Therefore the people quarreled with Moses
and said, ‘Give us water that we may drink.’
And Moses said to them,
‘Why do you quarrel with me?
Why do you test the LORD?’
Exodus 17:2
Here we are again.
Let us recall that it has been only about three months since the children of Israel left Egypt. They have seen many wonders by the hand of their God. They have seen Him turn bitter water sweet and rain manna and quail from the sky, yet still they doubt Him.
Here they come to their camp and they have no water. They could have looked up to their God and praised Him for being a God who could deliver them from Egypt,
could split the Red Sea,
could rain manna and quail
and could turn bitter water sweet.
They could have remembered all this and praised Him and sought Him in hopeful expectation that He would provide for them once again, but no, they didn’t. Instead they turn to Moses and grumble and complain.
They viciously turn on Moses and accuse him of setting them up to die. They always refer back to Egypt. I have to wonder how frustrated God must get with us sometimes. Why is it that when difficult times come in our walk with God we somehow think that our life before Christ was better? What a work God has before Him when He chooses to redeem us.
It is easy to bring us out of Egypt; the hard part is getting Egypt out of us. This is something that only God can do. We have not the strength or wisdom.
Now Moses has no where to go, but to his God. He seeks God’s help and God provides. God does not ask Moses to come alone. He tells him to bring the elders of Israel with him. I believe God is trying to train up these men, He is trying to teach them who He is. God wants the people to see that He is reliable, He is all-powerful, and He is their very present help in time of trouble (Psalm 46:1).
Before we get to critical of the children of Israel let us remember that these people had been in bondage for 400 years. They had been surrounded with idol worship and false deities. God knew this and He was patient with them. I am so thankful for His patience.
God tells Moses to go to the rock and strike it and out of this rock would flow water for the children of Israel. In 1 Corinthians 10:4 we are told that this rock was Christ. Oh precious one have you drank from the rock of Christ?
For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren,
that our fathers were all under the cloud
and all passed through the sea;
and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
and all ate the same spiritual food;
and all drank the same spiritual drink,
for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them;
and the rock was Christ.
1 Corinthians 10:1-4
Oh Father,
Thank You for Your patience. I know that when You brought me out of Egypt, out of the world, I was a mess. I know that I grumbled and complained and even doubted You, but You have been patient with me. You keep showing me Your might. You keep showing me Your power. You keep reminding me that You are indeed reliable. You have brought me water from the rock many times. You have never failed me. Please God, keep working Egypt out of me.
My Jesus, it is in Your name I pray,
Amen