The Ten Temptations
Numbers 14:22
Because all those men which have seen My glory, and My miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted Me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to My voice; surely they shall not see the land which I swore unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked Me see it.
1. Exodus 14:11-12. At the Red Sea. They blamed Moses for taking them from Egypt. They said that they would rather serve in Egypt than to die in the wilderness. Unbelief in the promises of God.
2. Exodus 15:23-24. At Marah. They had been without water 3 days and then found the waters of Marah bitter. They murmured. They had to learn that the bitter came before the sweet, suffering before glory.
3. Exodus 16:2. Wilderness of Sin. They were hungry and remembered all the good things they had to eat in Egypt. They forgot the slavery and work. It was always easy for them to find something to murmur about. In the first 12 verses of this chapter the word murmur occurs 8 times.
4. Exodus 16:20. Manna. Some disobeyed and tried to keep it till the next day. It bred worms and stank. But that which was kept for the Sabbath was good.
5. Exodus 16:27. Manna. Some went out to gather it on the seventh day. There was none. They were disobeying the law of the Sabbath.
6. Exodus 17:1-3. At Rephidim. There was no water. They demanded that Moses give them water and he was afraid that they were about ready to stone him. They tempted the Lord saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?" The rock smitten and water comes forth.
7. Exodus 32:4. The golden calf at Horeb. They admit that God brought them out of Egypt, but they must have a likeness of God, something they can see and worship. Christendom is just as bad today in that they worship a god of their imagination, not the One of revelation. They make pictures and images of it.
8. Numbers 11:1. At Taberah. The people had turned back in their hearts and began to complain. Fire broke out in the camp and consumed many of them. This was the fire of the Lord.
9. Numbers 11:4. At Kibroth Hattaavah. Camp followers or a mixed multitude which had followed them out of Egypt start a murmuring. This infected the people and they were reminded of the fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlick they had eaten in Egypt. So they murmured against Moses, and he in turn complained to God that this load was about more than he could carry. The Lord sent them quails and they ate of them and got sick so that it came out of their noses. It was a great plague for them and many died there. They ate quail for a month till they were more than filled.
10. Numbers 14:2. At Kadesh. The spies and their report make the people rebel. They voted to make a new leader or captain and return to Egypt. Hence the verse quoted above at the beginning of the article. This is the beginning of the 38 years wanderings till the old generation died. Read Psalms 90 and 91 in connection with this. The temptations and rebellions are summed up in Psalm 78.
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