Exodus 17:1 – 7 “Then the whole congregation of Israel left the Desert of Sin, moving from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So the people contended with Moses, “Give us water to drink.”
“Why do you contend with me?” Moses replied. “Why do you test the LORD?”
But the people thirsted for water there, and they grumbled against Moses: “Why have you brought us out of Egypt—to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”
Then Moses cried out to the LORD, “What should I do with these people? A little more and they will stone me!”
And the LORD said to Moses, “Walk on ahead of the people and take some of the elders of Israel with you. Take along in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb; when you strike the rock, water will come out of it for the people to drink.”
So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. He named the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled, and because they tested the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?” (“Massah” means “testing,” and “Meribah” means “quarreling.”)
KVETCH! KVETCH! KVETCH!!! All the Israelites seem to do is to complain! Are these people grateful for what God has already done and the miracles that He is currently doing? Not a chance! At the first sign of any inconvenience, the Israelites begin reproaching Moses. By this point, Moses is wishing that he had remained in the desert herding sheep. At least all the sheep could say was “Baaa!” And no sheep ever threatened to stone Moses!
No matter that God has delivered the Israelites out of Egypt by making a way through the sea and then wiping out Pharaoh’s crack troops. No matter that God has been regularly supplying quail and manna. When it comes to trusting God, the Israelites don’t have a clue and they don’t want one either! These people still have a whole lot to learn about God!
Moses follows God’s instructions to the letter, taking some of the elders with him as far as the rock at Horeb. Why bring the elders along? It’s likely that these were the very guys who were stirring up the people against Moses; after all, THEY were elders. Shouldn’t THEY get lots of respect also? What makes Moses so great? God wanted to make certain that when He brought water out of the rock, there would be reliable witnesses who would be afraid to go back on their own words.
Why strike the rock? There are several places in the Middle East where there are underground streams. Perhaps one of these streams was close to the surface at Horeb; God would certainly know. Then if Moses would strike with his staff at just the right place, water would gush forth. The “How?” of the situation really doesn’t matter as much as the “Why?” For all time, God wanted the Jews to see that He, the Lord, could bring forth living water, that is, flowing water that would be safe to drink and that would give life to people and animals.
APPLICATION: WOW! Do people ever have short memories! Viewing this story from a few thousand years, we begin to feel smug. Had WE been there, surely we would have trusted God and WE would not have threatened to stone Moses….. or would we?
How many times has God done something wonderful for us, only for us to fail to thank Him? How many times have we told ourselves, “Well, yes, God helped me in that bad situation; but what about the problems facing me today?”
Human nature has not changed since the Garden of Eden. We are just as likely to fall into the trap of not trusting as were the Israelites. As you are reading this devotional, take time to think about the ways God has helped you in the past. After all, you are alive to read these words; others with whom you attended school or worked are now in the graveyard. Just the fact that you are alive today is in itself a miracle.
PRAYER: Father God, we are so swift to criticize and complain and so slow to thank you! Thank you for preserving our lives, for giving us hope, and for sending Jesus to live as a man, to die for our sins, and to defeat death, hell, and the grave! Thank you for all the blessings that you have given us. Help us from this day forward to be perpetually and eternally grateful for your love, your guidance, and your watch care. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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