Psalms 95:6 “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. 7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, 8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.”
Israel of Old was dreadfully disobedient to God Who had miraculously delivered them from bondage in Egypt. After crossing the Red Sea, they continue to “tempt” the Lord; finally, He told them, ye “have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice” (Numbers 14:22); consequently, they would not be allowed to enter the Promised Land of Canaan (Numbers 14:23). In their disobedience, they “tempted” the Lord to prove Him, they didn’t believe He would chasten them for their disobedience. And, when they “saw” His “work”, they still didn’t believe Him, so they learned the hard way that He would keep His Word and indeed severely chasten them. Even in our day, some may think that, because we are His children, He will not chasten us as we live in this present life! To make sure that we know that these warnings apply to us; Paul wrote, “Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off” (Romans 11:20-22). As “vessels of” His “mercy” (Romans 11:23), let us strive with all diligence to “deny” ourselves, “take up” our “cross, and” obediently “follow” our Lord (Matthew 16:24), lovingly keeping His “commandments” (John 14:15).