The whole congregation of the sons of Israel
grumbled against Moses and Aaron
in the wilderness.
Exodus 16:2
I wish I could say that the sons of Israel learned their lesson about grumbling at the waters of Marah, but I cannot. The grumbling at the waters of Marah was just the beginning. The children of Israel are a month and a half into their journey from Egypt. They are now in the wilderness of Sin somewhere between the oasis of Elim and Sinai and what we discover is that the name of this wilderness is very fitting.
The children of Israel have only less than two months ago experienced the mighty arm of God in Egypt. They have just watched God make bitter waters sweet. The children of Israel have had the Lord their Healer lead them to an oasis called Elim, where there were springs and date trees galore. The Lord has delivered them and provided for them over and over and now that it is time for them to set out on their journey again we also find them grumbling again.
The sons of Israel said to them,
‘Would that we had died by the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt,
when we sat by the pots of meat,
when we ate bread to the full;
for you have brought us out into this wilderness
to kill this whole assembly with hunger.’
Exodus 16:3
When the people grumbled at Marah about the bitter waters the Lord made them sweet. He then immediately declared to them that He was the Lord their Healer and if they obeyed Him then they would not experience the diseases that were put upon the Egyptians.
God not only shares a little more information about Himself to these people, and to us, but He also is reminding them that the way of life in Egypt was not according to God. Have you ever heard the saying, you can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl? Well, God was trying to show this mixed multitude that just being out of Egypt was not enough, He is going to have to get Egypt out of them.
The people grumbled for water at Marah and now in the wilderness of Sin they grumble for food. They do not give God praise and thanks for the water at Marah and then now seek Him for food, they choose rather to complain.
My friend, this is nothing more than this group of people thinking that they can emotionally manipulate Moses and God to get what they want. They are testing God, just as every child tests his parents.
God showed mercy on the children of Israel at Marah and He made the bitter waters sweet. However, we must remember that mercy softens some but it hardens others. Let us pay close attention as we go through this wilderness journey with the children of Israel.
The Word of God warns us in 1 Corinthians 10:6, “Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved.” God’s mercy on Pharaoh in Egypt during the plagues only hardened Pharaoh more and now we see the same pattern beginning here in the wilderness with the children of Israel.
God gave them mercy at Marah and made the bitter waters sweet, so that they would have sweet water to drink. Yet this multitude does not give God praise. They do not give Him thanks. They come now expecting that they will grumble to Moses even more and receive what their flesh craves.
Did you notice how distorted the view of the past is to this multitude? This group looks back on their life in Egypt and they are completely ignoring the cruel bondage that caused them to call out to God for deliverance. They look back and all they are recalling at this moment is pots of meat and eating bread to the full.
Oh precious one, see how the enemy of our souls can mess with our minds?
Have you been there?
I know that I have.
As a believer, a redeemed child of God, I have spent time in my own wilderness. I have grown weary and frustrated in that wilderness and my mind has went back to the past when I would dance the night away while intoxicated by alcohol and all the cares of the world would seem to be a million miles away. My mind would take me there because my flesh cried out for what it lusted after and the enemy was whispering lies in my ear. “See how carefree you were then? See how much fun you always had? Go on, don’t you wish you had that at least one more time?”
How thankful I am for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Romans 8:5-6 declares, “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.”
When the Spirit of God who is in you, if you do indeed belong to Christ (Romans 8:9), divides through the lies of the enemy and the lust of your flesh with the truth of the Word of God, then you are to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).
When you know the truth, it is that truth that sets you free (John 8:32). It is being intoxicated with the Spirit of God that brings you peace- mind, body, and soul. Oh precious one, your body can be free, but if your mind is still enslaved then you have gained nothing. You must be “…transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)
Oh Father,
Forgive me for the times I have attempted to emotionally manipulate You to get my way. Thank You for opening my eyes to the truth, for I did not even realize what I was doing. Thank You for being patient with me. As You carry me through wilderness journeys, to remove the world from me, may I not forget to give You thanks and praise. For I know that You are working in me and through me to bring about Your perfect result and complete me in You (James 1:2-4).
My Jesus, it is in Your name I pray,
Amen