A Rebellious Spirit in the Bible

What do we know about a rebellious spirit? Can a Christian have a rebellious spirit? And is contentment possible?

A Rebellious Spirit: What is it?

According to vocabulary.com, ‘a rebellious person is one who likes to challenge authority and break the rules every now and then.’

Remember that in rebellion in the Bible we defined rebellion as resisting control or authority, being discontented with authority, or participating in organized resistance to the government. We gave descriptions of what each of these types of rebellion looks like and how rebellion can affect our contentment.

The key in each of these definitions is whether the person takes action to do something against that authority. Even if you are discontented with an authority you could act out in a way in your workplace, school, or home that shows your unhappiness with the situation.

A rebellious spirit could be shown by taking cookies from the cookie jar when your parents told you not to, sabotaging your boss to make them look bad, or lashing out to your spouse or kids in anger to intentionally hurt them.

Biblical Examples of a Rebellious Spirit

Worthless and Drunk Son

In Deuteronomy, a son who is rebellious and not listening to his parents after being disciplined and has since become a glutton and a drunkard. The Israelites were instructed to take their son to the city elders and have him put to death.

Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

Deuteronomy 21:21 ESV

A glutton is defined as worthless in this text. And being a drunkard is someone who drinks heavily or as we say today has an alcohol addiction.

Today we have compassion for those who have addictions and help them learn how to deal with their addictions and make better choices. We don’t take such a hard stance by not allowing them to live.

But we need to look at what is at the root of this offense. The person is being rebellious and intentionally not wanting to obey God’s commands. By stoning the person, the evil was purged from their community. And this way ALL would be able to hear God’s commands and obey them. And they would reverently fear Him. He is the sovereign ruler in control, we are not.

A Rebellious King

Saul was the king of Israel. But he was a rebellious spirit and rejected God’s words to him.

For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king

1 Samuel 15:23 ESV

Divination is defined as witchcraft in this passage. And the word presumption is defined as stubbornness which means to be insolent and display pushing or arrogance. Saul’s sin of rebellion and stubbornness was being compared to practicing witchcraft and idolatry. God doesn’t accept this behavior as it replaces Him as God. As a result, God rejected him as the king and he planned to replace him. With God against him, Saul did not have an easy life after that. We learn that the Spirit of the Lord left Saul and he was tormented and David was called upon to play his lyre for the king. And the tormenting spirit would leave him (1 Samuel 16:14-23 ESV).

David was anointed by Samuel to be king. But since he was young, the time had not come for him to take the throne. Saul would chase after David and try to kill him. And David became a commander in the army for Saul and he had success wherever he went and killed people by the “ten thousands” (1 Samuel 18:6 ESV).

Christians and a Rebellious Spirit

So can a person have a rebellious spirit and be a Christian? Yes. A person can be a Christian and be a rebel. We are all sinful and the fleshly part of us rears up its ugly head and rebellion comes out.

Remember our definition above? This person likes to challenge authority and breaks the rules now and then.

The Israelites were rebellious to God in the wilderness. They chose to not be faithful to God.

And that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Psalm 78:8 ESV

The people with hearts and spirits who are faithful to God are not being rebellious. They keep His commands and stay in close contact with Him.

So can we challenge authority?

Let’s define challenge first. In Oxford languages, a challenge is an objection or query as to the truth and often a demand for proof. A synonym is a question but I think questions are good. However, it depends on the intent. If the intent is to dispute the truth then that is rebellious. If the intent is to clarify and obtain more information to make an informed decision, then that is not a challenge.

I would want to know what is the intent of their heart. Those who have hardened their hearts will have an intent that is evil.

As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses?

Hebrews 3:15-16 ESV

Is Contentment Possible?

So can we be rebellious and be content? No. As we have learned, a rebellious person is intending to break the rules or has a hardened heart that is intent on evil.

As we learned in consequences of rebellion, we found out that rebelling affects our contentment because we choose to go the opposite direction of what God wants for us.

But contentment is possible when we obey God’s commands. We are disciplined for our rebellious ways. But once we have completed the discipline, we yield peaceful fruit. And we can be on the straight path for our feet.

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.

Hebrews 12:11-13 ESV

Contentment is possible once the discipline is completed and we have obtained the peaceful fruit of right-living. As a result, we will have a healed heart and are walking on His straight path!

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Resource Library

This is the last post of this series so there is a new Bible verse reading plan for the next series on obedience in the resource library. And don’t forget to check for the Bible verse cards show below that were recently added.