God Is Faithful To Foolish People

God Is Faithful To Foolish People

Introduction

I hope you can see by now the numerous illustrations regarding the Christian life. Truly, their life serves us as an example of what the Christian life should and should not look like. We are shown how God’s providential paths allows for “faith growth moments.”

We left off where the Israelites needed an instrument by which kept their perspective of God centered on reality; He is Jehovah the covenant keeping Father. However, now they must continue moving forward to the Promised land. Their next monumental stop will be Mt.Sinai. However, this short stop is of no less importance when it comes to developing their COMPLETE DEPENDENCE on God for their every need.

1) The Path Of God’s Sovereignty

The direction given for their continued travel was given by nothing less than the sovereign mind of God.

The more I study about God’s sovereignty, the more I am comforted in this life and the life that is to come!

Don’t forget what has remained with them:

Clear direction by day and night.

Sufficient nutrients for their body (think about it, not everyone’s health was the same / the mana was the same for everyone)

Once again, we find nothing short of an opportunity to grown their dependency.

APPLICATION

While you are joyfully on your Christian journey, there will come providential troubles and trials.

They always come with the purpose to GROW YOU and GLORIFY HIM!

2) The People’s Pattern Of Distrust

Having the need was not the problem, being captivated by the need was the problem!

You will always respond according to what/who captivates your heart.

When the NEED captivates you, it captivates your emotions and passions.

When GOD captivates you, He controls your emotions and passions.

Quote: Ungoverned passions, provoked by the crossing of unbridled appetites, sometimes make men guilty of the greatest absurdities, and act like madmen, that cast firebrands, arrows, and death, among their best friends. [Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 119). Peabody: Hendrickson.]

Phil. 4:8 “8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Col. 2:10 “10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:”

Notice their DEMANDING spirit. (v2)

It was like them saying, “If you give us the manna, you MUST give us water!”

James 1:7 “7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.”

Notice what Moses calls THEIR TEMPTING GOD (v7)

To simply put it, they questioned God’s presence, providence and promise.

This was not a first offence of distrust!

To bring God into question here is to bring question everything God has done leading up tho here (fire, cloud, Moses, Aaron, Red Sea, etc)

3) The Prophet’s Faithful Plea

Please don’t overlook Moses consistency here; He turns to God and pleads!

Moses really believed they were on the brink of killing him.

Moses could have went rouge with his staff, but instead he lives in light of God’s jurisdiction over all of who he was and what he had.

APPLICATION — It was do us good never to return the quarrel, but to turn to God through prayer and leave it with Him.

Moses knew well that the people would NOT HEAR HIM.

He knew God WOULD HEAR HIM.

Only God could grip the people’s hearts.

4) The Lord’s Faithful Provision

Notice God instructions to Moses: (vv5-6)

Take the rod I gave you, hit the rock and water will be provided.

God didn’t tell Moses to work up some kind of plague with the rod.

DON’T MISS the patience and restraint God provides to provoking sinners!!!

APPLICATION

Rom. 12:20 “20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.”

Matt. 5:44-45 “44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”

We can joyful say that the most dire straits and difficulties of life are not match of God’s providence!

Isa. 43:20 “20 The beast of the field shall honour me, The dragons and the owls: Because I give waters in the wilderness, And rivers in the desert, To give drink to my people, my chosen.”

MESSIANIC TYPOLOGY

1 Cor. 10:4 “4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”

John 7:38 “38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”

John 4:14 “14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”

Conclusion

The naming of this place is a remembrance of the terrible sin of questioning God with the spirit of distrust!

If someone hung a title over your life as God’s child, what would it describe about you?