Focus Chapters:
- Psalms 75-78
Standout Verse(s):
Psalms 78:18-32 NLT
They stubbornly tested God in their hearts,
demanding the foods they craved.
They even spoke against God himself, saying,
“God can’t give us food in the wilderness.
Yes, he can strike a rock so water gushes out,
but he can’t give his people bread and meat.”
When the Lord heard them, he was furious.
The fire of his wrath burned against Jacob.
Yes, his anger rose against Israel,
for they did not believe God
or trust him to care for them.
But he commanded the skies to open;
he opened the doors of heaven.
He rained down manna for them to eat;
he gave them bread from heaven.
They ate the food of angels!
God gave them all they could hold.
He released the east wind in the heavens
and guided the south wind by his mighty power.
He rained down meat as thick as dust—
birds as plentiful as the sand on the seashore!
He caused the birds to fall within their camp
and all around their tents.
The people ate their fill.
He gave them what they craved.
But before they satisfied their craving,
while the meat was yet in their mouths,
the anger of God rose against them,
and he killed their strongest men.
He struck down the finest of Israel’s young men.But in spite of this, the people kept sinning.
Despite his wonders, they refused to trust him.
Observation (s):
- The Israelites allowed their earthly wants to cause them to test God and challenge His ability to provide them with basis necessities.
They stubbornly tested God in their hearts,
demanding the foods they craved.
They even spoke against God himself, saying,
“God can’t give us food in the wilderness.
Yes, he can strike a rock so water gushes out,
but he can’t give his people bread and meat.” - God’s anger rose because of the Israelites’ inability to trust that He could provide for them, despite all the provisions and cares He had already made for them.
When the Lord heard them, he was furious.
The fire of his wrath burned against Jacob.
Yes, his anger rose against Israel,
for they did not believe God
or trust him to care for them. - Despite God proving them wrong (by supplying their wants), and punishing them as a remembrance, the Israelites continue to distrust God’s ability to care for them.
The people ate their fill.
He gave them what they craved.
But before they satisfied their craving,
while the meat was yet in their mouths,
the anger of God rose against them,
and he killed their strongest men.
He struck down the finest of Israel’s young men.But in spite of this, the people kept sinning.
Despite his wonders, they refused to trust him.
Application:
Subjects trust their kings to take care of them. Citizens trust their rulers to act in their best interests. Toddlers and children place faith in their parents, trusting them to care for them. Yet we find it hard to trust that God, our Heavenly Father, can do the same, even better.
Are you like the Israelites? No matter how many times God has proven Himself to you, you still fail to trust Him? You still choose to test Him, citing your belief that He is incapable of accomplishing feats that are “impossible” from your perspective, challenging His ability to provide for you.
Don’t make the same mistakes of the Israelites and be destroyed for it. Don’t let your unbelief be the reason God makes an example of you. T
hink back on your days past. God has been there with you. Hasn’t He proven that He can care for you. No matter how impossible it seems, trust that God can care for you.
