Readers of my blog will know God has been speaking a lot about tests over the last few days – and with a clear purpose: to alert us to the testing season that we are in! Because He know if we are able to identify the tests, it makes it so much easier to respond appropriately!
You see, tests can take many different forms – over the past few days we’ve already read about a few of them, but I felt prompted to start tracking everywhere that God tested His people in the Bible, first following the word nasah from yesterday’s passage in Deuteronomy that kickstarted the study. And already I’ve found several different accounts of divinely-appointed nasah that could help us if we look to identify them in our own lives…
- The test of sacrificing what is most precious to us
God tested Abraham in Gen 22, when He asked him to sacrifice his most beloved son.
Q: Will we obey Him when He asks us to sacrifice what we love most?
- The test of discomfort and lack
God tested Israel at Marah with bitter waters in Ex 15:22-26
Q: Will we trust Him when our needs aren’t met? Or will we complain?
(This test also contained a lesson to help them pass – something God often does)
- The test of obeying when we don’t understand
God tested Israel when He sent the manna in Ex 16:14-30
Q: Will we obey His command when we don’t see why it matters?
- The test of divine encounter
God tested Israel at Mount Sinai with thunder & lightning, trumpets & smoke in Ex 20:20
Q: Will we allow our lives to be changed by divine encounter and press in for deeper relationship, walking in obedience, or will we shrink back, forget His revealed divinity and return to our worldly concerns?
(this one was also a lesson – to inspire them to keep obeying)
- The test of prolonged hardship & uncertainty
God tested Israel in the wilderness to know their hearts in Deut 8:16
Q: Will we be faithful to His Word even when our breakthrough is taking longer than expected?
- The test of bad influences
God tested Israel in Deut 13:3
Q: Will we love and obey Him even when others (including those who move in signs and wonders) try to lead us astray?
- The test of hostile surroundings
God tested Israel by allowing enemies to remain in Judg 2:22
Q: Will we follow His ways when others persistently oppose and upset us? Or will we compromise and let them influence us?
(this was another test with a lesson attached – training them for war)
- The test of success and the test of withdrawal
God tested Hezekiah by leaving him alone to face questions from others about his victories in 2 Chr 32:31
Q1: Will we honour God for our success when we are doing well? Or will we become proud & think we somehow earned it ourselves?
Q2: What do we do when it feels like God’s not with us? Will we stay faithful or default to self-reliance?
Wow! All of that from just one word! I don’t know about you but although I’ve never experienced the exact same situations as the ancient Hebrews, these tests in general are so familiar! I don’t think there are any that I have not experienced on some level – I reckon the same is true for most of us.
There is more studying I want to do on other Biblical words for testing, but there was so much in this study that spoke to me about different situations my family and I are facing, that I wanted to share it here too, in the hope that it will help all of us to be alert and watching for these tests, so that we might not stumble over them but instead submit to God’s refining through them – for His glory. Amen Lord!
In the Secret Place 
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