“Our fathers in Egypt did not grasp the significance of Your wonderful works or remember your many acts of faithful love, instead they rebelled by the sea–the Red Sea.” (Psa 106:7).
Wow. This Scripture is convicting and provoking.
God did earth-shaking miracles for the Israelitesand yet they didn’t grasp the significance other than that they were glad in the moment. Let’s take a look back.
When they were rebelling by the Red Sea, they had yet to cross it. Because on the other side of the Red Sea they were rejoicing exceedingly and giving tithes and offerings with extravagant generosity.
So let’s look at the miracles prior to the crossing:
- God sustained and multiplied them 400 years in Egypt
- He raised up one of their own and placed him in the palace to rule
- That man was hunted by Pharaoh, he escaped, and 40 years later returned after having encountered God at Sinai
- The LORD at the hand of Moses and Aaron performed 10 massive miraculous judgments against Pharaoh that shook all of Egypt
- The Egyptians were told to leave Egypt and a whole nation was delivered without an uprising, a battle or anything
- The bones of Joseph were taken out of Israel according to prophecy
- When they began to travel through the desert they were given a pillar of fire at night and a cloud by day. These protected them from the elements and guided them on their journey
These were not small acts. 10 plagues? A nation delivered without a fight? A miraculous cloud by day and fire by night? These alone were unprecedented and awe-inspiring. Yet they..
…did not grasp the significance of Your wonderful works or remember your many acts of faithful love, instead they rebelled by the sea–the Red Sea.” (Psa 106:7).
What is the significance of these events? Just on a cursory level we see the power of God
- God’s extraordinary care and love for his people to use plagues to deliver them
- God’s extraordinary concern to give them a cloud to protect them from the heat of the desert, and a pillar of fire to warm them in the freezing temperatures of the desert, and both of these miracles to lead and guide them clearly
- His great and extraordinary power delivered them when they couldn’t deliver themselves–a whole nation.
- God is crazy, scary powerful over the elements yet he used that power to show his love for them.
They didn’t ponder these things. They didn’t “remember your many acts of faithful love.”
The significance of these events was His great power and love for the Israelites. He took care of them lavishly. But it didn’t mean he spoiled them. He was inviting them to trust Him. But because they didn’t ponder the greatness of these acts except at the time, and they didn’t remember the mightiness of God, they rebelled.
I am convicted.
How often has the Lord done something great in my life and I thank Him and then forget? Oh so many times. And do I ponder the significance of those events? Do I dwell on them, make “stones of remembrance” so that I am sure to remember his great love when I’m tested?
How quick I am to forget His great love for me.
How quick I am to forget His great deeds in my life.
How quick I am to forget His gestures of kindness.
And yet to forget these mean when I face a trial, or it doesn’t seem like the Lord is doing anything, I like the Israelites complain, worry, accuse, etc. and that is “rebellion.”
The parting of the Red Sea had not yet happened. But it was about to. The greatest miracle outside of the resurrection was near. They wanted to see to believe. God wanted them to believe and they would see.
Humanity is forgetful. We quickly forget so much of what the Lord has done in our lives.
Remembering is intentional.
But it’s what carries us through the next challenges we face.
