Definition: Haste is quickness; hurry; an overeagerness to act; rashness. Rashness is unwise haste; recklessness; a response without due deliberation (prayerfulness and forethought) or caution.
1. Haste is often the Devil’s trap to get us moving too quickly and catch us in an unprayerful, unguarded moment.
* Proverbs 14:29b He that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
* Proverbs 19:2b He that hasteth with his feet sinneth.
* Proverbs 25:28 [Being hasty causes you to run out from under the Lord’s protection, making you the Devil’s next target.] He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
* Acts 19:36a Ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.
2. Haste also causes us to say and do unloving things which we later regret.
* Psalm 116:11 I said in my haste, All men are liars.
* Proverbs 18:13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.
* Proverbs 25:8 Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.
* Proverbs 29:20 Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? There is more hope of a fool than of him.
* Ecclesiastes 5:2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in Heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
* Luke 9:54,55 [Jesus’ disciples were hasty in judging a village who didn’t readily welcome Jesus.] And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt Thou that we command fire to come down from Heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? 55 But He turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
3. “The hurrier I go, the behinder I get!”
* Proverbs 21:5 The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.
* Luke 14:28-30 [Look before you leap; count the cost.] For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
4. Haste is sometimes the result of angry impatience, which is a lack of faith.
* Numbers 20:10-12 [The Lord told Moses to speak to the rock, but Moses, being upset, hastily struck the rock instead. As a result, the Lord didn’t allow Moses and Aaron to go into the Promised Land.] And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? 11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. 12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed Me not, to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
* Job 13:5 O that ye would altogether hold your peace! And it should be your wisdom.
* Proverbs 14:29 He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
* Ecclesiastes 7:9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
* James 1:19,20 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
5. Follow the Lord and let Him lead instead of acting impulsively or in haste.
* Psalm 23:1-3 The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
* Hosea 6:3a Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord.
* John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
* John 10:14,27 I am the Good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of mine.… 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
* John 12:26a If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be.
* Revelation 14:4b [Those who love Him most follow closest.] These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth.
6. Counsel with others to avoid making rash decisions.
* Proverbs 11:14 Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
* Proverbs 15:22 Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.
7. Don’t panic or act rashly when under stress. Have faith and patience, and trust the Lord.
* Ecclesiastes 7:8b The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
* Isaiah 30:15a For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.
* Zechariah 4:6b Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.
* Luke 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
* Romans 12:12 [You should be] rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.
* Hebrews 6:12 Be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
* Hebrews 10:35,36 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
8. Be prayerful, not impulsive or rash.
* Numbers 9:8 And Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what the Lord will command concerning you.
* 1 Samuel 9:27 [Samuel asks Saul to be still first, before telling him the words which God had given Samuel for him.] And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the Word of God.
* Psalm 46:10a Be still, and know that I am God.
* Isaiah 28:16b He that believeth shall not make haste.
* 1 Corinthians 14:33a [If you’re confused, stop and pray!] For God is not the author of confusion.
* 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
9. Some examples in the Bible of hastiness and rashness:
* Exodus 2:11-14 [Moses, acting in haste, makes a serious mistake, causing him to be a terrible sample to his brethren and forcing him to flee Egypt for his life:] And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. 13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? 14 And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? Intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.
* 2 Kings 5:11,12 [Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army, was told to wash in the Jordan River to be healed of his leprosy. He was highly offended and impulsively turned to go back home:] But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He [Elisha] will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the Name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. [Then his servants helped him to come to his senses and yield, whereupon he washed in the Jordan and was both healed and accepted the Lord!]
* 2 Chronicles 35:20-24 [King Josiah hastily went into battle against a foreign king who was not threatening Judah, and who had a message from God that said that Josiah should not fight him:] 21 But [the foreign king] sent ambassadors to him [King Josiah], saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but against the house [the city of Carchemish] wherewith I have war: for God commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from meddling with God, Who is with me, that He destroy thee not. 22 Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo. 23 And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded. … 24 And he died.
* Psalm 31:22 [One of those hasty outbursts, prompted by the Enemy, in which David despaired for his life:] For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before Thine eyes: nevertheless Thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto Thee. [See also 1 Samuel 27:1.]
* Matthew 16:21-23 [Watch out! Acting, or speaking on impulse can sometimes be prompted by the Devil.] From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto His disciples, how that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 22 Then Peter took Him, and began to rebuke Him, saying, Be it far from Thee, Lord: this shall not be unto Thee. 23 But He turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind Me, Satan: thou art an offence unto Me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
* Acts 21:4,10-14 [Paul rashly insists on going to Jerusalem, even though prophecies told him not to.] And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem. … 14 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. 11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. 12 And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus. 14 And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.
10. Some examples of the right kind of hastiness:
* 1 Samuel 21:8b [Sometimes things need to be done without delay.] The king’s business required haste.
* Psalm 119:59-60 [Don’t delay to obey!] I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto Thy testimonies. 60 I made haste, and delayed not to keep Thy commandments.
* Luke 19:5-6 [When the Lord says to jump, jump!] And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. 6 And he made haste, and came down, and received Him joyfully.
* Acts 22:17-18 [Paul, giving his testimony, explains where the Lord tells him to move hastily:] And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; 18 And saw Him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning Me.
* Psalm 141:1 [David desperately prayed that the Lord would answer speedily.] Lord, I cry unto Thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto Thee.
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