The way man turns away from God is astounding. Though God provides for mankind in nature,
man rejects thoughts about the Creator and his accountability to Him. This passage in the Psalms provides an
opportunity to see this regression
illustrated in the life of the people of Israel.
The historical background referred to here involves the
exodus from Egypt (Exodus 1-15). In that
historical event God performed mighty works to deliver the family of Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob from the slavery of Pharaoh.
Not only did God bring terrible plagues on Egypt; He also destroyed
Pharaoh’s army though Israel had no army of its own. God did all this. And we are told (v12) that the people
believed God and worshiped Him. As the
regression of Romans 1 says, initially they knew
God.
But they soon forgot His works (v13). As in Romans, they didn’t glorify or thank
God. Instead they allowed their desires
to run rampant (v14), craving food of Egypt while doubting God’s goodness (Num.
11:4). As with sexual desire so it is
with the desire for food: good desires became sinful when man denied the
Creator.
In verse 15 we see deep insight. God gave them what they craved, but sent them
leanness of soul (Num. 11:33-34). What a
perfect description of mankind. He
craves something, but the satisfaction of his craving only leads to further
craving. Though is he fat in the sense of getting whatever he
wants, his inner man (the soul) is lean. He is full physically but empty spiritually.
In the case of Israel after leaving Egypt, they rejected
God’s appointed leader Moses (vs.16-18; see Numbers 16). But this rejection was simply the result of
their idolatry that had been made evident in the situation with the calf of
gold (v19; see Exodus 32). The Psalmist
seems to anticipate Paul in romans 1: Thus
they changed their glory into the image of an ox that eats grass (v20). God would have destroyed them at the time but
was merciful in response to the intercession of Moses. But their continued rebellion resulted in
God’s judgment when He granted to Israel the perpetual wandering she asked for
by refusing to enter the land of promise (Num. 15).
Our purpose in considering this passage is to show that the regression of Romans 1 is not a single
event at the onset of ancient history.
It is the repeated act of people who, being blessed by the Creator,
refuse to glorify and thank Him. Failure
to worship the true God will inevitably result in a corresponding life of lust
and will lead to judgment by the Creator.
Consider this assessment of the account of man’s regression.
What a fearful account
is here! A lost race plunging ever
deeper, by their own desire! Left in
shameful, horrid bondage, unashamed, not only immoral but unmoral, hideous. Missionaries abroad can tell you of what they
find; as can the Christian workers in our great cities. But you would unprepared to believe what
exists, in the private lives of many, even in country districts through
Christendom. And if God has ‘made you to
differ,’ thank Him only! It will not do
to hold up your hands in self-righteous dismay, and say, ‘These verses do not
in any particular describe me.’ For God
will show you and me that this is exactly the race as we were born into it, and
out of which the only rescue is being born again.” (Wm. R. Newell, Romans: Verse-by-Verse, p34)
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