9 The sons of Ephraim [e]were archers equipped with bows,
Yet they turned back in the day of battle.
10 They did not keep the covenant of God
And refused to walk in His law;
11 They forgot His deeds
And His [f]miracles that He had shown them.
12 He wrought wonders before their fathers
In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
13 He divided the sea and caused them to pass through,
And He made the waters stand up like a heap.
14 Then He led them with the cloud by day
And all the night with a light of fire.
15 He split the rocks in the wilderness
And gave them abundant drink like the ocean depths.
16 He brought forth streams also from the rock
And caused waters to run down like rivers.17 Yet they still continued to sin against Him,
To rebel against the Most High in the desert.
18 And in their heart they put God to the test
By asking food according to their desire.
19 Then they spoke against God;
They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?
20 “Behold, He struck the rock so that waters gushed out,
And streams were overflowing;
Can He give bread also?
Will He provide [g]meat for His people?”
This passage shows the miracles of God and the rebellion of the Israelites in direct contrast. Many times in their history, we see a generation that fails to pass down their faith, and their children turned away from God. But this was the same generation! These are the same people who walked across the Red Sea on dry ground, the same people who followed a pillar of fire, the same people who saw the plagues in Egypt.
And as the psalmist points out, these are the same people who had water in the wilderness, provided supernaturally, and enough food every day. Not to mention that the food spoiled if kept overnight, yet He gave them a double portion so they would have enough on the Sabbath–and it did not spoil. His miracles were with them every single day, and they rebelled against God.
We might not see manna rained down from heaven daily, but God’s miracles are no less present in our lives. Do we see them? Do we remember, that the earth is positioned perfectly in our solar system, that it is tilted perfectly to sustain life? Do we wonder anew at the complexity of the creatures around us, or even of our own incredible bodies? Do we thank God for the air that we breathe, that our hearts continue to beat, that our minds can out-compute a super-computer?
What are you waiting for? A sign from the sky? God’s wonders are all around us, and recently we had the most incredible solar eclipse–a “sign from the sky” indeed–that is, a sign of his glory and how lavishly he has made this world for our enjoyment. The moon is not too big that it totally obliterates the sun for an hour, nor is it so small that it is just a blot on the surface of the sun. We alone, on this earth, get to watch our moon perfectly eclipse the sun.
We may be tempted to think the Israelites were the most oblivious fools, but we can be just as guilty–or more with all the revelations of modern science. Thank Him today, and remember the many miracles in your own life. Do not be distracted by your own desires as the Israelites were, but set your eyes on Him, the Author and Perfecter–of your faith, and of this incredible world we have the privilege to occupy.