STUBBORNNESS

“Who is a stubborn person?” you might ask. Simply put, a stubborn person is someone who is difficult to handle or someone who firmly sticks to his own ideas or desires no matter what. People are generally stubborn in various aspects of their lives: in their homes, schools, workplaces and relationships. The worst and most severe form of stubbornness is stubbornness towards God. It is one thing not to believe in God and another to be firm in unbelief that you are not even open to anything that might change your mind. It is God’s wish that all people will turn to Him – 2 Peter 3:9 – but recognizes that some (the “stubborn”) never will.

Many people in the Bible are described as stubborn, but three in particular stand out: (1) the king of Egypt during the Exodus; (2) the people of Israel throughout their history; and (3) the Pharisees of Jesus’ day. Each of whom, because of their hardened hearts, rejected the constant appeals from God to alter their paths. These people had similar characteristics that all stubborn people manifest:

1.       They persist in the evil they engage in, refusing to change. Their hearts and minds have been so hardened that they see no wrong in what they do. Jeremiah condemns their unchanging ways; Jeremiah 13:23, “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then may you also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.” And Isaiah tells of their rigidity; Isaiah 48:4, “Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass.” The king of Egypt exhibited this characteristic – Exodus 8:15, 8:32, 9:35, 10:20, 10:27; so did the Israelites – Judges 2:19; and the Pharisees in the time of Jesus who refused at all costs to believe in Jesus – John 5:39-40, and insisted others disbelieve Him too – John 9:24.

2.      The stubborn also knowingly ignore the voice of God; Isaiah 30:10-11, “Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.” They pay more attention to matters of the flesh and concentrate less on spiritual growth.  This makes them spiritually dull; Ezekiel 12:2, “Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.” They are so spiritually dull that God’s correction for them is fruitless; Proverbs 1:22-32, Jeremiah 17:23, Amos 4:6-11.

3.      The stubborn continue in their unbelief even when they witness God’s awesome power. Miraculous signs can encourage the small in faith – Genesis 15:8-17 and Judges 6:17-24 – but have no effect on the stubborn – Matthew 12:20-24.  The Pharisees saw the miracles Jesus performed – John 10:25-26, 12:37 – but were so committed to opposing Him that they blasphemously attributed the Holy Spirit’s power to Satan – Mark 3:30.

To all these stubborn acts of hardened unbelief, God responds in various ways. Sometimes He responds in anger – Zechariah 7:12 and Deuteronomy 9:7; sometimes in sadness and compassion – Nehemiah 9:17, 9:28, Romans 2:4. Sometimes He renews stubborn hearts – Ezekiel 11:19, 36:26-27 – or punishes to correct – Proverbs 1:29-33, Nehemiah 9:29-31. And at other times, it is final – Psalm 95:10, 2 Kings 17:14-18, Jeremiah 19:15, Romans 2:5.

In conclusion, God’s response to a stubborn person depends on His purpose for that person. Though man has a will and is responsible for his stubbornness, God is still in control of the heart and is able to use unbelief for His own good purposes – Romans 9:18. Thus we must trust that God can always bring good out of the stubborn nature of an individual.

INNOVATIVE SYSTEMS

Some material from the Everyday Study Bible