Therefore the Lord heard this and was furious; so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel, because they did not believe in God, and did not trust in His salvation.
--Psalm 78:21-22 (NKJV)
From the daily Bible reading on April 23, 2013 of Psalm 78:17-31; Mark 2:1-22; Joshua 19:10-20.
Asaph sings a song of history in Psalm 78, the history of the Jewish people, and specifically of their disobedience to God. The children of Israel lived cycles of unfaithfulness followed by God turning His back on them or punishing them, followed by their repentance and trusting God once again and Him smiling on them and life becomes all good. Then they take God for granted or doubt Him and are unfaithful and the circle continues around and around. Asaph urges his listeners to break this cycle and uses this Psalm as a warning to the younger generation and those to come. He does not want them to continue walking blindly along this circular path, so he asks them to remember how good God was to their forefathers, how He provided for their every need and led them during significant periods in their history, how they repaid God with grumblings, ingratitude, unfaithfulness, and even open rebellion, and how God punished them. Asaph cautions this must stop. And he says all this with song; a pretty amazing feat.
Today's focus verses are centered in the recalling of certain events following the people's exodus from Egypt and while they lingered in the wilderness. At this point in Asaph's musical narrative, the people grumbled that they had no water, so God provided springs from the rocks (please see verses 15 through 16 and 20). Then they complained that they had no food to eat and would starve in the desert, so God opened His cupboard and provided manna from heaven, the food of angels (verses 20 and 23 through 25). Still not satisfied with just bread, they groused that they had no meat, so God caused the winds to blow and carry in flocks of quail, more birds than could be counted and all falling right nearby the people's tent doors (verses 20 and 26 through 29). Through it all the ungrateful people complained; nothing God so graciously provided was good enough for them. Furthermore, they simply did not trust in His ability to provide for them in the wilderness. This made God absolutely furious! Our psalmist draws from the words of Moses when he described God's wrath saying, "So the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp." (Please see Numbers 11:1.) The people paid a price because they did not fully believe in God.
Every now and then we come across someone whose personal history echoes that of the children of Israel. They are unfaithful, hard times befall them, they seek God and repent, God showers them with mercy and good times return, they are unfaithful. Over and over this cycle repeats in their lives. An endless loop with no way out. A life with no true hope. God doesn't want this for us, just as He didn't want it for His chosen people. That's why He inspired Asaph to write this Psalm, to warn us to break this vicious cycle, to snap this deadly ring. That's why He sacrificed His own Son, to atone for our sins so we could be free of hopelessly repeating a failed history. We need only believe in God, believe in Jesus and trust in the salvation He offers. Believe and trust, and be saved. Amen.
Gracious God of all creation, may we never forget all the goodness You have poured over us. May we always remember how You provide for us in our need, how You comfort us in our grief, how You lead us through the darkest night. And most of all, may we always cherish the sacrifice of the Spotless Lamb for our sake. We have faith in Your provision, we trust in Your salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. In that sweetest of names, Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Today's focus verses are centered in the recalling of certain events following the people's exodus from Egypt and while they lingered in the wilderness. At this point in Asaph's musical narrative, the people grumbled that they had no water, so God provided springs from the rocks (please see verses 15 through 16 and 20). Then they complained that they had no food to eat and would starve in the desert, so God opened His cupboard and provided manna from heaven, the food of angels (verses 20 and 23 through 25). Still not satisfied with just bread, they groused that they had no meat, so God caused the winds to blow and carry in flocks of quail, more birds than could be counted and all falling right nearby the people's tent doors (verses 20 and 26 through 29). Through it all the ungrateful people complained; nothing God so graciously provided was good enough for them. Furthermore, they simply did not trust in His ability to provide for them in the wilderness. This made God absolutely furious! Our psalmist draws from the words of Moses when he described God's wrath saying, "So the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp." (Please see Numbers 11:1.) The people paid a price because they did not fully believe in God.
Every now and then we come across someone whose personal history echoes that of the children of Israel. They are unfaithful, hard times befall them, they seek God and repent, God showers them with mercy and good times return, they are unfaithful. Over and over this cycle repeats in their lives. An endless loop with no way out. A life with no true hope. God doesn't want this for us, just as He didn't want it for His chosen people. That's why He inspired Asaph to write this Psalm, to warn us to break this vicious cycle, to snap this deadly ring. That's why He sacrificed His own Son, to atone for our sins so we could be free of hopelessly repeating a failed history. We need only believe in God, believe in Jesus and trust in the salvation He offers. Believe and trust, and be saved. Amen.
Gracious God of all creation, may we never forget all the goodness You have poured over us. May we always remember how You provide for us in our need, how You comfort us in our grief, how You lead us through the darkest night. And most of all, may we always cherish the sacrifice of the Spotless Lamb for our sake. We have faith in Your provision, we trust in Your salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. In that sweetest of names, Jesus, we pray. Amen.
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