Famine, war, captivity…these are all the consequences of rebellion the people of Israel experienced. The Old Testament has example after example of The Lord turning His hand against those who did not obey Him. It can be easy for us to judge these Old Testament citizens, but if we look closely at our own hearts, we will see that there have been times when we have disobeyed and rebelled against The Lord’s commandments. Rather than judging the Old Testament body, we should use their experiences as a guide. Rather than continuing in sin and having God subject us to His wrath, we should seek His face.
And we pray:
Dear God, You are holy and You are jealous. When we are tempted to disobey Your commands, remind us of the Israelites and the ways they suffered because of sin. Remind us that sometimes we must be disciplined to learn a lesson, but help us to learn this lesson from those who went before us rather than having to walk through it ourselves. Forgive us for our sins, O Lord. Do not turn Your hand against us. Please extend mercy on Your children. In Jesus’ name we pray and ask You, Amen.
https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/the-pleasure-of-god-in-his-name