Deuteronomy, chapter twenty-nine, verses eighteen through twenty-one, concerns an individual among God’s elected people who turned away from the Lord. The promises of life and blessing give Israel to experience this as a whole. However, as a corporate body or nation, an individual within God’s chosen people participates in the promised blessings only as they enter into a faith relationship with God and perseveres in that relationship. Eternal life and temporal blessing could risk forfeit by any individual in Israel who turned their heart away from God. Those in Israel who belonged to God and then turned away from Him and persisted in their way, there remains no longer the opportunity for forgiveness of sins. They could expect the wrath of God and blotting out their names from under heaven.
In the Old Testament, Saul, the King of Israel, turn away his heart from God due to a lack of obedience. He did suffer the consequences for not following God at the end of his life against the Philistines. Saul’s heart that was with God in the beginning as a king withered away where on both occasions, the Lord, directly through his servant, gave him the instructions for each task. However, Saul decides to approach them in his way.
In the New Testament, Judas betrays Jesus in a way that he also pays the price with his life. He was one of the twelve disciples chosen by the Son of God. Judas sat with Jesus at the Last Supper. His heart went so far away from God that he helped plot with the chief priests to arrest the Son of God. In exchange for thirty pieces of silver? Both Saul and Judas turn their hearts away from God for earthly things. These items were not much of value, yet they did it anyway.
Today, former people of God that know Him turn their hearts away to become backsliders, adulterers, thieves, covetous, and even murderers. These people did serve God and are now similar to Judas and Saul. They submit to this decision in exchange for fame and fortune.