How God Deals with Defiance

In this fifth message of the Solomon series, Chuck Swindoll addresses the sobering reality of rebellion—not just in society, but within the hearts of God’s people. While the modern world often displays contempt for authority and celebrates those who do wrong, God does not “wink” at defiance. Using Deuteronomy 21 as a backdrop for God’s severity toward rebellion, the message transitions to the later years of King Solomon (approximate age 45–55), illustrating how a man of such great wisdom could slide into a state of open defiance against the Lord.

Solomon’s fall was not sudden; it was the harvest of seeds planted earlier in his reign: compromise with foreign nations, loss of distinctiveness, unchecked extravagance, and a refusal to be accountable to counselors. These seeds eventually grew into idolatry and the open worship of false gods to please his foreign wives. In response, God’s anger was “kindled,” leading to a divine discipline that involved “tearing” the kingdom away from Solomon’s lineage and raising up relentless adversaries to disrupt his peace.

The message concludes with a practical analysis of the “downward steps of defiance”—from selfishness to contempt—and a warning that such rebellion always leads to personal misery and inescapable bondage. Listeners are urged to identify the “sleeping giant” of resentment in their own lives and find release through the forgiveness of Jesus Christ.

Message Key Facts:

• The Seeds of Defiance: Solomon’s rebellion was the result of a gradual progression involving five specific seeds: Compromise (alliances with Egypt), Loss of Distinctive (mingling with foreign nations), Extravagance (leading to cynicism), Unaccountability (refusing counsel), and Idolatry (leading to lust).
• God’s Reaction: The transcript notes that God’s reaction to Solomon’s sin was anger—specifically, His anger was “kindled” (heated to the point of vexation). God promised to tear the kingdom from Solomon, a painful ripping away of what mattered most to him.
• The Three Adversaries: God disciplined Solomon by “whistling” for human adversaries to harass him:
  • Hadad the Edomite: An external enemy who fled to Egypt as a boy during David’s slaughter of Edom and returned to plague Solomon.
  • Rezon: An external enemy and leader of a murderous marauding band in Damascus.
  • Jeroboam: An internal enemy; a trusted servant and valiant warrior within Solomon’s own court who rebelled against him.
• The Downward Steps of Defiance: The sermon outlines five internal attitudes that define a defiant spirit:

1. 1. Selfishness: “I want my own way.”
   2. Stubbornness: “I won’t quit until I get it.”
   3. Indifference: “I don’t care who it hurts.”
   4. Resistance: “I refuse to listen to counsel.”
   5. Contempt: “I am not concerned about the consequences.”

• The Illusion of Respectability: The story of Leonard Held is used to illustrate “acceptable defiance.” Held was a respectable churchgoer and father who secretly harbored resentment until he exploded in a killing spree, proving that defiance can be hidden behind a polished exterior.

Message References:

• Romans 1:29–32: A description of societal defiance, where people know God’s ordinance but give hearty approval to wickedness.
• Deuteronomy 21:18–21: The Old Testament law regarding a stubborn and rebellious son, illustrating God’s severe attitude toward defiance.
• 1 Kings 11:1–8: Solomon’s marriage to foreign wives and his subsequent turn toward idolatry and open defiance.
• 1 Kings 11:9–13: God’s anger is kindled, and He pronounces judgment to “tear” the kingdom from Solomon.
• 1 Kings 11:14–26: The rising of the adversaries Hadad, Rezon, and Jeroboam.
• Proverbs 13:15: “The way of the treacherous is hard”—defiance leads to personal misery.
• Proverbs 5:21–23: “He will be held with the cords of his sin”—defiance results in inescapable bondage.

Message Speaker:

Pastor Chuck Swindoll