Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Mar 4th, 2014 Are You Provoking God?

Today’s Passage – Deuteronomy 9 – 11 (Click on the references to listen to the audio –Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read –  2 Corinthians 5 – 8; Proverbs 4; Psalm 16 – 20

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 121

Scripture Memory for March – Verses About the Bible

Read previous posts from today’s reading – “Paving the Way“ and “The Choice is Yours”

Read the “0304 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the LORD.” (Deuteronomy 9:7)

Because of a famine, the children of Israel went to live in Egypt.  By the hand of God through, Joseph, they lived, worked, multiplied and served the Lord.  Then the Bible says that ‘there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph’.  This king was not so kind to them.  He put them in bondage. The harder their life got, the more they prayed to be free to worship their God.

“And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant. Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:” (Exodus 6:5-6)

God kept His promise.

“And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.” (Exodus 51)

How long was it before the children of Israel complained and rebelled against God?

“And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD. And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.” (Exodus 14:10-12)

And that’s all they did was complain.  It was so bad that in Deuteronomy 9:7, it say they provoked God to wrath.

Fast forward to Jesus.  The Jews wandered so far from God, that they didn’t even know who Jesus was.  Even today, most of the Jewish people reject Jesus’ gift of life, their freedom from bondage.

Now you say how dumb can these people be?  After all that God did for them, they went against Him?  They didn’t teach their children to love and honor God?  God gave them what they wanted and they threw the blessings of God out the door?

Let fast forward again.  People living in England were being persecuted by the Church of England. When they tried to move to surrounding countries, they were not allowed in or they had a hard time finding work.  They just wanted to escape persecution in England for Religious beliefs.  God heard the cries of the Gentiles.  In 1620 on the Mayflower, God guided them into the promise land, America.

In 1962 prayer was no longer allowed in schools.  In the 1970’s, Rock and Roll Stars were idolized and many people were openly having sex and doing drugs.  Reminds me of the account of the children of Israel waiting for Moses to come down from Mt. Sinai.

“And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp. And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear. And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.” (Exodus 32:17-19)

In the 1980’s, The 10 Commandment were taken out of public buildings.  We use the Lord’s name as a curse word.  It’s ok to have an intimate relationship with whom ever.  Same sex marriage.  Killing.  ‘In God We Trust’ is slowly disappearing from our money.  We blame God for everything that is wrong.  The more we push God out, the worse we become.  Are we also at the point where we’re ‘provoking God?

And we think the children of Israel were dumb?  We’re doing the same thing.  Does God have to put us back in bondage in order for us to turn back to Him?

Friends, let’s get back to what God has called us to do, love and serve Him.  The only thing that Satan has for us is trouble.  Let’s get back to studying God’s word and praying.  Being faithful to church, our families and each other.  Mostly telling other about Jesus and the wonderful freedom we have in Him.

Thank You

1 John 5:13