A Test In The Wilderness
The Gospel Project • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 20 viewsGod is gracious to provide for His people, even when we ail to obey Him.
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Introduction
Introduction
If you would each please clear off your desk and take out a writing utensil, I will begin handing out the tests and we can get started…
some of us are having High School flashbacks from years ago, some of us from just last week. There are few phrases that struck fear into the heart of my high school self than the words “I’ll begin handing out the tests”.
I’ll admit that sometimes it was because I totally forgot about the test and so knew I was not prepared, but other times I remembered but no matter how hard I studied I often found myself feeling unprepared when that piece of paper hit the top of my desk. Of course my parents response was just that I need to study more, but I remember coming across this sensible and artistic poem that I felt describe well my position on studying. It goes like this:
Why Study?
Why Study?
The more you study, the more you know.
The more you know the more you forget.
The more you forget the less you know.
So why study?
My parents found it less compelling than I did.
Tension
The truth is the “Test” has been around for a very long time, A VERY long time, and while our minds might go staight to the written exam when we hear the word there are many different forms of a “Test”. At it’s core, a test is simply
An opportunity for someone to demonstrate their proficiency in some area of life. (That even sounds like something from a test)
Of course there are a lot of discussions, debates and all out disagreements over the value of certain forms of testing over others, but the idea of providing someone an opportunity to demonstrate their proficiency in some area of life is what every “Test” is aimed at.
It might be more of a mental tests that includes being able to identify each one of the 26 bones in a human foot.
It might be more an aptitude test where you have to figure out
But what is a test really?
A test at it’s core is simply and opportunity for someone to demonstrate their ability to accomplish a particular task.
Of course there are a lot of discussions and debates over the value of certain forms of testing in our educational system, but the idea of providing someone an opportunity to show their abilities and comprehensions in something is always goal - no matter what path you think will get them there better.
Tests - No one likes Tests
That being said, my adult self has to agree with my parents who told me that tests were an important part of the educational process. So we are stuck with them, sorry kids, but the good news is that someday when you become an adult…you will still be taking tests. These tests, however, are less likely to be given on paper and the stakes are a lot higher than a drop in your GPA.
That being said, my adult self has to agree with my parents who told me that tests were a good thing. Sorry kids.
Some test well and some do not. (I test well - ACT)
The reason I have brought you all back to your desk in high school is that the title of our message this week is “A Test In the Wilderness”. We are continuing in our Gospel Project series where we are looking at the entire Bible through the lens of the Gospel.
Remember that in simple terms the Gospel is the good news of who Jesus is and what He has done for us. Or you may prefer as I do, Tim Keller’s more elaborate version which says that “The Gospel is the message that we are more evil than we ever dared imagine, but at the same time, we are more loved and accepted in Christ than we ever dared hope.”
So far we have worked our way through the book of Genesis and into the book of Exodus where God had lead his people out of bondage in Egypt through his appointed agent Moses. Remember back in Genesis God made a promise to Abraham and that promise was re-affirmed to Abraham’s son Isaac, and again the Isaac’s son Jacob, and then Jacob’s name was changed to Israel. So the promise to the family of Abraham has continued all the way down to the Children of Israel. That promise to Abraham said that:
1. Your family will become a People
2. Your family will have a Place
3. Your family will have God’s Presence,
...and this will bring blessing to both them and to the entire world.
So the children of Israel were given three things:
The Children of Israel were only about 70 people when they were driven to Egypt by the famine, but when Moses went to Pharaoh with the LORD’s message to “Let My People Go” there were more than a million of them. Of course Pharaoh did not recognize the authority of this God of his slaves, so the LORD YHWY introduced Himself.
And what an introduction. To show his authority over all things, the LORD sends pestilence, storms, diseases, darkness and even death upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians so much so that they were begging the Israelites to go. He showed Pharaoh and all of Egypt that everything they were trusting in, inlcuding their false gods, were worthless against Him. Then last week we read about how the YHWY crushed the last flicker of pride in the hardened heart of Pharaoh. The most formidable military force in the world was destroyed by just water in the hands of this mighty God. Egypt now knew the name of the LORD YHWY.
The LORD YHWY sends pestilence, storms, diseases, darkness and even death upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians so much so that they were begging the Israelites to go. YHWY accomplished his goal of showing their false gods to be useless and to have his name be known. Then last week we read about how the YHWY crushed the last flicker of pride in the hardened heart of Pharaoh. The most formidable military force in the world was destroyed by just water in the hands of this mighty God.
So now it would seem that the People of Isreal are free to follow after the Presence of the LORD to the Place that God had given them. It would seem that way, but things are not always as they seem. There was more holding God’s people in bondage than just the authority of a cruel and evil King. They were still enslaved to the attitudes, mindsets and patterns of their slavery in a pagan land. You see it is one thing to take a people out of slavery, but it is another thing to take the slavery out of the people.
I admit, it takes quite an imagination to try and put ourselves in the shoes of these people. There is such a huge gap culturally, historically and spiritually between how we see our world today and how they saw the world back then. But as best as you can, let me invite you try and put yourself in their shoes.
You have just witnessed the wonders of this God YHWY that has the entire world shaking in reverent fear. Then you find yourself
fearing for your life as you and everyone you know are trapped between the greatest army in the world and the Red Sea and this God comes in an rescues you again. You walk along with everyone else on a dry sea bed and you can see the waters are walled up on either side of you. Then you watch in amazement as the waters return, crashing down so hard on the mighty army of your enemy that it seems to be grabbing their chariots and throwing them back into the sea.
What do you do after you go through such emotional lows and highs? YOU CELEBRATE! You lift your voice along with Moses and thousands of others in praise this LORD YHWY saying:
Exodus
11 “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? 12 You stretched out your right hand; the earth swallowed them.
Exodus 15:
Can you imagine trying to sleep that night? You are so filled with awe over this incredible God who has shown himself to be LORD over all things…and the next morning you wake up and you are thinking…what?
What are you thinking? What has the events of the past month taught you? This is exactly what God wants to know.
What has the events of the past month taught you?
This is exactly what God wants to know. He wants to give His people an opportunity to demonstrate their proficiency in responding to His power, His glory and the greatness of His name. He is the LORD YHWY.
He wants to give His people “an opportunity to demonstrate their proficiency in responding to His power, His glory and the greatness of His name.” For He is the LORD YHWY.
Of course He doesn’t have them clear off their desks and get out a pen, but he does say over and over that He will test His people.
I wonder how they will do on that test? I wonder how we would do?
We are going to take a look at their experience first, and in them I believe we will find many things for us to apply to our lives.
His PresenceWe read all about the incredible wonders and signs that God did in Egypt, especially to combat the people’s allegience to this system of false gods. God has proven himself to be the LORD, YHWY. Last week we saw how the Children of Israel had
will learn first from their experience, but then I believe we will see how it applies to our own life.
So if you haven’t already, open up to the last part of :22(page 57) I’ll pray and we will dive into this text together.
Tests are designed to train you - hebrew word means to put someone to the test or to train
God was training his people to trust Him
He was training the slave mentality out of them? the “slavishness” out of them.
Exodus means “getting out”
Cycle in Exodus
They were without something
Without something
They Grumbled & Complained
God does a miracle to provide their need
They are without something
They Grumble and Complain
God does a miracle to provide for their need
We will hunger and thirst for something more until we are satisfied in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Israel is an old picture showing us a present reality.
Tension
Truth
22 Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. 24 And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”
22 Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. 24 And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them,
22 Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. 24 And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”
Exodus 15:22-
11 “Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, 12 lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, 13 and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, 15 who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock, 16 who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end. 17 Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ 18 You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
22 Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. 24 And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them,
Deuteronomy 8:
The people are brought into the wilderness to be tested. Will they trust in this God who has done such amazing things in their sight or not. Their first challenge of their test is the lack of drinkable water. And how do they respond to this first challenge? They grumble. Do you know what I mean when I say “grumble? Some translations say murmuring and I like that because it sounds like what it is.
Do you know what I mean when I say “grumbling’. Some translations say murmuring and I like that because it sounds like what it is.
The Dictionary defines a Murmur as:
Do you know what I mean when I say “grumbling’. Some translations say murmuring and I like that because it sounds a little closer to what it is.
1: a half-suppressed or muttered complaint: GRUMBLING
and it says that Grumbling is
1: to mutter in discontent
14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
Murmuring or grumbling is a passive-agressive way to try and get back at an authority in your life. The children of Israel knew that they had no power of this new God, they had no way to MAKE him do what they wanted so they just grumbled against Him.
In our lives that authority could look like a Parent, or a Boss at work, or that district supervisor…you know the one who has no idea what they are talking about…but they are the authority, and since you don’t out rank them you under cut them in murmuring. To their face you agree to do what they say, but as we leave we are like...
“Stupid garbage, why don’t take you your own dang garbage, who do you think I am your slave just gonna do whatever you say, you wanna talk about the garbage around here I’ll point you to the garbage here...”
Right? And then they are like “What was that”
“Nothing, I just said I was going to go get the garbage”
All too familiar isn’t it? but grumbling and murmuring against the authority in our lives is sin guys. It is not funny. It is not ok. It is wrong. Maybe it’s not a problem in your life, but as I prepated this message I found myself having to check myself on this all week.
I wouldn’t be surprised if you found it too, if you were brave enough to look for it.
I have had to remind myself that I have something helpful to contribute then it is my responsibility to humbly, respectfully and at the appropriate time bring that issue up to that person. Even though my the first response of this grumblers heart is “Why? they aren’t going to listen anyway.”
Of course that is easy to say. The first response of this grumblers heart is “Why? they aren’t going to listen anyway.”
Two reasons why that response doesn’t fly.
First of all, we don’t know that they won’t listen if we never humbly, respectfully and the appropriate time share our perspective. It could be that it is the way we are commenting, not the comment itself that they disagree with.
. The kind of person that handles things right even if others are not.
Secondly, whether they listen to us or not is not the point. The point is that when you grumble it shows you to be a certain kind of person. And when you humbly, respectfully bring something up at the appropriate time is shows you to be a different kind of person. It doesn’t guarantee that they will listen to our side of things, they still have to handle the kind of person they wanna be.
We can only chose our side of things.
Unfortunately, the entire journey of the Children of Israel to the Promise land will be characterized by grumbling. Just as God repeatedly had to deal with this attitude among his people back then - He undoubtedly is doing the same among his people today. We find this command in the New Testament in the book of
14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
Phili
Let’s be brave enough to check ourselves on it this week, how are we doing when it comes to grumbling? Our testimony and witness to the world around us is affected by this.
but when Moses hears this grumbling, he does the right thing and brings it straight to the LORD
22 Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. 24 And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, 26 saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.” 27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.
The Hebrew word for test here is the word “ne-sah” נסה which means to “put someone to the test, to give experience, train, to conduct a test”. So YHWY creates this opportunity for the people of Israel to demonstrate their proficiency in something.
25 And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them,
25 And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them,
So here we find our first theme for this week:
God provides for His people in their time of need ()
God provides for His people in their time of need ()
Even though the people were grumbling, God still supernaturally provided for them. He wanted them to see that He was not done providing for them. He had freed them from bondage in Egypt, and He was still with them. He wanted them to know that they could trust Him to follow through on His promises. But God knows the human heart better than anyone, so He lets them know that this is all a part of the test to see if they would trust him. Second half of verse 25...
25 And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, 26 saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.” 27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.
Exodus 15:22-
25 And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, 26 saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.”
What a deal! This powerful God, who has done all these amazing things was willing to use that power to protect the Children of Israel from the kinds of things that the Egyptians were made to suffer through. So what did they need to do to make this the reality in their lives? What does a right relationship with this powerful God look like? It is really just two things that are repeated over again for emphasis. Basically They needed to :
1. Listen When God Tells You To Do Something.
2. Do It.
2. Do That Which is Right In His Eyes
That is it. Not a very difficult relationship to understand, but it proves to be a very difficult one to be faithful in.
3. Give Ear to His Commands All they had to do was do what was right in the eyes of the LORD.
Remember that these people are still trying to shed their allegiance to the false gods of Egypt. When relating to false gods there is all kinds of trial and error involved to try and figure out what this particular god likes so that you can win his or her favor. The LORD YHWY is nothing like that.
YHWY doesn’t operate on “Trial and Error” He operates on listening to His Word and doing what He says.
False gods can’t tell you what to do, they can’t operate this way - only the one true God can give you a direct command like this, but then it is up to you to follow through on it. This was a whole new way of relating to diety for these people.
Then, just to give them a taste of what was yet to come - he guides them to what comparatively had to be like a vacation in a tropical paradise.
Then, just to give them a taste of what was yet to come - he took them on vacation to a tropical paradise. I can just see them kicking back in their lounge chairs drinking from coconuts as their children are doing cannonballs into the ponds…they must have thought… Haaaa, this is the life. But vacations end (Right Prestons? At some point you have to say goodbye to Mickey and head back to shoveling snow in Wisconsin, Figuratively speaking)
27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.
can just see them kicking back in their lounge chairs drinking from coconuts as their children are doing cannonballs into all the clean water…they must have thought… Haaaa, this is the life. But vacations end (Right Prestons? At some point you have to say goodbye to Mickey and go home and shovel out your driveway. Figuratively speaking) And that’s what happens.
Can’t you just see them kicking back in their lounge chairs drinking from coconuts as their children are doing cannonballs into all the clean water…they must have thought… Haaaa, this is the life. But vacations end (Right Prestons? At some point you have to say goodbye to Mickey and go home and shovel out your driveway. Figuratively speaking) And that’s what happens.
I can just see them kicking back in their lounge chairs drinking from coconuts as their children are doing cannonballs into the ponds…they must have thought… Haaaa, this is the life. But vacations end (Right Prestons? At some point you have to say goodbye to Mickey and head back to shoveling snow in Wisconsin, Figuratively speaking)
1 They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt.
So this is month number 2 and they are traveling from paradise shores to the Mountain of God and in between those two stops they meet(pun intended) their second great challenge.
2 And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, 3 and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
This is how they remember their life in Egypt? They must have been so hungry they were dillusional. The reason they were eating around these big meat pots is that their Slave Master wanted to feed his property all at one time. They were feed troughs for his human cattle, and here we find the Israelites remembering them fondly.
We might not want to be too quick to judge, however, because I know that there are difficult days in our lives when we look back over our life and see only the rose colored version. When overwhelmed with some new responsibility, we sometimes think that life was so much simpler way back when. But was it really? Or are we just remembering one side of things?
What is happening when we do this kind of thing? We are just scared. We know how those old memories turn out - they brought us to today - but we don’t know how this new challenge will be met. They have not learned to trust the LORD yet, so they return to their grumbling. They even turn it up a notch as they start accusing Moses and Aaron of intentionally bringing them out to the wilderness just to kill them.
It is here where we uncover our second theme for the week:
Notice how this time, in their fear over the unknown, they go from just grumbling to direct confrontation of Moses and Aaron. Not to offer a suggestion, but just to grumble right in their face.
God provides for His people despite their disobedience ()
God provides for His people despite their disobedience ()
They continue to grumble and complain, but the LORD is more patient with them. He provides for them despite their disobedience, but he also gives them more instructions to follow. He wants them to see how little they trust him. Remember the deal. Listen to God’s Word. Do what He says. Let’s see how they do:
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” 6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, “At evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against the Lord. For what are we, that you grumble against us?” 8 And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord.”
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.
Exodus 16:
t.
2 And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, 3 and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.
1 They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. 2 And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, 3 and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.
Exodus 16:1-4
2 And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, 3 and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.
11 And the Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ” 13 In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. 14 And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.
Exodus 16:11-15
Exodus 16:19-30
11 And the Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”
11 And the Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ” 13 In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. 14 And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’ ” 17 And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. 19 And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.”
Grumbled about no water (15:24)
Exodus 16:11-30
Exodus 16:11-
Exodus 16:11-
You wanna know if I can provide for your hunger, you bet I can. I am the LORD your God
Grumbled about no food (16:2)
8 And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord.”
13 In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. 14 And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’ ” 17 And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. 19 And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” 20 But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. 21 Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted. 22 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers each. And when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, 23 he said to them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning.’ ” 24 So they laid it aside till the morning, as Moses commanded them, and it did not stink, and there were no worms in it. 25 Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none.” 27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none.
12 “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”
Exodus 16:
In our world of instant gratification when we can swing through a myriad of drive through windows the idea of going from having no food to having plentiful food might not be as awe inspiring as it should be. At this point in history, however, much of the families work day revolved around securing and preparing food. They didn ‘t have freezers, fridges and microwaves. If you didn’t grow it, graze it or forage for it, you didn’t eat it. So the impact of this supernatural event was striking to these people.
1: a half-suppressed or muttered complaint: GRUMBLING
9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, ‘Come near before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’ ” 10 And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11 And the Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ” 13 In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. 14 And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’ ” 17 And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. 19 And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” 20 But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. 21 Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted. 22 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers each. And when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, 23 he said to them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning.’ ” 24 So they laid it aside till the morning, as Moses commanded them, and it did not stink, and there were no worms in it. 25 Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none.” 27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. 28 And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? 29 See! The Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
11 And the Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ” 13 In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. 14 And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’ ” 17 And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. 19 And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” 20 But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. 21 Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted. 22 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers each. And when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, 23 he said to them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning.’ ” 24 So they laid it aside till the morning, as Moses commanded them, and it did not stink, and there were no worms in it. 25 Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none.” 27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none.
11 And the Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ” 13 In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. 14 And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’ ” 17 And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. 19 And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” 20 But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. 21 Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted. 22 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers each. And when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, 23 he said to them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning.’ ” 24 So they laid it aside till the morning, as Moses commanded them, and it did not stink, and there were no worms in it. 25 Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none.” 27 On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. 28 And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? 29 See! The Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
1: to mutter in discontent
In our world of instant gratification when we can swing through a myriad of drive through windows the idea of going from having no food to having plentiful food might not be as awe inspiring as it should be. At this point in history, however, much of the families work day revolved around securing and preparing food. They didn ‘t have freezers, fridges and microwaves. If you didn’t grow it, graze it or forage for it, you didn’t eat it. So this was a supernatural event.
14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
Phili
8 And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord.”
12 “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”
Think about the nature of this food that God was supernaturally providing for His people. This substance of this bread just appeared on the ground in the morning, if you waited too long it would melt away in the Sun. And it had the worst shelf life of any food ever. It want bad after one day. So bad that it was stinky and wormy the next day. Except for one day of the week when it could go two days. How did that work? Did the bread have some sort of internal calendar to know that it shouldn’t go bad tonight?
This manna stuff is the true WONDER bread isn’t it.
This was a supernatural event. Think about it, not only did this bread just appear on the ground in the morning, if you waited too long it would melt away. And it had the worst shelf life of any food ever. After one day it was stinky and wormy, unless the bread checked it’s calendar and saw that it was the Sabbath. This is the true WONDER bread isn’t it.
13 In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. 14 And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’ ” 17 And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. 19 And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” 20 But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them.
The LORD was providing for His people even as He tested them, and how are they doing with their test? Not too good, huh.
God says don’t keep the bread overnight - and they do so it turns stinky and wormy.
God says don’t go out to gather food on the Sabbath day, it is a day of rest - and they do, listen to God’s response:
28 And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? 29 See! The Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
Exodus 16:
The Hebrew word for “Test” is the word “Nee-sah” נסה and it can also be translated “to put someone to the test, to give experience, to train or try”. That makes sense doesn’t it? We often find “testing” and “training” in the same lane. These people have been slaves for generations and they have to be taught how to to rightly relate to the LORD YHWY. So we find God here correcting His people. They failed the test, but God is allowing them to take it over again. He gives them another opportunity to demonstrate their proficiency in responding to his power, His glory and the greatness of His name. This time they not only listened to the Word of God but they obeyed. So they are learning.
Our final theme this week is found throughout this text is that:
, calling them to the right response. They are to listen to God’s Word and then do it. And verse 30 tells us that they
very well And remember the Israelites
God provides for His people in unexpected ways (; )
God provides for His people in unexpected ways (; )
1 All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” 3 But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” 4 So Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” 5 And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.
3 But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” 4 So Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” 5 And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.
Through yet another supernatural event, the LORD YHWY provides for His people despite their terrible grumbling. Notice how the attitude of the people is degenerating in each new phase of their test. First they grumble/murmur against Moses over the bitter water, but God shows them He will still provide. Then they take it up a notch and grumble against Moses and Aaron over the lack of meat, pretending that it was somehow better for them back in the bondage of Egypt. God still provides for them. Now in their lack of water they not only grumble, but they quarrel with Moses. Demanding that he provide them with water.
Did you hear Moses’ response? Even though he sees that they are so angry that they might stone him he knows the danger of what they are really doing. He asks them “Why do you test the LORD?”.
Same word “Nee - Sah”. They are learning, but they have so far to go. They were always “Testing” the false gods in Egypt. It was the “Trial and Error” approach where they were trying to learn how to bend these false gods to their will. “Maybe if we quarrel with Moses then we will get what we want out of this deity like we did in Egypt. God doesn’t work that way. You can not manipulate him into your plan, but He is always working out His. He simply wants them to trust Him.
So the LORD tells Moses to, in a very public display, take out the staff that brought about so many of the plagues of Egypt and walk out in front of the people . I wonder if that quieted the crowd down any? Then He was to go over to the Rock at Horeb and strike the rock. Then the leaders, the elders of the people, would see firsthand where this provision came from, and teach it to the rest of the people.
The time of testing and training for the Children of Israel is not over, but they are beginning to see how a relationship with the LORD YHWY works.
The Lord will provide in your time of need, so stop your useless and disobedient grumbling
The Lord will provide despite your disobedience - because His promises are based on His faithfulness not yours
The Lord will provide in unexpected ways - you just need to stop looking at your circumstances and look to him.
Gospel Application
So what does this story have to do with the New Testament Church that you are I are a part of today? Well this section of the history of God’s people is referenced many times in the New Testament, and one of the most vivid examples is found in
1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.
At first glace, that seems a little confusing. Was the God man Jesus there among the Children of Israel as they traveled to the promise land? Well, No. At least not in the sense that He is present on earth in the Gospels. So what does Paul mean by this? How can he say “The Rock was Christ”.
Well I don’t have time to go into every connection between Christ and the Rock, but I would like to point us to the two that seem most fitting to our story today. What were the Children of Israel grumbling about? The thought that they were going to perish because they did not have water to drink and food to eat.
In John chapter 6, Jesus miraculously fed more than 5,000 people, and then they clamored after him to be fed again. Jesus rebuked them because they were simply wanting to be physically fed again. He satisfied their physical hunger only to point them to something deeper and richer than just full stomachs. He wanted them to have the kind of fullness that only a satisfied soul can bring. This is what he said:
After Jesus mira
37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. 40 When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.”
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
John 7:37-
John 6:
Just as the LORD YHWY provided for the salvation of the children of Israel in the wilderness, He has provided for the salvation of all of His children in the person and work of Jesus Christ. This is where we find the Gospel message in this passage. When Jesus said, “everyone who looks on the Son” he was talking about those who would look upon Him in his death and resurrection. Moses struck the rock with his wooden staff to bring salvation, God the father struck His only begotten Son with a wooden cross to bring us salvation.
Thabiti M Anywabwile
Exodus means “getting out”
Cycle in Exodus
They were without something
They Grumbled & Complained
God does a miracle to provide their need
They are without something
They Grumble and Complain
God does a miracle to provide for their need
looking upon Him in his death on the cross. As Isaiah said
We will hunger and thirst for something more until we are satisfied in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Israel is an old picture showing us a present reality.
The end of the story…LEST YOU FORGET WHO MADE THIS HAPPEN!!!!!! God’s Glory and our Good.
11 “Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, 12 lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, 13 and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, 15 who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock, 16 who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end. 17 Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ 18 You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ”
When his body was crushed for our sins just as Moses crushed his staff against the rock in Hebron.
God instructed Moses took that wooden staff and struck the Rock to save the people.
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
:
and the people were saved. God instructed the Son to be struck with that wooden cross and the watJust as the striking of that rock at Hebron brought life saving water to the Children of Israel, the striking of Jesus brought us the salvation that we do desperately need. When his body was crushed for our sins just as Moses crushed his staff against the rock in Hebron.
Then they sent 12 spies. Joshua and Caleb say “Lets go” Majority says “They are bigger than us”. Who cares their size verses our size - it is God’s size that matters!
People who trust in God are always baffled by the practical atheism of nominal believers. - John Piper
Landing
“So when you finish with your tests, make sure your name is on the top and you can bring them up and place them on the pile on my desk.”
Oh if it were just that simple. Truth is that God is always testing us because He is always training us. Training us to feed on the spiritual nutrients that Jesus’ death and resurection offers us. He is providing us opportunities to demonstrate our proficiency in responding to the power, glory and greatness of the name of Jesus the Christ.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
Philippians 2:8-10
Have you bowed your knee to Jesus? There are only two options in that, either you willingly bow your knee in humble submission to Jesus as your Lord here on earth, or you will forcibly bow your knee to Him in the next life. The first one brings eternal salvation better than the sweet water, quail and mannna, the second one brings judgement worse than the pestilance, darkness and death in Egypt.
12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Are we still training/ being tested or have we come to a place where we figure we have all the sense of awe over God as we need? If we have then we have stopped growing - Either growing or you are dying
Listen to what God tells you to do - then do it.