#DailyDevotion Are You Really Better In Your Walk With The LORD Than The Israelites?
Psalm 106 6We have sinned like our fathers, doing wrong and wicked things. 7Our fathers in Egypt didn’t understand Your wonders or remember how merciful You were; so they rebelled beside the sea, the Red Sea. 8Yet He saved them to honor His name, to let them know His power. 9He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up; He led them through the floods as through a desert. 10So He saved them from the power of those who hated them, and freed them from the enemy. 11Water covered their enemies, and not one of them was left. 12Then they believed what He said and sang His praise.
In Psalm 105 we have the rather rosy view of the LORD’s salvation of Israel, how He called them to be His people and how He brought them to the Promised Land. Psalm 105 is a confession of sins by the psalmist of how Israel acted when the LORD saved them and will develop how they aren’t any better.
He starts off here of the stubborn and stiff-neckness of the Israelites just as He was delivering them. Right off the bat, the Israelites were rebellious but the LORD saved them for His own name’s sake. How often are we rebellious like the Israelites and the LORD Jesus delivers us anyway because He put His name on us?
13But they soon forgot what He did and didn’t wait for His advice. 14So they lusted in the wilderness and tested God in the desert. 15He gave them what they demanded but also sent a disease that made them waste away.
Even after the LORD exhibited His power to the Israelites by destroying the Egyptian army in the Red Sea the Israelites quickly forgot about the LORD’s goodness and they grumbled against Him. They did not cry out to Him for help with faith. They grumbled against Him in unbelief. God gave them what they thought would fill their lust for meat but also with a plague to discipline them. Do we often grumble against the LORD, lusting for things thinking the LORD is holding these things back from us? As James says, we don’t get because we don’t ask and when we do ask, it is out of selfish motivations to spend what we get on ourselves. If we ask the LORD for a fish won’t He give us one or if we ask for an egg, will He not take care of us? Jesus tells us the Father cares for us and knows what we need. He gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him. The Holy Spirit then intercedes for us in words too deep for comprehension.
16They were jealous of Moses in the camp and of Aaron, the LORD’s holy one. 17The ground opened and swallowed Dathan and buried Abiram’s group. 18Fire consumed their group; flames burned up the wicked.
It’s just one thing after another with the Israelites. I can relate. The LORD is good to me and then, poof !, I sin in disbelief. May we all repent quickly and turn to the LORD Jesus Christ for grace, mercy, forgiveness, steadfast love and peace. Here their sin was against the Holy Ministry the LORD provided for the Israelites. Do we get jealous of those in the Ministry? Do we rebel against his authority because we think we know better? Well maybe you do know better. But who called you to rebel against the one whom Jesus gifted to you? Your pastor is answerable to the LORD who will discipline him as he needs. Yes, the LORD often uses wicked, evil people to discipline His people. You don’t be the wicked, evil person He uses. He also punishes those whom He uses to do the disciplining, because it was their evil hearts that is used. They deserve their punishment even before they do anything. It’s already on their hearts. You be the one who prays for, vocally supports, and is the LORD’s blessing to the pastor Jesus gifted you.
Heavenly Father, so often we are like the Israelites who rebel against all Your goodness and kindness. Give us Your Holy Spirit so we may rightly ask You for all good things and give thanks and praise for them. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.