Today I am left with some questions. Why is God angry? Why does God stay angry for so long? Why does God swear to not let these people enter His rest? Is Jesus like this anywhere in the New Testament?
I’m not sure I will answer these questions this morning. But the Psalm starts wonderfully and it is easy for me to see Jesus in the first three verses.
V.1 Jesus is unquestionably the rock of our salvation who is a king and is described so by Daniel.
V.2 Jesus is worthy of thanksgiving songs; we’ll sing to him according to John in Revelation.
V.3 Jesus is the great King God according to what Paul wrote to Timothy
In verse 8 it turns and stays until the end of the chapter very personal and a strong warning.
Verses 1-7 of Psalm 95 are from the psalmist to God.
Verses 8-11 are from God to all who are listening.
Verses six and seven invite all whom God has made to listen to Him because he watches over us.
But what does God say? He says don’t harden your hearts v.8. And then God identifies two times his people hardened their hearts, at Meribah and at Massah. The place name carries with it the problem that occurred there. The big feud, the big punch up, the fight, the provocation, the rebellion, the big strop.
7 Moses named the place Massah (which means “test”) and Meribah (which means “arguing”) because the people of Israel argued with Moses and tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord here with us or not?”
MAIN POINT: Be warned! Do not doubt or lie about Jesus' ability to be present and provide.
“For there your ancestors tested and tried my patience,
even though they saw everything I did.”
This my brothers and sisters is why it is SO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER and repeat regularly in thanksgiving all that God has done for you. William’s heart, listen. William’s family and friends please listen! Repeat all the good things God has done often in your hearing so your ears grow accustomed to hearing thanksgiving and remembering all the things YOU HAVE SEEN GOD DO.
Do not delay making a list of the evidence of God you have witnessed. Where have you seen God’s presence and provision? Do not make God angry. You will not like it when He is angry. Really you won’t. That is not a threat, it is really a warning. You don’t want a hard heart. You don’t want to become a sour, complaining, ungrateful person! Don’t listen to lies. Remember the truth. God has done great things and you have seen them, so remember. Rehearse the good things you have seen God do.
Eugene Petersen expresses God’s anger and frustration found in this Psalm very well in The Message:
“Drop everything and listen, listen as he speaks: “Don’t turn a deaf ear as in the Bitter Uprising, As on the day of the Wilderness Test, when your ancestors turned and put me to the test. For forty years they watched me at work among them, as over and over they tried my patience. And I was provoked—oh, was I provoked! ‘Can’t they keep their minds on God for five minutes? Do they simply refuse to walk down my road?’ Exasperated, I exploded, ‘They’ll never get where they’re headed, never be able to sit down and rest.’””
Psalms 95:7-11 The Message (MSG)
“Do they simply refuse to walk down my road?”MSG
“they have not known my ways.” ESV
“they do not acknowledge or regard My ways.” AMP
“They refuse to do what I tell them.” NLT
“I described them as wicked wanderers whose hearts would not follow my ways or keep my words.” TPT
Do we lose the presence and provision of God when we rebel? NO actually no. God kept miraculously being present and providing. But because the people had hard hearts, they continued in disbelief. And even though they were daily dependent on the presence, protection and provision of God, they refused to acknowledge it, and so with hard hearts they missed out on what was right under their noses and even failed to go further into the promise of God. God was angry because they were killing themselves yet in their heart they were blaming Him. The whole time He was pulling out all the stops and giving them unprecedented blessings. Still they were ungrateful.
God is pleading with you. Do not be so dumb.
Conclusion:
Make a list of ways you have seen God be present and provide and protect you and those around you. Do it quick. Don’t forget. Do not let your hearts be hardened. Because Jesus is present and He is providing.
18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.
19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
I’m typing in a separate document a personal list of my evidence for God’s presence and provision in 2023 as Lyssa is editing this document. I am finding it a great list but very very personal. I wonder if everyone whose name is on the list and how I have seen God working in them would recognise and rejoice as I do in the evidence of God’s presence and provision in their lives.
For me, there is so much to be thankful for. If you want to meet with Lyssa or I and see our long list of reasons we are thankful for God’s presence and provision in 2023 then please ask.
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| Handwritten Psalm 95 |
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