(We have been thinking on this after a sermon
we heard in Jerusalem on a to visit Christ Church, an Anglican fellowship. No, we are not Anglican. Yes, the Pastor David Pileggi opens God’s
word as a good shepherd. We enjoy our
occasional visits to Christ Church. The
sermon entitled Matthew 4: In the Power
of the Spirit can be found at https://soundcloud.com/christchurchjerusalem.)
Moses reminds the people that God led Israel into the desert to test
them. The reasons were 1) to humble them
(remember that grace comes to those who humble themselves under the mighty hand
of God) and 2) to test you. The test was
to reveal what was in their hearts. It
was not so God would know but that He
might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone ….
What is interesting is this thought that,
immediately after His baptism, Jesus was led by God (the Spirit) into the
wilderness. We can understand from this
that the purpose was to reveal what was in His heart. Do not forget that Jesus, as a Son, learned
obedience from His afflictions (Heb. 5:8).
Jesus, who we know lived His earthly life in perfection, lived that life
as we do. He experienced all our temptations
(trials, tests), yet without sin (Heb. 4:15).
To
illustrate this idea, what David Pileggi calls God’s seminary, here is a quick review of the first several uses of
the term test in the Scriptures.
1.
Gen. 22:1: God tested Abraham on Mt. Moriah.
2.
Ex. 15:25: Immediately after the Red Sea crossing God tested Israel with the
bitter waters of Marah. This resulted in
a statute and an ordinance that if
you heed the Lord He will heal you, do you good.
3.
Ex. 16:4: In the Manna God tested Israel’s obedience in the daily quota.
4-5.
Ex. 17:2,7: Israel falsely tested God on the water issue at Meribah. It
was wrong to do this; God had already demonstrated His goodness (see #2 above);
Israel should have kept the statute
and ordinance.
6.
Ex. 20:20: The thunder and lightning at Sinai was a test to encourage the fear
of the Lord who was so good to Israel, to never lose the reverence.
7.
Num. 14:22: Israel had repeatedly (10 times) tested God. God was always true to His word but they
still would not heed His voice.
One thing we are trying to point out is that
this is common. Afflictions are, we
might say, the stuff of life. We should get over being surprised by our
troubles or the thought that we are being picked on. They are, as Paul pointed out, common to man (1 Cor. 10:13). We are regularly being led by the Holy Spirit
into the desert. We must be there, for
our own good.
And we are also pointing out what Paul went on
to say in the same passage: but God is
faithful! Our trials are never such
as we have no choice but to sin (Psalm 125:3).
God will make a way for us, by His all-sufficient grace, so that the
trial produces the Christlikeness He has purposed for us.
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