People sometimes talk about testing God, but what does this mean? Why does Scripture say we should not test the Lord?
In the Old Testament, Malachi 3:10 offers a clear example: “‘Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.’” In this situation, God condemned His people for not following his commands to give their tithe. He said if they would obey, He would bless them abundantly.
In the New Testament, Jesus spoke of testing when Satan tempted him in the wilderness. “Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God” (Luke 4:12 KJV). Other translations use the word test instead of tempt. Jesus was quoting from Deuteronomy 6:16, which says, “You shall not tempt the LORD your God as you tempted Him in Massah.”
Jesus knew that the law commanded the people not to treat God like the Jews had done at Massah. In Exodus 17:7, they asked, “Is the LORD among us or not?” Instead of trusting God to provide water, they challenged or dared Him to provide, even questioning his ability, despite witnessing God literally move the waters of the Red Sea to rescue them.
How do these biblical teachings apply in our lives today? The example of Jesus and his temptation offers a clear example. When we face temptations or struggles in life, we are not to question God’s plan or power. Instead, we are to trust in Him, knowing He is all-powerful and mighty to save according to his will.
We test God when we question him and give him conditions, saying, “I’ll do what you say if you do what I demand first.” This is not how we are to respond to the Lord! He is God, and we are not. We don’t demand that He do anything. Instead, we are to obey His teachings, as they are for our benefit, even when we don’t always understand why things are happening in our lives.
We can also test God when we disobey him. God gave the prophet Jonah a clear command to preach to the people of Nineveh. Instead of obeying, Jonah ran away and experienced God’s judgment. Jonah repented and was rescued, offering an example that was repeated when the people of Nineveh also repented and were spared from destruction.
Testing God reveals a lack of trust in God. Instead of questioning or debating God’s commands, we experience His blessing in our lives when we obey. This may not mean an easy life; even Jesus suffered and died despite His obedience. However, we can know we are following God’s will when we trust in Him rather than doubting His power or goodness, leading to a fruitful life of service to the Lord and to others.
