Post by James Blankenship on May 5, 2012 16:31:26 GMT -5
Didn't the Israelites deserve to be killed when they asked god for food and water after 40 years in the desert?
Numbers 21: 5-6:
"Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died."
If you were in god's place, wouldn't you be insulted if your Chosen People started grumbling about such tawdry luxuries as 'food' and 'water'? You've already gifted them with a free forty-year membership to the Desert Dune-Jogging Club. But do they thank you? Noooo...
To add insult to injury, you've even taken the time out of your busy day to sweep the spare scraps from heaven's floor (they call it 'manna'...whatever floats their boat) into their blessed Saudi Litterbox for the last four decades -- and now they have the nerve to complain about it?
Wasn't it Righteous™ for god to send venomous snakes to kill these starving ungrateful whiners?
Numbers 21: 5-6:
"Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died."
If you were in god's place, wouldn't you be insulted if your Chosen People started grumbling about such tawdry luxuries as 'food' and 'water'? You've already gifted them with a free forty-year membership to the Desert Dune-Jogging Club. But do they thank you? Noooo...
To add insult to injury, you've even taken the time out of your busy day to sweep the spare scraps from heaven's floor (they call it 'manna'...whatever floats their boat) into their blessed Saudi Litterbox for the last four decades -- and now they have the nerve to complain about it?
Wasn't it Righteous™ for god to send venomous snakes to kill these starving ungrateful whiners?
First of all, I can't exactly say that I care for the sarcasm here, because all this person is doing, is showing their ignorance about what Scripture says.
Consider this.
1. The Israelites were well aware of what God required of them.
2. Bottom Line-God HAD provided for them, in an environment where they should have long since died.
3. The Israelites had seen God's miracles ON THEIR BEHALF time & time again. How could they doubt that God was looking out for them?
4. They weren't content with waiting for God's timing-they wanted this in THEIR time.
It is a sad truth that the Israelites had this attitude. Unfortunately, this very clearly shows man's pride & selfishness-a very inherent quality of the sinful nature.
It really is NO different today, either.
Though the physical miracles aren't as visible, we still can't wait on God's timing-we have to have what we want, when we want it.
Does this or doesn't this sound just like a baby, who has the exact attitude?
We can't trust in God providing for what we NEED, instead of what WE want.
In all too many ways, we are exactly like the ancient Israelites.
But God addresses those who belong to Him, in a loving manner, even when we are anything but, as seen here:
Matthew 6:25-34 (New International Version)
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
"If you were in god's place, wouldn't you be insulted"
Insulted?
No-if anything, God has infinite patience for those that belong to Him
The Entire Old Testament, show how God gave the ancient Israelites chance after chance, after chance, after chance to follow Him, but the Israelites wouldn't stick with it. They had to have things THEIR way, instead of God's way.
But God has never given up on anyone.
That is the reason that Christ Jesus offered Himself as a living sacrifice, that man COULD be made righteous before a Holy God.
And until He comes again, He will never STOP offering man the chance of redemption, as we see here:
2 Peter 3:9 (New International Version)
9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Wasn't it Righteous for god to send venomous snakes to kill these starving ungrateful whiners?
As a matter of fact, it WAS righteous for God to do just this.
The Israelites knew what God expected of them, & they knew what the punishment would be if they didn't.
Ignorance is not an acceptable excuse for what they did to earn God's judgement.
In today's world, ignorance is not an acceptable excuse, either.
If we CHOOSE to reject God's gift of forgiveness, we will have NO ONE to blame but ourselves, & what results FROM that choice.
James
