CENTRAL THOUGHT
The believer tempts God when he takes God’s grace for granted and disobeys Him.
HYMM: “Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin.”
TEXT: MATT.4:6-7; 1 COR.10:1-14; NUM.21:4-9
INTRODUCTION:
This fourth lesson in the series on the Wilderness experiences of
Israel focuses on how the Israelites tempted God on their way to
the promised land. As they journeyed in the wilderness, the
children of Israel were very slow in learning God’s ways. A
major consequence of this was that they were disobedient and
rebellious. From time to time, they did one thing or the other that
provoked God’s judgement upon them. One of such occasions
was the incident recorded in our lesson text (Num. 21:4-9). The
people spoke against God and Moses as they journeyed from
Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, and said “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”. (Num.21:5). They implied by their statement that
God lacked the ability to cater for/look after them in the
wilderness and to bring them to the promised land. They forgot
the provision of water and bread earlier on. Their complaint
provoked God’s judgement and He sent fiery serpents into their
midst. The serpents bit them and many of them died. However,
when they cried out to Him, because of His love and mercy, it
made a provision for them to receive healing from the serpents
Lesson Objectives:
1.) To know what it means to tempt God.
2.) To know the ways Israel tempted God.
3.) To know some of the ways believers tempt God today.
4.) To appreciate the consequences of tempting God.
5.) To understand how a Christian can avoid tempting God.
BIBLE TRUTH:
QUESTION 1.) WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO TEMPT GOD?
The word tempt has several meanings in the dictionary. Of
all these, the one that appropriately explains what it means
to tempt God is when the tempt is said to mean provoke or
defy. Therefore, to tempt God implies provoking Him or
defying His authority. The Lord says in scripture that
“Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. Thou shalt not
make unto thee any graven image…..”(Ex.20:3-6).
Therefore, when a man begins to worship idols, he is
tempting God and provoking Him to jealousy and God will
visit His judgement upon such an individual. It is important
to acknowledge here that truly God is kind and merciful.
He does not delight in the death of the wicked. However,
when any human being takes to idolatry, that individual is
suggesting that there is another creator other than the
Almighty God. This amounts to asking God to prove
Himself. It also implies challenge to His authority or
complete defiance of His authority which will definitely
attract His judgement either now on earth or in eternity.
QUESTION 2.) WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WAYS IN WHICH ISRAEL TEMPTED GOD?
Israel tempted God in the wilderness in very many ways.
When they felt they had no water to drink, they murmured
against Moses (Ex.17:2-7). They accused Moses of
bringing them into the wilderness to kill them. In saying so,
they were doubting God’s ability to provide for them. By
this action, they were tempting God. On another occasion
when they felt Moses delayed in returning from God’s
presence, they asked Aaron to make a calf for them and
began to worship the golden calf (Ex.32:1-6). By their
action, they tempted God. Other ways in which Israel
tempted God in the wilderness included unbelief (Ex.17:7),
rebellion (Num.14:22; 21:1-9), lust and sin (Ps.106:14);
backsliding (Ps.78:41, 56) etc.
QUESTION 3.) IN WHAT WAYS DO BELIEVER’S TEMPT GOD TODAY?
Some believers today act in the same way Israel behaved in
the wilderness. They grumble, murmur, rebel, lust etc.
When we do any of these, then we are tempting God. Also,
some Christians tempt God when they claim they are
believing God for success but refuse to work hard or read
for their examinations, such students do not have a good or
consistent study habit. They allow their work to accumulate. This is a very bad habit which does not agar
well for success.
Also, there are times believers take God’s protection for
granted. We weary our bodies and assume we will continue
to enjoy divine health. Some believers drive vehicles that
have worn-out tires, faulty brake systems etc. We must
follow the example of the Lord. When the devil asked Him
to jump down and that the angels will take care of Him, He
appropriately rebuked the devil reminding him that “Thou
shalt not tempt the Lord thy God”. (Matt.4:7). Also, some
believers knowingly enter into marriage with unbelievers
and expect God’s blessings upon the marriage. Some others
make a practice of sin and still believe that they can confess
God’s blessings to reality. All these situations amount to
tempting God. It must be stated clearly that we cannot
continue in sin and expect grace to abound (Rom.6:1).
Other ways Christians defy God is by antagonizing servants
of God as men rather than as representatives of God.
QUESTION 4.) WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF TEMPTING GOD?
We saw clearly in the case of Israel that tempting God
brought very serious consequences upon them as
individuals and as a nation. Many of them died (1Cor.10:8)
and generally their movement towards the promised land
was affected.
There are still very grave consequences today for tempting
God. Believers who take God’s grace for granted in matters
of protection, health etc. soon find themselves engulfed in
physical dangers and unhealthy situations of the body.
Through tempting God, believers create avenues by which
the enemy comes into their lives and cause havoc or
problems. There is the great danger also whereby the
believer who tempts God or take Him for granted
erroneously believes that all is well with him but unknown
to him: he may be gradually sliding into hell while sitting
comfortably on the church pew.
QUESTION 5) HOW CAN A CHRISTIAN AVOID
TEMPTING GOD?
The way a Christian can avoid tempting God is to live in
obedience to Him. God’s word must be believed by the
Christian. As He leads us through the earth to the promised
land (heaven), we must be resolved to listen to Him and
pattern our lives according to His word. Also, we should
cultivate the habit of praying, studying and living by His
word. We must also have hope that He who declared “For I
know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord,
thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected
end” (Jer.29:11) is faithful and will perfect everything
concerning us (Phil.1:6). Knowledge and belief in God’s
promised keeps the believer steadfast and undying to the
dictates of the enemy.
DAILY LIVING APPLICATION
The believer must never take God and His grace for
granted. Doing so will mean tempting Him. Let us
therefore not provoke Him by any negative or deviant
behavior or defy His authority through disobedience by
following our own ways or inclinations, let us live obedient
lives depending on Him and following His instructions as
He leads us through this world to His prepared place for us
in Heaven.
MEMORY VERSE:
1 COR.10:9
“Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted,
and were destroyed of serpents.”
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Mon: Do not tempt God. Num. 21:5-9; 1 Cor.10:8.
Tue: Follow the Lord’s example. Matt.4:5-7.
Wed: Be obedient to God-Col.3:17; 1 Peter 1:13-15.
Thu: Consequence for tempting God- 1 Cor.10:8.
Fri: Be prayerful. 1 Thess. 5:17.
Sat: Mediate on the word. Joshua 1:8; Col.3:16.