“Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the Test?” Moses posed this question to a people who had just been dramatically rescued from their oppressors. What was the quarrel about you may ask?
They were thirsty and were asking for water like so … “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”
I guess by now you may be wondering how that amounts to testing the Lord. What does putting the Lord to the test mean in the first place? Could there be times when it is acceptable to test the LORD? To answer these questions read on…
DO NOT PUT THE LORD TO THE TEST
Let me take you back to where these people are coming from.
The people of Israel had been enslaved in Egypt for 400 years, until the LORD sent Moses to face Pharaoh and demand for the release of his people. Their release did not come easy; but after 10 deadly plagues and the miraculous power of God in parting the sea to make a way for his people (approximately 2.5 Million) to cross the Red Sea, the entire army of Pharaoh in hot pursuit on their chariots all drowned in the Sea.
The LORD led these people with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. They saw the miraculous power of God yet doubted his ability to sustain them in the desert. I may sound critical toward the people of Israel, but don’t we often behave in the same way. I know I do.
They quarreled Moses, not knowing that in doing so it was the LORD they quarreled, doubted and tested. That place was named Massah and Meribah by Moses because they quarreled and tested the LORD by asking themselves “Is the LORD among us or not?” Exodus 17:7.
They were murmuring and complaining amongst themselves, quarrelling Moses and The LORD heard them.
The Psalmist says of them in Psalms 95: 8-9 “Today if you only would hear his voice. Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested me, they tried me, though they had seen what I did.”
The Israelites also rebelled once again when they had reports about the Canaan the Promised Land. Moses had earlier sent over twelve spies who went ahead to explore Canaan for a total of forty days. They came back after that period bearing some of the fruit of the land and a detailed report of what they saw. Ten of the spies had a discouraging report saying the people were much stronger and that it would be impossible to attack and overcome them. They even described their defeated mindset “We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes and we looked the same to them.” Numbers 13:33
Only two of the spies, Caleb and Joshua showed bravery and trust in the LORD .They encouraged the people by saying “We should go and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” Numbers 13: 30
With the promise land in the horizon, you would think that the people would be elated. Far from it. That very night they raised their voices and wept aloud grumbled yet again against Moses and Aaron. “If only we had died in Egypt or in this wilderness!”
They blamed God for bringing them out of Egypt only for them to die by the sword. They were terrified of the giants that inhabited the land of Canaan and would have preferred to return to Egypt!
As they were talking about getting rid of Moses, the LORD showed up! His glory appeared at the tent of meeting. He had wanted to execute judgment on all the people, but Moses intervened and pleaded for their lives .The Lord relented and forgave them. There was however major consequences of the careless words they spoke. The Lord said that he will do the very thing he heard them say, they would fall in the desert. All those aged 20 and above who had seen the Lord’s signs He had performed and yet still disobeyed and tested God would never see the promise land, none of them who grumbled would enter Canaan except for Joshua and Caleb.
“..not one of those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times – not one of them will ever see the land I promised…no one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it” Numbers 14:22 -23
The ten spies whose bad report caused the people to grumble, were struck by the LORD with a plague and died. This made me realize just how critical leadership is in the eyes of the LORD. He held the ten spies responsible for the bad report they gave to the people and they perished for it. On the other hand Moses interceded for the people and the LORD was able to forgive them.
As for the rest of the people, they were all to wonder in the wilderness for 40 years before he would allow them to reach Canaan. One year for each of the forty days they explored Canaan. This just goes to show how the LORD views complaining and grumbling. Is your grumbling hindering you from getting to your promise land? What have you been complaining about to yourself when you think no one is hearing you?
The very next day, some of the people decided out of remorse that they were now ready to go to the Promised Land. They set out by themselves, Moses tried to stop them saying that they would not succeed as the Lord was not with them; they were disobeying Him yet again and would be defeated by their enemies. Nevertheless in their presumption, they still went ahead with their own plan. Needless to say, Moses’s words did swiftly come to pass.
The New Testament also records the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-10. They sold their property and decided to give part of the proceeds for themselves and brought the rest to the apostles. Peter however rebuked Ananias for having lied to the Holy Spirit. The man fell and died on the spot. His wife, Sapphira came a little later and after being questioned about the price they got for the land also laid. Peter said to her “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord?” She too fell and died at his feet.
These things put the LORD to the test and anger Him
- Quarrelling, Complaining out loud, to others, to yourself ,or even behind closed doors
- Rebelling against God and disobeying him, Hardening of the heart
- Doubting God In thought and action, privately and publicly
- Treating God in contempt –disbelief in His power
- Lying or trying to trick the LORD
- Tasted and Seen God’s power and still remaining in doubt of his power to save
Negative Outcomes of Putting the LORD to the Test (Numbers 14)
- Serious failure
- Wondering in extended wilderness seasons
- Death
WHEN IT IS ACCECTABLE TO TEST THE LORD
The scriptures show us that there are some instances where the LORD allows us to test Him. They may not be listed in the commandments but are as equally profound if applied in the daily life of every believer.
The first pertains to tithing. Malachi states that the people rob God by refusing to pay tithes and offerings.
“How are we robbing you?” “In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse your whole nation because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be enough room to store it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe”, says the LORD Almighty.” Malachi 3:8 -11.
The second acceptable way to test God’s will is to offer your body as a living sacrifice.
“Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to the LORD- this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12: 1-2
The acceptable conditions of when to test the LORD
- In tithing;- Offer your tithe as worship and test the LORD and see him bless you
- In knowing God’s will; – Offer your body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God and be transformed by the renewing of mind and test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Positive outcomes of testing the Lord (Malachi 3 and Romans 12)
- Abundant & overflowing blessings upon more blessings not only for you, but also for your family, and nation
- Transformation by the renewing of your mind
- Learn God’s good pleasing perfect will in your life in all situations and pertaining all spheres of your influence
The Lord desires that we offer Him not only our substance but our whole selves .This is the only instance when He permits us to test Him. Oh taste and see that the LORD is good!
ComeFullCircle 