Grumbling at God

There was a word that occurs more often to the Israelites than just about anybody else.

It is the little word. Remember I pull out the concordance. I just started counting until I gave up. There are probably over 300 times it occurs in the Scriptures.

Remember, remember, remember, God would tell the Israelites when they were down and adopt.

Remember the covenant. Remember the promise, the groundwork is forgotten that God is involved. One of the best solutions is to simply sit down and remember God is at that moment we don't think God is doing what's best for us were being shortchanged in God should be treating us differently.

On the other hand, when we live with the mindset that God is among us. It's very difficult to have a grumbling spirit. This is wisdom for the heart. Stephen baby has a message for you today called grumbling at God will read from first Corinthians chapter 10. It's an interesting passage of Scripture that is in a sense a commentary on what occurred in Exodus chapter 15. In fact, throughout the history of the Israelite nation first Corinthians chapter 10 verse one says Paul is writing to the church in Corinth, for I do not want you to be unaware or ignorant brother, and that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food and all drink the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them and the rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well pleased, for they were laid low in the wilderness notes this now these things happened as examples for us. That is the New Testament Christian they happened as examples for us that we should not crave evil things as they also crave and do not be idolaters as some of them were as it is written, the people set down and we can eat and drink and stood up to play, nor let us act immorally as some of them did and 23,000 fell in one day was an act of God's judgment nor let us try the Lord has some of them did and were destroyed by the serpents nor verse 10, nor grumble as some of them did and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now these things happen to them as an example and they were written for our instruction, about whom the end of the ages have, therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. Interesting that what happened to the Israelites and the record of their failure was given so that you and I might learn by observing their failure how to succeed. We learn from the kind of lifestyle that they lived where they did not please God. How we then in turn might by learning from history. Learn how to please God and that's why we've been given the record now back in Exodus chapter 15. The story unfolds and were going to take three stops. Those notes may help you that you've been given. The first begins in verse 22 of chapter 15 and what we want to do briefly is is go through the text of Scripture and discover what happened to the Israelite and then major on what that means to you and to me by way of application verse 22 then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea.

That is, that spiritual victory and they went out into the wilderness of shore and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water.

It's interesting that they've just come across that or through the Red Sea. Based on that song of great praise to God and now Moses leads them into the wilderness of shore, which is probably the eastern border of Egypt stretching up to the southern portion of Palestine in today. If you were to go there. What I have seen and by with pictures and and read it is still a very barren region with very little vegetation and and that's exactly where God will take the Israelites for this first stopping place the wilderness of shore. And it's interesting the text says they found the water they went three days without water now want you to imagine yourself part of the 2.5 perhaps even 3 million company of people that is striking through the wilderness of shore. The first day you feel the heat of the sign in the sand and wind whip set your body and and you probably feel your wineskin getting rather muggy and and warm the water doesn't taste too well. The second day ended a trip.

You are beginning to feel a little anxious for that fresh store of water and there still none the third day they begin to rejoice as you would with them because they've cited water there's water it more. There's water ahead so they think God is finally provided.

Note verse 23 when they came to Morocco they could not drink the waters of Marana, for they were bitter. That's what Marana means or bitterness so they come up to that pool of water.

Perhaps that small lake and they plunged into the water and it isn't long before you hear the cries don't drink this water you'll get sick. There they thought the end of their entire journey would occur where they could drink water and refresh themselves and they look at all that water and they get to stand back, they can drink any of it.

So what happens verse 24 the people grumbled that Moses you'll find this phrase five times in the passage will study grumbling is a characteristic of the Israelite.

In fact, in first Corinthians chapter 10 it says that one of their failures.

One of their great weaknesses was that they grumble God and Moses. It says they grumble that Moses say, what shall we drink so Moses, of course, goes to God. He cried out to the Lord and note this the Lord showed him a tree and he threw it into the water. I can just imagine myself being there were grumbling at Moses. Moses you lead us to a place where now we can drink water, go to God and find out what's happening because the God he comes back and they say will did God tell you it when we get to do.

And Moses says so what you see the tree over there by the water.

Somebody cut it down. Okay, somebody goes over there and chop the tree down and Moses says now thrown in the water so they throw the tree in the water and Moses says you can drink it now and 2 million people scratch their heads and say Moses you take the first drink, and I imagine that everybody likes Moses dip down there with his hand and pull up some water and drink it and they watched his face as he responds. This is the most ridiculous solution in the world.

The water is better you can drink it. What is God saying, take a tree and throw it into the water. What is God teaching them. He is teaching them that the human solutions that they would expect are not going to be used by God. These are divine solutions. This is the divine way that will teach them.

Ultimately, dependence upon his way and in fact you'll find in that the only solution to our own grumbling.

God is ultimately in control. Verse 27 turbulent then they came to a lien where there were 12 springs of water and 70 date palms in the canter beside the water and all had God is so gracious takes them to the bitter water where they have their faith tested and they grumble and then what does God do you go spend note of life out there without any water know he leads them to an oasis in the allows them to refresh themselves and to rest and they do so for a period of time.

Here comes the second stop look at chapter 16 then they set out from a lien, and all the congregation of the sons of Israel came to the wilderness of sin or sin, which is between a Lehman Sinai on the 15th day of the second month after their departure from the land of Egypt and the whole congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.

Why was that because basically they were running out of food. They had lost that provision that they perhaps kept as they left Egypt and now did run out. They were wondering what in the world they were going to go, and let me at least give you a few facts you can understand the enormity of what God is about to do. I read one expositor who who was a mathematician is been very helpful to me and he says that if you figure out that there were 2.5 perhaps even 3 million Israelites. It would take to feed that amount of people 4000 tons of food every day where we going to get were out in the wilderness. No vegetation. We run out. Now Moses what will God do now God will in effect, come back and give them a very interesting solution. Look at verse 11 Lord spoke to Moses, say I have heard the grumblings of the sons of Israel speak to them saying a twilight, you shall eat meat in the morning you shall be filled with bread and you shall know that I am Yahweh your God right verse 13, so it came about at evening.

Note this that the quails came up and covered the camp in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.

He rains down as it were. Man, that surfaces wants to do is evaporated. But before he does that. He says it has been a while since you had me so he brings in Coyle now. I love the scoffers of Scripture and those that would try to come up with a natural explanation of what happened before we go any further. Only give you what they've come up with they believe that the manna this this white substance was the excretion of small desert insects. There's no way Moses get to talk to many people and eating if that's manna but that's their solution. There's gotta be a way around the fact that God just sends stuff that I have been in the Coyle. They said that these were birds migrating from Africa who were exhausted and were able to fly more than 3 feet above the ground. That's great if you want, but that be the ultimate hunting experience know God, just get a home and go in and out of the air battle. I look at this file. That's a miracle it's more of a miracle, then the just assume the God said that he would take care of the people and he is sending Coyle and all I have to do is collected in every morning and by the way every morning for 40 years. This occurs for the entire 40 year wondering verse 35 the sons of Israel ate the manna 40 years until they came to the inhabited land ate the man until he came to the board of Lincoln.

In other words, God's going to provide tons of bread every morning will look at some of the details later, but that was his provision again showing them that he is a powerful God who does not need human solutions to provide for his people. I hope you're noting that as we go along, then let's go to chapter 17. This is the third grumbling spot. The people are without water this time. The wineskins are empty verse two. Therefore the people quarreled to be translated, grumble, or complaint with Moses and said give us water, that we may drink what an ungrateful lot and Moses said to them, why do you quarrel with me. Why do you test the Lord.

Verse five then the Lord said to Moses past before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand, your staff which you struck the Nile, and go bold. I will stand before you there on the rock of at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock and water will come out of it that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel, and I love this solution better than any of the others as we are thirsty. What would you know Moses says well this time I just follow me and Moses takes his staff and he says that you see that rock over there and the people say yeah looks a lot like all the other rocks are in here and he says will water will come out of the rock house that well. Stand back and let me get a good swing and he strikes the rock and God provides for his people. You see, ladies and gentlemen, God is bringing these people down to one basic question is the same question that you and I have to ask whenever were those stopping places where life like this water is better where we seem without provision where it seems that God is not providing for us. The question is found in verse seven of chapter 17. Moses comes to the people and he tells them up while they see or observe this verse seven that he named the place massage America because of the quarrel of the sons of Israel and because they tested the Lord saying in here this is the Lord among us or not. That's the bottom line in life is God among us is God involved in my life is involved in your life.

That's the fundamental question that will either make you a grumble throughout life, or a person who trusts in the sovereign power of God.

Whatever it is that you're struggling with ask the question is God among us is he in my home is he in my life there in lies the solution and I would say that the first characteristic of a grumble, or is one who observes God's provision without appreciation without appreciation or without learning there in verse 25 God shows them a tree they throw it into the waters and the waters become sweet and there is no response.

There was the response of praise before, but in these next stopping grounds. It's as if they are expecting, and they constantly inspect and God continually provides and there's no sign of appreciation nor is there a sign that they are learning that God is involved a grumble. There is a very stubborn person and when you and I grumble.

We, in effect, blind our eyes to the fact that God is providing what he has provided we have little appreciation. The second is found in chapter 16 verse three that is a grumble or exaggerates personal conditions and any complaints which note verse three with me, the sons of Israel said that we had died by the Lord's hand in the land of Egypt, will I just wish I died in Egypt before coming out here and know what they say. By exaggeration, when we sat by the pots of meat when we ate bread to the full, or literally, we had bread until we were stuff for you brought us into the wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger. They have forgotten all if we can only go back to the good old days, and each of whom we sent by the pots we tell we were stuff. My, how they have forgotten what it was like in Egypt working from dawn till dusk under heavy taskmasters who constantly beat them but do you know something just as with them. It is true with me whenever I am grumbling or complaining.

I tend to exaggerate all the bad, and usually after that I look around for somebody to blame. That's it can take the hit and they found Moses and they complained to him.

Another thing they do an adverse as they compare the present to the past and I would add to an always favorable past Genoa chronic complainer is constantly looking back and everything in the background. Everything in history is more favorable than the present. It was always better back then. I don't like to talk to people who talk about the good old days to get around people you could be 20 years old. He could be 15 and remember all what it was like back then. And one of the fascinating things about children as you observe them. What are they living for tomorrow. Tomorrow I can't wait till I get old enough to do that. I can't wait till I grow up and do this all if I were only 16 and I could drive.

I can't wait to go to college and they live in the future tense. Somewhere along there's a wall is built and we we run into it from there on out it's all if we could only go back if we can only return when I was seven. It was simple before I drove it was much easier. Chronic complainer gamblers always comparing the present to a favorable past, we sent by the pots of meat. I want to say why God there chronic grammars. The force would be this refusing to totally surrender to the authority of God and this is why they never appreciated because the riser in a sense close to what is hand is knowing there always thinking about the past there always exaggerating the president so they don't really benefit from what God does and let me show you where this occurs. Look at verse 20 of chapter 16 goes back up to verse 1860.

This is what the Lord is commanded gather of it. Every man as much as he should eat, you shall taken over a piece that's 6 pints, according to the number of persons, each of you has in his tent in the sons of Israel did so some gathered much in some little when they measured it with with an over the hood gathered much had no access, he would gathered little had no like this is a supernatural miracle in itself, but the man expands to meet the need of the family work diminishes so that they don't have any left over.

And Moses said the numbers 19, let no man leave any of it until morning. Verse 20 but they did not listen to Moses and some left part of it until morning and inbred worms and became fell and Moses was angry with them.

In other words okay Lord, you can provide manna but since I'm really not under your authority. I'm really not able to appreciate what you're doing for me. Therefore, I'm not really gonna listen to the whole counsel the whole command you say don't don't leave any over big deal, set a little aside and of course God make sure that it spoils. Verse 26 six days you shall gather it but on the seventh day, the Sabbath literally translated the rest day. There will be none don't collected on the Sabbath. Verse 27. It came about on the seventh day that some of the people went out together but they found they resemble made because God says something, and take care of you and what I do okay.

The seventh day, although I get is a portion don't leave any over until morning, but I don't know of God can really provide until just make sure I got some saved up. This is to convicting. Let's go to the next.

The fifth they distort reality, and they falsely accuse verse three of chapter 70 but the people thirsted there for water and they grumbled against Moses, and said why now. Have you brought us up from Egypt to Calais and our children and our livestock with thirst, know that intelligent 2 1/2 million people have reached the conclusion that Moses led them out of Egypt to make sure they died of thirst that makes a lot of sense because Moses didn't have any water himself up.

They didn't. What are they doing they are distorting reality that goes right along with those who are chronic grammars, we lose the mooring of reality were so convinced that God may be against us little all of this is bad, that all of yesterday was better we make foolish decisions. We distort the reality of what is actually happening. Let me stop and that's sidle up to Moses for second. Let's pretend for him. How would you and I respond against such false accusations.

What if you were leading the people of Israel and they came to you with this conclusion. Well, although this is very dramatic. We have all experienced accusations, some true, some false doing mirrors the character of Moses, who repeatedly does the same thing when he's falsely accused and what is he do goes to God. You never see in this text of Scripture Moses say it loud to kill you.

You five reasons why that's not true.

Never does he just goes to God that's typed strengths.

How do we overcome when we could consider the disease of grumbling comes in slowly and then Masters us. First of all, by developing a constant dependence on the living Lord turned to the gospel of John. You gotta see this for yourself John chapter 6. We talked about types in the Old Testament being fulfilled in the antitype that is Jesus Christ.

And that Old Testament passage we looked at as a sermon in itself about how Jesus Christ is the antitype of that which was given in the Old Testament.

He fulfills the picture of what happened in the past. You'll note this one very clearly John chapter 6, verse 32 Jesus said to them, truly I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is my father who gives you the true bread out of heaven for the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world. Verse 35 Jesus said I am the bread of life comes to me shall not hunger, and healing.

But who believes in me shall never thirst. Verse 48 I am the bread of life.

Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread I am the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that no one may eat of it and die. I am the living bread that came down out of heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he shall live forever in the bread also which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh. Jesus Christ said that which happened to Israel there in the wilderness where God provided. In fact, 40 years and giving bread. They still had to die. But I am the bread of life.

And if you come to depend on me. You will never die.

But see, that isn't just it that's redemption, but there is a constant dependence throughout our wilderness journey before we reach the land of promise where we will overcome the granular spirit by depending on the word, the living bread that is available it is new each morning. What a tremendous picture Jesus Christ gives not only themselves but of the word, developing a constant dependence on the Lord. The second is this cultivating a thankful attitude, cultivating a thankful attitude and only two ways that I can that can happen.

Obviously, there are many more.

The first and this is all related to Israel.

There is a word that occurs more often to the Israelites and for just about anybody else. It is the little word.

Remember I pull out the concordance. I just started counting until I gave up.

There are probably over 300 times it occurs in the Scriptures. Remember, remember, remember, God would tell the Israelites when they were down and adopts remember the covenant.

Remember the promise the ground work is forgotten that God is involved. One of the best solutions is to simply sit down and remember what God is God.

Grammars have very short memories. I think we need to develop better memories. The second is to practice a thankful attitude takes practice, turnover, Colossians 3, read this particular text out of Williams translation because he literally wises the tense of the verb chapter 3 of Colossians and look at verse 15.

He says let the peace that Christ can give keep on acting as an umpire in your hearts, for you were called to this state as members of one body and practice being thankful that's interesting. Practice being thankful you practice thankfulness on the edge of the Red Sea you practice being thankful at the oasis of the lien and take practice. It takes practice when you're in the wilderness in the desert when you're thirsty. Things are going wrong.

When you practice so he said I want you to practice thankfulness. That is when the situations arise where you want to do anything but being thankful therein you develop the discipline of a thankful spirit chapter 1 verse 11 of that same book he says I want you to lead lives worthy of the Lord to his full satisfaction by bearing fruit in every good enterprise, and by his steady growth and a fuller knowledge of God, then you will be perfectly empowered by his glorious might, for every sort of joyous endurance dealing with circumstance and forbearance that's dealing with people and you will always be thinking the father who is qualified you to share the lot of his people in the realm of life. What do I have to be thankful for today. The foundation beginning the starting point is that we by the redemption of Jesus Christ can say I am thankful that he is qualified me by his son to be part of the family of God. I start their practice that when the lights are turned off begins there. I am part of God's family by Jesus Christ, and because of that I can begin the practice thankfulness. No believing Jesus Christ among my series through Exodus comes from our vintage wisdom archives Stephen first preached this message back in 1989. Stephen is also the president of shepherd's theological seminary Shepherd seminary is training and equipping pastors, and anyone who wants to further their knowledge of God's word. In fact, if you'd like to take a course or two.

You can do that right where you are because most of the classes are offered with an online option if you go to our website wisdom online.org and scroll to the bottom of that page is a link to Shepherd seminary join us again next time. As we bring more