HE SENT LEANNESS
"They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel:
But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the
desert. And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into
their soul." Ps. 106:13-15
I have long enjoyed reading the one hundredth and sixth chapter
of the book of Psalms where David chronicled the Israel's past,
creating, if you will, his own history book. But I failed to
realize the Biblical reason for keeping a record of a Nation's
or an individual's past. Paul explained that "whatsoever things
were written aforetime were written for our learning." (Rom.
15:4) God wants mankind to learn from our mistakes that we may
"cease to do evil; learn to do well." (Isa. 1:16,17) Here in
Psalms 106 we find example after example of things we may cease
from doing. One such illustration is found in our text for
today. Verse 15 is a startling reminder that though we seek
after something with all of our earthly heart, once given this
assumed blessing by the hand of God, it might be the very thing
that takes us from that oneness walk with the one true God.
Israel had eaten manna until they were sick of it, they could
not stand to gather it day after day. Even though they feasted
on the food of angles, their human appetite was never satisfied.
They began murmuring against the man of God, and against God
himself saying, "Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well
with us in Egypt." (Num. 11:18) They cried against the God of
Heaven, the Lord of their salvation, they mocked him saying,
"Why came we forth out of Egypt?" (Num. 11:20) Therefore he
abhorred them and gave them that which they wanted; but fleshly
satisfaction does not come without a price! They ate the flesh
of fowl until it came forth from their nostrils, until they
could not stand the site of it, but the recompense was not over.
They not only suffered physically, but the Lord Jehovah "sent
leanness into their soul." They could not be content with what
the Lord provided, they wanted what they had back in Egypt. In
Egypt they might have been slaves. In Egypt they might have been
beaten, but at least, they reasoned, they had flesh to eat and
wine to drink. But here, in the wilderness, what did they have?
Water from rocks and bread that fell as dew from Heaven. Their
continual cries came before God and he gave them the desires of
their heart. But you see, their heart did not desire the things
of God, but what they had back in the land of bondage. However,
though they feasted on the lust of their heart, their souls
languished on the memories of glory days gone by.
"A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight
is his delight." (Pro. 11:1) God's word declares that if one man
increases another must decrease. Jesus' ministry could not begin
until John's decreased so much that he died. Therefore the
Biblical precedent had been set, the fleshly man cannot increase
without the spirit man decreasing. If your flesh feasts . . .
your soul must famish. It is a law of God.
In our everyday lives we fight and, by the everlasting mercies
of God, we must win this battle of flesh and spirit. "For the
flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the
flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye
cannot do the things that ye would." (Gal. 5:17) We are
commanded to "Love not the world, neither the things that are in
the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is
not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh,
and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the
Father, but is of the world." (I John 2:15-16) Therefore, let us
learn from the mistakes of the past and remember always that
though God "gave them their request" he also "sent leanness into
their soul."