Exodus: Bondage, Deliverance, and Passover: The Superiority of Christ

The Hallelujah of Confession - Part 4 of 16

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2000-05-28

Synopsis: In this fourth message on Psalm 106, John Weaver examines the sins of forgetfulness and impatience as revealed in verse 13. He shows how Israel quickly forgot God's miraculous works at the Red Sea and refused to wait for His counsel, leading them to lust after their own desires. Weaver emphasizes that temporary faith based on experience will not endure, and that forgetting God is not merely a lapse of memory but a willful neglect of His person, works, and covenant. The failure to wait on God results in condemning His counsel and provoking His anger, ultimately bringing leanness to the soul even when requests are granted. Applications include the danger of temporary faith, the tyranny of lust when God's leadership is rejected, and the necessity of humbly submitting to God's word rather than following our own passions.

[John Weaver] Psalm 106, and let's read the first 15 verses. Psalm 106, beginning with verse 1. Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can show forth all his praise? Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times. Remember me, O Lord, with the favor that thou barest unto thy people. O, visit me with thy salvation, that I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.

[John Weaver] We have sinned with our fathers. We have committed iniquity. We have done wickedly. Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt. They remembered not the multitude of thy mercies, but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red Sea. Nevertheless, he saved them for his namesake, that he might make his mighty power to be known. He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up. So he led them through the depths as through the wilderness, and he saved them from the hand of them that hated them and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

[John Weaver] And the waters covered their enemies. There was not one of them left. didn't believe his words, they sang his praise. They soon forgot his works. They waited not for his counsel, but left it exceedingly in the wilderness and tempted God in the desert. And he gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul.

[John Weaver] Now, this is the fourth message that we are bringing on Psalm 106. Remember, this short series is known as the Hallelujah of Confession, because first of all, this is the first Hallelujah Psalm. And secondly, the content of this Psalm deals with confession just by way of review. Remember, if you would please, the first five verses is an invitation. where the psalmist gives us four reasons why he is inviting us to praise the Lord. The first one, of course, is found in verse one because of his goodness and his mercy. The second one is found in verse two because of the innumerable and I might add inability of hours to praise God as he is deserving to be is enumerable mighty acts and we cannot give him the glory great this new one was named and so he says who can utter is my mighty acts of the Lord who can show for all his praise so we ought to praise him at least because. We need to start somewhere, and although we have an inability to give him the glory that's due to his name.

[John Weaver] Thirdly, he gives us another reason, and that's because of God's blessings upon obedience. And the fourth one is found in verses four and five. The psalmist is seeking there that he may personally experience God's blessing, that he may see God's blessing upon his people and upon his nation. And then secondly, I dealt with verse 6 where he began his confession in general, where he says we have sinned with our father who committed iniquity.

[John Weaver] We've done wickedly and I pointed out the fact how we send with our fathers. We send with them similarly. We send with them imputatively. We send with them representatively. We send with them nationally and finally we send with them actually because we engage in the same sins that they engage in. And then when we went to verses 7 through 12 last week. He lists the first two specific sins, and those two specific sins were ignorance and ingratitude. And I dealt with 1 John 1.9 and showed you how confession has to deal with specific sins because real, genuine confession deals with repentance. It means to take the same attitude that God takes toward our sins, and therefore we turn from them. Now, we'll skip down today to verse 13, and we find the next two specific sins.

[John Weaver] He says they soon forget his works. They waited not for his counsel. And so these two specific sins today are forgetfulness and impatience. Let me make this observation that the rapidity with which we move from one sin to another is astonishing. And here we find they move from ignorance and ingratitude to forgetfulness and impatience. Now, it is true that one sin begets another sin, and usually there are links in the chain of sin that we have forged with our own lusts.

[John Weaver] However, I want you to observe that the wickedness and the corruption of the human heart is manifested exceedingly in these verses. Look at verse 12. After the Bible says he saved them for his namesake in verse 8, the Bible says, Then believe they his words, they sang his praise.

[John Weaver] Now remember, if you would please. Here they are at the Red Sea. And they were encompassed with the wilderness on one side. And the desert on the other side. The sea was in front of them and Pharaoh and his army was coming behind them. And God supernaturally and powerfully parted the Red Sea, where they went across on dry ground. After they saw that, verse 12 says, then believe his words, they sang his praises. Let me give you the comment that John Calvin made on verse 12, and I want you to listen carefully. He says this.

[John Weaver] overpowered by the grandeur of God's works. They were in spite of themselves compelled to believe in God and to give glory to him, and thus the criminality of their rebellion was increased because all their their stubbornness was overcome. Yet they immediately relapsed into their former state of unbelief, and then he says this. Their faith was temporary.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to know two things. First of all, I want you to know. that their criminality was increased. By the grandeur by the greatness of God's works. And I want you to know, secondly, that their faith was only temporary. It was a non saving faith. I want you to hold Psalm 106, but look in your Bibles if you would please to the book of Mark Chapter 4 and verse 17 Mark Chapter 4 and verse 17.

[John Weaver] In this passage, you have the parable of the sword and our Lord is telling us the different responses that people give to the word of God. You have the hard hearted here that is the one the seed that fell by the wayside. You have the stony ground here. That is the one that fell upon the stones. You have a thorny ground here. That is the one that fell among the thorns. And then you have the good ground here.

[John Weaver] But I want you to note, if you would please, in verse 17. In fact, go back to verse 16 and you'll see this is the stony ground here. He says, and these are they likewise, which are sown on stony ground, who would they have heard the word immediately receiving the gladness of the words. Here's the type of individual that you think, man, this is going to be a great Christian. Look how eagerly and willingly and readily he received the word of God. But then he says in verse 717, they have no root in themselves.

[John Weaver] and so endure, but for a time. Afterward, when affliction or persecution arises for the word's sake, they are immediately offended. What is our Lord saying? These endure, but for a time. There is such a thing as a temporary believer. Now, I did not say a temporary Christian. But a temporary believer. Here is someone who is impressed with the works of God with the greatness of God. He is so impressed that he believes at least. Until the next next temptation comes along or the next persecution comes along or until it gets.

[John Weaver] To exacting for him to believe in this, he relinquishes the faith. Now go back to Psalm 106. You see these. in Psalm 106 and verse 12 were only temporary believers. I'm going to show you how temporary they were. Look if you would, Psalm 106 in verse 12. The Bible says, then believe they his words. They sang his praise. Ah, but look at verse 13. They soon forgot his works.

[John Weaver] They waited not for his counsel. Now note that they soon forgot his works. Actually, in the Hebrew it is. They hastened to forget his works.

[John Weaver] Now let me ask you this question. Well, how soon was it? They forgot his works. Let me point this out. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Exodus chapter 15 very quickly. Exodus chapter 15. I hope you remember that the exodus. That is, the going through the Red Sea occurred in Exodus chapter 14. OK, now you're in Exodus chapter 15 and look at verse 22, Exodus 15 and verse 22. So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea And they went out into the wilderness of Shur, and they went three days into the wilderness and found no water.

[John Weaver] And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink in three days' time? They had forgotten the miracle at the Red Sea. and in three days time they were murmuring for water. They soon forget his works. If you will look in Exodus chapter 16 and let's begin reading there with verse one through three. This took place only six weeks after the exodus. And they took their journey from Elam and the congregation of the children of Israel came into the wilderness of sin, which is between Elam and Sinai on the 15th day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. And the children of Israel said unto them, would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord. in Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots and when we did eat bread to the full, for you have brought us out, brought us forth into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

[John Weaver] So within three days they were complaining because there were no water. And within six weeks they were complaining because they didn't have a sufficient amount of food. They thought, I'll explain. and if you look at the chapter 17 within just a few days later they were yet murmuring about a lack of water again and all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of sin after the journeys according to the commandment of the Lord and pitched in Rephidim and there was no water for the people to drink Wherefore, the people did chide with Moses and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said to them, Why chide ye with me? Therefore, wherefore, do you tempt the Lord?

[John Weaver] So when you look back at Psalm 106 and verse 13, and you read this phrase, they soon forgot his works. It only took them three days to forget the miracle of the Red Sea. Six weeks later, They were murmuring for food, and a few days later again, they were murmuring over a lack of water. Now listen to me. The sins of ignorance and ingratitude will always lead to the sins of forgetfulness and impatience. That's why he says in verse 13, they soon forgot his works. Now let me deal for a little while with the sin of forgetfulness. The Bible said they soon forgot his works.

[John Weaver] Now this word forgot occurs 102 times in the Old Testament. It is the word shock off and it literally means to mislay or to be oblivious to.

[John Weaver] Now stop and think about that. to this way or to the oblivious to that would be a total forgetfulness. Let me show you how this word is used. I want you to turn back in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 40 Genesis chapter 40. You'll remember that Joseph is in prison. The butler and the baker have a dream. And Joseph interprets the dreams correctly. And he tells the butler especially to remember him when he stands before Pharaoh, because Joseph has done nothing wrong to be in prison. So in Genesis chapter 40 and verse 23. Look at it, Genesis 40 verse 23. The Bible says, Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgot him. Now, the chief butler was restored to his butlership exactly the way Joseph said he would be. And the only thing that Joseph asked was, you remember me? But the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. Now watch this. Look in chapter 41 and verse 9. 41 verse 9. Now the chief butler is speaking to Pharaoh, then speak the chief, then speak the chief butler to Pharaoh saying, I do remember my faults with this day.

[John Weaver] Do you realize when he is telling Pharaoh this and remembering Joseph, there was a lapse of two full years. So for two full years, the chief butler was oblivious. to the existence of Joseph. He totally forgot him. But one day he did remember.

[John Weaver] Now let me ask a question. Is it possible to forget God? Is it possible to forget the works of God? And the answer to both questions is yes. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 4. Let me just show you a number of passages without expounding them to demonstrate. How extremely possible it is to forget God, and I'm going to demonstrate to you how easily we do exactly that look in Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verse 9. Look what God tells the people.

[John Weaver] He says only take heed to thyself and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life. But teach them thy sons and thy sons' sons. Now God says you better take diligent heed, lest you forget the things which you have seen. Skip down to verse 23. Same chapter, verse 23. God says, take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord, your God, which he made with you and make you a graven image or the likeness of anything which the Lord by God had forbidden me. Now, no, he said, take heed unto yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord, your God, which he made with you. So it's not just possible to forget the works of God. It's also possible to forget the covenant of God. Look in chapter six and verse 12. Deuteronomy 6 and verse 12. Here he says this. Then beware, lest thou forget the Lord which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage.

[John Weaver] Ah, now beware, lest you forget the Lord, not just his works, not just his covenant, but the Lord himself. Go to chapter 8 and verse 11. Deuteronomy 8 verse 11. He says, Beware that thou forget not the Lord by God and not keeping his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, which I command thee this day. Now look again. Beware that thou forget not the Lord by God in not keeping his commandments. His judgments and his statutes.

[John Weaver] Now I'm going to explain this in just a moment, but do you realize? When God's law says thou shalt not steal. And no, we're not going to stick a pistol to someone's face and take their money. We know that's wrong. But when we beat someone out of something that is rightfully theirs, that is theft as well. When we defraud someone, that is theft as well. And when you and I act fraudulently. We have forgotten God. Because we have forgotten his covenant. And thus we forgot him, so he says. In verse. Verse 11 it is. Beware that they'll forget not the Lord by God in not keeping his commandments. Look in verse 14. Then mine heart. be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, who brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage." Verse 19,"...and it shall be, if thou do it all, forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them.

[John Weaver] I testify against you this day, that you shall surely perish." So when we do not worship the one true and the living God, we have forgotten him. Turn over your Bibles to the book of Judges chapter 3 and look at verse 7. Judges chapter 3 verse 7. Judges 3 verse 7 and the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and forgot the Lord their God and served Balaam and the groves. Note they forgot the Lord their God. Turn over to 1st Samuel chapter 12 and verse 9. 1st Samuel chapter 12 verse 9.

[John Weaver] Notice if you would want scripture says. 1st Samuel 12 verse 9. And when they forgot the Lord their God, he sold them into the hand of Cicero. Captain of the host of Hazor and in the hands of the Philistines and in the hand of the kingdom of Moab and they fought against them. When they forgot the Lord now turnover in your Bibles back to Psalm 106 and look if you would please at verse 21 Psalm 106 and verse 21.

[John Weaver] This is almost incomprehensible and yet we do it daily. Psalm 106 verse 21, they forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt. They forgot God, their Savior. Let me point something out to you. Do you realize it is not only extremely possible that we can forget God as individuals, as families, even as churches, But it's possible to forget God as a nation. May I remind you of Psalm 9 in verse 17? The nations that forget God shall be turned into hell. Now, it's not only possible then to forget God's works, God's covenant and God himself.

[John Weaver] How do we do that? when we presume upon God, when we take him for granted, when we become oblivious to his person, his power, and his presence.

[John Weaver] Now the interesting thing is that after God had done such a tremendously great miracle for Israel, imparting the Red Sea, within three days time, They have forgotten all of that wonderful work. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Jeremiah chapter two. And look at verse 32. Jeremiah two verse 32. To me, this is one of the most grievous verses in the entire Bible. And I want you to apply this first to yourself. I want you to think about this with me. Jeremiah 2 in verse 32. Look at the questions that are asked.

[John Weaver] Can a maid forget her ornaments? I mean, you ladies, you didn't forget your jewelry this morning. No, you remember that. Can a bride forget her attire? How many brides have you ever known that forgot their wedding dress when they went to be married? No, you don't forget that. Can a maid forget her ornaments or bride her attire? Look what God says. Yet my people have forgotten me days without number. Yet my people have forgotten me days. Without number. How could God's people forget God? I mean, let's be honest. There's some things I just don't forget. A lot of things I do forget. I don't forget my carrot juice every morning.

[John Weaver] I want that first thing. And if it's not ready, I ask my wife, please make some right now. I'm ready for it. I want it. I don't forget that. There are a lot of things in your life that you don't forget. You don't forget to get up and go to work. You don't forget to go to bed at night. Kids don't forget to play. James, have you ever forgotten to play? I didn't think so. Have you ever forgotten to work, though? I thought that, yes. But you know, but there are some things we don't forget. But God says my people have forgotten me days without number. How is it that we forget God not by doubting his existence?

[John Weaver] Not by forgetting the fact that there is a supreme power somewhere in the universe. How do we forget it? Yet he says my people have forgotten me days without number. Let me show you a verse. Look if you would please. It's Psalm 10 and verse 4. I want you to see the complaint that God lodges against the wicked. Here's a complaint that God lodges against the wicked. And this will explain how we forget God. Look at this complaint. Psalms 10 verse 4. The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God. God is not in all his thoughts. Now look at that again. The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God. God is not in all his thoughts. Now, how do we forget God? Do wicked people forget God? Well, of course. They're not interested in God. They're not interested in his word. They're not interested in his will. They're not interested in anything about God. Do you realize unbelievers go not only days and weeks, but months without thinking of God, years without thinking of God.

[John Weaver] God is not even in their mind. When an unbeliever has a problem, he doesn't think, oh, let me go to the Bible and see what the Bible says as to how to resolve this problem. No, he just does what he wants to do. He has no thought and no reference to God. God is not in all of his thoughts. How do we forget God? By exactly the same principle that the wicked man forgets God. Why does the wicked man forget God? Because God is not his center.

[John Weaver] You know, we talk about a theocentric universe. That is a God-centered universe. And we talk about an anthropocentric universe. That is a man-centered universe. Most people are anthropocentric. That is, everything they believe revolves around them. They are their own center. But to the believer, God is to be our center. It is true that we cannot sit here and think 24 hours a day of God.

[John Weaver] But what we can do is this. Whatever we are doing, we can think of that in reference to God. How would God have me to do this? What are the principles of Scripture? How does this apply to my life? How do I honor God? How do I glorify God? You understand what I'm saying? If I go to make a plain reservation, many times, And I try to do it every time and I would say most of the time I say, oh Lord, please put me on the plane that you ordained to land safely.

[John Weaver] I asked for your good providence and your protection. Help me to make the right reservations in the right connections. That's see, that's thinking of God. That's not forgetting God. I don't just pick up the phone and say, hey, I want to make a reservation. When I work, Lord, help me to do this. Help me to do this right. Help me do it for your honor and your glory. But most of us perform our tasks daily without any reference to God. You think, well, we don't need God to do that.

[John Weaver] We know what we're to do. I got news for you folks. If God does not give us breath and strength and ability, we'll not do anything. Let me show you look in your Bibles to the book of James chapter 4 James chapter 4. And let me show you how practical this is. James chapter 4 and let's begin reading with verse 13. James 4 verse 13. And there are two words that ought to always be in our vocabulary. And I'll show you what those two words are. Look in James 4 verse 13.

[John Weaver] What does our Lord say? Go to now you that say today or tomorrow we will go into such a city and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain. Whereas you know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeared for a little time and then vanished away. For that you ought to say, if the Lord will, we shall live and do this or that. Now, what does James say? We should be saying, Lord willing.

[John Weaver] We're going to go to. Florida this afternoon and preach, Lord willing, I will be home next week doing what ought to be doing, Lord willing, I'll be in New York preaching, Lord willing. I'll be at your house tomorrow at 10 o'clock. You see what I'm saying? You don't presume upon God. You don't forget God. You've got to understand that it is God who gives us our breath, our ability, everything. And we cannot leave God out of our lives, but most of us on a daily basis forget that God is our father, our sovereign and our God, and we neglect to have any reference to him in our daily lives. And God calls that a forgetting of God. And when we sin, we forget his covenant. Do you realize, folks, you cannot sin without forgetting God's covenant. You cannot sin without forgetting God's law, or when I say that, I don't mean that it slips your mind, but that you're purposefully oblivious of it. You're not going to obey God. You're going to do what you want to do.

[John Weaver] So God says. My people have forgotten me days without number.

[John Weaver] Now let me show you how this works out in our practical everyday life. Go back to Psalm 106. Remember, I told you that one sin begat another sin. Our ignorance. And our ingratitude began our forgetfulness. And also our forgetfulness begets our impatience, where he says in Psalm 106 and verse 13, they soon forgot his works. They waited not. For his counsel. Now, is it that revealing they waited not? For his counsel now. Their impatience demonstrates that they had forgotten God.

[John Weaver] They weren't interested in his word. They weren't interested in his will. They weren't interested in his way. They were too busy in too big of a hurry to wait upon God. They soon forgot his words. They waited not for his counsel. Do you realize we are just like Israel in the Old Testament? How many of us, when there is something important before us, how many of us wait to act until we've searched out the Word of God to make sure that's what God would have us to do? Then make sure we're not violating a principle of Scripture. Before we take a job, before we move, before we get married, how many really seek to know the will and the word of God? Now watch, they waited not for his counsel. Do you know what our Lord said in Proverbs 8 and verse 14? In Proverbs 8, Jesus Christ is wisdom personified and in that verse he says this, counsel is mine and sound wisdom. Do you realize that one of the names of our Lord is counselor?

[John Weaver] Do you realize in Proverbs 21 in verse 30, the Bible says there is no knowledge or wisdom or counsel against the Lord. Do you realize Ephesians 1 in verse 11 says that he upholds all things by his own counsel? And yet God says, they forgot him and waited not for his counsel. What are the results of failing to wait for his counsel? What are the results of failing to seek his word and his will?

[John Weaver] I could sum them up under two heads, but let me show you a couple of scriptures. Look, first of all, at Psalm 107 and verse 11, Psalm 107 and verse 11. This is amazing.

[John Weaver] Because they rebelled against the words of God and contemned or condemned the counsel of the Most High. Note if you would, they contemned the counsel of the Most High. Why? Because they rebelled against His words. Do you realize when you do not wait for God's counsel, When you do not seek God's counsel, in essence, in practicality, you are condemning God's counsel. You're saying it is unworthy of your consideration. And you're wise enough in your own self that you don't need God. So there is a condemnation of God.

[John Weaver] Look in Psalm 106 and verse 43. Oh my, many times did he deliver them, but they provoked him with their counsel and were brought low for their infirmities. So what are the two results for not seeking God, a condemnation of God on the one hand and his counsel, and on the other hand, you have a provocation of God. You're provoking God to anger by following your own thought, your own life, your own will, your own way without even checking with him.

[John Weaver] If he's your father, how dare you not consult with him? If he's your boss, your sovereign, your Lord, your master, how dare you not seek his counsel? Look in Proverbs chapter one, I'll show you how angry. How provoked God becomes? When we refuse and condemn his counsel. Look in Proverbs one in verse 25. God says, but you have said it not all my counsel and would have none of my reproof. You have said it not all my counsel and would have none of my reproof. Look what God says.

[John Weaver] I also will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when your fear cometh. When your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish cometh upon you, then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer. They shall seek me early, but they shall not find me for that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord.

[John Weaver] They would none of my counsel, they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices." God says, you won't have my counsel? You condemn my counsel? You won't wait for me? You will follow your own self? Fine, says God. I'll let you eat the fruit of your own doings. And when you come crying to me that you've made a mess of everything, God said, I won't listen to you. I won't hear. I'll let you reap in full everything that you've sown. So the very fact that we won't wait upon God means that we condemn his counsel and we provoke him to anger.

[John Weaver] Let me show you how clearly this is brought forward. Look in Psalm 106 and let's read verse 13. And verse 14. Psalm 106 verse 13. They soon forgot his works. They waited not for his counsel. But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness and tempted God in the desert. The most obvious result of a failure to wait upon the counsel of God is found in verse 14. What is that they lusted exceedingly? Are you listening? He who will not wait for the word of God.

[John Weaver] Will inevitably follow his own lust. In fact, the truth is. That's why we won't wait on God. We want our own lusts. We want our own ways. We want our own will. And thus we purposefully forget God so that we may choose what we want. Let me show you from the scripture where this passage is taken from. I want you to go back in your Bibles first of all to the book of Numbers chapter 11. Numbers chapter 11, and let's begin reading there with verse 4. Numbers 11. Verse 4.

[John Weaver] And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting. And the children of Israel also wept again and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely, the cucumbers, the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlics, but now our soul is dried away. There is nothing at all besides this manna before our eyes. I want you to remember something. That manna was supernaturally given by God. That manna was absolutely, perfectly nutritious.

[John Weaver] It was everything they needed. Everything. And yet, what they said is, we don't have our onions, we don't have our leeks, we don't have our garlic, we don't have our fish. Oh, I wish I was back in Egypt. So I could eat leeks. and garlic and onion and fish skip down to verse 18. God said and say thou unto the people sanctify yourselves against tomorrow and you shall eat flesh. For you have wept in the ears of the Lord saying who shall give us flesh to eat for it was well with us when we were in Egypt. Therefore, the Lord will give you flesh, and you shall eat.

[John Weaver] You shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days, but even a whole month, until it come out your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you. Watch, because that you have despised the Lord who is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?" God says, You want some flesh? I'll give it to you, till it comes out your nostrils. You don't want what I provide? You don't want my will and my word and my way? I'll let you have your way.

[John Weaver] Turn over in your Bibles to Psalm 78. Here's the psalmist's commentary on that passage. Psalm 78. And let's begin reading there with verse 26. And by the way, let's read verse 25 to show you what the Bible says concerning man. Psalm 78, verse 25, man did eat angels food. They had plenty. They had everything they needed. He sent the meat to the full. He calls in the east wind to blow in the heaven, and by his power he brought in the south wind.

[John Weaver] He rained flesh upon them as dust, and feathered fowls as the sand of the sea, and he let it fall in midst of their camp round about their habitation. So they did eat and were filled, watch carefully, for he gave them their own desire. They were not estranged from their lusts, but while the meat was yet in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them and slew the fattest of them.

[John Weaver] and smoked down the chosen men of Israel. In their lusts, they tempted God. When they preferred their lusts, their will, their way, their word, more than the word of God, it was not only a condemnation of God's counsel and will, But it provoked in the anger because they were choosing their own simple, ignorant, arrogant way above that of a holy and righteous God. It was not their lack of nourishment that led them to complain. It was not their lack of nutrition. Everything that God does is perfect and right. It was their lusts. And they wanted their lusts more than God.

[John Weaver] And look in verse, if you would, verse 15 of Psalm 106. Psalm 106, verse 15. Look what the Scripture says. And he gave them their requests, but sent leanness into their souls. Do you realize that verse is a testimony against professing Christendom today? We have full stomachs, but lean souls. We think more of our physical well-being than we do our spiritual being. He gave them their requests, but sent leanness into their souls. And the leanness of our souls testifies to the fact that we've not waited on the counsel of God. We've not followed his word. I want you to look in your Bibles to Isaiah 40.

[John Weaver] Here is a passage that everyone loves to claim. Many people can quote it, but I want to show you the requirement for this blessing. Isaiah 40, let's begin reading there with verse 29. Isaiah 40, verse 29.

[John Weaver] He giveth the power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increases strength. Don't we want power? Don't we want strength? Yes. Even the youth shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fail. Now I want to tell you what. I like to show up a young man. Why? Because the youth in this country today think if you're old, you're worthless. They don't understand with age, not only comes experience, but wisdom usually.

[John Weaver] That is, if we follow the word of God, it will. I want to tell you something, folks. God can make an old man young in many ways. And that's what he says. Even the youth shall faint and be weary. The young men shall utterly fail. Watch this or shall fall. But they that wait upon the Lord. Shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint. Now if you want to walk and not faint, if you want to run and not be weary, if you want to mount up with wings of an eagle, if you want to renew your strength. The requirement. is waiting upon the Lord.

[John Weaver] But they waited not for his counsel. But they followed their own lusts. You and I cannot be renewed physically, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, or anyway. Until we learn to wait on the Lord.

[John Weaver] Now look back at Psalm 106. You watch this carefully. I want you to see that sin begets sin. The ignorance and ingratitude of verse 7 begat the forgetfulness and the impatience in verse 13. And their forgetfulness and impatience was manifested by their lusting and following their own lusts instead of the Word of God.

[John Weaver] Now let me try to tie this together and make some applications. The first one is this. Temporary faith, which I mentioned at the beginning of this message, or a temporary believer, will only last until there is a new and fresh temptation. Do you know one of the things that our Lord has promised? That he's going to separate the wheat from the chaff. I'm going to tell you one thing about temptation. One thing about persecution. One thing about opposition. One thing about hard times.

[John Weaver] It separates the true believers. From those who are not true. And for those who only have a temporary faith. May I remind you of 1 John 2 and verse 19, what did John say about those people who left him and the church? Listen to what he said. They went out from us. That it might be made manifest that they were not of us. For had they been of us, no doubt, they would have continued with us.

[John Weaver] The proof that you are a real, genuine believer is that you continue to believe and you continue to trust and you continue to obey regardless of the circumstances and the situation. True believers never give in, give up, or give out. They hold on. Job says the righteous shall hold on to his way. There is a temporary believer. But their temporary faith, listen, is based upon experience. Look at Psalm 106, verse 12. Then believe they his words. When did they believe? When they saw something. when they experience something. Our faith is not based upon our experiences. Our faith is based upon the Lord Jesus Christ and His infallible Word.

[John Weaver] The second application is this. You ought to remember this one. When men refuse to be led by God, they will be driven by their own lusts. When men refuse to be led by God, they will be driven by their own lusts. I want to tell you something. Most of you have known this truth from experience, but lust is a fearful taskmaster because he's never satisfied. Our lives are not to be ruled by our lusts and our desires, but by the Word of God. The third application is this. When men are not content with God's gracious provision, their lusts and desires for more are extremely grievous and heinous to the Lord.

[John Weaver] What more could Israel have wanted in the Old Testament? What more could they have needed? Supernaturally led, supernaturally provided for, supernaturally protected, and yet they wanted to murmur against God and complain against Him and tempt Him and provoke Him for a bunch of leeks and garlic and onions. I want you to understand that their desire for those things was in reality a revelation that they were wanting to be back in Egypt, in the old life. And it's grievous to our Lord when a real child of God, even momentarily, desires a life of sin.

[John Weaver] that he was delivered from. That's why the word of God is replete with such verses as envy not sinners. There's no reason to envy a wicked man. There's no reason to envy his lifestyle. Because all he brings upon himself and others is judgment and condemnation. And when you and I cannot be content with what God has graciously given us when we want to tempt God and murmur and complain against him when what he's given us is completely satisfactory.

[John Weaver] It's exceedingly grievous to him. The fourth. Application is this. Let me ask a question. Why is man in general? and I could be extremely personal, why are you in particular so averse to waiting on God's counsel? Let me answer it for you as an individual and for all of us in general. The reason why we are so averse to waiting on God's counsel is because to tarry before God means that we must subdue our lusts and submit to him and humble ourselves and trust in his word alone.

[John Weaver] Now you stop and think about that. Because when we come before the Lord, We basically are confessing that we don't have sense enough to get out of the rain. Isn't that what Scripture tells us? Lean not to thine own understanding, but in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path. And so when we have our problems, and it doesn't matter what the problems are, marital, family, personal, interrelational, it doesn't matter what our problems are. When we come before the Lord and we wait for his word and his leadership, when we search the scriptures and pray and ask God to teach us, we are humbling ourselves and we're saying, Lord, I know what I want to do. I want to smack him upside the head. But, Lord, I know that's not the answer. Let me ask you, come on.

[John Weaver] I wonder if I'm the only sinner. Have you ever wanted to slap somebody upside the head and say, listen here, dummy, let me tell you something.

[John Weaver] Now, if you have that, if that hadn't happened to you, either number one, you're far more spiritual than I am or you're a liar. One of the two. Let me give you an illustration. I just read yesterday. In Texas, there is a $10 million lawsuit against a certain teacher and a school district there because there were three students who went to school on Saturday on a makeup day. And two of the students were sisters and they carried their Bibles.

[John Weaver] They were going to be going to a Bible class afterwards. And when the teacher saw those Bibles, she became so infuriated. She marched them to the principal's office. She snatched the Bibles away from those girls and threw them in the trash and said, we don't allow garbage like this in this school. Another young boy had Ten Commandments cover on his Bible and she made him take the Ten Commandments cover off the book, not the Bible, but off the book, made him take the Ten Commandments cover off and throw it in the trash.

[John Weaver] You know what I wanted to do when I heard that? And I said, Lord, here's exactly what I said. I said, Lord, if I want to do that, my question to you is, how do you put up with it? I wanted to jerk a knot in her. I'm going to be honest with you. You don't want to slap sense into somebody. But let me ask you one question.

[John Weaver] If I drove to Texas and got that woman and slapped her around, who would be in jail? What good would it do? You see what I'm saying? It requires you, if you're going to wait on the Lord, to submit your own passions to him and say, Lord, I know that's what I want to do, but I know that's not what I should do. So Lord, you tell me what the right thing to do is. And the reason we don't wait upon God is the same reason the Israelites didn't. We want what we want, when we want it, and how we want it, and we want it right now. We want our own lust more than His world. One last thing is this. I want you to understand that just because we pray about something, or just because we ask God for something, and He gives it to us, does not necessarily mean that we have God's blessings upon us.

[John Weaver] Because He gave them their request, but He sent leanness into their souls. What is asked for in passion is sometimes given in wrath. And God can answer our prayers, according to Psalm 80, in wrath. And that does not mean that we have the blessing of God upon us just because God hears and answers our prayer. These people got their answer. And I'll guarantee you, when God got through They wished they'd never tasted a quail in their life.

[John Weaver] And they learned a valuable lesson. It's more important to wait on the counsel of God than to follow your own lusts. Isn't it amazing how we don't change? How their sins are our sins. And we piously say, if we were alive then, we wouldn't do that. And we do exactly the same thing today. Because we forget God, and are impatient, and refuse to wait upon his counsel.

[John Weaver] And we end up in just as much trouble as they did. Let's pray. Father, we will ask thee today to help us not to forget thee. Not to forget thy works, not to forget thy covenant. Every day thou shouldest be the center of our lives. Thy word should be the center and the focus of our thoughts. And how that we can apply our life to thee and to thy word should require our utmost attention. Lord, we have forgotten thee. As thy word did say, we have forgotten thee days without number. We've made plans without thee. We've done things without thee. We've said things without thinking them through according to your word. We just simply sinned against thee, and we ask thy forgiveness. and thy blessing and help in Christ's name. Amen.

The Hallelujah of Confession - Part 4 of 16

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	113092010508
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Exodus: Bondage, Deliverance, and Passover: The Superiority of Christ
Genre	Sermon
Date	2000-05-28
Dictation Name
Book	Book 053: The Hallelujah of Confession — Chapter 4
Source Timed Segments	82

Formatted Transcript

Opening

Psalm 106, and let's read the first 15 verses. Psalm 106, beginning with verse 1.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 106:1-15

"Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can show forth all his praise? Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times. Remember me, O Lord, with the favor that thou barest unto thy people. O visit me with thy salvation, that I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance."

"We have sinned with our fathers. We have committed iniquity. We have done wickedly. Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt. They remembered not the multitude of thy mercies, but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red Sea. Nevertheless, he saved them for his namesake, that he might make his mighty power to be known. He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up. So he led them through the depths as through the wilderness, and he saved them from the hand of them that hated them and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy."

"And the waters covered their enemies. There was not one of them left. Then believed they his words; they sang his praise. They soon forgot 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."

Introduction and Review

Weaver introduces the fourth message on Psalm 106, reviewing the first five verses as an invitation to praise God for His goodness, mercy, mighty acts, and blessings, and verse 6 as a general confession of sin.

Now, this is the fourth message that we are bringing on Psalm 106. Remember, this short series is known as "The Hallelujah of Confession," because first of all, this is the first Hallelujah Psalm. And secondly, the content of this Psalm deals with confession. Just by way of review, remember, if you would please, the first five verses is an invitation where the psalmist gives us four reasons why he is inviting us to praise the Lord. The first one, of course, is found in verse 1, because of his goodness and his mercy. The second one is found in verse 2, because of the innumerable—and I might add, inability of ours to praise God as he is deserving—his innumerable mighty acts, and we cannot give him the glory due his name. And so he says, "Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can show forth all his praise?" So we ought to praise him at least because we need to start somewhere, and although we have an inability to give him the glory that's due to his name.

Thirdly, he gives us another reason, and that's because of God's blessings upon obedience. And the fourth one is found in verses 4 and 5. The psalmist is seeking there that he may personally experience God's blessing, that he may see God's blessing upon his people and upon his nation. And then secondly, I dealt with verse 6 where he began his confession in general, where he says, "We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity." "We have done wickedly," and I pointed out the fact how we sin with our fathers. We sin with them similarly. We sin with them imputatively. We sin with them representatively. We sin with them nationally, and finally we sin with them actually because we engage in the same sins that they engage in. And then when we went to verses 7 through 12 last week, he lists the first two specific sins, and those two specific sins were ignorance and ingratitude. And I dealt with 1 John 1:9 and showed you how confession has to deal with specific sins because real, genuine confession deals with repentance. It means to take the same attitude that God takes toward our sins, and therefore we turn from them. Now, we'll skip down today to verse 13, and we find the next two specific sins.

The Next Specific Sins: Forgetfulness and Impatience

Verse 13 reveals two specific sins: 'They soon forgot his works' and 'They waited not for his counsel,' showing how quickly Israel moved from ignorance and ingratitude to forgetfulness and impatience.

He says, "They soon forgot his works. They waited not for his counsel." And so these two specific sins today are forgetfulness and impatience. Let me make this observation that the rapidity with which we move from one sin to another is astonishing. And here we find they move from ignorance and ingratitude to forgetfulness and impatience. Now, it is true that one sin begets another sin, and usually there are links in the chain of sin that we have forged with our own lusts. However, I want you to observe that the wickedness and the corruption of the human heart is manifested exceedingly in these verses. Look at verse 12. After the Bible says he saved them for his namesake in verse 8, the Bible says, "Then believed they his words, they sang his praise."

Temporary Faith at the Red Sea

Israel's belief and praise after the Red Sea miracle was only temporary; their faith was based on experience and quickly vanished, illustrating the nature of a non-saving, temporary believer.

Now remember, if you would please, here they are at the Red Sea. And they were encompassed with the wilderness on one side and the desert on the other side. The sea was in front of them and Pharaoh and his army was coming behind them. And God supernaturally and powerfully parted the Red Sea, where they went across on dry ground. After they saw that, verse 12 says, "Then believed they his words, they sang his praises." Let me give you the comment that John Calvin made on verse 12, and I want you to listen carefully. He says this. "Overpowered by the grandeur of God's works, they were in spite of themselves compelled to believe in God and to give glory to him, and thus the criminality of their rebellion was increased because all their stubbornness was overcome. Yet they immediately relapsed into their former state of unbelief." And then he says this: "Their faith was temporary."

Now I want you to know two things. First of all, I want you to know that their criminality was increased by the grandeur, by the greatness of God's works. And I want you to know, secondly, that their faith was only temporary. It was a non-saving faith. I want you to hold Psalm 106, but look in your Bibles if you would please to the book of Mark, chapter 4 and verse 17. Mark chapter 4 and verse 17. In this passage, you have the parable of the sower, and our Lord is telling us the different responses that people give to the word of God. You have the hard-hearted hearer, that is the one, the seed that fell by the wayside. You have the stony ground hearer, that is the one that fell upon the stones. You have a thorny ground hearer, that is the one that fell among the thorns. And then you have the good ground hearer.

But I want you to note, if you would please, in verse 17. In fact, go back to verse 16 and you'll see this is the stony ground hearer. He says, "And these are they likewise, which are sown on stony ground, who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness." Here's the type of individual that you think, "Man, this is going to be a great Christian. Look how eagerly and willingly and readily he received the word of God." But then he says in verse 17, "They have no root in themselves." "And so endure but for a time. Afterward, when affliction or persecution arises for the word's sake, they are immediately offended." What is our Lord saying? These endure but for a time. There is such a thing as a temporary believer. Now, I did not say a temporary Christian, but a temporary believer. Here is someone who is impressed with the works of God, with the greatness of God. He is so impressed that he believes at least until the next temptation comes along or the next persecution comes along or until it gets too exacting for him to believe in this, he relinquishes the faith.

Now go back to Psalm 106. You see these in Psalm 106 and verse 12 were only temporary believers. I'm going to show you how temporary they were. Look if you would, Psalm 106 in verse 12. The Bible says, "Then believed they his words. They sang his praise." Ah, but look at verse 13. "They soon forgot his works."

The Rapidity of Forgetting God's Works

Within three days of the Red Sea crossing, Israel murmured for water; within six weeks, they complained about food, demonstrating how soon they forgot God's mighty acts.

"They waited not for his counsel." Now note that they soon forgot his works. Actually, in the Hebrew it is, "They hastened to forget his works." Now let me ask you this question. Well, how soon was it they forgot his works? Let me point this out. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Exodus chapter 15 very quickly. Exodus chapter 15. I hope you remember that the exodus, that is, the going through the Red Sea occurred in Exodus chapter 14. OK, now you're in Exodus chapter 15 and look at verse 22. Exodus 15 and verse 22. "So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur, and they went three days into the wilderness and found no water."

Scripture Reading — Exodus 15:22-24

"And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?"

In three days' time, they had forgotten the miracle at the Red Sea. And in three days' time they were murmuring for water. They soon forgot his works. If you will look in Exodus chapter 16 and let's begin reading there with verse 1 through 3. This took place only six weeks after the exodus.

Scripture Reading — Exodus 15:22-24

"And they took their journey from Elim, and the congregation of the children of Israel came into the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots and when we did eat bread to the full, for you have brought us forth into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."

So within three days they were complaining because there was no water. And within six weeks they were complaining because they didn't have a sufficient amount of food. They thought they'd explain. And if you look at chapter 17, within just a few days later they were yet murmuring about a lack of water again. "And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin after the journeys according to the commandment of the Lord and pitched in Rephidim, and there was no water for the people to drink. Wherefore, the people did chide with Moses and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said to them, Why chide ye with me? Wherefore do you tempt the Lord?"

So when you look back at Psalm 106 and verse 13, and you read this phrase, "They soon forgot his works," it only took them three days to forget the miracle of the Red Sea. Six weeks later, they were murmuring for food, and a few days later again, they were murmuring over a lack of water. Now listen to me. The sins of ignorance and ingratitude will always lead to the sins of forgetfulness and impatience. That's why he says in verse 13, "They soon forgot his works." Now let me deal for a little while with the sin of forgetfulness. The Bible said they soon forgot his works.

The Sin of Forgetfulness Defined

The Hebrew word for 'forgot' means to mislay or be oblivious; Scripture repeatedly warns against forgetting God, His works, and His covenant, showing it is a willful neglect.

Now this word "forgot" occurs 102 times in the Old Testament. It is the word shakach, and it literally means to mislay or to be oblivious to. Now stop and think about that. To mislay or to be oblivious to—that would be a total forgetfulness. Let me show you how this word is used. I want you to turn back in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 40. Genesis chapter 40. You'll remember that Joseph is in prison. The butler and the baker have a dream. And Joseph interprets the dreams correctly. And he tells the butler especially to remember him when he stands before Pharaoh, because Joseph has done nothing wrong to be in prison. So in Genesis chapter 40 and verse 23, look at it. Genesis 40 verse 23. The Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 40:23

"Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but

forgot him." Now, the chief butler was restored to his butlership exactly the way Joseph said he would be. And the only thing that Joseph asked was, "You remember me?" But the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. Now watch this. Look in chapter 41 and verse 9. 41 verse 9. Now the chief butler is speaking to Pharaoh. "Then spake the chief butler to Pharaoh saying, I do remember my faults this day."

Do you realize when he is telling Pharaoh this and remembering Joseph, there was a lapse of two full years. So for two full years, the chief butler was oblivious to the existence of Joseph. He totally forgot him. But one day he did remember.

Now let me ask a question. Is it possible to forget God? Is it possible to forget the works of God? And the answer to both questions is yes. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 4. Let me just show you a number of passages without expounding them to demonstrate how extremely possible it is to forget God, and I'm going to demonstrate to you how easily we do exactly that. Look in Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verse 9. Look what God tells the people.

He says,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 4:9, 23

"Only take heed to thyself and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life. But teach them thy sons and thy sons' sons."

Now God says you better take diligent heed, lest you forget the things which you have seen. Skip down to verse 23. Same chapter, verse 23. God says, "Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image or the likeness of anything which the Lord thy God hath forbidden thee." Now note, he said, "Take heed unto yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you." So it's not just possible to forget the works of God. It's also possible to forget the covenant of God. Look in chapter 6 and verse 12. Deuteronomy 6 and verse 12. Here he says this:

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 4:9, 23

"Then beware, lest thou forget the Lord which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage."

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 6:12

Ah, now beware, lest you forget the Lord, not just his works, not just his covenant, but the Lord himself. Go to chapter 8 and verse 11. Deuteronomy 8 verse 11. He says, "Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God in not keeping his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, which I command thee this day." Now look again. "Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God in not keeping his commandments, his judgments, and his statutes."

Now I'm going to explain this in just a moment, but do you realize when God's law says, "Thou shalt not steal"—and no, we're not going to stick a pistol to someone's face and take their money. We know that's wrong. But when we beat someone out of something that is rightfully theirs, that is theft as well. When we defraud someone, that is theft as well. And when you and I act fraudulently, we have forgotten God. Because we have forgotten his covenant. And thus we forgot him, so he says in verse 11, "Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God in not keeping his commandments." Look in verse 14. "Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, who brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage." Verse 19, "And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day, that you shall surely perish." So when we do not worship the one true and the living God, we have forgotten him. Turn over your Bibles to the book of Judges chapter 3 and look at verse 7. Judges chapter 3 verse 7. "And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and forgot the Lord their God and served Baalim and the groves." Note they forgot the Lord their God. Turn over to 1 Samuel chapter 12 and verse 9. 1 Samuel chapter 12 verse 9.

Notice if you would what Scripture says. 1 Samuel 12 verse 9. "And when they forgot the Lord their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hand of the kingdom of Moab, and they fought against them." When they forgot the Lord. Now turn over in your Bibles back to Psalm 106 and look if you would please at verse 21. Psalm 106 and verse 21. This is almost incomprehensible and yet we do it daily. Psalm 106 verse 21, "They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt." They forgot God, their Savior. Let me point something out to you. Do you realize it is not only extremely possible that we can forget God as individuals, as families, even as churches, but it's possible to forget God as a nation. May I remind you of Psalm 9 and verse 17? "The nations that forget God shall be turned into hell." Now, it's not only possible then to forget God's works, God's covenant, and God himself.

How do we do that? When we presume upon God, when we take him for granted, when we become oblivious to his person, his power, and his presence.

How We Forget God

We forget God not by doubting His existence but by leaving Him out of our daily thoughts and actions, failing to reference Him in our plans and decisions, just as the wicked do.

This is almost incomprehensible and yet we do it daily. Psalm 106 verse 21,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 106:21

"They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt."

They forgot God, their Savior. Let me point something out to you. Do you realize it is not only extremely possible that we can forget God as individuals, as families, even as churches, but it's possible to forget God as a nation. May I remind you of Psalm 9 and verse 17? "The nations that forget God shall be turned into hell." Now, it's not only possible then to forget God's works, God's covenant, and God himself. How do we do that? When we presume upon God, when we take him for granted, when we become oblivious to his person, his power, and his presence.

Now the interesting thing is that after God had done such a tremendously great miracle for Israel, parting the Red Sea, within three days' time, they have forgotten all of that wonderful work. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Jeremiah chapter 2 and look at verse 32. Jeremiah 2 verse 32. To me, this is one of the most grievous verses in the entire Bible. And I want you to apply this first to yourself. I want you to think about this with me. Jeremiah 2 in verse 32. Look at the questions that are asked.

"Can a maid forget her ornaments?" I mean, you ladies, you didn't forget your jewelry this morning. No, you remember that. "Can a bride forget her attire?" How many brides have you ever known that forgot their wedding dress when they went to be married? No, you don't forget that. "Can a maid forget her ornaments or a bride her attire?" Look what God says. "Yet my people have forgotten me days without number." Yet my people have forgotten me days without number. How could God's people forget God? I mean, let's be honest. There's some things I just don't forget. A lot of things I do forget. I don't forget my carrot juice every morning.

I want that first thing. And if it's not ready, I ask my wife, "Please make some right now. I'm ready for it. I want it." I don't forget that. There are a lot of things in your life that you don't forget. You don't forget to get up and go to work. You don't forget to go to bed at night. Kids don't forget to play. James, have you ever forgotten to play? I didn't think so. Have you ever forgotten to work, though? I thought that, yes. But you know, there are some things we don't forget. But God says, "My people have forgotten me days without number." How is it that we forget God? Not by doubting his existence.

Not by forgetting the fact that there is a supreme power somewhere in the universe. How do we forget it? Yet he says, "My people have forgotten me days without number." Let me show you a verse. Look if you would please at Psalm 10 and verse 4. I want you to see the complaint that God lodges against the wicked. Here's a complaint that God lodges against the wicked. And this will explain how we forget God. Look at this complaint. Psalm 10 verse 4.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 10:4

"The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God. God is not in all his thoughts."

Now look at that again.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 10:4

"The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God. God is not in all his thoughts."

Now, how do we forget God? Do wicked people forget God? Well, of course. They're not interested in God. They're not interested in his word. They're not interested in his will. They're not interested in anything about God. Do you realize unbelievers go not only days and weeks, but months without thinking of God, years without thinking of God.

God is not even in their mind. When an unbeliever has a problem, he doesn't think, "Oh, let me go to the Bible and see what the Bible says as to how to resolve this problem." No, he just does what he wants to do. He has no thought and no reference to God. God is not in all of his thoughts. How do we forget God? By exactly the same principle that the wicked man forgets God. Why does the wicked man forget God? Because God is not his center.

You know, we talk about a theocentric universe. That is a God-centered universe. And we talk about an anthropocentric universe. That is a man-centered universe. Most people are anthropocentric. That is, everything they believe revolves around them. They are their own center. But to the believer, God is to be our center. It is true that we cannot sit here and think 24 hours a day of God.

But what we can do is this. Whatever we are doing, we can think of that in reference to God. How would God have me to do this? What are the principles of Scripture? How does this apply to my life? How do I honor God? How do I glorify God? You understand what I'm saying? If I go to make a plane reservation, many times—and I try to do it every time, and I would say most of the time—I say, "Oh Lord, please put me on the plane that you ordained to land safely."

"I ask for your good providence and your protection. Help me to make the right reservations and the right connections." That's, see, that's thinking of God. That's not forgetting God. I don't just pick up the phone and say, "Hey, I want to make a reservation." When I work, "Lord, help me to do this. Help me to do this right. Help me do it for your honor and your glory." But most of us perform our tasks daily without any reference to God. You think, "Well, we don't need God to do that."

"We know what we're to do." I got news for you folks. If God does not give us breath and strength and ability, we'll not do anything. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to the book of James chapter 4. James chapter 4. And let me show you how practical this is. James chapter 4 and let's begin reading with verse 13. James 4 verse 13. And there are two words that ought to always be in our vocabulary. And I'll show you what those two words are. Look in James 4 verse 13.

What does our Lord say? "Go to now, you that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain. Whereas you know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away. For that you ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live and do this or that." Now, what does James say? We should be saying, "Lord willing."

"We're going to go to Florida this afternoon and preach. Lord willing, I will be home next week doing what I ought to be doing. Lord willing, I'll be in New York preaching. Lord willing, I'll be at your house tomorrow at 10 o'clock." You see what I'm saying? You don't presume upon God. You don't forget God. You've got to understand that it is God who gives us our breath, our ability, everything. And we cannot leave God out of our lives, but most of us on a daily basis forget that God is our Father, our Sovereign, and our God, and we neglect to have any reference to him in our daily lives. And God calls that a forgetting of God. And when we sin, we forget his covenant. Do you realize, folks, you cannot sin without forgetting God's covenant. You cannot sin without forgetting God's law. Or when I say that, I don't mean that it slips your mind, but that you're purposefully oblivious of it. You're not going to obey God. You're going to do what you want to do.

Impatience and Refusing God's Counsel

Forgetfulness leads to impatience; Israel 'waited not for his counsel,' demonstrating a refusal to seek God's will. This condemns God's counsel and provokes Him to anger.

Now let me show you how this works out in our practical everyday life. Go back to Psalm 106. Remember, I told you that one sin begets another sin. Our ignorance and our ingratitude begat our forgetfulness. And also our forgetfulness begets our impatience, where he says in Psalm 106 and verse 13, "They soon forgot his works. They waited not for his counsel." Now, is it not revealing? "They waited not for his counsel." Now their impatience demonstrates that they had forgotten God.

They weren't interested in his word. They weren't interested in his will. They weren't interested in his way. They were too busy and in too big of a hurry to wait upon God. They soon forgot his works. They waited not for his counsel. Do you realize we are just like Israel in the Old Testament? How many of us, when there is something important before us, how many of us wait to act until we've searched out the Word of God to make sure that's what God would have us to do? Then make sure we're not violating a principle of Scripture. Before we take a job, before we move, before we get married, how many really seek to know the will and the word of God? Now watch, they waited not for his counsel. Do you know what our Lord said in Proverbs 8 and verse 14? In Proverbs 8, Jesus Christ is wisdom personified and in that verse he says this, "Counsel is mine and sound wisdom." Do you realize that one of the names of our Lord is Counselor?

Do you realize in Proverbs 21 and verse 30, the Bible says, "There is no knowledge or wisdom or counsel against the Lord." Do you realize Ephesians 1 and verse 11 says that he upholds all things by his own counsel? And yet God says, "They forgot him and waited not for his counsel." What are the results of failing to wait for his counsel? What are the results of failing to seek his word and his will?

I could sum them up under two heads, but let me show you a couple of scriptures. Look, first of all, at Psalm 107 and verse 11. Psalm 107 and verse 11. This is amazing. "Because they rebelled against the words of God and contemned the counsel of the Most High." Note if you would, they contemned the counsel of the Most High. Why? Because they rebelled against His words. Do you realize when you do not wait for God's counsel, when you do not seek God's counsel, in essence, in practicality, you are condemning God's counsel. You're saying it is unworthy of your consideration. And you're wise enough in your own self that you don't need God. So there is a condemnation of God.

Look in Psalm 106 and verse 43. Oh my, "Many times did he deliver them, but they provoked him with their counsel and were brought low for their infirmities." So what are the two results for not seeking God? A condemnation of God on the one hand and his counsel, and on the other hand, you have a provocation of God. You're provoking God to anger by following your own thought, your own life, your own will, your own way without even checking with him. If he's your Father, how dare you not consult with him? If he's your Boss, your Sovereign, your Lord, your Master, how dare you not seek his counsel? Look in Proverbs chapter 1, I'll show you how angry, how provoked God becomes when we refuse and condemn his counsel. Look in Proverbs 1 in verse 25. God says, "But you have set at nought all my counsel and would have none of my reproof." You have set at nought all my counsel and would have none of my reproof. Look what God says.

"I also will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when your fear cometh. When your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish cometh upon you, then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer. They shall seek me early, but they shall not find me for that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord." "They would none of my counsel, they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices." God says, "You won't have my counsel? You condemn my counsel? You won't wait for me? You will follow your own self? Fine," says God. "I'll let you eat the fruit of your own doings. And when you come crying to me that you've made a mess of everything," God said, "I won't listen to you. I won't hear. I'll let you reap in full everything that you've sown." So the very fact that we won't wait upon God means that we condemn his counsel and we provoke him to anger.

Lusting Exceedingly as a Result

Failure to wait on God results in following one's own lusts, as seen in Numbers 11 where Israel craved meat and despised God's provision, leading to judgment.

Let me show you how clearly this is brought forward. Look in Psalm 106 and let's read verse 13 and verse 14. Psalm 106 verse 13.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 106:14-15

"They soon forgot his works. They waited not for his counsel. But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness and tempted God in the desert."

The most obvious result of a failure to wait upon the counsel of God is found in verse 14. What is that? They lusted exceedingly. Are you listening? He who will not wait for the word of God

will inevitably follow his own lust. In fact, the truth is, that's why we won't wait on God. We want our own lusts. We want our own ways. We want our own will. And thus we purposefully forget God so that we may choose what we want. Let me show you from the Scripture where this passage is taken from. I want you to go back in your Bibles first of all to the book of Numbers chapter 11. Numbers chapter 11, and let's begin reading there with verse 4. Numbers 11 verse 4.

"And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting. And the children of Israel also wept again and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely, the cucumbers, the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlics. But now our soul is dried away. There is nothing at all besides this manna before our eyes." I want you to remember something. That manna was supernaturally given by God. That manna was absolutely, perfectly nutritious.

It was everything they needed. Everything. And yet, what they said is, "We don't have our onions, we don't have our leeks, we don't have our garlic, we don't have our fish. Oh, I wish I was back in Egypt so I could eat leeks and garlic and onion and fish." Skip down to verse 18. God said, "And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow, and you shall eat flesh. For you have wept in the ears of the Lord saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? For it was well with us when we were in Egypt. Therefore, the Lord will give you flesh, and you shall eat."

Scripture Reading — Psalm 106:14-15

"You shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days, but even a whole month, until it come out your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you. Watch, because that you have despised the Lord who is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?" God says, "You want some flesh? I'll give it to you, till it comes out your nostrils. You don't want what I provide? You don't want my will and my word and my way? I'll let you have your way." Turn over in your Bibles to Psalm 78. Here's the psalmist's commentary on that passage. Psalm 78. And let's begin reading there with verse 26. And by the way, let's read verse 25 to show you what the Bible says concerning manna. Psalm 78, verse 25, "Man did eat angels' food." They had plenty. They had everything they needed. "He sent the meat to the full. He causeth the east wind to blow in the heaven, and by his power he brought in the south wind."

"He rained flesh upon them as dust, and feathered fowls as the sand of the sea, and he let it fall in midst of their camp round about their habitation. So they did eat and were filled," watch carefully, "for he gave them their own desire. They were not estranged from their lusts, but while the meat was yet in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them and slew the fattest of them." "And smote down the chosen men of Israel." In their lusts, they tempted God. When they preferred their lusts, their will, their way, their word, more than the word of God, it was not only a condemnation of God's counsel and will, but it provoked him to anger because they were choosing their own simple, ignorant, arrogant way above that of a holy and righteous God. It was not their lack of nourishment that led them to complain. It was not their lack of nutrition. Everything that God does is perfect and right. It was their lusts. And they wanted their lusts more than God.

Leanness of Soul

God gave Israel their request but sent leanness into their souls, a testimony against those who prioritize physical desires over spiritual health.

And look in verse, if you would, verse 15 of Psalm 106. Psalm 106, verse 15. Look what the Scripture says.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 106:14-15

"And he gave them their requests, but sent leanness into their souls."

Do you realize that verse is a testimony against professing Christendom today? We have full stomachs, but lean souls. We think more of our physical well-being than we do our spiritual being. He gave them their requests, but sent leanness into their souls. And the leanness of our souls testifies to the fact that we've not waited on the counsel of God. We've not followed his word. I want you to look in your Bibles to Isaiah 40.

The Requirement of Waiting on the Lord

Isaiah 40 promises renewed strength to those who wait on the Lord, but Israel refused to wait, choosing their own lusts instead.

Here is a passage that everyone loves to claim. Many people can quote it, but I want to show you the requirement for this blessing. Isaiah 40, let's begin reading there with verse 29. Isaiah 40, verse 29.

"He giveth the power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength." Don't we want power? Don't we want strength? Yes. "Even the youth shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fail." Now I want to tell you what. I like to show up a young man. Why? Because the youth in this country today think if you're old, you're worthless. They don't understand with age, not only comes experience, but wisdom usually.

That is, if we follow the word of God, it will. I want to tell you something, folks. God can make an old man young in many ways. And that's what he says. "Even the youth shall faint and be weary. The young men shall utterly fall." Watch this, or shall fall. "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint." Now if you want to walk and not faint, if you want to run and not be weary, if you want to mount up with wings of an eagle, if you want to renew your strength, the requirement is waiting upon the Lord.

But they waited not for his counsel. But they followed their own lusts. You and I cannot be renewed physically, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, or anyway until we learn to wait on the Lord.

Applications and Conclusion

Weaver applies the text: temporary faith fails under temptation; refusing God's leadership leads to lust's tyranny; discontent with God's provision is grievous; waiting on God requires subduing lust and humbling ourselves; answered prayer does not always mean blessing.

Now let me try to tie this together and make some applications. The first one is this. Temporary faith, which I mentioned at the beginning of this message, or a temporary believer, will only last until there is a new and fresh temptation. Do you know one of the things that our Lord has promised? That he's going to separate the wheat from the chaff. I'm going to tell you one thing about temptation. One thing about persecution. One thing about opposition. One thing about hard times.

It separates the true believers from those who are not true. And for those who only have a temporary faith, may I remind you of 1 John 2 and verse 19. What did John say about those people who left him and the church? Listen to what he said. "They went out from us, that it might be made manifest that they were not of us. For had they been of us, no doubt, they would have continued with us." The proof that you are a real, genuine believer is that you continue to believe and you continue to trust and you continue to obey regardless of the circumstances and the situation. True believers never give in, give up, or give out. They hold on. Job says, "The righteous shall hold on to his way." There is a temporary believer. But their temporary faith, listen, is based upon experience. Look at Psalm 106, verse 12. "Then believed they his words." When did they believe? When they saw something. When they experienced something. Our faith is not based upon our experiences. Our faith is based upon the Lord Jesus Christ and His infallible Word.

The second application is this. You ought to remember this one. When men refuse to be led by God, they will be driven by their own lusts. When men refuse to be led by God, they will be driven by their own lusts. I want to tell you something. Most of you have known this truth from experience, but lust is a fearful taskmaster because he's never satisfied. Our lives are not to be ruled by our lusts and our desires, but by the Word of God. The third application is this. When men are not content with God's gracious provision, their lusts and desires for more are extremely grievous and heinous to the Lord.

What more could Israel have wanted in the Old Testament? What more could they have needed? Supernaturally led, supernaturally provided for, supernaturally protected, and yet they wanted to murmur against God and complain against Him and tempt Him and provoke Him for a bunch of leeks and garlic and onions. I want you to understand that their desire for those things was in reality a revelation that they were wanting to be back in Egypt, in the old life. And it's grievous to our Lord when a real child of God, even momentarily, desires a life of sin that he was delivered from. That's why the word of God is replete with such verses as "Envy not sinners." There's no reason to envy a wicked man. There's no reason to envy his lifestyle. Because all he brings upon himself and others is judgment and condemnation. And when you and I cannot be content with what God has graciously given us, when we want to tempt God and murmur and complain against him when what he's given us is completely satisfactory,

it's exceedingly grievous to him. The fourth application is this. Let me ask a question. Why is man in general—and I could be extremely personal—why are you in particular so averse to waiting on God's counsel? Let me answer it for you as an individual and for all of us in general. The reason why we are so averse to waiting on God's counsel is because to tarry before God means that we must subdue our lusts and submit to him and humble ourselves and trust in his word alone.

Now you stop and think about that. Because when we come before the Lord, we basically are confessing that we don't have sense enough to get out of the rain. Isn't that what Scripture tells us? "Lean not to thine own understanding, but in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path." And so when we have our problems, and it doesn't matter what the problems are—marital, family, personal, interrelational—it doesn't matter what our problems are. When we come before the Lord and we wait for his word and his leadership, when we search the scriptures and pray and ask God to teach us, we are humbling ourselves and we're saying, "Lord, I know what I want to do. I want to smack him upside the head. But, Lord, I know that's not the answer." Let me ask you, come on.

I wonder if I'm the only sinner. Have you ever wanted to slap somebody upside the head and say, "Listen here, dummy, let me tell you something"? Now, if that hasn't happened to you, either number one, you're far more spiritual than I am, or you're a liar. One of the two. Let me give you an illustration. I just read yesterday. In Texas, there is a $10 million lawsuit against a certain teacher and a school district there because there were three students who went to school on Saturday on a makeup day. And two of the students were sisters and they carried their Bibles.

They were going to be going to a Bible class afterwards. And when the teacher saw those Bibles, she became so infuriated. She marched them to the principal's office. She snatched the Bibles away from those girls and threw them in the trash and said, "We don't allow garbage like this in this school." Another young boy had a Ten Commandments cover on his Bible and she made him take the Ten Commandments cover off the book, not the Bible, but off the book, made him take the Ten Commandments cover off and throw it in the trash. You know what I wanted to do when I heard that? And I said, "Lord, here's exactly what I said. I said, 'Lord, if I want to do that, my question to you is, how do you put up with it?'" I wanted to jerk a knot in her. I'm going to be honest with you. You don't want to slap sense into somebody. But let me ask you one question.

If I drove to Texas and got that woman and slapped her around, who would be in jail? What good would it do? You see what I'm saying? It requires you, if you're going to wait on the Lord, to submit your own passions to him and say, "Lord, I know that's what I want to do, but I know that's not what I should do. So Lord, you tell me what the right thing to do is." And the reason we don't wait upon God is the same reason the Israelites didn't. We want what we want, when we want it, and how we want it, and we want it right now. We want our own lust more than His word. One last thing is this. I want you to understand that just because we pray about something, or just because we ask God for something, and He gives it to us, does not necessarily mean that we have God's blessings upon us.

Because He gave them their request, but He sent leanness into their souls. What is asked for in passion is sometimes given in wrath. And God can answer our prayers, according to Psalm 80, in wrath. And that does not mean that we have the blessing of God upon us just because God hears and answers our prayer. These people got their answer. And I'll guarantee you, when God got through, they wished they'd never tasted a quail in their life. And they learned a valuable lesson. It's more important to wait on the counsel of God than to follow your own lusts. Isn't it amazing how we don't change? How their sins are our sins. And we piously say, "If we were alive then, we wouldn't do that." And we do exactly the same thing today. Because we forget God, and are impatient, and refuse to wait upon his counsel.

Study Guide

Major Themes

The Danger of Temporary Faith

Summary: Faith based on experiences or miracles is temporary and non-saving; true faith endures through trials and temptations.

Evidence: Weaver explains that Israel's belief in Psalm 106:12 was temporary, citing Mark 4:17 and 1 John 2:19 to show that genuine believers continue, while temporary ones fall away.

Forgetfulness as Willful Neglect of God

Summary: Forgetting God is not a memory lapse but a deliberate omission of God from daily life, plans, and decisions.

Evidence: Weaver uses Jeremiah 2:32 and Psalm 10:4 to show that forgetting God means not having Him in our thoughts, and he illustrates this with practical examples like making plans without consulting God.

Impatience and the Refusal to Wait on God's Counsel

Summary: Impatience reveals a heart that condemns God's wisdom and provokes His anger, leading to destructive self-will.

Evidence: Weaver cites Psalm 106:13, 107:11, and Proverbs 1:25-31 to show that not waiting for God's counsel is a rebellion that brings judgment.

The Tyranny of Lust When God's Leadership is Rejected

Summary: When people refuse to be led by God, they become driven by their own lusts, which are never satisfied and lead to spiritual leanness.

Evidence: Weaver points to Numbers 11 and Psalm 106:14-15, showing that Israel's lust for meat resulted in God giving them their request but sending leanness into their souls.

The Necessity of Humble Submission to God's Word

Summary: Waiting on God requires subduing our passions, humbling ourselves, and trusting His word rather than our own understanding.

Evidence: Weaver explains that the reason we avoid waiting on God is because it demands we submit our lusts and trust His counsel, referencing Proverbs 3:5-6 and Isaiah 40:31.

Key Arguments

Temporary faith is not saving faith

Summary: Israel's belief after the Red Sea was temporary and based on sight, not genuine trust; true faith perseveres.

Evidence: Weaver contrasts Psalm 106:12 with Mark 4:17 and 1 John 2:19, arguing that those with temporary faith fall away when trials come.

Forgetfulness leads to impatience and sin

Summary: Forgetting God's works and covenant naturally results in refusing to wait for His counsel, which then leads to lust and rebellion.

Evidence: Weaver traces the progression from Psalm 106:13 to verse 14, showing that 'they soon forgot his works' is followed by 'they waited not for his counsel' and then 'lusted exceedingly.'

Forgetting God is a daily, practical sin

Summary: We forget God not by intellectual denial but by failing to acknowledge Him in our everyday activities and decisions.

Evidence: Weaver uses James 4:13-15 to argue that we should say 'Lord willing' in our plans, and he gives examples like making reservations without prayer.

Refusing God's counsel provokes His anger

Summary: When we ignore God's word and follow our own counsel, we condemn His wisdom and provoke Him to judgment.

Evidence: Weaver cites Psalm 107:11, Psalm 106:43, and Proverbs 1:25-31 to show that God responds to such rebellion with calamity and unanswered prayer.

Answered prayer does not equal God's blessing

Summary: God may grant our requests in wrath, leading to spiritual leanness, as He did with Israel's demand for meat.

Evidence: Weaver explains Psalm 106:15, 'he gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul,' and references Psalm 80 to show that God can answer in wrath.

Waiting on God requires subduing lust

Summary: The reason we do not wait on God is that we want our own desires immediately; waiting demands humility and trust.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'the reason why we are so averse to waiting on God's counsel is because to tarry before God means that we must subdue our lusts and submit to him.'

Scripture References

Psalm 106:1-15

Context: The primary text of the sermon, read at the beginning, focusing on Israel's sins of forgetfulness and impatience.

Psalm 106:12

Context: Used to show Israel's temporary belief after the Red Sea miracle.

Psalm 106:13

Context: The key verse for the sermon, highlighting forgetfulness and impatience.

Psalm 106:14-15

Context: Shows the result of not waiting on God: lusting and leanness of soul.

Mark 4:16-17

Context: Illustrates the temporary believer who falls away when affliction comes.

Exodus 15:22-24

Context: Demonstrates Israel's murmuring for water only three days after the Red Sea.

Exodus 16:1-3

Context: Shows Israel's complaint about food six weeks after the exodus.

Exodus 17:1-3

Context: Further murmuring for water shortly after the food complaint.

Genesis 40:23

Context: Used to define 'forgot' as being oblivious, as the butler forgot Joseph.

Deuteronomy 4:9, 23

Context: Warnings to take heed lest we forget the things seen and the covenant.

Deuteronomy 6:12

Context: Warning not to forget the Lord who brought them out of Egypt.

Deuteronomy 8:11, 14, 19

Context: Further warnings about forgetting God by not keeping His commandments.

Judges 3:7

Context: Israel forgot the Lord and served Baalim.

1 Samuel 12:9

Context: When they forgot the Lord, He sold them into enemy hands.

Psalm 106:21

Context: They forgot God their Savior who did great things in Egypt.

Jeremiah 2:32

Context: God's people have forgotten Him days without number.

Psalm 10:4

Context: The wicked do not seek God; God is not in all their thoughts.

James 4:13-15

Context: We ought to say 'If the Lord will' in our plans, acknowledging God.

Numbers 11:4-6, 18-20

Context: Israel's lusting for meat and God's promise to give it until it becomes loathsome.

Psalm 78:25-31

Context: Commentary on Numbers 11: God gave them their desire but sent leanness and judgment.

Historical References

Israel's crossing of the Red Sea

Context: The miraculous parting of the Red Sea in Exodus 14, which Israel soon forgot.

Israel's murmuring at Marah (Exodus 15)

Context: Three days after the Red Sea, they complained about bitter water.

Israel's complaint about food in the wilderness of Sin (Exodus 16)

Context: Six weeks after the exodus, they murmured for food, remembering Egypt's flesh pots.

Israel's murmuring at Rephidim (Exodus 17)

Context: Further complaint about lack of water shortly after the food incident.

Joseph and the chief butler (Genesis 40-41)

Context: The butler forgot Joseph for two full years, illustrating the meaning of 'forgot.'

John Calvin's commentary on Psalm 106:12

Context: Calvin noted that Israel's faith was temporary and their criminality increased by God's works.

Lawsuit in Texas over Bibles in school

Context: A contemporary illustration of a teacher throwing away students' Bibles, used to show the struggle to wait on God rather than react in anger.

Important Quotes

They soon forgot his works. They waited not for his counsel.

Significance: The central verse of the sermon, identifying the two specific sins of forgetfulness and impatience.

Their faith was temporary.

Significance: Weaver quotes John Calvin to emphasize that Israel's belief after the Red Sea was not saving faith.

They soon forgot his works. Actually, in the Hebrew it is, 'They hastened to forget his works.'

Significance: Highlights the rapidity and eagerness with which Israel forgot God's miracles.

The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

Significance: Defines how forgetting God is manifested: by not having Him in our thoughts.

He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul.

Significance: The key warning that answered prayer does not always indicate God's blessing.

When men refuse to be led by God, they will be driven by their own lusts.

Significance: A concise summary of the consequence of rejecting God's counsel.

The reason why we are so averse to waiting on God's counsel is because to tarry before God means that we must subdue our lusts and submit to him and humble ourselves and trust in his word alone.

Significance: Explains the root cause of impatience: the unwillingness to surrender our desires.

Discussion Questions

What is the difference between temporary faith and saving faith, and how can we examine our own faith in light of Psalm 106:12 and Mark 4:17?

Context: Weaver discusses how Israel's belief was temporary and based on experience, not genuine trust.

In what practical ways do we 'forget God' in our daily lives, and how can we cultivate a constant awareness of His presence and will?

Context: Weaver explains that forgetting God means leaving Him out of our thoughts and plans, using James 4:13-15 as a corrective.

Why is waiting on God's counsel so difficult for us, and what does it reveal about our hearts when we refuse to wait?

Context: Weaver argues that impatience stems from a desire to follow our own lusts rather than submit to God.

How can we distinguish between a legitimate desire and a sinful lust, especially when we are tempted to complain about God's provision?

Context: The sermon contrasts Israel's craving for meat with God's perfect provision of manna, showing that discontent is grievous to God.

What does it mean that God can answer prayer 'in wrath,' and how should this affect our prayer life and desires?

Context: Weaver warns that God gave Israel their request but sent leanness, indicating that answered prayer is not always a sign of blessing.

How does the progression from forgetfulness to impatience to lust illustrate the chain of sin in our own lives, and what steps can we take to break that chain?

Context: The sermon traces the sequence in Psalm 106:13-14, showing how one sin begets another.

Applications

Examine the nature of your faith

Summary: Ensure your faith is not merely temporary, based on experiences, but a genuine, enduring trust in Christ that perseveres through trials.

Evidence: Weaver warns that temporary faith, like Israel's, will fail when temptation comes, citing Mark 4:17 and 1 John 2:19.

Acknowledge God in all your plans

Summary: Make it a habit to say 'Lord willing' and consciously seek God's guidance in daily decisions, rather than acting independently.

Evidence: Weaver uses James 4:13-15 to teach that we should not presume upon tomorrow but submit our plans to God's will.

Wait on the Lord instead of following lusts

Summary: When faced with desires or decisions, pause to seek God's counsel through Scripture and prayer, subduing your own passions.

Evidence: Weaver explains that the reason we don't wait is that we want our own lusts, and he points to Isaiah 40:31 for the blessing of waiting.

Be content with God's provision

Summary: Avoid murmuring and discontent; recognize that God's provision is sufficient and that craving more reveals a heart that despises Him.

Evidence: Weaver highlights Israel's complaint about manna and their lust for meat as a grievous sin that provoked God.

Do not equate answered prayer with God's approval

Summary: Understand that God may grant requests in wrath, leading to spiritual leanness; seek His will above your desires.

Evidence: Weaver warns from Psalm 106:15 that getting what we ask for does not mean we have God's blessing.

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T09:14:04Z

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The Hallelujah of Confession - Part 4 of 16

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Psalm 106, and let's read the first 15 verses. Psalm 106, beginning with verse 1. "Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can show forth all his praise? Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times. Remember me, O Lord, with the favor that thou barest unto thy people. O visit me with thy salvation, that I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance."
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"We have sinned with our fathers. We have committed iniquity. We have done wickedly. Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt. They remembered not the multitude of thy mercies, but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red Sea. Nevertheless, he saved them for his namesake, that he might make his mighty power to be known. He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up. So he led them through the depths as through the wilderness, and he saved them from the hand of them that hated them and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy."
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"And the waters covered their enemies. There was not one of them left. Then believed they his words; they sang his praise. They soon forgot 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."
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Now, this is the fourth message that we are bringing on Psalm 106. Remember, this short series is known as "The Hallelujah of Confession," because first of all, this is the first Hallelujah Psalm. And secondly, the content of this Psalm deals with confession. Just by way of review, remember, if you would please, the first five verses is an invitation where the psalmist gives us four reasons why he is inviting us to praise the Lord. The first one, of course, is found in verse 1, because of his goodness and his mercy. The second one is found in verse 2, because of the innumerable—and I might add, inability of ours to praise God as he is deserving—his innumerable mighty acts, and we cannot give him the glory due his name. And so he says, "Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can show forth all his praise?" So we ought to praise him at least because we need to start somewhere, and although we have an inability to give him the glory that's due to his name.
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Thirdly, he gives us another reason, and that's because of God's blessings upon obedience. And the fourth one is found in verses 4 and 5. The psalmist is seeking there that he may personally experience God's blessing, that he may see God's blessing upon his people and upon his nation. And then secondly, I dealt with verse 6 where he began his confession in general, where he says, "We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity."
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"We have done wickedly," and I pointed out the fact how we sin with our fathers. We sin with them similarly. We sin with them imputatively. We sin with them representatively. We sin with them nationally, and finally we sin with them actually because we engage in the same sins that they engage in. And then when we went to verses 7 through 12 last week, he lists the first two specific sins, and those two specific sins were ignorance and ingratitude. And I dealt with 1 John 1:9 and showed you how confession has to deal with specific sins because real, genuine confession deals with repentance. It means to take the same attitude that God takes toward our sins, and therefore we turn from them. Now, we'll skip down today to verse 13, and we find the next two specific sins.
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He says, "They soon forgot his works. They waited not for his counsel." And so these two specific sins today are forgetfulness and impatience. Let me make this observation that the rapidity with which we move from one sin to another is astonishing. And here we find they move from ignorance and ingratitude to forgetfulness and impatience. Now, it is true that one sin begets another sin, and usually there are links in the chain of sin that we have forged with our own lusts.
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However, I want you to observe that the wickedness and the corruption of the human heart is manifested exceedingly in these verses. Look at verse 12. After the Bible says he saved them for his namesake in verse 8, the Bible says, "Then believed they his words, they sang his praise."
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Now remember, if you would please, here they are at the Red Sea. And they were encompassed with the wilderness on one side and the desert on the other side. The sea was in front of them and Pharaoh and his army was coming behind them. And God supernaturally and powerfully parted the Red Sea, where they went across on dry ground. After they saw that, verse 12 says, "Then believed they his words, they sang his praises." Let me give you the comment that John Calvin made on verse 12, and I want you to listen carefully. He says this.
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"Overpowered by the grandeur of God's works, they were in spite of themselves compelled to believe in God and to give glory to him, and thus the criminality of their rebellion was increased because all their stubbornness was overcome. Yet they immediately relapsed into their former state of unbelief." And then he says this: "Their faith was temporary."
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Now I want you to know two things. First of all, I want you to know that their criminality was increased by the grandeur, by the greatness of God's works. And I want you to know, secondly, that their faith was only temporary. It was a non-saving faith. I want you to hold Psalm 106, but look in your Bibles if you would please to the book of Mark, chapter 4 and verse 17. Mark chapter 4 and verse 17.
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In this passage, you have the parable of the sower, and our Lord is telling us the different responses that people give to the word of God. You have the hard-hearted hearer, that is the one, the seed that fell by the wayside. You have the stony ground hearer, that is the one that fell upon the stones. You have a thorny ground hearer, that is the one that fell among the thorns. And then you have the good ground hearer.
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But I want you to note, if you would please, in verse 17. In fact, go back to verse 16 and you'll see this is the stony ground hearer. He says, "And these are they likewise, which are sown on stony ground, who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness." Here's the type of individual that you think, "Man, this is going to be a great Christian. Look how eagerly and willingly and readily he received the word of God." But then he says in verse 17, "They have no root in themselves."
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"And so endure but for a time. Afterward, when affliction or persecution arises for the word's sake, they are immediately offended." What is our Lord saying? These endure but for a time. There is such a thing as a temporary believer. Now, I did not say a temporary Christian, but a temporary believer. Here is someone who is impressed with the works of God, with the greatness of God. He is so impressed that he believes at least until the next temptation comes along or the next persecution comes along or until it gets too exacting for him to believe in this, he relinquishes the faith.
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Now go back to Psalm 106. You see these in Psalm 106 and verse 12 were only temporary believers. I'm going to show you how temporary they were. Look if you would, Psalm 106 in verse 12. The Bible says, "Then believed they his words. They sang his praise." Ah, but look at verse 13. "They soon forgot his works."
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"They waited not for his counsel." Now note that they soon forgot his works. Actually, in the Hebrew it is, "They hastened to forget his works."
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Now let me ask you this question. Well, how soon was it they forgot his works? Let me point this out. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Exodus chapter 15 very quickly. Exodus chapter 15. I hope you remember that the exodus, that is, the going through the Red Sea occurred in Exodus chapter 14. OK, now you're in Exodus chapter 15 and look at verse 22. Exodus 15 and verse 22. "So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur, and they went three days into the wilderness and found no water."
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"And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?" In three days' time, they had forgotten the miracle at the Red Sea. And in three days' time they were murmuring for water. They soon forgot his works. If you will look in Exodus chapter 16 and let's begin reading there with verse 1 through 3. This took place only six weeks after the exodus. "And they took their journey from Elim, and the congregation of the children of Israel came into the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots and when we did eat bread to the full, for you have brought us forth into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."
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So within three days they were complaining because there was no water. And within six weeks they were complaining because they didn't have a sufficient amount of food. They thought they'd explain. And if you look at chapter 17, within just a few days later they were yet murmuring about a lack of water again. "And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin after the journeys according to the commandment of the Lord and pitched in Rephidim, and there was no water for the people to drink. Wherefore, the people did chide with Moses and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said to them, Why chide ye with me? Wherefore do you tempt the Lord?"
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So when you look back at Psalm 106 and verse 13, and you read this phrase, "They soon forgot his works," it only took them three days to forget the miracle of the Red Sea. Six weeks later, they were murmuring for food, and a few days later again, they were murmuring over a lack of water. Now listen to me. The sins of ignorance and ingratitude will always lead to the sins of forgetfulness and impatience. That's why he says in verse 13, "They soon forgot his works." Now let me deal for a little while with the sin of forgetfulness. The Bible said they soon forgot his works.
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Now this word "forgot" occurs 102 times in the Old Testament. It is the word shakach, and it literally means to mislay or to be oblivious to.
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Now stop and think about that. To mislay or to be oblivious to—that would be a total forgetfulness. Let me show you how this word is used. I want you to turn back in your Bibles to the book of Genesis chapter 40. Genesis chapter 40. You'll remember that Joseph is in prison. The butler and the baker have a dream. And Joseph interprets the dreams correctly. And he tells the butler especially to remember him when he stands before Pharaoh, because Joseph has done nothing wrong to be in prison. So in Genesis chapter 40 and verse 23, look at it. Genesis 40 verse 23. The Bible says, "Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgot him." Now, the chief butler was restored to his butlership exactly the way Joseph said he would be. And the only thing that Joseph asked was, "You remember me?" But the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. Now watch this. Look in chapter 41 and verse 9. 41 verse 9. Now the chief butler is speaking to Pharaoh. "Then spake the chief butler to Pharaoh saying, I do remember my faults this day."
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Do you realize when he is telling Pharaoh this and remembering Joseph, there was a lapse of two full years. So for two full years, the chief butler was oblivious to the existence of Joseph. He totally forgot him. But one day he did remember.
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Now let me ask a question. Is it possible to forget God? Is it possible to forget the works of God? And the answer to both questions is yes. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 4. Let me just show you a number of passages without expounding them to demonstrate how extremely possible it is to forget God, and I'm going to demonstrate to you how easily we do exactly that. Look in Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verse 9. Look what God tells the people.
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He says, "Only take heed to thyself and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life. But teach them thy sons and thy sons' sons." Now God says you better take diligent heed, lest you forget the things which you have seen. Skip down to verse 23. Same chapter, verse 23. God says, "Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image or the likeness of anything which the Lord thy God hath forbidden thee." Now note, he said, "Take heed unto yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you." So it's not just possible to forget the works of God. It's also possible to forget the covenant of God. Look in chapter 6 and verse 12. Deuteronomy 6 and verse 12. Here he says this: "Then beware, lest thou forget the Lord which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage."
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Ah, now beware, lest you forget the Lord, not just his works, not just his covenant, but the Lord himself. Go to chapter 8 and verse 11. Deuteronomy 8 verse 11. He says, "Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God in not keeping his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, which I command thee this day." Now look again. "Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God in not keeping his commandments, his judgments, and his statutes."
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Now I'm going to explain this in just a moment, but do you realize when God's law says, "Thou shalt not steal"—and no, we're not going to stick a pistol to someone's face and take their money. We know that's wrong. But when we beat someone out of something that is rightfully theirs, that is theft as well. When we defraud someone, that is theft as well. And when you and I act fraudulently, we have forgotten God. Because we have forgotten his covenant. And thus we forgot him, so he says in verse 11, "Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God in not keeping his commandments." Look in verse 14. "Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, who brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage." Verse 19, "And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day, that you shall surely perish." So when we do not worship the one true and the living God, we have forgotten him. Turn over your Bibles to the book of Judges chapter 3 and look at verse 7. Judges chapter 3 verse 7. "And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and forgot the Lord their God and served Baalim and the groves." Note they forgot the Lord their God. Turn over to 1 Samuel chapter 12 and verse 9. 1 Samuel chapter 12 verse 9.
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Notice if you would what Scripture says. 1 Samuel 12 verse 9. "And when they forgot the Lord their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hand of the kingdom of Moab, and they fought against them." When they forgot the Lord. Now turn over in your Bibles back to Psalm 106 and look if you would please at verse 21. Psalm 106 and verse 21.
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This is almost incomprehensible and yet we do it daily. Psalm 106 verse 21, "They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt." They forgot God, their Savior. Let me point something out to you. Do you realize it is not only extremely possible that we can forget God as individuals, as families, even as churches, but it's possible to forget God as a nation. May I remind you of Psalm 9 and verse 17? "The nations that forget God shall be turned into hell." Now, it's not only possible then to forget God's works, God's covenant, and God himself.
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How do we do that? When we presume upon God, when we take him for granted, when we become oblivious to his person, his power, and his presence.
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Now the interesting thing is that after God had done such a tremendously great miracle for Israel, parting the Red Sea, within three days' time, they have forgotten all of that wonderful work. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Jeremiah chapter 2 and look at verse 32. Jeremiah 2 verse 32. To me, this is one of the most grievous verses in the entire Bible. And I want you to apply this first to yourself. I want you to think about this with me. Jeremiah 2 in verse 32. Look at the questions that are asked.
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"Can a maid forget her ornaments?" I mean, you ladies, you didn't forget your jewelry this morning. No, you remember that. "Can a bride forget her attire?" How many brides have you ever known that forgot their wedding dress when they went to be married? No, you don't forget that. "Can a maid forget her ornaments or a bride her attire?" Look what God says. "Yet my people have forgotten me days without number." Yet my people have forgotten me days without number. How could God's people forget God? I mean, let's be honest. There's some things I just don't forget. A lot of things I do forget. I don't forget my carrot juice every morning.
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I want that first thing. And if it's not ready, I ask my wife, "Please make some right now. I'm ready for it. I want it." I don't forget that. There are a lot of things in your life that you don't forget. You don't forget to get up and go to work. You don't forget to go to bed at night. Kids don't forget to play. James, have you ever forgotten to play? I didn't think so. Have you ever forgotten to work, though? I thought that, yes. But you know, there are some things we don't forget. But God says, "My people have forgotten me days without number." How is it that we forget God? Not by doubting his existence.
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Not by forgetting the fact that there is a supreme power somewhere in the universe. How do we forget it? Yet he says, "My people have forgotten me days without number." Let me show you a verse. Look if you would please at Psalm 10 and verse 4. I want you to see the complaint that God lodges against the wicked. Here's a complaint that God lodges against the wicked. And this will explain how we forget God. Look at this complaint. Psalm 10 verse 4. "The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God. God is not in all his thoughts." Now look at that again. "The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God. God is not in all his thoughts." Now, how do we forget God? Do wicked people forget God? Well, of course. They're not interested in God. They're not interested in his word. They're not interested in his will. They're not interested in anything about God. Do you realize unbelievers go not only days and weeks, but months without thinking of God, years without thinking of God.
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God is not even in their mind. When an unbeliever has a problem, he doesn't think, "Oh, let me go to the Bible and see what the Bible says as to how to resolve this problem." No, he just does what he wants to do. He has no thought and no reference to God. God is not in all of his thoughts. How do we forget God? By exactly the same principle that the wicked man forgets God. Why does the wicked man forget God? Because God is not his center.
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You know, we talk about a theocentric universe. That is a God-centered universe. And we talk about an anthropocentric universe. That is a man-centered universe. Most people are anthropocentric. That is, everything they believe revolves around them. They are their own center. But to the believer, God is to be our center. It is true that we cannot sit here and think 24 hours a day of God.
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But what we can do is this. Whatever we are doing, we can think of that in reference to God. How would God have me to do this? What are the principles of Scripture? How does this apply to my life? How do I honor God? How do I glorify God? You understand what I'm saying? If I go to make a plane reservation, many times—and I try to do it every time, and I would say most of the time—I say, "Oh Lord, please put me on the plane that you ordained to land safely."
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"I ask for your good providence and your protection. Help me to make the right reservations and the right connections." That's, see, that's thinking of God. That's not forgetting God. I don't just pick up the phone and say, "Hey, I want to make a reservation." When I work, "Lord, help me to do this. Help me to do this right. Help me do it for your honor and your glory." But most of us perform our tasks daily without any reference to God. You think, "Well, we don't need God to do that."
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"We know what we're to do." I got news for you folks. If God does not give us breath and strength and ability, we'll not do anything. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to the book of James chapter 4. James chapter 4. And let me show you how practical this is. James chapter 4 and let's begin reading with verse 13. James 4 verse 13. And there are two words that ought to always be in our vocabulary. And I'll show you what those two words are. Look in James 4 verse 13.
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What does our Lord say? "Go to now, you that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain. Whereas you know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away. For that you ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live and do this or that." Now, what does James say? We should be saying, "Lord willing."
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"We're going to go to Florida this afternoon and preach. Lord willing, I will be home next week doing what I ought to be doing. Lord willing, I'll be in New York preaching. Lord willing, I'll be at your house tomorrow at 10 o'clock." You see what I'm saying? You don't presume upon God. You don't forget God. You've got to understand that it is God who gives us our breath, our ability, everything. And we cannot leave God out of our lives, but most of us on a daily basis forget that God is our Father, our Sovereign, and our God, and we neglect to have any reference to him in our daily lives. And God calls that a forgetting of God. And when we sin, we forget his covenant. Do you realize, folks, you cannot sin without forgetting God's covenant. You cannot sin without forgetting God's law. Or when I say that, I don't mean that it slips your mind, but that you're purposefully oblivious of it. You're not going to obey God. You're going to do what you want to do.
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So God says, "My people have forgotten me days without number."
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Now let me show you how this works out in our practical everyday life. Go back to Psalm 106. Remember, I told you that one sin begets another sin. Our ignorance and our ingratitude begat our forgetfulness. And also our forgetfulness begets our impatience, where he says in Psalm 106 and verse 13, "They soon forgot his works. They waited not for his counsel." Now, is it not revealing? "They waited not for his counsel." Now their impatience demonstrates that they had forgotten God.
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They weren't interested in his word. They weren't interested in his will. They weren't interested in his way. They were too busy and in too big of a hurry to wait upon God. They soon forgot his works. They waited not for his counsel. Do you realize we are just like Israel in the Old Testament? How many of us, when there is something important before us, how many of us wait to act until we've searched out the Word of God to make sure that's what God would have us to do? Then make sure we're not violating a principle of Scripture. Before we take a job, before we move, before we get married, how many really seek to know the will and the word of God? Now watch, they waited not for his counsel. Do you know what our Lord said in Proverbs 8 and verse 14? In Proverbs 8, Jesus Christ is wisdom personified and in that verse he says this, "Counsel is mine and sound wisdom." Do you realize that one of the names of our Lord is Counselor?
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Do you realize in Proverbs 21 and verse 30, the Bible says, "There is no knowledge or wisdom or counsel against the Lord." Do you realize Ephesians 1 and verse 11 says that he upholds all things by his own counsel? And yet God says, "They forgot him and waited not for his counsel." What are the results of failing to wait for his counsel? What are the results of failing to seek his word and his will?
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I could sum them up under two heads, but let me show you a couple of scriptures. Look, first of all, at Psalm 107 and verse 11. Psalm 107 and verse 11. This is amazing.
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"Because they rebelled against the words of God and contemned the counsel of the Most High." Note if you would, they contemned the counsel of the Most High. Why? Because they rebelled against His words. Do you realize when you do not wait for God's counsel, when you do not seek God's counsel, in essence, in practicality, you are condemning God's counsel. You're saying it is unworthy of your consideration. And you're wise enough in your own self that you don't need God. So there is a condemnation of God.
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Look in Psalm 106 and verse 43. Oh my, "Many times did he deliver them, but they provoked him with their counsel and were brought low for their infirmities." So what are the two results for not seeking God? A condemnation of God on the one hand and his counsel, and on the other hand, you have a provocation of God. You're provoking God to anger by following your own thought, your own life, your own will, your own way without even checking with him.
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If he's your Father, how dare you not consult with him? If he's your Boss, your Sovereign, your Lord, your Master, how dare you not seek his counsel? Look in Proverbs chapter 1, I'll show you how angry, how provoked God becomes when we refuse and condemn his counsel. Look in Proverbs 1 in verse 25. God says, "But you have set at nought all my counsel and would have none of my reproof." You have set at nought all my counsel and would have none of my reproof. Look what God says.
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"I also will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when your fear cometh. When your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish cometh upon you, then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer. They shall seek me early, but they shall not find me for that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord."
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"They would none of my counsel, they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices." God says, "You won't have my counsel? You condemn my counsel? You won't wait for me? You will follow your own self? Fine," says God. "I'll let you eat the fruit of your own doings. And when you come crying to me that you've made a mess of everything," God said, "I won't listen to you. I won't hear. I'll let you reap in full everything that you've sown." So the very fact that we won't wait upon God means that we condemn his counsel and we provoke him to anger.
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Let me show you how clearly this is brought forward. Look in Psalm 106 and let's read verse 13 and verse 14. Psalm 106 verse 13. "They soon forgot his works. They waited not for his counsel. But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness and tempted God in the desert." The most obvious result of a failure to wait upon the counsel of God is found in verse 14. What is that? They lusted exceedingly. Are you listening? He who will not wait for the word of God
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will inevitably follow his own lust. In fact, the truth is, that's why we won't wait on God. We want our own lusts. We want our own ways. We want our own will. And thus we purposefully forget God so that we may choose what we want. Let me show you from the Scripture where this passage is taken from. I want you to go back in your Bibles first of all to the book of Numbers chapter 11. Numbers chapter 11, and let's begin reading there with verse 4. Numbers 11 verse 4.
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"And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting. And the children of Israel also wept again and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely, the cucumbers, the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlics. But now our soul is dried away. There is nothing at all besides this manna before our eyes." I want you to remember something. That manna was supernaturally given by God. That manna was absolutely, perfectly nutritious.
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It was everything they needed. Everything. And yet, what they said is, "We don't have our onions, we don't have our leeks, we don't have our garlic, we don't have our fish. Oh, I wish I was back in Egypt so I could eat leeks and garlic and onion and fish." Skip down to verse 18. God said, "And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow, and you shall eat flesh. For you have wept in the ears of the Lord saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? For it was well with us when we were in Egypt. Therefore, the Lord will give you flesh, and you shall eat."
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"You shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days, but even a whole month, until it come out your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you. Watch, because that you have despised the Lord who is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?" God says, "You want some flesh? I'll give it to you, till it comes out your nostrils. You don't want what I provide? You don't want my will and my word and my way? I'll let you have your way."
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Turn over in your Bibles to Psalm 78. Here's the psalmist's commentary on that passage. Psalm 78. And let's begin reading there with verse 26. And by the way, let's read verse 25 to show you what the Bible says concerning manna. Psalm 78, verse 25, "Man did eat angels' food." They had plenty. They had everything they needed. "He sent the meat to the full. He causeth the east wind to blow in the heaven, and by his power he brought in the south wind."
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"He rained flesh upon them as dust, and feathered fowls as the sand of the sea, and he let it fall in midst of their camp round about their habitation. So they did eat and were filled," watch carefully, "for he gave them their own desire. They were not estranged from their lusts, but while the meat was yet in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them and slew the fattest of them."
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"And smote down the chosen men of Israel." In their lusts, they tempted God. When they preferred their lusts, their will, their way, their word, more than the word of God, it was not only a condemnation of God's counsel and will, but it provoked him to anger because they were choosing their own simple, ignorant, arrogant way above that of a holy and righteous God. It was not their lack of nourishment that led them to complain. It was not their lack of nutrition. Everything that God does is perfect and right. It was their lusts. And they wanted their lusts more than God.
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And look in verse, if you would, verse 15 of Psalm 106. Psalm 106, verse 15. Look what the Scripture says. "And he gave them their requests, but sent leanness into their souls." Do you realize that verse is a testimony against professing Christendom today? We have full stomachs, but lean souls. We think more of our physical well-being than we do our spiritual being. He gave them their requests, but sent leanness into their souls. And the leanness of our souls testifies to the fact that we've not waited on the counsel of God. We've not followed his word. I want you to look in your Bibles to Isaiah 40.
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Here is a passage that everyone loves to claim. Many people can quote it, but I want to show you the requirement for this blessing. Isaiah 40, let's begin reading there with verse 29. Isaiah 40, verse 29.
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"He giveth the power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength." Don't we want power? Don't we want strength? Yes. "Even the youth shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fail." Now I want to tell you what. I like to show up a young man. Why? Because the youth in this country today think if you're old, you're worthless. They don't understand with age, not only comes experience, but wisdom usually.
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That is, if we follow the word of God, it will. I want to tell you something, folks. God can make an old man young in many ways. And that's what he says. "Even the youth shall faint and be weary. The young men shall utterly fall." Watch this, or shall fall. "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint." Now if you want to walk and not faint, if you want to run and not be weary, if you want to mount up with wings of an eagle, if you want to renew your strength, the requirement is waiting upon the Lord.
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But they waited not for his counsel. But they followed their own lusts. You and I cannot be renewed physically, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, or anyway until we learn to wait on the Lord.
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Now look back at Psalm 106. You watch this carefully. I want you to see that sin begets sin. The ignorance and ingratitude of verse 7 begat the forgetfulness and the impatience in verse 13. And their forgetfulness and impatience was manifested by their lusting and following their own lusts instead of the Word of God.
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Now let me try to tie this together and make some applications. The first one is this. Temporary faith, which I mentioned at the beginning of this message, or a temporary believer, will only last until there is a new and fresh temptation. Do you know one of the things that our Lord has promised? That he's going to separate the wheat from the chaff. I'm going to tell you one thing about temptation. One thing about persecution. One thing about opposition. One thing about hard times.
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It separates the true believers from those who are not true. And for those who only have a temporary faith, may I remind you of 1 John 2 and verse 19. What did John say about those people who left him and the church? Listen to what he said. "They went out from us, that it might be made manifest that they were not of us. For had they been of us, no doubt, they would have continued with us."
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The proof that you are a real, genuine believer is that you continue to believe and you continue to trust and you continue to obey regardless of the circumstances and the situation. True believers never give in, give up, or give out. They hold on. Job says, "The righteous shall hold on to his way." There is a temporary believer. But their temporary faith, listen, is based upon experience. Look at Psalm 106, verse 12. "Then believed they his words." When did they believe? When they saw something. When they experienced something. Our faith is not based upon our experiences. Our faith is based upon the Lord Jesus Christ and His infallible Word.
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The second application is this. You ought to remember this one. When men refuse to be led by God, they will be driven by their own lusts. When men refuse to be led by God, they will be driven by their own lusts. I want to tell you something. Most of you have known this truth from experience, but lust is a fearful taskmaster because he's never satisfied. Our lives are not to be ruled by our lusts and our desires, but by the Word of God. The third application is this. When men are not content with God's gracious provision, their lusts and desires for more are extremely grievous and heinous to the Lord.
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What more could Israel have wanted in the Old Testament? What more could they have needed? Supernaturally led, supernaturally provided for, supernaturally protected, and yet they wanted to murmur against God and complain against Him and tempt Him and provoke Him for a bunch of leeks and garlic and onions. I want you to understand that their desire for those things was in reality a revelation that they were wanting to be back in Egypt, in the old life. And it's grievous to our Lord when a real child of God, even momentarily, desires a life of sin
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that he was delivered from. That's why the word of God is replete with such verses as "Envy not sinners." There's no reason to envy a wicked man. There's no reason to envy his lifestyle. Because all he brings upon himself and others is judgment and condemnation. And when you and I cannot be content with what God has graciously given us, when we want to tempt God and murmur and complain against him when what he's given us is completely satisfactory,
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it's exceedingly grievous to him. The fourth application is this. Let me ask a question. Why is man in general—and I could be extremely personal—why are you in particular so averse to waiting on God's counsel? Let me answer it for you as an individual and for all of us in general. The reason why we are so averse to waiting on God's counsel is because to tarry before God means that we must subdue our lusts and submit to him and humble ourselves and trust in his word alone.
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Now you stop and think about that. Because when we come before the Lord, we basically are confessing that we don't have sense enough to get out of the rain. Isn't that what Scripture tells us? "Lean not to thine own understanding, but in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path." And so when we have our problems, and it doesn't matter what the problems are—marital, family, personal, interrelational—it doesn't matter what our problems are. When we come before the Lord and we wait for his word and his leadership, when we search the scriptures and pray and ask God to teach us, we are humbling ourselves and we're saying, "Lord, I know what I want to do. I want to smack him upside the head. But, Lord, I know that's not the answer." Let me ask you, come on.
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I wonder if I'm the only sinner. Have you ever wanted to slap somebody upside the head and say, "Listen here, dummy, let me tell you something"?
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Now, if that hasn't happened to you, either number one, you're far more spiritual than I am, or you're a liar. One of the two. Let me give you an illustration. I just read yesterday. In Texas, there is a $10 million lawsuit against a certain teacher and a school district there because there were three students who went to school on Saturday on a makeup day. And two of the students were sisters and they carried their Bibles.
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They were going to be going to a Bible class afterwards. And when the teacher saw those Bibles, she became so infuriated. She marched them to the principal's office. She snatched the Bibles away from those girls and threw them in the trash and said, "We don't allow garbage like this in this school." Another young boy had a Ten Commandments cover on his Bible and she made him take the Ten Commandments cover off the book, not the Bible, but off the book, made him take the Ten Commandments cover off and throw it in the trash.
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You know what I wanted to do when I heard that? And I said, "Lord, here's exactly what I said. I said, 'Lord, if I want to do that, my question to you is, how do you put up with it?'" I wanted to jerk a knot in her. I'm going to be honest with you. You don't want to slap sense into somebody. But let me ask you one question.
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If I drove to Texas and got that woman and slapped her around, who would be in jail? What good would it do? You see what I'm saying? It requires you, if you're going to wait on the Lord, to submit your own passions to him and say, "Lord, I know that's what I want to do, but I know that's not what I should do. So Lord, you tell me what the right thing to do is." And the reason we don't wait upon God is the same reason the Israelites didn't. We want what we want, when we want it, and how we want it, and we want it right now. We want our own lust more than His word. One last thing is this. I want you to understand that just because we pray about something, or just because we ask God for something, and He gives it to us, does not necessarily mean that we have God's blessings upon us.
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Because He gave them their request, but He sent leanness into their souls. What is asked for in passion is sometimes given in wrath. And God can answer our prayers, according to Psalm 80, in wrath. And that does not mean that we have the blessing of God upon us just because God hears and answers our prayer. These people got their answer. And I'll guarantee you, when God got through, they wished they'd never tasted a quail in their life.
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And they learned a valuable lesson. It's more important to wait on the counsel of God than to follow your own lusts. Isn't it amazing how we don't change? How their sins are our sins. And we piously say, "If we were alive then, we wouldn't do that." And we do exactly the same thing today. Because we forget God, and are impatient, and refuse to wait upon his counsel.
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And we end up in just as much trouble as they did. Let's pray. Father, we will ask thee today to help us not to forget thee. Not to forget thy works, not to forget thy covenant. Every day thou shouldest be the center of our lives. Thy word should be the center and the focus of our thoughts. And how that we can apply our life to thee and to thy word should require our utmost attention. Lord, we have forgotten thee. As thy word did say, we have forgotten thee days without number. We've made plans without thee. We've done things without thee. We've said things without thinking them through according to your word. We just simply sinned against thee, and we ask thy forgiveness and thy blessing and help in Christ's name. Amen.
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And we end up in just as much trouble as they did. Let's pray. Father, we will ask thee today to help us not to forget thee. Not to forget thy works, not to forget thy covenant. Every day thou shouldest be the center of our lives. Thy word should be the center and the focus of our thoughts. And how that we can apply our life to thee and to thy word should require our utmost attention. Lord, we have forgotten thee. As thy word did say, we have forgotten thee days without number. We've made plans without thee. We've done things without thee. We've said things without thinking them through according to your word. We just simply sinned against thee, and we ask thy forgiveness. and thy blessing and help in Christ's name. Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T17:49:04Z

The Hallelujah of Confession - Part 4 of 16

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

In this fourth message on Psalm 106, John Weaver examines the sins of forgetfulness and impatience as revealed in verse 13. He shows how Israel quickly forgot God's miraculous works at the Red Sea and refused to wait for His counsel, leading them to lust after their own desires. Weaver emphasizes that temporary faith based on experience will not endure, and that forgetting God is not merely a lapse of memory but a willful neglect of His person, works, and covenant. The failure to wait on God results in condemning His counsel and provoking His anger, ultimately bringing leanness to the soul even when requests are granted. Applications include the danger of temporary faith, the tyranny of lust when God's leadership is rejected, and the necessity of humbly submitting to God's word rather than following our own passions.

Opening

Psalm 106, and let's read the first 15 verses. Psalm 106, beginning with verse 1.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 106:1-15

"Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can show forth all his praise? Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times. Remember me, O Lord, with the favor that thou barest unto thy people. O visit me with thy salvation, that I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance."

Introduction and Review

The Next Specific Sins: Forgetfulness and Impatience

Temporary Faith at the Red Sea

Israel's belief and praise after the Red Sea miracle was only temporary; their faith was based on experience and quickly vanished, illustrating the nature of a non-saving, temporary believer.

The Rapidity of Forgetting God's Works

Within three days of the Red Sea crossing, Israel murmured for water; within six weeks, they complained about food, demonstrating how soon they forgot God's mighty acts.

Scripture Reading — Exodus 15:22-24

"And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?"

Scripture Reading — Exodus 15:22-24

"And they took their journey from Elim, and the congregation of the children of Israel came into the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots and when we did eat bread to the full, for you have brought us forth into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."

The Sin of Forgetfulness Defined

The Hebrew word for 'forgot' means to mislay or be oblivious; Scripture repeatedly warns against forgetting God, His works, and His covenant, showing it is a willful neglect.

Scripture Reading — Genesis 40:23

"Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but

He says,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 4:9, 23

"Only take heed to thyself and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life. But teach them thy sons and thy sons' sons."

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 4:9, 23

"Then beware, lest thou forget the Lord which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage."

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 6:12

Ah, now beware, lest you forget the Lord, not just his works, not just his covenant, but the Lord himself. Go to chapter 8 and verse 11. Deuteronomy 8 verse 11. He says, "Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God in not keeping his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, which I command thee this day." Now look again. "Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God in not keeping his commandments, his judgments, and his statutes."

How do we do that? When we presume upon God, when we take him for granted, when we become oblivious to his person, his power, and his presence.

How We Forget God

We forget God not by doubting His existence but by leaving Him out of our daily thoughts and actions, failing to reference Him in our plans and decisions, just as the wicked do.

This is almost incomprehensible and yet we do it daily. Psalm 106 verse 21,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 106:21

"They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt."

Scripture Reading — Psalm 10:4

"The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God. God is not in all his thoughts."

Now look at that again.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 10:4

"The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God. God is not in all his thoughts."

Impatience and Refusing God's Counsel

Forgetfulness leads to impatience; Israel 'waited not for his counsel,' demonstrating a refusal to seek God's will. This condemns God's counsel and provokes Him to anger.

Lusting Exceedingly as a Result

Failure to wait on God results in following one's own lusts, as seen in Numbers 11 where Israel craved meat and despised God's provision, leading to judgment.

Let me show you how clearly this is brought forward. Look in Psalm 106 and let's read verse 13 and verse 14. Psalm 106 verse 13.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 106:14-15

"They soon forgot his works. They waited not for his counsel. But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness and tempted God in the desert."

The most obvious result of a failure to wait upon the counsel of God is found in verse 14. What is that? They lusted exceedingly. Are you listening? He who will not wait for the word of God

Scripture Reading — Psalm 106:14-15

"You shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days, but even a whole month, until it come out your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you. Watch, because that you have despised the Lord who is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?" God says, "You want some flesh? I'll give it to you, till it comes out your nostrils. You don't want what I provide? You don't want my will and my word and my way? I'll let you have your way." Turn over in your Bibles to Psalm 78. Here's the psalmist's commentary on that passage. Psalm 78. And let's begin reading there with verse 26. And by the way, let's read verse 25 to show you what the Bible says concerning manna. Psalm 78, verse 25, "Man did eat angels' food." They had plenty. They had everything they needed. "He sent the meat to the full. He causeth the east wind to blow in the heaven, and by his power he brought in the south wind."

Leanness of Soul

God gave Israel their request but sent leanness into their souls, a testimony against those who prioritize physical desires over spiritual health.

And look in verse, if you would, verse 15 of Psalm 106. Psalm 106, verse 15. Look what the Scripture says.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 106:14-15

"And he gave them their requests, but sent leanness into their souls."

The Requirement of Waiting on the Lord

Isaiah 40 promises renewed strength to those who wait on the Lord, but Israel refused to wait, choosing their own lusts instead.

But they waited not for his counsel. But they followed their own lusts. You and I cannot be renewed physically, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, or anyway until we learn to wait on the Lord.

Applications and Conclusion

The Hallelujah of Confession - Part 4 of 16

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	113092010508
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Exodus: Bondage, Deliverance, and Passover: The Superiority of Christ
Genre	Sermon
Date	2000-05-28
Dictation Name
Book	Book 053: The Hallelujah of Confession — Chapter 4
Source Timed Segments	82

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Review: Weaver introduces the fourth message on Psalm 106, reviewing the first five verses as an invitation to praise God for His goodness, mercy, mighty acts, and blessings, and verse 6 as a general confession of sin.
The Next Specific Sins: Forgetfulness and Impatience: Verse 13 reveals two specific sins: 'They soon forgot his works' and 'They waited not for his counsel,' showing how quickly Israel moved from ignorance and ingratitude to forgetfulness and impatience.
Temporary Faith at the Red Sea: Israel's belief and praise after the Red Sea miracle was only temporary; their faith was based on experience and quickly vanished, illustrating the nature of a non-saving, temporary believer.
The Rapidity of Forgetting God's Works: Within three days of the Red Sea crossing, Israel murmured for water; within six weeks, they complained about food, demonstrating how soon they forgot God's mighty acts.
The Sin of Forgetfulness Defined: The Hebrew word for 'forgot' means to mislay or be oblivious; Scripture repeatedly warns against forgetting God, His works, and His covenant, showing it is a willful neglect.
How We Forget God: We forget God not by doubting His existence but by leaving Him out of our daily thoughts and actions, failing to reference Him in our plans and decisions, just as the wicked do.
Impatience and Refusing God's Counsel: Forgetfulness leads to impatience; Israel 'waited not for his counsel,' demonstrating a refusal to seek God's will. This condemns God's counsel and provokes Him to anger.
Lusting Exceedingly as a Result: Failure to wait on God results in following one's own lusts, as seen in Numbers 11 where Israel craved meat and despised God's provision, leading to judgment.
Leanness of Soul: God gave Israel their request but sent leanness into their souls, a testimony against those who prioritize physical desires over spiritual health.
The Requirement of Waiting on the Lord: Isaiah 40 promises renewed strength to those who wait on the Lord, but Israel refused to wait, choosing their own lusts instead.
Applications and Conclusion: Weaver applies the text: temporary faith fails under temptation; refusing God's leadership leads to lust's tyranny; discontent with God's provision is grievous; waiting on God requires subduing lust and humbling ourselves; answered prayer does not always mean blessing.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Temporary faith is not saving faith

Israel's belief after the Red Sea was temporary and based on sight, not genuine trust; true faith perseveres.

Weaver contrasts Psalm 106:12 with Mark 4:17 and 1 John 2:19, arguing that those with temporary faith fall away when trials come.

Forgetfulness leads to impatience and sin

Forgetting God's works and covenant naturally results in refusing to wait for His counsel, which then leads to lust and rebellion.

Weaver traces the progression from Psalm 106:13 to verse 14, showing that 'they soon forgot his works' is followed by 'they waited not for his counsel' and then 'lusted exceedingly.'

Forgetting God is a daily, practical sin

We forget God not by intellectual denial but by failing to acknowledge Him in our everyday activities and decisions.

Weaver uses James 4:13-15 to argue that we should say 'Lord willing' in our plans, and he gives examples like making reservations without prayer.

Refusing God's counsel provokes His anger

When we ignore God's word and follow our own counsel, we condemn His wisdom and provoke Him to judgment.

Weaver cites Psalm 107:11, Psalm 106:43, and Proverbs 1:25-31 to show that God responds to such rebellion with calamity and unanswered prayer.

Answered prayer does not equal God's blessing

God may grant our requests in wrath, leading to spiritual leanness, as He did with Israel's demand for meat.

Weaver explains Psalm 106:15, 'he gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul,' and references Psalm 80 to show that God can answer in wrath.

Waiting on God requires subduing lust

The reason we do not wait on God is that we want our own desires immediately; waiting demands humility and trust.

Weaver states, 'the reason why we are so averse to waiting on God's counsel is because to tarry before God means that we must subdue our lusts and submit to him.'

Scripture References

Psalm 106:1-15: The primary text of the sermon, read at the beginning, focusing on Israel's sins of forgetfulness and impatience.
Psalm 106:12: Used to show Israel's temporary belief after the Red Sea miracle.
Psalm 106:13: The key verse for the sermon, highlighting forgetfulness and impatience.
Psalm 106:14-15: Shows the result of not waiting on God: lusting and leanness of soul.
Mark 4:16-17: Illustrates the temporary believer who falls away when affliction comes.
Exodus 15:22-24: Demonstrates Israel's murmuring for water only three days after the Red Sea.
Exodus 16:1-3: Shows Israel's complaint about food six weeks after the exodus.
Exodus 17:1-3: Further murmuring for water shortly after the food complaint.
Genesis 40:23: Used to define 'forgot' as being oblivious, as the butler forgot Joseph.
Deuteronomy 4:9, 23: Warnings to take heed lest we forget the things seen and the covenant.
Deuteronomy 6:12: Warning not to forget the Lord who brought them out of Egypt.
Deuteronomy 8:11, 14, 19: Further warnings about forgetting God by not keeping His commandments.
Judges 3:7: Israel forgot the Lord and served Baalim.
1 Samuel 12:9: When they forgot the Lord, He sold them into enemy hands.
Psalm 106:21: They forgot God their Savior who did great things in Egypt.
Jeremiah 2:32: God's people have forgotten Him days without number.
Psalm 10:4: The wicked do not seek God; God is not in all their thoughts.
James 4:13-15: We ought to say 'If the Lord will' in our plans, acknowledging God.
Numbers 11:4-6, 18-20: Israel's lusting for meat and God's promise to give it until it becomes loathsome.
Psalm 78:25-31: Commentary on Numbers 11: God gave them their desire but sent leanness and judgment.

Historical References

Israel's crossing of the Red Sea: The miraculous parting of the Red Sea in Exodus 14, which Israel soon forgot.
Israel's murmuring at Marah (Exodus 15): Three days after the Red Sea, they complained about bitter water.
Israel's complaint about food in the wilderness of Sin (Exodus 16): Six weeks after the exodus, they murmured for food, remembering Egypt's flesh pots.
Israel's murmuring at Rephidim (Exodus 17): Further complaint about lack of water shortly after the food incident.
Joseph and the chief butler (Genesis 40-41): The butler forgot Joseph for two full years, illustrating the meaning of 'forgot.'
John Calvin's commentary on Psalm 106:12: Calvin noted that Israel's faith was temporary and their criminality increased by God's works.
Lawsuit in Texas over Bibles in school: A contemporary illustration of a teacher throwing away students' Bibles, used to show the struggle to wait on God rather than react in anger.

Important Quotes

They soon forgot his works. They waited not for his counsel.

The central verse of the sermon, identifying the two specific sins of forgetfulness and impatience.

Their faith was temporary.

Weaver quotes John Calvin to emphasize that Israel's belief after the Red Sea was not saving faith.

They soon forgot his works. Actually, in the Hebrew it is, 'They hastened to forget his works.'

Highlights the rapidity and eagerness with which Israel forgot God's miracles.

The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

Defines how forgetting God is manifested: by not having Him in our thoughts.

He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul.

The key warning that answered prayer does not always indicate God's blessing.

When men refuse to be led by God, they will be driven by their own lusts.

A concise summary of the consequence of rejecting God's counsel.

The reason why we are so averse to waiting on God's counsel is because to tarry before God means that we must subdue our lusts and submit to him and humble ourselves and trust in his word alone.

Explains the root cause of impatience: the unwillingness to surrender our desires.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

What is the difference between temporary faith and saving faith, and how can we examine our own faith in light of Psalm 106:12 and Mark 4:17?

[Context]

Weaver discusses how Israel's belief was temporary and based on experience, not genuine trust.

[Question]

In what practical ways do we 'forget God' in our daily lives, and how can we cultivate a constant awareness of His presence and will?

[Context]

Weaver explains that forgetting God means leaving Him out of our thoughts and plans, using James 4:13-15 as a corrective.

[Question]

Why is waiting on God's counsel so difficult for us, and what does it reveal about our hearts when we refuse to wait?

[Context]

Weaver argues that impatience stems from a desire to follow our own lusts rather than submit to God.

[Question]

How can we distinguish between a legitimate desire and a sinful lust, especially when we are tempted to complain about God's provision?

[Context]

The sermon contrasts Israel's craving for meat with God's perfect provision of manna, showing that discontent is grievous to God.

[Question]

What does it mean that God can answer prayer 'in wrath,' and how should this affect our prayer life and desires?

[Context]

Weaver warns that God gave Israel their request but sent leanness, indicating that answered prayer is not always a sign of blessing.

[Question]

How does the progression from forgetfulness to impatience to lust illustrate the chain of sin in our own lives, and what steps can we take to break that chain?

[Context]

The sermon traces the sequence in Psalm 106:13-14, showing how one sin begets another.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T09:14:04Z