How did God test the Israelites?

Answer 1

Answer:

God tests [proves] all whom He calls. And ultimately, in the Judgment, everyone will pass beneath the reflective glass of His Word -- to see if they will "obeyHim"... or not. Because disobedience to God's law is what "sin" is [I John 3:4].

"...it came to pass... that God did tempt Abraham..." (Gen.22:1).

(NIV, same verse): "Some time later God tested Abraham...".

"Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, THAT I MAY PROVE [test] THEM, WHETHER THEY WILL WALK IN MY LAW, OR NO." Ex.16:4)

"And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: FOR GOD IS COME TO PROVE YOU, and that His Fear may be before your faces, THAT YE SIN NOT." (Ex.20:20)

"Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre... LET THESE ALSO FIRST BE PROVED; then let them use the office of a deacon, BEING FOUND BLAMELESS." (I Tim.3:8-10)

The ways of flesh and blood are not the ways of God. And those whom God calls to be "born into His Family"... to become His Children must all be "tested" [proven]... learn Godly Knowledge, Wisdom and Understanding through His Word... and learn to apply those spiritual things to their ACTIONS.

Since the "testing" in the Garden of Eden... it might also be said that man's rebellious human spirit has also "tested God."

"...every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's House, testifying to what would be said in the future.

"But Christ is faithful as a son over God's House. And WE ARE HIS HOUSE, IF WE HOLD ON TO OUR COURAGE AND THE HOPE OF WHICH WE BOAST.

"So the Holy Spirit says: 'Today, if you hear His voice, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS YOU DID IN THE REBELLION, during THE TIME OF TESTING in the desert, where your fathers TESTED and TRIED ME and for forty years saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, 'Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known My ways.'" (Heb.3:4-10 NIV)

We come into this world with blank minds [spirits]... which the physical world begins programming through the "physical data" supplied by our five deceptive physical senses.

The first things we learn about life is the deceptive physical aspect of it. Which are the ways of the god of this world -- "...that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world..." - Rev.12:9]. His ways are selfishness, lying, stealing, hating, envying, lusting, etc.

And when God calls someone out it the world to become His... an "unlearning" process begins -- of Selflessness, Truth, Honor, Love, Compassion, etc.

God's Selfless, Loving nature is the opposite of our selfish, hateful nature. And those who come to God have to shed the ways of the flesh... and sooner or later a "testing" comes to everyone... to see what they've learned; to see if they are becoming an "obedient Child of God."

Or a well-trained "child of disobedience."

"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the [spiritual] Knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish [loving, corrective punishment] every act of disobedience, ONCE YOUR OBEDIENCE IS COMPLETE [tried, tested and proven].

"You are looking only on the surface of things [on the physical and not the spiritual]. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as he." (II Cor.10:5-7)

Life is a "learning experience." There was a time when we didn't exist... then, suddenly, we did. We each have to experience life and the real disobedient, lawless world of the god that man chose to worship and obey in the Garden of Eden [at the beginning of man's existence].

And when God makes Himself known to whomever He will... now or later... there will be a test at the end of "life's lesson." To see what we've learned.

What we learn manifests itself in the things we DO. Our "works."

"'Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I will give to EVERYONE according to what he has DONE." (Rev.22:12 NIV)

It wasn't just the Israelites. God will test EVERYONE by the end of the "Last Day," Judgment Day... to see who will willingly obey Him -- and who will absolutely refuse to.

"But those enemies of Mine who did not want Me to be King over them -- bring them here and kill them in front of Me." (Luke 19:27 NIV)

These will be those who "don't pass the test" of God's offering to man, created in His image; an invitation to His Grace, Mercy and Salvation... whether they are Israelite or Gentile.

It's not a matter of "allowing" the testing. The test MUST be administered to everyone.

Answer 2

This life we all live is a test… of character and the development thereof: whether it be "good" character or "bad;" depending upon how each of us deals with our trials… or side-steps them. The experience of that latter generation of newly-liberated Israelites marked the end of 400 years of "slavery" of their people… 400 years of 24/7 oppression and drudgery.

Their religious experience over the past centuries revolved around the pagan practices and the vile gods of the Egyptians, who worshiped just about everything and anything in creation [including 'dung beetles' or 'scarabs'] -- everything but mankind's Creator [ Jesus Christ - John 1:1-3].

That's why they created the 'golden calf' in the wilderness, following their liberation from Egypt's house of bondage. They had known no other kind of god except the ones the Egyptians created for themselves and/or bowed down to.

Of the plagues by which God wrecked the economy of the Egyptian empire, whereby the Israelites were freed; Halley's Bible Handbook says:

"…The Ten Plagues were aimed at the gods of Egypt, and were DESIGNED to give proof of the power of the God of Israel over the gods of Egypt. Over and over it was repeated that by these Miracles both Israel and Egyptians would come to 'know that the LORD is God' (Ex.6:7; 7:5, 17; 8:22; 10:2; 14:4, 18); as later, Manna and the Quails were DESIGNED to show (16:6, 12)." (Halley's Bible Handbook/with the King James Version: Exodus; Chapter 7, First of the Ten Plagues, p.121)

So, when Jesus [the WORD of God, the LOGOS or Spokesman for God; the LORD God of the Old Testament who said, 'Let there be light'] began to teach them His Commandments on the other side of the Red Sea, in the wilderness, the WORD and LORD God of Abraham [Jesus Christ] taught them… and tested them… THROUGH THEIR BELLIES!

The LORD God used the "TEST COMMANDMENT" of the Ten Commandments [the Commandment of the LORD's SABBATH] to begin acquainting Abraham's children with His Laws. Laws that were only a distant and vague centuries-old memory regarding their Faithful ancestor's intimate relationship with his God… the God whom Moses was charged to bring to them.

Here is the biblical account of God's "test" of the Israelites:

"…they left Elim and journeyed into the Sin Desert, between Elim and Mount Sinai. They arrived there a month after leaving Egypt. There, too, the whole community of Israel spoke bitterly against Moses and Aaron. 'Oh, that we were back in Egypt,' they moaned. 'It would have been better if the LORD had killed us there! At least there we had plenty to eat. But now you have brought us into this desert to starve us to death.' Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Look, I'm going to rain down food from heaven for you. The people can go out EACH DAY and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I WILL TEST THEM IN THIS TO SEE WHETHER THEY WILL FOLLOW MY INSTRUCTIONS. Tell them to pick up TWICE AS MUCH AS USUAL on the SIXTH DAY of EACH WEEK.' Then Moses and Aaron called a meeting of all the people of Israel and told them, 'In the evening you will realize that it was the LORD who brought you out ofthe land of Egypt [symbolic of Christ's liberation of man from the penalty of "sin" - which isdisobedience to His Commandments or Laws - I John 3:4]. In the morning you will see the glorious presence of the LORD. He has heard your complaints, WHICH ARE AGAINST THE LORD and not us. The LORD will give you MEAT to eat in the evening and BREAD in the morning, for He has heard all your COMPLAINTS AGAINST HIM. Yes, your complaints are against the LORD, not against us.' Then Moses said to Aaron, 'Say this to the entire community of Israel: 'Come into the LORD's presence, and hear His reply to your complaints.' And as Aaron spoke to the people, they looked out toward the desert. Within the guiding cloud, they could see the awesome Glory of the LORD. And the LORD said to Moses, 'I have heard the people's complaints. Now tell them, 'In the evening YOU WILL HAVE MEAT to eat, and in the morning YOU WILL BE FILLED WITH BREAD. Then YOU WILL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD your God.' That evening vast numbers of quail arrived and covered the camp. The next morning the desert all around the camp was set with dew. When the dew disappeared later in the morning, thin flakes, white like frost, covered the ground. The Israelites were puzzled when they saw it. 'What is it?' they asked. And Moses told them, 'It is THE FOOD THE LORD HAS GIVEN YOU. The LORD says that each household should gather as much as it needs. Pick up two quarts for each person.' So the people of Israel went out and GATHERED THIS FOOD - some getting more, and some getting less. By gathering two quarts for each person, everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough. Each family had just what it needed. Then Moses told them, 'Do not keep any of it overnight.' But, of course, some of them didn't listen and kept some of it until morning. By then it was full of maggots and had a terrible smell. And Moses was very angry with them. The people gathered the food morning by morning, each family according to its need. And as the sun became hot, the food they had not picked up melted and disappeared. ON THE SIXTH DAY, there was TWICE AS MUCH AS USUAL on the ground - four quarts for each person instead of two. The leaders of the people came and asked Moses why this had happened. He replied, 'THE LORD HAS APPOINTED TOMORROW AS A DAY OF REST, A HOLY SABBATH TO THE LORD. On this day WE WILL REST FROM OUR NORMAL DAILY TASKS. So bake or boil as much as you want today, and set aside what is left for tomorrow.' The next morning the leftover food was wholesome and good, without maggots or odor. Moses said. 'This is your food for today, for TODAY IS A SABBATH TO THE LORD [notice: the Sabbath is the LORD's… not the Jews']. There will be NO FOOD ON THE GROUND TODAY. Gather the food FOR SIX DAYS, but THE SEVENTH DAY IS A SABBATH. There will be no food on the ground for you ON THAT DAY.' Some of the people went out anyway to gather food, even though IT WAS THE SABBATH DAY. But there was no food to be found. 'HOW LONG WILL THESE PEOPLE REFUSE to OBEY MY COMMANDMENTS AND INSTRUCTIONS?' the LORD asked Moses. 'Do they not realize THAT I HAVE GIVEN THEM THE SEVENTH DAY, THE SABBATH, AS A DAY OF REST? That is why I give you twice as much food ON THE SIXTH DAY, so there will be enough for two days. ON THE SABBATH DAY you must stay in your places. Do not pick up food from the ground on that day. So the people RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY. In time, the food became known as MANNA. It was white like coriander seed, and it tasted like honey cakes. Then Moses gave them this command from the LORD: 'Take two quarts of manna and KEEP IT F.OREVER as a TREASURED MEMORIAL OF THE LORD's PROVISION. By doing this, later generations will be able to see the bread that the LORD provided in the wilderness when He brought you out of Egypt [sin].' Moses said to Aaron, 'Get a container and put two quarts of manna into it. Then store it in a sacred place as a REMINDER for ALL FUTURE GENERATIONS.' Aaron did this, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. He eventually placed it for safekeeping in the Ark of the Covenant. So the people of Israel ATE MANNA FOR FORTY YEARS until they arrived in the land of Canaan, where there were crops to eat. (The container used to measure the manna was an omer, which held about two quarts.)" (Ex.16)

The world doesn't realize [or believe] that God's Holy Spirit-inspired , The Bible [the recorded Words that have 'proceeded out of the mouth' of THE WORD of God, Jesus Christ] IS GOD's BREAD FROM HEAVEN, ULTIMATELY INTENDED FOR ALL OF MANKIND… not just the Israelites [God has used the Israelites to bring His Word to the world, along with their commissioned preservation of God's Living Word -- see Acts 7:38]. Because on the Last Great Day of God's little-known or understood plan… He will "open all the books of the Bible" and "measure all of mankind's works" against what has been written therein: each and every man's life's deeds [see Rev.20:12; 22:11-12 & Dan.7:10].

The world doesn't realize [or believe] that God's Word [both the WORD, Jesus Christ, AND His recorded written Word the Bible], is compared to MANNA -- BREAD PROVIDED BY GOD FROM HEAVEN!

"Jesus said, 'I assure you, Moses didn't give them bread from heaven. MY FATHER DID. And now He offers you the True Bread from heaven. The True Bread of God is the ONE WHO COMES DOWN FROM HEAVEN and GIVES LIFE TO THE WORLD[not just the Israelites].' …'I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE. No one who COMES TO ME will ever be hungry again. Those who BELIEVE IN ME will never thirst. But you haven't believed in Me even though you have seen Me. However, those THE FATHER HAS GIVEN ME will come to Me, and I will never reject them. For I HAVE COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN to DO THE WILL OF GOD WHO SENT ME, not to do what I want. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all of those HE HAS GIVEN ME, but that I SHOULD RAISE THEM TO ETERNAL LIFE AT THE LAST DAY…" (John 6:32-39 NLT)

The world doesn't realize [or believe] that the Bible… the Manna of God… has been preserved [like Aaron's"omer"] as "a reminder for all future generations" of mankind to know… and with which every man may "feed and nourish his spirit with the Divinely-revealed Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding" of his Creator.

The Israelites lived in bondage in Egypt, like all of mankind has lived in bondage to sin [breaking God's Commandments - I John 3:4]. And generations of Israelites died in Egypt before their people were liberated by God… like many generations of mankind died in their sins [breaking God's Commandments] without knowing or understanding the Liberating Power of Jesus Christ's, the Lamb-of-God's, blood shed for all men!

The upshot of all this, of course, lies in THE GREAT ONGOING TEST for all of mankind OF REMEMBERING LORD'S HOLY SABBATH!

The "test Commandment" of God's Ten Commandments [the breaking of which constitutes SIN] with which Jesus Christ, the LORD God of Abraham, used to test the Israelites… to KEEP THEM ALIVE!

That ancient manna from heaven kept them alive, then. But God's Living Bread from heaven nourishes the spirit in a man through Faith in it and Obedience to it. God provided the Bread… but it was up to the people to obey the instructions provided in the proper application of that Bread.

The world doesn't realize [or believe] that God's Holy Sabbath is important… like the rest of His Commandments.

But it was [and is] important to God… for MAN'S BENEFIT… to REMEMBER CREATION. To remember that we were created for a Divine Purpose, to know who we are, why we are, and where we're headed.

God's Commanded Holy Sabbath is a "test" for all of mankind, that, like the example provided by the Israelites, most of mankind is ignoring, refusing to Obey… or in the majority of cases throughout his generations, is because most of mankind has never been called by God and "liberated from sin by the Lamb's shed blood"… and still lives in bondage to Egypt; still lives in bondage to his sins.

God's MANNA… His "True Bread from heaven" has been preserved for all of mankind, today, beginning with those Israelites whom God kept alive, anciently… ingrained in them with the repetitious daily gathering of the manna for forty years in the wilderness… for six days at a time, and resting on the seventh.

The god of this world has blinded most of mankind to God's True Sabbath, and the demonizing of His True Bread… blinded to the True Test of Obedience to the LORD [who is Jesus Christ].

Jesus even kept the Sabbath that He made on the seventh day of creation:

"When He came to the village of Nazareth, His boyhood home, He went AS USUAL to the synagogue [He went to church] ON THE SABBATH…" (Luke 4:16 NLT).

Jesus Christ is mankind's example of how we are to behave [I Cor.11:1; Eph.5:1-2; I Tim.4:12; Titus 2:6-8; Heb.6:10-12; James 2:22-25; I Peter 2:21 & 5:3]

Granted… keeping His own Sabbath wasn't as much of a "test" for Him as it is for us. But then… He was always Obedient to the will of His Father… unto death:

"…'Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but thine, be done.'…" (Luke 22:42 KJV).

And, unlike the rest of mankind, He overcame the god of this world and all of his distractions and temptations:

"'Get out of here, Satan,' Jesus told him. 'For the Scriptures [the True Bread from heaven] say, 'You must worship the LORD your God; serve only Him.' Then the Devil went away, and angels came and cared for Jesus." (Matt.4:10-11 NLT)

In the end… God's "test" of the Israelites is the same one that all of mankind, in its ignorance of God's Truth [John 17:17], faces.