Senior Sunday School 4 : Psalms Book 3 : Psalm 78 : 11th June 2023
Text: Psalm 78
11 June 2023
SSS 4 11 June 2023
Book 3
Psalms 73-89
Text: Psalm 78 III
17 But they sinned even more against Him
By rebelling against the Most High in the wilderness.18 And they tested God in their heart
By asking for the food of their fancy.19 Yes, they spoke against God:
They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?20 Behold, He struck the rock,
So that the waters gushed out,
And the streams overflowed.
Can He give bread also?
Can He provide meat for His people?”21 Therefore the LORD heard this and was furious;
So a fire was kindled against Jacob,
And anger also came up against Israel,22 Because they did not believe in God,
And did not trust in His salvation.23 Yet He had commanded the clouds above,
And opened the doors of heaven,24 Had rained down manna on them to eat,
And given them of the bread of heaven.25 Men ate angels’ food;
He sent them food to the full.Psalm 78:17-25
THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT
1. The Wilderness Journey
2. Book of Exodus
THE WATER PROBLEM
1. Exodus 15:22-27
a) Bitter water
b) Curing the water
c) The Wells at Elim
2. The Lesson to be learned
a) Israel will be tested
b) The people must trust the LORD
3. Water from a Rock Exodus 17:1-7
a) God can provide
b) He will provide
c) Faith must be exercised
THE BREAD PROBLEM
1. Exodus 16
2. The bitter complain of the children of Israel
3. The problems rehearsed in Psalm 78
17 But they sinned even more against Him
By rebelling against the Most High in the wilderness.18 And they tested God in their heart
By asking for the food of their fancy.19 Yes, they spoke against God:
They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?20 Behold, He struck the rock,
So that the waters gushed out,
And the streams overflowed.
Can He give bread also?
Can He provide meat for His people?”
21 Therefore the LORD heard this and was furious;
So a fire was kindled against Jacob,
And anger also came up against Israel,22 Because they did not believe in God,
And did not trust in His salvation.23 Yet He had commanded the clouds above,
And opened the doors of heaven,24 Had rained down manna on them to eat,
And given them of the [e]bread of heaven.25 Men ate angels’ food;
He sent them food to the full.Psalm 78:17-25
1. Sinning
But they sinned even more against Him
Psalm 78:17a
2. Rebelling
By rebelling against the Most High in the wilderness.
Psalm 78:17b
3. Testing God (provocation)
18 And they tested God in their heart
By asking for the food of their fancy.19 Yes, they spoke against God:
They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?20 Can He give bread also?
Can He provide meat for His people?”Psalm 78:18-20
4. Steep unbelief
Because they did not believe in God,
And did not trust in His salvation.Psalm 78:22
THE ANGER OF GOD
Therefore the LORD heard this and was furious;
So a fire was kindled against Jacob,
And anger also came up against IsraelPsalm 78:21
1. Righteous
2. Just
3. Chastening was needed
GOD’S GRACE AND MERCY
23 Yet He had commanded the clouds above,
And opened the doors of heaven,24 Had rained down manna on them to eat,
And given them of the bread of heaven.25 Men ate angels’ food;
He sent them food to the full.Psalm 78:23-25
1. God forgave
2. He continued to provide
3. He gave bread from heaven (Manna)
4. There was abundant provision
THE EXODUS ACCOUNT
1And they journeyed from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they departed from the land of Egypt.
2 Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.
3 And the children of Israel said to them, “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
Exodus 16:1-3
1. The people were complaining
2. The Content of their Complaint
a) The children of Israel remembered
i) Pots of meat
ii) Bread
b) They had forgotten
i) Their slavery
ii) Their anguish
iii) The Lord’s Redemption
iv) His great power manifested again and again
c) Allegation
i) Levelled against Moses and Aaron
ii) That they had led the children of Israel to die in the Wilderness!
GOD’S PROVISION OF MANNA AND QUAIL
4 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather [a]a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not. 5 And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.”
6 Then Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, “At evening you shall know that the LORD has brought you out of the land of Egypt. 7 And in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD; for He hears your complaints against the LORD. But what are we, that you complain against us?” 8 Also Moses said, “This shall be seen when the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the LORD hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the LORD.”
9 Then Moses spoke to Aaron, “Say to all the congregation of the children of Israel, ‘Come near before the LORD, for He has heard your complaints.’ ” 10 Now it came to pass, as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.
11 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the LORD your God.’ ”
13 So it was that quail came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay all around the camp. 14 And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15 So when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.
And Moses said to them, “This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat. 16 This is the thing which the LORD has commanded: ‘Let every man gather it according to each one’s need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent.’ ”
17 Then the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some less. 18 So when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one’s need. 19 And Moses said, “Let no one leave any of it till morning.” 20 Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. 21 So they gathered it every morning, every man according to his need. And when the sun became hot, it melted.Exodus 16:4-21