Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2682 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Today’s Wisdom Nugget is titled: Testing the Almighty – The Cost of Ungrateful Hearts - A Trek Through Psalm 78:17-31

Today, we continue our crucial and comprehensive trek through Psalm 78 in the New Living Translation, encompassing verses 17 through 31.

In our last conversation, we began Asaph’s solemn history lesson for future generations. We saw the painful example of the Ephraimites' failure in battle due to their unfaithfulness, their refusal to keep God’s covenant, and their tragic forgetfulness of God’s glorious deeds. Then, Asaph immediately reminded us of those very deeds: God’s astounding miracles in Egypt, His splitting of the Red Sea, His constant guidance by cloud and fire, and His miraculous provision of water from solid rock in the wilderness (Psalm 78:9-16). The contrast was stark: human rebellion against divine faithfulness.

Now, as we move into this next section, the story continues, detailing a new, disturbing chapter in Israel's journey: their persistent rebellion and direct testing of God, even in the face of His overwhelming provision. It reveals the devastating consequences of demanding hearts that question God's power and generosity, demonstrating that God provides, but also justly judges ungrateful unbelief.

So, let’s lean in and absorb the sobering lessons of Israel’s continued rebellion and God’s mighty, yet sometimes punitive, response.

But they continued to sin against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert. They stubbornly tested God in their hearts, demanding the foods they craved. They even spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness? Yes, he hit the rock, and water gushed out, and streams flowed like rivers! But can he also give us bread? Can he supply meat for his people?”

Guthrie Chamberlain: Despite the astonishing miracles of water from the rock, the constant guidance by cloud and fire, and the fresh memory of Red Sea deliverance, Asaph immediately reveals Israel’s shocking reversion to rebellion: "But they continued to sin against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert." The word "continued" (yâsaph) emphasizes the persistent, habitual nature of their sin. They weren't just making a one-time mistake; this was a pattern of defiance. They rebelled "against the Most High" – El Elyon, emphasizing God's supreme authority and transcendence. This rebellion occurred "in the desert," a place of utter dependence on God, making their unfaithfulness even more grievous.

Their rebellion manifested as a direct, stubborn challenge to God’s power: "They stubbornly tested God in their hearts, demanding the foods they craved." To "test God" (nasah) is to put Him to the proof, to challenge His ability or His willingness to fulfill His promises. This testing wasn't just outward; it was "in their hearts," revealing a deep-seated lack of trust and a demanding spirit. They "craved" (literally, "lust for food") driven by their fleshly desires rather than spiritual contentment with God’s provision.

This inner skepticism burst forth in open blasphemy and questioning of God’s omnipotence: "They even spoke against God, saying, 'Can God spread a table in the wilderness? Yes, he hit the rock, and water gushed out, and streams flowed like rivers! But can he also give us bread? Can he supply meat for his people?'" This is the height of their audacity. They mockingly ask, "Can God spread a table in the wilderness?" – suggesting God couldn't provide a feast in such a desolate place.

Their words show a selective memory and profound unbelief. They acknowledge God's recent, undeniable miracle of providing water from the rock: "Yes, he hit the rock, and water gushed out, and streams flowed like rivers!" This shows they saw His power. Yet, immediately after acknowledging this, they pivot to doubt, demanding new proof of His ability to provide a different kind of food: "But can he also give us bread? Can he supply meat for his people?" This illustrates a faithless pattern: always needing new signs, never fully trusting God based on His past, undeniable faithfulness. They believed God could do some things, but not all things, limiting His power in their hearts. Their craving for meat superseded their trust in God’s established provision (manna). This was a challenge to God’s sufficiency and His love.

This opening section vividly portrays Israel’s cyclical pattern of rebellion, testing God, and questioning His power, even after experiencing undeniable miracles.

Now, let’s move to verses 21 through 31, where Asaph recounts God’s righteous anger, His miraculous and abundant provision in response to their demands, and the devastating judgment that followed their greedy, unbelieving hearts.

When the Lord heard them, he was furious. The fire of his wrath broke out against Jacob; his anger burned against Israel, for they did not believe in God and did not trust his saving power. But he commanded the clouds to open; he opened the doors of heaven. He rained down manna for them to eat; he gave them bread from heaven. They ate the food of angels; God gave them all they could eat. He roused the east wind in the heavens and powerfully led out the south wind. He rained meat on them like dust, birds like sand on the seashore. He caused the birds to fall within their camp, all around their tents. So they ate until they were gorged; he gave them what they craved. But before they had satisfied their craving, while the meat was still in their mouths, the anger of God rose against them. He killed their strongest men and struck down Israel’s finest youth.

Guthrie Chamberlain: God’s response to their testing and unbelief is immediate and powerful: "When the Lord heard them, he was furious. The fire of his wrath broke out against Jacob; his anger burned against Israel, for they did not believe in God and did not trust his saving power." God heard their insolent challenge, and His response was righteous "fury" and "anger." This anger was not arbitrary; it was directly against "Jacob" and "Israel" because of their profound spiritual failures: "they did not believe in God and did not trust his saving power." This highlights the severity of unbelief and lack of trust in God's ability to save and provide. Their questioning limited God in their hearts, even though He is limitless.

Despite His anger, God still responds to their demand for food, demonstrating His power to provide even beyond expectation: "But he commanded the clouds to open; he opened the doors of heaven. He rained down manna for them to eat; he gave them bread from heaven. They ate the food of angels; God gave them all they could eat." This refers to the miraculous daily provision of manna (Exodus 16). God literally "opened the doors of heaven," making the impossible possible. He "rained down manna" like dew, providing a new, supernatural food. It was "bread from heaven" and even described as "the food of angels" or "bread of the mighty," emphasizing its divine origin and extraordinary quality. God provided it in such abundance that "God gave them all they could eat"—a complete fulfillment of their hunger, demonstrating His boundless provision.

But their demand was not just for bread; it was for meat. And God, in His sovereign power, provides that too, in overwhelming abundance: "He roused the east wind in the heavens and powerfully led out the south wind. He rained meat on them like dust, birds like sand on the seashore. He caused the birds to fall within their camp, all around their tents." This describes the miracle of the quail (Numbers 11). God commanded the winds, bringing forth an incredible multitude of quail. The imagery "like dust" and "like sand on the seashore" conveys an unimaginable quantity, so many that they "fell within their camp, all around their tents." This wasn't just enough for a meal; it was a supernaturally abundant deluge of meat, a direct, undeniable answer to their skeptical demands.

They received exactly what they craved, to the point of excess: "So they ate until they were gorged; he gave them what they craved." They ate until they were completely "gorged," fully satisfied their "craving" (literally, their "lust"). God proved He could "spread a table in the wilderness," as they had insolently questioned.

However, their craving was not satisfied in a way that brought blessing, but judgment: "But before they had satisfied their craving, while the meat was still in their mouths, the anger of God rose against them. He killed their strongest men and struck down Israel’s finest youth." This is the terrifying climax. Even before their greedy appetites were fully sated, "while the meat was still in their mouths," God's righteous "anger" erupted. This was not delayed judgment; it was immediate and devastating. He "killed their strongest men" (literally, "the fat ones," those who were robust and perhaps arrogant in their health, reminiscent of the wicked in Psalm 73) and "struck down Israel’s finest youth" (their chosen, their vigorous young men). This was a severe plague, a direct consequence of their persistent unbelief, their demanding spirit, and their insatiable craving.

This section of Psalm 78 reveals the perilous consequences of ungrateful, demanding hearts that test God. God can provide even what we demand, but if it comes from a heart of unbelief and greed, it can become an instrument of judgment rather than blessing. It underscores that God’s anger is righteous and His justice is certain against those who question His power and fail to trust His goodness.

What profound wisdom can we draw from these verses for our Wisdom-Trek today?

Firstly, Israel’s pattern of continuing to sin and rebel, even after witnessing mighty miracles, serves as a powerful warning. Our past experiences of God’s faithfulness should deepen our trust, not make us demand new proofs or take His provision for granted.

Secondly, the act of "testing God in their hearts" and questioning His ability to provide is a serious offense. This reminds us that unbelief, particularly when it stems from demanding our cravings to be met rather than trusting His wisdom, incurs God's righteous displeasure.

Thirdly, God’s power to provide is boundless. He truly can "spread a table in the wilderness," opening the heavens and raining down abundance. This should fill us with awe and confidence in His ability to meet our needs.

Finally, the swift judgment that followed their gorging reminds us that receiving what we crave, especially when it comes from an ungrateful, faithless heart, can lead to devastating consequences. True blessing comes from humble trust and contentment in God's provision, not from demanding our own desires.

Let us commit to remembering God’s mighty works, trusting His boundless power, and cultivating grateful hearts that respond to His provision with praise, not demanding unbelief, so that we may avoid the tragic patterns of the past.

Guthrie Chamberlain: Thank you for joining me on this sobering trek through Psalm 78:17-31. I trust that this exploration of ungrateful hearts and God's righteous judgment has resonated with your own journey and equipped you to trust in God's provision with a grateful spirit. Join me again next time as we continue to seek and apply the timeless truths of God's Word. Until then, keep moving forward, enjoy the journey, and create a great day! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, reminding you to Live Abundantly, Love Unconditionally, Listen Intentionally, Learn Continuously, Lend to others Generously, Lead with Integrity, and Leave a Living Legacy each day.