Covenant Breakers

Ps. 78

 

Ps. 78 provides a history of Israel's unfaithfulness to God. Sadly, it includes:

• a stubborn and rebellious generation
• a generation whose heart was not steadfast and whose spirit was not faithful to God
• They turned back in the day of battle and refused to walk according to His law
• They forgot His works and wonders
• They rebelled against God in the desert
• Tested God by demanding the food they craved
• They spoke against God
• They did not believe God or trust His saving power

Yet God opened the doors of heaven and feed them manna and gave them grain. He sent them food in abundance. He rained meat upon them until they were filled, but while the food was still in their mouths God killed many of them. Amazingly, in spite of all this, they still sinned. Despite His provisions, they did not believe. For a time they repented, but soon:

• They flattered Him with their mouths and lied with their tongues
• Their heart was not steadfast, and they were unfaithful to the covenant

Yet being compassionate, He atoned for their sin and did not destroy them. He restrained His anger and remembered that they were flesh, a wind that passes and comes again.

• Yet they repeatedly rebelled in the desert
• They repeatedly tested Him
• They did not remember what He had done in Egypt (the plagues on the Egyptians and the deliverance of His people. He led them to His holy land and drove out the nations before them. He appointed a possession for them.)
• Yet, they tested and rebelled even more.
• They acted treacherously, like a deceitful bow
• They had high places and idols

When God heard and saw all this, He was full of wrath and rejected Israel. He delivered them to captivity giving the people over to the sword. Fire devoured the young men, young women had no marriage song, priests fell by the sword, and the widows had no lamentation. Then the Lord awoke and:

• Put the adversaries to rout
• Rejected the tent of Joseph and Ephraim
• He chose Judah and Mount Zion which He loves
• He chose David, His servant, to shepherd His people.

What a history of repeated rebellion. They saw God do wonders, but yet they chose to disobey Him and break His covenant. Why did God chose them? Understanding the why is hard, yet I must ask why did God chose me? How many of these behaviors do I embrace? I know that the manifestation may be different, but my heart is definitely like the heart of Israel during all these years. Have I tested God? Have I doubted Him in spite of all He has done in my life? Have I made excuses for the weakness of my flesh?

 

Father,

Keep me from having an unfaithful, rebellious heart. Convict me mightily when I doubt Your hand and Your plan. Show me the path that I should go and then give me Your grace and strength to walk on that path, to be obedient, and to cherish Your covenant with me.

In Jesus name,

Amen