How God Proves His Own Exodus 20:20 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.
There are at least five times that God proved Israel.
They were put to the test when God gave them manna In Exodus 16:4 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 them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.
Deuteronomy 8:16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee,and that he might prove thee,to do thee good at thy latter end;
When God spoke from heaven in Exodus 20:20 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. When the Lord led them in the wilderness in Deuteronomy 8:2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee,and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
When God permitted thirst in Deuteronomy 33:8 And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah,and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah; Then when He permitted enemies to trouble them in Judges 2:22 That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not. Judges 3:1 Now these are the nations which the LORD left,to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan; Judges 3:4 And they were to prove Israel by them,to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses. Genesis 22:1-2 And it came to pass after these things,that God did tempt (prove) Abraham,and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
2 Chronicles 32:31 Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try (prove) him,that he might know all that was in his heart. Psalms 11:4 The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold,his eyelids try (prove), the children of men. Zechariah 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try (prove) them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God. The latter part of Ex.20:20 reveals why this was to happen. The stated purpose is: and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. To “prove” means “to test or try by an experiment in order to ascertain the quality,to bring to the test. God will do the same thing with His people today.
1. He Tests Us By What He Allows Deuteronomy 13:1-3 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams:for the LORD your God proveth you,to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. People were tempted to go after false prophets & dreamers. The temptation is the same today for there are those with “doctrines of demons” 1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith,giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; If we go after false teachers our love for God is lacking. True sheep do not respond to the voice of strangers in John 10:5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him:for they know not the voice of strangers. The spirit of antichrist has no charm for those who know Jesus personally. This world has done affect on them either. Well it should not have. We have the Holy Ghost & God’s love in our hearts safeguards us.
2. He Tests Us By What We Do Exodus 16:4 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 them, whether they will walk in my law, or no. Will we obey Him or fail to obey Him? He proves the extent of our desires to walk in His paths. When we obey His command to gather bread for our souls each day. We will be filled with a knowledge of His will. If our desire is to live only according to the will of God. We will carefully & diligently seek to do everything the Lord wants us to do.
3. He Tests Us By What Others Do To Us Judges 2:21-22 I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died: That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein,as their fathers did keep it, or not. Why does God put us in the midst of those who do not know Him? God desires to prove us. He put us to the test as to whether we will be true to Him at all times. In such a moral & ethical degenerate atmosphere in which we live today. Will we go with the times or stand tall for God. Or will we be resisting the evil currents of our day? Will you keep the ways of the Lord at home, at work, or wherever you may be? Our main loyalty should always be to the Lord of Glory. What goes on outside of us should not stifle the inward spiritual fire.
4. He Tests Us In What We Believe 1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith,being much more precious than of gold that perisheth,though it be tried with fire,might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Peter refers to the trial of our faith. It is in the fires of life that our faith is tried. Is you faith genuine or phoney? If the trial of it produces patience. Then you have the real thing.
I Pet.1:7 refers to, “steadfastness & endurance.” The greater the heat of the furnace the purer & brighter the gold comes forth.
5.He Tests Us In Our Humiliation Psalms 66:10-12 For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us,as silver is tried. Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.
It is that person with a spirit of humility that God will lift up. That give grace to in life James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith,God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility:for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. When we are caught in a net in life. Will we depend upon the Lord? Look trustingly toward Him or face matters in a prideful spirit? When times come that can humble us or embitter us. Chose the route of humility, Because that person has the best of God’s blessings.
