“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry …” (1 Samuel 15:23)
If we resist the devil, he will flee from us. But what if we resist God? He implores us. He uses many means to bring us back to Himself (2 Sam. 14:14). But what if we have so “dug in our heels” that our voice is the only voice we will hear? “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” (Prov. 29:1)
We are not to have any gods before God. The worst “god” we can serve is our own stubborn self. Stubbornness is idolatry. It is the decision to remain on a course we have begun no matter the attempts of God or man to call us to stop. Balaam, for all his fake piety, would not be deterred from the path of his own desire.
The stubborn refuse to depart from an evil way, and they meet with an evil end. God cries out: “Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!” (Psalm 81:13) But the sad reality was that they were so stubbornly committed to their own way that they could not hear God’s voice. “But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.” (Psalm 81:11,12)
When we want what we want, and think we know better than God, we are on a road to ruin. We will forfeit the good which God had in store for us, and bring upon ourselves the evil which God would have kept from us. He will sadly turn us over to our desires, and let us proceed in our folly. Although He could have shown us favor, He must resist us because of our stubborn pride.
We desperately need God’s leadership in our lives. We cannot afford to harden our hearts to His voice. Humble yourself before Him – before it is too late.