* Don’t forget our midweek series, “offended!” continues tonight @ Southbrook Weddington.
For part one click here.
Now, on to the second half of this series…
The passage, Psalm 78:17–31reads as follows,
17 But they continued to sin against him,
rebelling in the desert against the Most High.18 They willfully put God to the test
by demanding the food they craved.19 They spoke against God, saying,
“Can God spread a table in the desert?
20 When he struck the rock, water gushed out,
and streams flowed abundantly.
But can he also give us food?
Can he supply meat for his people?”21 When the LORD heard them, he was very angry;
his fire broke out against Jacob,
and his wrath rose against Israel,22 for they did not believe in God
or trust in his deliverance.23 Yet he gave a command to the skies above
and opened the doors of the heavens;24 he rained down manna for the people to eat,
he gave them the grain of heaven.25 Men ate the bread of angels;
he sent them all the food they could eat.26 He let loose the east wind from the heavens
and led forth the south wind by his power.27 He rained meat down on them like dust,
flying birds like sand on the seashore.28 He made them come down inside their camp,
all around their tents.29 They ate till they had more than enough,
for he had given them what they craved.30 But before they turned from the food they craved,
even while it was still in their mouths,31 God’s anger rose against them;
he put to death the sturdiest among them,
cutting down the young men of Israel.
The writer is saying (among other things — a preface you should always expect in a ‘living’ book like the Bible!) that developing our trust in God is of paramount importance—not the quest for comfort.
The Israelites were constantly bugging God—”What about our needs? Want about our comfort?!” I imagine that made God quite angry when He’s trying to get their attention so that He can stretch their faith. You can’t travel down both those opposing roads at the same time. However, this is one of the fairly rare instances where God went ahead and gave them what they asked for…
Right before He killed them.
Oops.
Careful what you ask for!
Yes, God gave them what they asked for all right—in spades! They stuffed their little faces and then choked on all that comfort!
Because they complained about God’s provision and doubted His obvious ability, He first proved Himself and then judged the naysayers! They complained against God’s provision and they provoked Him in their skepticism of God’s goodness and their insolence towards their provider!
Nothing like biting the hand that feeds you.