Exodus 15-16: Grumbling and Grace

In Exodus 15-16, Israelites grumble about food and water. It’s here that we see the grace of God as he provides for the ungrateful people daily. God shows up even when the people lack faith.

The Song of Moses and Miriam

• First song in the Bible and first of 3 that Moses wrote.
• This is a song of praise for what God had done in redeeming his people
• The song is a pause in our story that marks the end of Egypt and the beginning of Israel

God is given the worship and the praise, the Israelites sigh in relief, their freedom is secure, and the journey begins in…

T H E    W I L D E R N E S S    

Where did they go?

·       The route God takes the Israelites is in the opposite direction of where they should be going to Caanan, the land of milk and honey, which is northeast of Goshen.

·        Instead, the Israelites follow the cloud, their God, with their Shepherd Moses out in front, further south, into the wilderness or Desert of Shur

·        The Israelites make their way through a stony plain for about 9 miles as they travel in between the Gulf and a chain of mountains.

·        Then they must cross a desert plain of glaring, white sand dunes.

Why did they go south?

• • To humble them
  • And to test them.
  • He humbled them to teach them that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God
  • He tested them to see if they would or would not keep his commands.

It is in the wilderness that Israel develops their faith.

Why does God test US with wilderness experiences?

• In episode 1, the overview of exodus, we discussed that the story of Moses and the Israelites is the ultimate wilderness story.
• The Exodus is used in both the old and new testaments as an example to us, that we like the Israelites will have seasons where we feel as if we are wandering in the wilderness.
  • Seasons of sorrow, suffering, confusion, or rebellion.
• Why does God allow such seasons?
• The reasons are the same for us as for the Israelites.
• To humble us and to test us.

G R U M B L I N G    +    G R A C E

In this episode and next, the Israelites face 4 tests to build their faith and dependence on God. In 3 of the tests the Waters of Marah, The Mannah + the Quail, and the Waters of Meribah they are going to grumble. Each time God is patient and provides showing grace despite their lack of faith.

Test #1 :  Grumbling over The Waters of Marah

• Ain Hawarah’s waters are salty and brackish and bitter even today.
  • Certainly, we can understand such a human reaction
    • Then we remember the superhuman miracle they just witnessed just a few days ago, at the Red Sea. Not to mention the plagues before that.
    • Why didn’t they just look at Moses and wait expectantly?
    • They could have asked nicely, like “Moses, my nursing wife needs water, the baby is suffering, can you talk to God about it?”
    • Or why didn’t they drop to their knees in prayer and just wait?
    • Where is their memory? Why can’t they seem to remember that God is above their circumstances?

When you face trials, do you grumble? Do you remember that God is above your circumstances?

• Moses turns to God, a perfect example of what the Israelites and what we must learn to do
• And God responds with grace by making the bitter water fit to drink.
• This first trial is a reminder to them of the first plague.
  • For the Egyptians, God made the sweet waters of the Nile unfit to drink
  • For the Israelites, God made the unfit waters of Marah sweet
• God drives home his point:
  • This was a test!
  • Do NOT make the mistake of being like Pharaoh and the Egyptians who did not listen, did not do what is right, and therefore suffered.
  • Obey my commands and you will not suffer.
• A point that can be taken for us is that: God heals us from bitterness if we keep his commands.

Test # 2 : Grumbling and The Manna and Quail

• The Israelites are exactly one month into their journey, and they are running out of food.
• They grumble against Moses and Aaron. As if this were their fault.
• Their freedom, their provisions, their life, were because of God, not Moses or Aaron.
• God is over all of their circumstances and their reliance should be on him.
• Their grumbling exposes again their short memory and weak faith.
• Moses sets them straight. When you are grumbling to me, you are grumbling against God.

We look at the Israelites and think they are so foolish. Yet do we believe that God is over all of our circumstances? Do we grumble about our life? If so we grumble against God.

 Daily provisions for millions for decades

• Neither the quail nor manna can be explained as natural provisions, although many have tried.
• And here is why: we are talking about almost 2 million people for 365 days a year for 40 years.

There is a process for learning to trust, called attachment. God is taking the Israelites through the process just as a mother would a newborn child.

• The Attachment process works like this:
  • Cycle of newborn
    • Fearful crying: hungry, wet, uncomfortable
    • Mother comforts
    • Meaningful crying because of trust for mom/dad: heads up big person come and get me, I need something.
    • Child grows, learns to use words, and asks parents for needs.
    • The Child learns to depend on their parent for everything
•  Israel, is a newborn nation, that needs to attach to God and learn to trust Him and Him alone.
  • God is taking Israel through the cycle of a newborn
    • They are fearful and grumble for their basic needs: food and water
    • God provides for their basic needs, he is building daily trust.
    • God is moving them on to the toddler stage, use your words, ask for what you need, PRAY, trusting that God will provide it.
    • Ultimately, God desires, a people with mature faith, a people that trust him in ALL
    • To do that, the Israelites will have to learn what we know from the New Testament….

For us: Learning to Trust God begins with believing in the son of God, Christ.

For us: Learning to Trust God builds by knowing the Word of God.

God is preparing the Israelites for what comes next for them:

• Trusting God for more than their daily bread, or daily manna.
• God wants them to trust Him for their way of life by obeying his words,
• Which are coming soon in the 10 commandments!

The Israelites’ daily provision of manna should give us insight into God’s instructions for how we should pray, for daily provisions no matter what we need.