The key is.. to always act out of necessity: What I mean is “Don’t tempt the Lord.” A prime example is this situation.
Exodus 17:1-7
1. And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.
((Okay, the children of Israel were in the wilderness of Sin without water to drink. What are they gonna do or how are they gonna act? Let’s continue.))
2. Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD?
((Chide means: to speak out in anger or displeased rebuke, to express disapproval, chew out, to reproach or scold somebody gently, find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws. So…the children of Israel are speaking with anger towards Moses, tempting the Lord. Let’s continue.))
3. And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?
((This looks like the Children of Israel lost faith, making smart remarks saying, “So..Moses, you brought us out of Egypt just to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?” Let’s continue.))
4. And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.
((Moses felt like his life was at stake, and that they were at the point of dealing with him.))
5. And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go.
6. Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
((Okay, the Lord commanded Moses to take the rod and smite the rock, that water shall come out of it, that the people may drink. Let’s continue.))
7. And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?
((The children of Israel tempted the Lord, not Moses. They thought they were making those smart remarks against Moses, yet they were speaking in anger, finding fault, and perceiving that God had flaws in his power. These cats(Israelites) lost faith, got an attitude, and got’ta running off at the mouth and didn’t realize who they were speaking against. If we find ourselves losing faith, it’s best to be quiet, and not get angry with an attitude, but just be still, and wait on the Lord, or else we could find ourselves tempting the Lord and putting ourselves in danger. Check these next scriptures out.))
Psalm 78:17-21
17. And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
18. And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
((We can find ourselves sinning with our lips(ref. Job 2: 9-10). These Hebrew Israelites was tempting the most High, provoking him to anger by lusting for meat. You know, for the most part, the majority of Israel haven’t changed today, bread is not enough, thinking a meal has to consist of flesh meat all the time, otherwise, here comes the pouting and complaining.))
19. Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?
((Here we go with the complaining, speaking against God. I’m gonna stress this verse 19, because they tempted the Lord, basically saying, in their mind or speaking aloud, “You say you God and have all power, can you furnish a table of food in the wilderness.” Some might find themselves doing this when they approach God while in time of need or just plainly want to ask God for something. It’s not the asking that’s the problem, it’s the approach: Are you asking in anger, by daring, in defiance?
Daring meaning-To confront or oppose boldly, to provoke or challenge (someone) into doing something dangerous or adventurous as a test of courage.
Defiance: to confront with resistance in being humble, a hostile challenge, intentionally contemptuous behavior or attitude, to tell someone to do something that you think will be impossible. Let’s read how these Hebrews approached God.))
20. Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?
((The Lord used Moses to bring forth water out of the rock and they replied more saying, “can he give bread also and flesh.” How did the Lord feel about that remark? Let’s continue.))
21. Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;
((The Lord got mad at them. We must be careful on what type of attitude we have when approaching God. We don’t wont to end up like these Israelites here in these next verses.))
Psalm 95:6-11
6. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.
7. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,
8. Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
9. When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.
((We shouldn’t harden our heart(mind) as those Israelites back there in the wilderness, they tempted God greatly. Let’s continue.))
10. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:
((For forty years he was grieved with that generation, which err in their heart(mind), and refused to know God’s ways. God was so displeased with them back there, he called a sentence on them. Let’s look at it. Let’s continue.))
11. Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.
((Some might ask, “What rest?” The thousand year rest on earth when Jesus make his 2nd coming. These Israelites that died in the wilderness have been promised that they will not take part in the first resurrection, they’re gonna have to stay dead a 1,000 years longer, until Judgement Day. Judgement Day is for those who are destined for the Lake of fire(especially Satan and those angels who followed him), for those who will barely make it into righteous side of the Kingdom of God or barley mis-out of gaining access through the pearly gates into the Kingdom of God the Father or by a long shot mis-out on gaining access through the pearly gates. Those who will come up in Judgement Day wasn’t righteous enough to take part in the first resurrection, lacking in some areas of their walk, God knows.))
Until again, Grace and Peace