Galatians 6:7

Galatians 6:7

 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

a. NLT: Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.

b. NIV: Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

c. YLT: Be not led astray; God is not mocked; for what a man may sow -- that also he shall reap,

d. Amplified Bible: Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside.) [He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.] For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap.

e. Worrell Translation:  Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man sows, the same shall he also reap;

1. “Be not deceived…”

a. Be…deceived [4105 * planao][Strong: to (properly, cause to) roam (from safety, truth, or virtue):--go astray, deceive, err, seduce, wander, be out of the way.][Zodhiates: To cause to wander, lead astray…to wander, go astray.]

b. not [3361 *  me] [Strong: a primary particle of qualified negation (whereas 3756 expresses an absolute denial); (adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas 3756 expects an affirmative one)) whether:--any but (that), X forbear, + God forbid, + lack, lest, neither, never, no (X wise in), none, nor, (can-)not, nothing, that not, un(-taken), without. Often used in compounds in substantially the same relations.]

1). The phrase “be not deceived” is used in both Testaments and establishes the spiritual truth it is our responsibility not to allow ourselves to be deceived.

a). Deuteronomy 11:16 Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;

b). Luke 21:8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

c). 1 Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

d). 1 Corinthians 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

2. “…God is not mocked…”

a. God [2316 * theos] [Strong: of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very:--X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).]

b. is…mocked [3456 * mukterizo][Strong: from a derivative of the base of 3455 (meaning snout, as that whence lowing proceeds); to make mouths at, i.e. ridicule:--mock.] [Zodhiates: to turn one’s nose up in scorn and hence to mock, deride.]

c. not [3756 * ou, also (before a vowel) ouk, and (before an aspirate) ouch] [Strong: a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

1). Mocking God strengthens the bands of evil upon those who mock.

a). Isaiah 28:22 Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.

2). Mocking the things of God leads to the wrath of God and a position where there is no other remedy.

a). 2 Chronicles 36:16 But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.

3). Over 40 young people were slain by two she bears for mocking Elisha after the miraculous rapture of Elijah

a). 2 Kings 2:23, 24 And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.

24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.

(1) children [5288 * na’ar] [Strong: a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication, a servant; also (by interch. of sex), a girl (of similar latitude in age):--babe, boy, child, damsel (from the margin), lad, servant, young (man).] [AMG Complete Old Testament Word Study Dictionary: A masculine noun referring to a boy, a young man, a servant, one old enough to serve in battle or as a personal private force.]

(2) This same Hebrew word is used in 2 Kings 3:7 to describe Solomon after he was King of Israel. Blue Letter Bible says this same Hebrew word is translated “young man” 76 times.  Another factor that I believe should be included is the fact that when Israel was made to wander 40 years in the wilderness because of their disobedience, those under 20 were spared from being included in the sentence of dying in the wilderness, (Numbers 14:29).The 42 who were killed by two female bears were probably in their late teen years 17-20.

4). Mocking God will be a common behavior of popular culture in the last days. Surely that has not been more evident than it is today in America.

a). Jude 17, 18  But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;

18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.

b). 2 Peter 3:1-3 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:

3:2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:

3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

3. “…for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

a. for [1063 * gar] [Strong: gar] [Strong: a primary particle; properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles):--and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.]

b. whatsoever [3739 * hos, including feminine he, and neuter ho] [Strong: probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588); the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that:--one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc.]

c. a man [444 * Anthropos] [Strong: from 435 and ops (the countenance; from 3700); man-faced, i.e. a human being:--certain, man.]

d. soweth [4687 * speiro][Strong: to scatter, i.e. sow (literally or figuratively):--sow(- er), receive seed.]

e. that [5124 *  touto] [Strong: neuter singular nominative or accusative case of 3778; that thing:--here (-unto), it, partly, self(-same), so, that (intent), the same, there(-fore, -unto), this, thus, where(-fore).]

f. also [2532 * kai] [Strong: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

g. shall he…reap [2325 * therizo][Strong: to harvest:--reap.]

1). The Parable of the Sower fully reveals our responsibility of keeping the soil of our heart good.

a). Matthew 13:1-23 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.