In Psalms chapter seventy-eight Asaph shared when the people of Israel flattered and lied to God in the wilderness, “he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yes, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passes away, and comes not again. How often did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert”, and in chapter seventy-eight and verse forty-one of Psalms Asaph shared how the people of Israel, “turned back and tempted God” where we read,
Yes, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.
The verse begins, “Yes, they turned back and tempted God, ...” Asaph began with the words, “yes, they turned back” or “even so and indeed, they, the people of Israel in the wilderness, returned, apostatized and relinquished” “and tempted God” which means “and tested, assayed, proved and tried the Divine judge, ruler and Supreme God”. Asaph said the people of Israel in the wilderness became apostate and relinquished their relationship with Jehovah God by testing and trying Him.
The verse goes on to say, “... and limited the Holy One of Israel.” Asaph continued with the words, “and limited” or “and pained, wounded and troubled” “the Holy One” which means “the sacred, set apart and ceremonially moral God” “of Israel” or “belonging to Israel whose name means God prevails and is the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob”. Asaph said the people of Israel in the wilderness pained, wounded and vexed Jehovah God.
When we think through the words in this verse, we learn through Asaph how the people of Israel in the wilderness became apostate, and they tested God with their behavior. This caused the sacred and Holy God of the Universe to be pained and wounded, and it was to their own demise. God desires to have a personal, intimate relationship with everyone through His Son Jesus whom He sent into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind. When we believe and trust in Him as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and never be “limited” or restricted in His blessings and mercy toward us.
Next time Asaph says the people of Israel, “remembered not his hand”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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