Deuteronomy 13, The Testing of God (2)

The subject of testing is important in terms of Israel’s wilderness years.  Again, tests are what we sometimes refer to as “problematical circumstances,” It’s just a problem.  But the problem provides an opportunity to either trust in God or to provoke God by any of the many forms of “unbelief.”  In the wilderness, complaining was one of Israel’s favorite forms of unbelief.  In Dt. 9 the LORD, through Moses, reminds Israel of a few of those situations.  After describing the “golden calf” incident (when Israel got tired of waiting for Moses to return from the mountain and responded by turning away from God and crediting the golden calf as being the god who brought them from Egypt), the LORD then reminds them of (9:22-24) …

·       Taberah (Num. 11:1-3) where God’s fire burned among complaining Israel.

·       Massah (Ex. 17:1-7) where there was no water until God brought water from the rock.

·       Kibroth Hattaavah (Num. 11:4-35) where Israel gave in to an intense craving for meat and complained to God, desiring to return to Egypt.

·       Kadesh Barnea (Num. 14:1-38) where Israel refused to enter Canaan after the report of the spies.

In today’s passage God describes another “problematical situation” through which He would test Israel.  Verse 3 says that false prophets are a means of testing, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.  This, of course, goes to the “heart” of Israel’s relationship with God.  God desired a “love” relationship (Dt. 6:4-5).  How can you know if a person really loves God at that level?  God’s answer is that it is revealed when someone comes along with a message that turns our attention away from God to the worship of another “god.” 

Let us remind you of the use of this term “testing” in the OT.  The Hebrew (nasa) means to test, assay, or prove.  The classic Gesenius added that at the root the term meant “to try by smell.”  Thus, God was wanting to see what odor Israel was giving off.  Did they stink of idolatry?  Or was there the sweet-smelling savor of dedication to the LORD?  Here are a few additional notes on this term in the OT.

·       Used of God: Gen. 22:1; Ex. 16:4; Dt. 8:2,16; 13:4; Jud 2:22.

·       Used of men to “prove” God when they doubt His power: Ex. 17:2,7; Dt. 6:16; Ps. 78:18,41,56; Isa. 7:12

·       1^st use: Gen. 22:1 (God tests Abraham on Moriah)

·       2^nd use: Ex. 15:25: bitter waters; 3^rd use: Ex. 16:4: manna (the daily quota); 4^th/ 5^th use: at Meribah when Israel tested God on the same water issue (Ex. 17:2,7)

·       6^th: thunder, lightening on Sinai, God testing Israel.

·       7^th: Num 14:22, they tested God 10 times. He “passed” all. Yet they still didn’t “heed His voice.”

·       9^th: Dt. 6:16, thou shalt not test the Lord (Matt. 4).

On the issue of testing through false doctrine, we have the same issue in the NT.  Mature Christians are those who are not blown about by every wind of doctrine (Eph. 4:14) or carried about by various and strange doctrines (Heb. 13:9).  Like Israel, we, the Body of Christ, are to be “people of the word.”  Denial of God’s word is idolatry.