Chastisement
Text: Heb. 12:5-11
Define chastisement
# 03256 means to discipline, instruct, admonish.
# 04148 means to discipline, chastise or correct.
# 03198 means to prove, judge, rebuke, reprove, correct, be right.
Something to consider about the difference between chastisement and the normal consequences of sin and service. God has established this world upon certain principles. Men define these principles in many different ways, according to the background of the person doing the defining, but as far as God is concerned, the principles are unwavering. These Godly principles are good to obey, but no man is obligated to obey those principles. Any person who obeys these principles, whether he realizes they are the principles of God or not, will be blessed by God because he has followed the principles God established. Any person who disobeys these principles, whether he realizes they are principles of God or not, will face the natural consequences of that disobedience.
The blessings or chastisement of God is when God intervenes in this natural process to add, hasten or intensify the results. There will also be an accompanying "prick" by the Holy Spirit, whether this "prick" is recognized as a movement from God or not.
Another point to notice is that God never chastens lost people. Any good they receive in this world comes to them because they have followed the principles God established this world upon. Any evil that comes upon them is because they have disobeyed the principles this world operates under. These lost people don't have to know they are breaking one of God's principles in order to receive the judgment as a result of that disobedience. Neither do they have to know they are keeping one of the principles of God to receive the blessing of that obedience. They may understand the principle without giving any credit to God for the establishment of that principle.
I. Examples of Godly principles that reap God's blessings in the natural sense.
A. Rom. 13:4 - Law officials are not feared by law abiding citizens.
1. If any person obeys the laws of the land, he is not afraid of a policemen.
2. If you are driving over the speed limit and you see a policeman, you automatically lift your foot from the accelerator.
3. If you are obeying all traffic laws, you don't worry when you see a policemen.
4. If you are breaking into a store, you look for a policeman because you know he is looking for you.
B. Eccl. 11:4 - The farmer that constantly observes the wind and sky will not put in a crop, therefore, they will not reap.
1. A farmer doesn't have to believe that God causes all plants to produce life and fruit.
2. A farmer will reap if he works when the ground is right.
3. The successful farmer will look down to the ground, not up to the skies.
II. Examples of Godly principles that reap God's judgments in the natural sense.
A. Lot raised his daughters in the filth of Sodom. He loved money more than he loved his children. He put making a living ahead of his family. (It is wrong to raise children in a hog pen. The results of that raising will be seen in the lives of the children. Parents ought to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord so those children won't face the judgment of God.)
1. His entire family paid the price.
2. His married daughters, sons in law and any grandchildren he might have had were killed in the flames of God's wrath upon Sodom and Gomorrah.
3. Lot's wife turned into a pillar of salt.
4. Lot's two unmarried daughters got their father drunk and committed incest with him, bearing children in his name.
5. Lot can be used as a bad example.
B. AIDS.
1. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.
2. This is an acquired disease.
3. It is not naturally occurring.
4. If you do those things that cause AIDS, you have need to fear the natural result of that sexual sin.
5. AIDS is not God's chastising in the original cause.
a. A Godly person might get AIDS from a blood transfusion.
b. This doesn't mean this Godly person is being chastened.
c. It might mean that he is reaping the natural result of another's sin.
God Chastising
Leviticus 26:28, Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.
This is the 5th and final step of judgment. Israel cannot deny God's judgment when Nebuchadnezzar takes them captive.
1. Verse 16, appoint (06475) to attend to.
2. Verse 18, punish (#3256)
3. Verse 21, Bring (#3254) to add, increase, do again.
4. Verse 24, punish (#05221) strike, beat, hit.
Deuteronomy 8:5, Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, [so] the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.
Chastening is not unto death, but for correction and instruction in righteousness.
Deuteronomy 11:2, And know ye this day: for [I speak] not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the LORD your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm,
This word "chastisement" is #04148 which means correction (from the Hebrew word 03256)
Deuteronomy 21:18, If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and [that], when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them:
The elders of the city shall give the men of the city authority to stone to death the son who will not learn from chastisement.
2 Samuel 7:14, I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
Job 5:17, Behold, happy [is] the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:
Eliphaz is sure God is chastening Job.
Job 33:19, He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong [pain]:
Elihu says sometimes God chastens man, but he doesn't understand his trouble to be chastening.
Job 34:31, Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne [chastisement], I will not offend [any more]:
Elihu says Job ought to confess he is being chastised and tell God he won't do it anymore.
1. Men may think they know what chastening is, but it is between God and that person. Other people do not know.
2. God did not say Job was chastened, punished, or abused.
Psalms 6:1, To the chief Musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.
David begs God not to chasten him. This chastening must be more severe than mental, or pangs of conscience.
Psalms 38:1, A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance. O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.
David begs God not to chasten him. This chastening must be more severe than mental, or pangs of conscience.
Psalms 73:14, For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
Psalms 94:10, He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, [shall not he know]?
God chastens non-Hebrews (no declaration as to whether they are saved, lost, followers or non followers.
I believe this verse is talking about the general way God judges men.
By this I mean that God has established principles this world operates under. These principles will be followed or there are natural consequences which follow. For example, gravity is a law of nature. A person might say they don't believe in the law of nature, but if they jump off the top of the Empire State Building, the law of nature takes over, and they fall to their doom.
There is another thought along these lines. God's chosen people are protected by God Himself. Evil people can harm those chosen people, but they won't get away with it. This happened to Babylon, a nation God used to bring His chosen people into captivity. Babylon didn't get away with the evil they brought upon Israel, but God punished them by bringing them under dominion of the Medes and Persians.
Psalms 94:12, Blessed [is] the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;
Teaching is tied in with chastening. Chastisement is not unto death, but its purpose is to instruct.
Psalms 118:18, The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.
Chastened to the point of death, but not unto death.
Proverbs 3:11, My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
Chastening is a joy (in the long run).
Isaiah 26:16, LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer [when] thy chastening [was] upon them.
Isaiah 53:5, But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Jeremiah 30:14, All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not; for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity; [because] thy sins were increased.
Jeremiah 31:18, I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself [thus]; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed [to the yoke]: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou [art] the LORD my God.
Hosea 7:12, When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard.
Hosea 10:10, [It is] in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows.
1 Corinthians 11:32, But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
2 Corinthians 6:9, As unknown, and [yet] well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
2 Corinthians 11:2, For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present [you as] a chaste virgin to Christ.
Titus 2:5, [To be] discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
Hebrews 12:5, And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: {6} For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. {7} If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? {8} But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
1 Peter 3:2, While they behold your chaste conversation [coupled] with fear.
Revelation 3:19, As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Chastising by Men
Deuteronomy 22:18, And the elders of that city shall take that man and chastise him;
God's promise that Solomon will not be killed if he rebels against God, but will be chastened (instructed) by the rod of men.
1 Kings 12:11, And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
1 Kings 12:14, And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father [also] chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
2 Chronicles 10:11, For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I [will chastise you] with scorpions.
2 Chronicles 10:14, And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I [will chastise you] with scorpions.
Proverbs 13:24, He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
God loves us, therefore chastens us.
Proverbs 19:18, Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.
God chastens us soon after error, not waiting until we think we have gotten away with it.
God doesn't let up when we cry to Him, but is merciful in that his chastisement equals the error.
Luke 23:16, I will therefore chastise him, and release [him].
Luke 23:22, And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let [him] go.
Hebrews 12:10, For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be partakers of his holiness. {11} Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Self Chastising
Psalms 69:10, When I wept, [and chastened] my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.
The word "chastened" is not found in this verse in the original Greek. This is self chastening. There is no effect.
Daniel 10:12, Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
This word "chasten" is #06031 and means to be occupied with, busy, humbled, be bowed down.