Scripture: “You shall not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah. You shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies and his statutes, which he has commanded you.” Deuteronomy 6:16-17 ESV
Observation: Having laid the groundwork for obedience to God’s laws (to love him wholeheartedly), Moses shifts his focus to the future: when the Lord brings Israel into the Promised Land. He confidently extols what awaits them: well-supplied homes, fortified cities, wells, vineyards, and groves (vv.10-11). Thus, he urges them to take care not to forget the Lord and pursue pagan gods because the Lord is jealous of their love (vv12-15). Jealously, as applies to God, is a positive attribute, for he is unwilling to share their affections with lifeless idols and humanly-contrived religions that will corrupt them and draw them away from a loving relationship with him.
Equally perilous, Moses next exhorts them not to put Yahweh to the test as they did at Massah (a/k/a Meribah, Exodus 17:1-17) but instead diligently keep his commandments (above verses). At Massah, Israel tested the Lord by quarreling with his appointed leader, Moses, over the lack of drinking water. They further questioned Moses’ intent (Exodus 17:3) and impertinently “tested the Lord by saying, ‘Is the Lord among us or not'” (Exodus 17:7 ESV).
Takeaway: Testing, as theologian Earl Kalland notes, is “the denial of his efficacious presence” (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy), and the consequences can be of eternal import. Consider the conflict Mark records between Jesus and the scribes over casting out demons (Mark 3:22-30). Jealous of Jesus’ growing popularity, they were looking for any reason to condemn him to the death sentence. So they accuse the Son of God of performing this miracle by the power of Beelzebul (i.e., the devil). Christ responds with a parable-like question of how a divided house can stand and adds that the Lord will forgive all sins except blasphemes against the Holy Spirit. To do so denies the presence of God at work, tantamount to being devoid of faith.
Of course, Jesus is not saying that if we deny the presence of God that there is no opportunity to repent and receive forgiveness, for this is the heart of our Gospel. Jesus addressed a couple of scribes who had hardened their hearts against God. And Moses is not saying that if Israel tests God, it’s over for them. But both imply it will not go well for us to deny God’s presence because we will further drift from him—making it less likely to repent and receive forgiveness. And if this pattern persists, our hearts may also harden against our loving God, who is jealous of our affections.
So how do we avoid testing God? By submitting to the Holy Spirit, who will lead us into wildernesses of life where we encounter testing that matures our faith and love for our Creator. Indeed, Matthew tells us that this is how Jesus’ ministry began (Matthew 4:1-11).
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for your Son who rose above Satan’s tests to seek your will in all matters of life and mission so that we might receive his sacrifice as our means of salvation. Would you please help us cooperate with your Holy Spirit when he orchestrates the testing of our faith so that we might be fully aware of your presence, rise above our temptations, and grow in our love and affection for you? Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
Leave a Reply