I
spent the Thanksgiving week walking through the book of Numbers and as I came
to Numbers 14, one verse stood out and led me to more research. Here
is the verse,
Numbers
14:21 But
truly, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filledwith the glory of
the Lord, 22none of the men who have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the
wilderness, and yet have putme to the test these ten times and have not
obeyed my voice,23 shall see the land that I swore to give to their
fathers. And none of those who despised me shall see it.
This generation
in the wilderness would never respond to God's voice or His will. They just wanted to complain and go back to
Egypt. Here are the 10 times they tested
God.
1.
Exodus 14:11-12 -- Accused God of tricking them, leading them into a trap at
the Red Sea.
2.
Exodus 15:23-26 -- Complained at Marah for water.
3.
Exodus 16:1-18 -- Complained about meat and bread before Sinai.
4.
Exodus 16:19-22 -- Leaving manna until morning against God's
instructions.
5.
Exodus 17:1-7 -- Complained about water at Rephidim.
6.
Exodus 32 -- Made the golden calf at the base of Sinai.
7.
Numbers 11:1-3 -- Complained at Taberah.
8.
Numbers 11:4-35 -- Murmured for flesh to eat.
9.
Numbers 13:1-25 and Deuteronomy 1:20-25 -- Not believing God by asking that
spies be sent into the land, and not taking God at His Word.
10.
Numbers 13:26-14:37 and Deuteronomy 1:26-46) -- Rebelled at Kadesh.
Nothing
is more dangerous for the Christ-follower than developing a hard
heart against the Words and character of God. It was devastating for the
wilderness generation and it led to them to not being able to enter into
the promised land.
This
is one of those things that will kill our relationship with God. The
ignoring of God's voice leaves our life wide open to charging God with wrong.
