life of the believer  »  8700 Threats to the life of faith  »  8704 apostasy  »  8705 apostasy, in OT

Israel was in danger of abandoning God from her earliest days. The OT frequently warns against apostasy and identifies its likely consequences.

Apostasy in Egypt and in the desert

Psalm 78:9-41 See also Exodus 32:25-29 the death of 3,000 after Aaron made the golden calf; Leviticus 17:7; Leviticus 20:1-6; Numbers 14:9-12 The people rebel against Moses and Aaron after the return of the spies; Numbers 14:31-35; Numbers 25:1-4; Numbers 32:10-11; Deuteronomy 31:16-18; Deuteronomy 32:15-21; Psalm 95:7-8; Psalm 106:13-33; Hebrews 3:15-19

Apostasy in the time of the judges

Psalm 78:55-64 See also Judges 2:6-23; Judges 8:27,33-34; Nehemiah 9:26-31; Psalm 106:34-39

Apostasy in the kingdom of Israel

Hosea 5:3-4 See also 2 Kings 17:7-20; Hosea 1:2; Hosea 4:10-19; Hosea 7:4

Apostasy in the kingdom of Judah

Jeremiah 3:1-25 See also 2 Kings 23:26-27; 2 Chronicles 29:6-9 Hezekiah's reforms to purify the temple; 2 Chronicles 30:7-9; Isaiah 1:1-6; Isaiah 30:1-5 Judah's alliance with Egypt; Jeremiah 2:7-13,19-25; Jeremiah 5:5-7; Jeremiah 7:9-15; Jeremiah 9:2; Jeremiah 13:23-27; Jeremiah 17:5-6,13; Jeremiah 23:10-15 lying prophets denounced; Jeremiah 31:22; Ezekiel 6:9; Ezekiel 16:15-42; Ezekiel 23:1-35; Daniel 9:5-14

See also

6221  rebellion
6243  adultery, spiritual
7145  remnant
7215  exile, the
7233  Israel, northern kingdom
7236  Israel, united kingdom
7245  Judah, kingdom of
8742  faithlessness
8768  idolatry