Put to the Test

GREEK WORD WITH ENGLISH TRANSLITERATION: πειράζω (peirazo)

PRONUNCIATION:  pi-RAD-zoh

STRONG’S CONCORDANCE #: 3985

MEANING: tempt; test; to put to the test;

BACKGROUND OF WORD (ETYMOLOGY): comes from a root word meaning "to pierce"; the thought of "piercing" had with it the idea of "putting to the test"

HOW TRANSLATED IN KJV AND/OR ESV:  tempted; tried

# OF TIMES USED IN THE GREEK NEW TESTAMENT: 38

VERSES IN THE BIBLE WHERE GREEK WORD USED:

   

Hebrews 3:9-10 - “Where your fathers put me to the test (πειράζω) and saw my works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, 'They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.'” ESV

   

1 Thessalonians 3:5 - “For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted (πειράζω) you and our labor would be in vain.”  ESV

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

   

What kind of impact do you think it would have on your life if you personally witnessed a continuous stream of nonstop miracles in your life? Would you like to have that kind of experience?

Well, that is exactly what happened to the children of Israel when they left Egypt and wandered in the wilderness for forty years. This is what Hebrews 3:9 is referring to when it says, “When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.”

Let's see what the Bible means when it says the children of Israel “tempted” God. The word “tempted” comes from the Greek word ‎peirazo, an old Greek word that means to put to the test. It means to test an object to see if its quality is as good as others have claimed, boasted, or advertised. For instance, if you hear that a certain product is the finest of its kind in the world, it would be natural for you to want to check out and test the product to verify whether or not it really lives up to its claims. That is exactly the idea of the word ‎peirazo ‎in Hebrews 3:9.

The children of Israel were in a situation that demanded miraculous intervention. If they hadn't had the divine intervention of God, they would never have survived their flight from Egypt or their years in the wilderness. Their circumstances alone gave rise to a situation that allowed God to be tested — in other words, a situation that allowed God to demonstrate who He is and how faithful He is to His people. God had told the Israelites that He is good, so they “tested” Him, giving Him an opportunity to show that He is everything He declared Himself to be!

CHALLENGE FOR THE DAY:

You can apply this same principle to your life. For instance, suppose you were in a tight financial jam. Although you didn't intend to get into that financial mess, you found yourself in a situation where you needed to see the goodness of God! You had heard and believed that God is a supernatural Provider; therefore, in a certain sense, your situation created a moment when God's goodness and delivering power could be tested. This situation would be the equivalent of you saying, “Lord, You say that You are a great Provider, so I need You to show me who You are! Please provide for me now in this situation!”

PRAYER OF THE DAY:

    

Lord, I am thankful for Your goodness in my life. You have saved me, delivered me, redeemed me, and changed me. My entire life is marked by Your supernatural goodness and mercy! It is true that You have showered me with nonstop blessings — and today I want to take this opportunity to thank You for every good thing You've done in my life. The situations I have faced in my life have put You to the test, and You have jumped at every chance to prove how good You are. In fact, Your goodness to me has been constant and never-ending. I praise You and thank You for loving me so much! I pray this in Jesus' name!  Amen.