Follow YOUR NATURE OR THE NURTURE OF GOD?

October 6, 2009

Follow YOUR NATURE OR THE NURTURE OF GOD?

Psalm 106:16-31

Richard McCauley

Central Truth

Our natural tendency is toward rebellion and seeking our own way against the will of God.

He threatened to destroy them,
but Moses, his chosen one, interceded with him
and turned back his destructive anger.
(Psalm 106:23)

16 When men in the camp were jealous of Moses
    and Aaron, the holy one of the LORD,
17 the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,
    and covered the company of Abiram.
18 Fire also broke out in their company;
    the flame burned up the wicked.

19 They made a calf in Horeb
    and worshiped a metal image.
20 They exchanged the glory of God^{1

106:20
Hebrew exchanged their glory}
    for the image of an ox that eats grass.
21 They forgot God, their Savior,
    who had done great things in Egypt,
22 wondrous works in the land of Ham,
    and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.
23 Therefore he said he would destroy them—
    had not Moses, his chosen one,
stood in the breach before him,
    to turn away his wrath from destroying them.

24 Then they despised the pleasant land,
    having no faith in his promise.
25 They murmured in their tents,
    and did not obey the voice of the LORD.
26 Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them
    that he would make them fall in the wilderness,
27 and would make their offspring fall among the nations,
    scattering them among the lands.

28 Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor,
    and ate sacrifices offered to the dead;
29 they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds,
    and a plague broke out among them.
30 Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,
    and the plague was stayed.
31 And that was counted to him as righteousness
    from generation to generation forever.

Footnotes

[1] 106:20 Hebrew exchanged their glory

Here, the psalmist recounts with despair the ways God's chosen people rebelled against His kindness and provision. There is jealousy of Moses and Aaron, idol worship of a golden calf and Baal, and refusal to enter the Promised Land provided by God. Despite God's constant provision and protection, the people rejected Him.

I sadly have to admit that this is often the state of my relationship with God. When I am struggling, I gladly call on Him, pray fervently, and dive into the Word, seeking His guidance and wisdom. But when things turn for the better, I quickly forget what He has done (verse 13), take control, and try to direct my life my way. My prayer time becomes weaker, I recede from time in the Word, and the cycle continues.

Scripture clearly describes what happens when we let our sinful nature take over. "Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, envying, murder, drunkenness, carousing, and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!” (Galatians 5:19-21)

Scripture is equally clear what happens when we yield to the Spirit of God: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. . . . Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." (Galatians 5:22-24)
As a foreshadowing of the redemptive work to come through Christ, Moses stepped between the Lord and the people and begged God not to destroy them. God heard Moses' plea and responded. Even though God responded, His people “quickly forgot what He had done.” (Psalm 106:13)
Christ did even more than make a plea on our behalf. He willingly and sacrificially went to the cross to bear the burden of our sin. He did not ask God to turn His anger. Instead, Jesus suffered the punishment on our behalf. His intercession is not temporary. It is everlasting, permanent, and unforgettable.

1.Will you yield your "sinful nature" to "The Spirit of God" and let Him control you?

2. Have you forgotten what Christ has done for you? How can you make sure to remember every day what He has done?

3. How can you respond to a loving Savior who accepted the consequence of your sin?

4. Christ asked us to remember Him by sharing the Good News (Matthew 28:18-20). Whom can you share it with today?