In the Desert - Israel Complains

Bible Study Lessons from Exodus 15:22-27

The people are wandering, following Moses in the wilderness. They begin to grumble because the water is low with none to drink in sight. As with many times before, God comes through and saves them - even with their refusal to trust his commands.

Exodus 15:22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water.

23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter; therefore it was named Marah.

24 So the people grumbled at Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”

25 Then he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet.

There He made for them a statute and regulation, and there He tested them.

26 And He said, “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am your healer.”

27 Then they came to Elim where there were twelve springs of water and seventy date palms, and they camped there beside the waters.

Israel Complains - God Provides Water

Wandering in the Desert - Why Marah?

Of the places God led the people, the meaning of Marah is the negative attitudes Israel assumed - along with their refusing to trust that God knew what he was doing.

What about Elim?

In contrast, Elim was named for God providing for the people of Israel. Even though they whined and complained, God saw to their nees.

Grumble vs. Trust and Prayer

Now, I don't know about you, but when bad circumstances occur in my life the first natural reaction is to complain about it. Then, after a respectable amount of grumbling and self pity, I'll pray and ask God for his input.

This is totally against what God asks me to do, I know. Have you ever complained about something over which you have no control only to have to recant because God came through for you? Yes - me too!

Listen to God

Fact is, God told the Israelites over and over that if they would listen and obey him, he would take care of them. But, like us - they didn't listen or refused to trust.

The laws God put into place covered the forming of a nation - the nation of Israel. Many of the directions were meant to drastically reduce disease such as the cleanliness rituals.

We have the advantage of just now beginning to discover what God knew all along about good health - medical science now confirms God's law. Isn't that amazing? What direction is God giving you and me today? Are we listening or would we rather grumble?

Love in Christ

- Bob

The Passover of Israel - Exodus 12:1-30