A “hard-hearted” people, so were the Jews who left Egypt headed for Canaan.

Never really appreciating, loving the Lord as they should have.

A lot like us today, I might add. Too many of us.

And I never realized how Psalm 78 (one of 12 Psalms in the Old Testament attributed to Asaph) so depicts Israel’s sins during that desert sojourn.

Today we’ve reached verses 30-33 in our journey.

“They (the Jews) were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat (quail they had demanded) was yet in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel. For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works. Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.” Psalm 78:30-33

The verb “estranged” means “to go away from.” To treat as something you don’t know. To be “foreign” to that entity. The noun “lust,” which they would have merely called “hunger,” is the Hebrew word for “greed,” desire that strong! We’d say an “obsession.”

God became “angry” at them, a word meaning demonstratively angry, red in the face, breathing hard! And God “killed” many of them! Two verbs being used here, “slew” and “smote down,” both pretty violent.

Here’s Moses’ account of the event: “And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day’s journey on this side, and as it were a day’s journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth. And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp. And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague. And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted.” Numbers 11:31-34

Still … after all that chastisement, discipline from God … “For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his (the Lord’s) wondrous works.”

Wow!

Reminds me of Proverbs 29:1, where the Holy Spirit wrote: “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”

So, knowing the “heart” of this people … God could not bless them as freely as He would have desired! Oh, the cost of unbelief, doubt, not trusting God and His Word! “Therefore their days did he (God) consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.” The noun “vanity” means “vapor,” an empty bubble kind of thing! And “trouble” is “dismay, alarm, terror!” God as a “Terrorist!” But in training His Own people.

I’m ready to say it.

Yes, sin has “wages.”

Both for the “sinner” and for the “saint.”

The unrepentant sinner faces hell-fire.

The erring saint faces God’s hand of discipline, as our Father in Heaven.

Truly, Hebrews 12:6-7 thunders loudly here. “My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.”

Let’s consider ourselves warned!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

If you have been enjoying this series on Psalm 78, let me know. I’d love to hear from you.

 

Psalm 78, all 72 verses, reviews the history of Israel, her spiritual history anyway. And emphasis is placed on that little Nation’s strong, selfish, often sensual desires!

Like the time they “lusted” after meat, not God’s choice, “manna!”

Psalm 78:26-29 tells us. “He (the Lord) caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind. He rained flesh (meat, quail specifically) also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea. And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations. So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire.”

They grumbled until they got their own way!

Yes, God miraculously sent them “meat,” called “feathered fowls” here.

Lots of meat, “birds” counted as “the sand of the sea!” Virtually innumerable!

And they ate.

And they were filled.

“Enough” of that manna stuff!

Yes, God … “gave them their own desire.”

But then Psalm 106:15 adds of the same incident: ““And he (the Lord, aqain) gave them (the Israelites) their request; but sent leanness into their soul.”

See that? They got what they wanted!

Even from the Lord!

But they paid a price for it!

“Leanness” to their own souls!

And “leanness” (in Hebrew “razon”) means: “scantiness,” or even “a wasting away!”

Wow!

If we keep “pushing” for something that is against God’s Will … we just might persuade Him to grant it!

To our own detriment.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

God is upset!

At the Nation of Israel, whom He loves dearly.

Such words as “wroth,” then “anger,” as well as “fire” are used of the Lord’s Attitude toward His people! On Psalm 78:21-25 I base my conclusion: “Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel; because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation. Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven, and had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. Man did eat angels’ food: he sent them meat to the full.”

Wow!

But just “what” did the Lord hear? To bring such an intense response to His Heart? “Therefore the LORD HEARD this, and was wroth ….” In a word, “grumbling,” the Jews complaining against God’s provision!

The Hebrew verb translated “wroth” is interesting. It’s spelled “abar” and means something like “to leave, depart, to go somewhere else!”

And “anger” is the noun “aph,” a part of one’s nose, the “nostril!” Meaning that God is breathing hard, red in the Face, visibly disturbed!

For just a little grumbling, dissatisfaction, craving a certain kind of food?

YES.

Look at our Text again. God had been so good to Israel! He had controlled the clouds on their behalf. At least the “Shekinah Glory” Cloud, protecting the people, warming them when it was cold and cooling them when it was blistering hot there in the desert!

The Lord had also “opened the doors of Heaven” as well. And “rained” food down upon the children of Israel. It was known as “manna.” A daily (except the Sabbath) miracle! And a double portion the day before the Sabbath, no lack whatsoever!

The Psalmist Asaph here has man eating “angels’ food,” a beautifully poetic phrase. They could eat “to the full,” probably eliminating any dietary deficiency or morbid obesity as well!

Yet the people were not appreciative!

They craved something else to eat!

Back to yesterday’s verses, “fish and onions and garlic,” the flavors of their former days in Egypt, years of slavery if you recall. They apparently didn’t!

But how does God view such “minor” defection?

Such a “human” thing to do?

In today’s Scripture God viewed their actions as follows: “They BELIEVED NOT in God, and TRUSTED NOT in His salvation.”

Wow!

Unbelief … that God could properly care for them, sufficiently. To the point of satisfaction! Craving other than God’s chosen provision!

Lack of trust … in the Almighty, All Wise One!

Refusing His “salvation,” a noun actually meaning “deliverance” (3 times in the Old testament), “welfare” (1 time), and “health” (3 times).

Folks, God wants our trust!

Our faith placed in Himself!

And our loyalty!

Back to Commandment number one: “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” Exodus 20:3

Do I trust Him as I should?

Do you?

Even down to the little daily issues of life?

Paul even said this: “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” Romans 14:23

What a Lesson to learn!

What a series of thoughts to ponder today, Thursday, January 7, 2016.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

God fed Israel in the wilderness, all those years, miraculously!

Every Bible student knows about the “manna.”

A perfectly healthy “bread-like” source of nourishment. “The taste of it was like wafers made with honey.” Exodus 16:31, bread pudding?

But the Jews, hard to please, wanted MORE!

They demanded MEAT from the Lord.

Asaph, in Psalm 78 recounts the situation. “And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust. Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people? Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth ….” Psalm 78:18-21a

Let me insert this helpful little paragraph. “And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick. But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside THIS MANNA, before our eyes.” Numbers 11:4-6, “this manna,” speaking despairingly!

They demanded that they get to chose their diet!

Meat!

Fish!

Onions and garlic!

Anything but God’s provision!

And the Lord heard their complaining … and became angry!

Remember, Adam and Eve got into trouble over something they ate!

Isaac also, Genesis 25:28. “And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.” So sad!

And this area of life (food) is the first category with which Satan chose to “tempt” Jesus our Lord! Matthew 4:3 says: “And when the tempter came to Him, he said, If Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.”

One’s personal desires!

Contra God’s Will for our lives!

Surely the lesson here, or one of them anyway, is to BE CONTENT with God’s provision, God’s leading, God’s plan for our lives!

Back in Psalm 78:18, to “tempt” God (“nasah” in Hebrew) means “to test or prove” Him. To exasperate Him, to doubt Him! To question His Wisdom! To reject His Plan!

“Nasah” is a Piel verb in the Hebrew Text, elsewhere found in the Old Testament 4 more times. In fact, 3 times in Psalm 78 alone! Its parallels (as used by the Holy Spirit) are: “not to listen” (Numbers 14:22), “to limit” or cause pain (Psalm 78:41), “to provoke” or rebel bitterly (Psalm 78:56), and “to lust exceedingly” (Psalm 106:14).

When will we ever learn to be satisfied!

The song writer had the right idea. Christ really should be ALL WE NEED!

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

How should we respond to God’s Goodness?

Psalm 68:19 supplies us with a pretty good answer! “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.” Yes, simply bless the Name of the Lord!

Today’s Text, Psalm 78:14-17, tells us how NOT to respond!

“In the daytime also He (the Lord) led them (Israel) with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire. He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths. He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers. AND THEY SINNED YET MORE AGAINST HIM BY PROVOKING THE MOST HIGH IN THE WILDERNESS.” 

Wow!

God was kind, gracious to His people.

And they (Israel, after leaving Egypt and heading toward Canaan) responded by complaining, grumbling, and disobeying Him!

The Shekinah Glory Cloud to guide them! Protecting from the hot sun in the daytime and warming them at night, in the cold desert air. The Hebrew word “shakan” means “to abide, to dwell” with a people! God “at home” in their midst!

Then another miracle … water from rocks! (Split rocks!)

A Picture of Jesus (the Rock of Ages) being smitten, stricken (at the Cross) and thereby giving torrents of refreshing water, the very water of life!

They the people always wanted “more.”

Or what was provided did not satisfy them!

Yes, the “provoked” God Almighty!

The verb “provoke” translates in Hebrew “marah,” the act of being “rebellious, disobedient,” even “bitter.”

Oh, to be more thankful today!

Also to be more content!

Let these words of Jeremiah express our sentiment today. “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

Amen.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell