Tempt, To; Temptation

 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 8
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Three different characters of temptation are presented in the scriptures.
2. The Israelites tempted God. “They tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust” (Psa. 78:1818And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust. (Psalm 78:18)). They questioned whether God could furnish them a table in the wilderness. At other times they asked “Is the Lord among us or not?” but it is to be noticed that when Israel put God to the proof, they were really proved by Him. Compare Psalm 95:99When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. (Psalm 95:9) with Deuteronomy 8:22And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. (Deuteronomy 8:2) and Deuteronomy 33:88And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah; (Deuteronomy 33:8) (where “holy one” is Israel). The Lord refused to put God to the proof when tempted by Satan to cast Himself down that the angels might preserve Him. The sin of Ananias and Sapphira was tempting the Spirit of the Lord (Acts 5:99Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. (Acts 5:9)).