Why do we put God to the Test?

Psalm 78:9-35

The Ephraimites were armed and ready for battle but on the day of battle, they were a no show.   One thing you can bet the farm on, God is faithful and a man who is not living under the authority of the Scriptures always is a no show on the day of battle.  We are told the Ephraimites forgot what God had done and was doing, so they did not show up, that’s a dangerous place to find yourself because God has a place for us in the line and no one else is going to take our place.

We have seen Asaph; as he recalls when the water stood firm like a wall and the cloud by day and with a fiery light throughout the night.  He even reminds of God splitting the rock and the water that flowed down like a river.  The people coming out of captivity continued to sin against God, and they demanded the food they craved when we let our flesh and not the Spirit leads us, it’s going to be me first and a lot of griping and demanding.  It can happen to every one of us when we forget who God is and that we are from dust and will return to dust, but our spirit will live forever, with God, or the evil one.

They wanted what they wanted with no thought of what God was doing, not thankful that He was raining down on them the bread of the angels in heaven.  They wanted meat, so he sent quail, and there were so many that they ate till they wanted no more, and God’s anger flared up against them, and He killed some of their best men.  We are told God struck down Israel’s choice of young men and yet they kept on sinning and refused to believe His wonderful works.

You and I are saying I would confess and submit to the will of God, are you doing that at this time?  If not, you are just like them, they learned nothing and God made their day end in futility and their years in sudden disaster.  It was when He killed some of them, that they repented and searched for God, they remembered that God was their Rock, Most High God, their Redeemer.

Why would they put God to the test, why did the elders not lead them in the ways of God?   The same reason many parents today, attend church, act one way on Sundays and live a life with no regard for God during the week and before their children.  It always comes back on the man, God appointed him to lead the family, not the wife, not some Sunday School teacher, it all comes back when the man is not in his role as head of his family, you will reap futility and even disaster.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice