hearts that test God

They tested God in their heart

by demanding the food they craved.

Psalm 78:18

Our sin can be particularly grieving to God when we put God to the test in our unbelief. In the long history of Israel recounted in Psalm 78, this is seen over and over. God was faithful to His people. They wanted even more from Him. God gave it to them in mercy. They did not repent and instead their hearts demanded even more. And then God would judge their sin.

Interestingly it all starts in the heart. They tested God first in what their hearts demanded. Sin begins with evil desire. And evil desire is often a twisted form of a good desire. In Israel’s case in the context of Psalm 78:18, it was a good desire to have food. But the desire became a testing of God in sin when Israel DEMANDED God give them a specific food they craved. Manna was His heavenly gift! Soon they demanded meat instead. And as their hearts assigned contempt for God’s care and demanded He provided differently, God’s anger arose because of their unbelief and failure to trust His saving power (Psalm 78:22).

God’s judgment on insolent hearts was first to give them all that they craved. Water sprang from a rock in the desert. Manna rained from heaven daily. A strong wind covered their camp in quail until there was so much meat feasting that they were nearly sick from it. And as they satiated their craving on quail, God struck them down mid feast. Even after judgment they still eventually returned to their whining, craving lack of faith.

Thankfully in judgment God had mercy. He did not destroy Israel and all His wrath was not poured out in an exercise of divine restraint (Psalm 78:38). He took into account His covenant and their weaknesses and kept covenant with them despite a consistent pattern of sinful craving and rebellion (Psalm 78:39). Thank God, He does not treat people as their sins deserve, but is great in mercy! This mercy even forgives me when I test God in my heart.