Psalm 106:15
So He granted their request, but sent a wasting disease upon them.
So He granted their request
This phrase refers to the Israelites' demand for meat in the wilderness, as recorded in Numbers 11:4-34. The people grew tired of manna and craved the foods they had in Egypt. Their request was a sign of ingratitude and lack of faith in God's provision. This incident highlights the human tendency to desire immediate gratification over spiritual sustenance. It serves as a reminder of the importance of trusting in God's timing and provision, as seen in Matthew 6:31-33, where Jesus teaches about seeking first the kingdom of God.

but sent a wasting disease upon them
The "wasting disease" refers to the plague that struck the Israelites after they consumed the quail God provided in response to their complaints. This event is detailed in Numbers 11:33-34, where the Lord's anger was kindled, and He struck the people with a severe plague. The term "wasting disease" underscores the consequences of disobedience and the spiritual decay that follows when one prioritizes fleshly desires over divine will. This serves as a warning echoed in 1 Corinthians 10:6-11, where Paul uses Israel's history as an admonition for believers to avoid idolatry and immorality. Theologically, it reflects the principle that God's judgment can accompany His permissive will, allowing people to experience the consequences of their choices.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Israelites
The people of God who were delivered from Egypt and wandered in the wilderness. They often complained and tested God’s patience.

2. God (Yahweh)
The sovereign Lord who delivered the Israelites from Egypt and provided for them in the wilderness. He responded to their requests but also disciplined them for their lack of faith and gratitude.

3. The Wilderness
The setting where the Israelites wandered for 40 years after their exodus from Egypt. It was a place of testing and reliance on God’s provision.

4. The Quail Incident
Refers to the event where the Israelites craved meat, and God provided quail but also sent a plague as a consequence of their greed and lack of trust (Numbers 11).

5. Wasting Disease
The consequence of the Israelites' persistent demands and lack of faith, symbolizing spiritual and physical decline due to disobedience.
Teaching Points
The Danger of Discontentment
Discontentment can lead us away from trusting in God’s provision and timing. The Israelites’ craving for more than what God provided led to their downfall.

God’s Response to Persistent Demands
Sometimes God grants our desires to teach us a lesson. When we persistently demand what is not in His will, it may lead to consequences that teach us to trust His wisdom.

The Consequences of Unbelief
Unbelief and ingratitude can lead to spiritual and physical decline. The Israelites’ lack of faith resulted in a wasting disease, symbolizing the destructive nature of sin.

Learning from Past Mistakes
The history of Israel serves as a warning for us today. We should learn from their mistakes and strive to live in obedience and gratitude.

The Importance of Gratitude
Cultivating a heart of gratitude helps us to focus on God’s blessings and prevents the spiritual decay that comes from constant complaining and dissatisfaction.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the incident of the Israelites craving meat in the wilderness reflect our own tendencies to be discontent with God’s provision?

2. In what ways can we ensure that our desires align with God’s will, and what steps can we take to avoid the consequences of demanding our own way?

3. How can the account of the Israelites in the wilderness serve as a warning for us in our spiritual journey today?

4. What are some practical ways we can cultivate gratitude in our daily lives to prevent spiritual decline?

5. How does the New Testament, particularly 1 Corinthians 10, use the account of the Israelites to teach us about the importance of obedience and faith?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Numbers 11
This chapter provides the background for Psalm 106:15, detailing the Israelites' craving for meat and God's response by sending quail and a subsequent plague.

Psalm 78
This psalm also recounts the history of Israel’s disobedience and God’s responses, emphasizing the pattern of rebellion and divine discipline.

1 Corinthians 10
Paul uses the wilderness experiences of the Israelites as a warning to the Corinthian church, highlighting the consequences of craving evil things and testing God.
But Sent Leanness into Their SoulS. Conway Psalm 106:15
Gratifying Sinful Wants Creates Sinful WantsR. Tuck Psalm 106:15
The Nevertheless of God's MercyS. Conway Psalm 106:1-48
Evanescent Goodness and Inveterate CarnalismHomilistPsalm 106:13-15
God's Praises Sung; His Works ForgottenE. Payson, D.D.Psalm 106:13-15
Lust and LeannessW. L. Phillips, D. D.Psalm 106:13-15
On Speculative Faith, and Ingratitude to God in PracticeT. Secker.Psalm 106:13-15
Our Own Way not the Best WayE. Mellor, D.D.Psalm 106:13-15
Prayer for Wrong ThingsF. Jacox.Psalm 106:13-15
Prosperity and DegenerationChristian AgePsalm 106:13-15
Realized Desires Often Injurious to the SoulJohn James.Psalm 106:13-15
Short-Sighted SupplicationsW. G. Lewis.Psalm 106:13-15
Soul LeannessHomilistPsalm 106:13-15
Spiritual DeclensionJ. Parker, D.D.Psalm 106:13-15
The Unthankful HeartPsalm 106:13-15
People
Aaron, Abiram, Baalpeor, Dathan, Ham, Phinehas, Psalmist
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Disease, Giveth, Leanness, Request, Soul, Souls, Wasting
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 106:15

     6142   decay

Psalm 106:7-15

     8763   forgetting

Psalm 106:13-15

     5473   proof, through testing

Psalm 106:13-39

     8705   apostasy, in OT

Library
June the Twelfth Waiting for the Spectacular
"The waves covered their enemies.... Then believed they His words." --PSALM cvi. 1-12. Their faith was born in a great emergency. A spectacular deliverance was needed to implant their trust in the Lord. They found no witness in the quiet daily providence; the unobtrusive miracle of daily mercy did not awake their song. They dwelt upon the "special" blessing, when all the time the really special blessing was to be found in the sleepless care which watched over them in their ordinary and commonplace
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

Israel at the Red Sea
"A few more rolling years at most, Will land me on fair Canaan's coast.' And then I shall have no more warfare, no more fighting, no more disturbance; but I shall be at peace." "Not quite as thou desirest," says God. "Oh! thou little one; I have more to teach thee ere thou art prepared for my palace." Then he commences to lead us about, and bring us into straits and perils. The sins which we thought had utterly left us are hunting us behind, while impassible floods block up the way. Even trembling
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 2: 1856

Why are Men Saved?
"The hand that made us is Divine." If we listen to the rippling of the freshet at the mountain side, to the tumbling of the avalanche, to the lowing of the cattle, to the singing of the birds, to every voice and sound of nature, we shall hear this answer to the question, "God is our maker; he hath made us, and not we ourselves." The next question, as to design--Why were these things made?--is not so easy to answer, apart from Scripture; but when we look at Scripture we discover this fact--that as
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857

Sin: Its Spring-Head, Stream, and Sea
It may help us to escape out of the meshes of our natural depravity, if we look back and see the causes of our fathers' sins. To confess our personal sin will tend to keep us humble; and in view of the Lord's mercy, which has spared and pardoned us, a sense of our guilt will make us grateful. The less we think of ourselves the more we shall think of him whose "mercy endureth for ever"; and if we see where our fathers' sins began, and how they grew, and what they came to, we may hope that the Spirit
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 37: 1891

The Waters of Meribah
'Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. 2. And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3. And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord! 4. And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Fourteenth Day. The Holy one of God.
Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.'--Luke i. 35. 'We have believed and know that Thou art the Holy One of God.'--John vi. 69. 'The holy one of the Lord'--only once (Ps. cvi. 16) the expression is found in the Old Testament. It is spoken of Aaron, in whom holiness, as far as it could then be revealed, had found its most complete embodiment. The title waited for its fulfilment in Him who alone, in His own person, could perfectly show forth
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

Man's Misery by the Fall
Q-19: WHAT IS THE MISERY OF THAT ESTATE WHEREINTO MAN FELL? A: All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all the miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever. 'And were by nature children of wrath.' Eph 2:2. Adam left an unhappy portion to his posterity, Sin and Misery. Having considered the first of these, original sin, we shall now advert to the misery of that state. In the first, we have seen mankind offending;
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Our Status.
"And he believed in the Lord: and he counted it to him for righteousness." --Gen. xv. 6. The right touches a man's status. So long as the law has not proven him guilty, has not convicted and sentenced him, his legal status is that of a free and law-abiding citizen. But as soon as his guilt is proven in court and the jury has convicted him, he passes from that into the status of the bound and law-breaking citizen. The same applies to our relation to God. Our status before God is that either of the
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Twenty Second Sunday after Trinity Paul's Thanks and Prayers for Churches.
Text: Philippians 1, 3-11. 3 I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every supplication of mine on behalf of you all making my supplication with joy, 5 for your fellowship in furtherance of the gospel from the first day until now; 6 being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ: 7 even as it is right for me to be thus minded on behalf of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as, both in my bonds
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Elucidations.
I. (Deadly Sins, cap. ix., p. 356.) To maintain a modern and wholly uncatholic system of Penitence, the schoolmen invented a technical scheme of sins mortal and sins venial, which must not be read into the Fathers, who had no such technicalities in mind. By "deadly sins" they meant all such as St. John recognizes (1 John v. 16-17) and none other; that is to say sins of surprise and infirmity, sins having in them no malice or wilful disobedience, such as an impatient word, or a momentary neglect of
Tertullian—The Five Books Against Marcion

Rest for the Weary
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. W hich shall we admire most -- the majesty, or the grace, conspicuous in this invitation? How soon would the greatest earthly monarch be impoverished, and his treasures utterly exhausted, if all, that are poor and miserable, had encouragement to apply freely to him, with a promise of relief, fully answerable to their wants and wishes! But the riches of Christ are unsearchable and inexhaustible. If millions and millions
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

The Second Commandment
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am o jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of then that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.' Exod 20: 4-6. I. Thou shalt not
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners:
A BRIEF AND FAITHFUL RELATION OF THE EXCEEDING MERCY OF GOD IN CHRIST TO HIS POOR SERVANT, JOHN BUNYAN; WHEREIN IS PARTICULARLY SHOWED THE MANNER OF HIS CONVERSION, HIS SIGHT AND TROUBLE FOR SIN, HIS DREADFUL TEMPTATIONS, ALSO HOW HE DESPAIRED OF GOD'S MERCY, AND HOW THE LORD AT LENGTH THROUGH CHRIST DID DELIVER HIM FROM ALL THE GUILT AND TERROR THAT LAY UPON HIM. Whereunto is added a brief relation of his call to the work of the ministry, of his temptations therein, as also what he hath met with
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Obedience
Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God. Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the Lord thy God, and do his commandments.' Deut 27: 9, 10. What is the duty which God requireth of man? Obedience to his revealed will. It is not enough to hear God's voice, but we must obey. Obedience is a part of the honour we owe to God. If then I be a Father, where is my honour?' Mal 1: 6. Obedience carries in it the life-blood of religion. Obey the voice of the Lord
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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