Good morning!
Greetings in the name of the Father, the son, and the Holy Spirit.
“Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.” (Ecclesiastes 5:2)
The Israelites had been journeying through the wilderness for quite some time. They had witnessed incredible miracles that God had performed for them, from the plagues in Egypt to the parting of the Red Sea. They had seen God provide them with manna and quail for food, and they had witnessed Him guiding them with a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night.
Yet, despite all of these miraculous signs, the Israelites still found something to complain about as the people were thirsty and had no water to drink. They began to argue with Moses, saying,
“Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?” (Exodus 17:3b)
Can you imagine the frustration Moses must have felt? Here he was, leading the Israelites out of slavery and towards the promised land, and all they could do was complain. But rather than get angry with the people, Moses turned to God for help.
We see this relationship between God and Moses throughout the book of Exodus. God had chosen Moses to be the leader of His people and had spoken to him directly through the burning bush. Moses had even been allowed to see God’s glory on Mount Sinai.
In Exodus 17:4-7, we see Moses cry out to God, saying, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.” God responds by telling Moses to take his staff and strike a rock, which will produce water for the people to drink.
This incident serves as a reminder to us that even in the midst of our doubts and complaints, God is still with us. He hears our prayers and provides for our needs, even when we don’t deserve it.
In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus reminds us not to worry about our basic needs, such as food and clothing.
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? (Matthew 6:25-26)
God knows what we need and will provide for us. Thus, God says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” That is, we do not need to worry about our basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter, as God will provide for us. Instead, we should focus on seeking His will and His kingdom, trusting that He will provide for us every step of the way.
As we go through our daily lives, let us remember the faithfulness of God and the example of Moses. Let us turn to God in prayer when we are in need, and let us remain faithful to Him, even in the midst of doubt and uncertainty while trusting in Him and believing His infinitely good will.
Now, let us delve deeper into this passage, and examine the Israelites’ complaints and Moses’ response.
The Israelites were not simply complaining about a lack of water. Their complaint was rooted in their fear and anxiety about the future. They had just escaped from Egypt, but they did not know what lay ahead. They were in the wilderness, where there was no food or water, and they were surrounded by hostile nations.
Their fear and anxiety had caused them to forget the miracles that God had performed for them. They had forgotten about the plagues that God had sent to Egypt to convince Pharaoh to release them from slavery. They had forgotten about the parting of the Red Sea, which had allowed them to escape from the pursuing Egyptian army. They had forgotten about the manna and quail that God had provided for them to eat.
The Israelites’ complaints were not just a simple matter of being thirsty. It was a matter of faith. They had lost faith in God’s ability to provide for them, and they had lost faith in Moses’ leadership. They were not just thirsty, they were questioning the very purpose of their journey that God provided according to His infinite goodness.
Moses, on the other hand, remained steadfast in his faith. He did not become angry with the people or give up on them. Instead, he turned to God in prayer and asked for guidance.
“Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.” (Numbers 12:3)
The Bible verse speaks to Moses’ character as a humble servant of God, who did not seek power or glory for himself but rather put his trust in God and served Him faithfully.
We see this same pattern throughout the book of Exodus. Whenever the Israelites complained or rebelled, Moses turned to God in prayer and asked for help. Moses did not rely on his own strength or wisdom, but on God’s.
In Exodus 17:4-7, we see Moses cry out to God, saying, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.” God responds by telling Moses to take his staff and strike a rock, which will produce water for the people to drink.
God loved Moses who was always faithful to God. God said to Moses,
“Walk out in front of the people. Take your staff, the one you used when you struck the water of the Nile, and call some of the elders of Israel to join you. I will stand before you on the rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock, and water will come gushing out. Then the people will be able to drink.” (Exodus 17:5-6)
God elevated Moses among the Israelites and asked to take the staff in Moses’ hand, which was God’s staff, with which Moses brought plagues to Egyptians and parted the Red Sea. It symbolized God’s presence with Moses.
God also prepared the hearts of the elders, i.e., the leaders of the Israelites. God did not make Moses do God’s work alone. The people were about to stone Moses because they were deceived by themselves. They felt that Moses was the source of the problems: all kinds of pains and hardship. God knew Moses’ heart and brought those who could support Moses. How great God is!
When we see all against us, we should cry out to God as our prayer. God, who is compassionate, cannot stand still but provides God’s help. God even sends someone who can support and sustain us when we feel that we are alone and so lonely while being surrounded by those who are against us. One how infinitely compassionate is with us, who is our Ever-Loving almighty God.
Had Moses stroke a rock and made water out of the rock before? No. He had not done it before. How many disgruntled Israelites were at the scene? About two million Israelites were against Moses. If Moses failed, he would have had been stoned to death. Yes, his own people were about to kill Moses.
Each step by step was terrifying as getting close to the rock that Moses supposedly hit with the staff in his hand. What pressure! Moses saw the stones in the hands of the Israelites, which would be thrown at him if he failed to produce water. However, Moses knew he had to walk up to the rock and hit it.
Moses kept praying to God, and God let Moses remember what God said, “I will stand before you on the rock at Mount Sinai.” Yes, God would be ahead of Moses and wait for Moses. Moses immediately felt God’s presence with him, who was leading Moses before him.
Moses then finally reached the rock and stood before the rook. He looked at the staff in his hand and remembered what God said, “Stike the rock, and water will come gushing out.” In faith, Moses lifted his staff high in the air and stoke down strongly in faith while relying on God’s promise.
Moses felt a big shock through his hand with his whole body because he hit the rock so strongly with his staff. His heart kept praying to God while asking for God’s mercy and the miracle that God promised.
Immediately, water gushed out of the rock. The entire place became so quiet. Even one pin drop could be heard. Soon people started to clap their hands because they saw the water gushing out of the rock.
The fact that God provided water from a rock is significant. The rock was a symbol of God’s unchanging faithfulness and provision.
Why did God provide water from the rock through Moses, who hit the rock in faith?
In Deuteronomy 8:15-16, we read, “He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you.”
God was reminding the Israelites of His faithfulness and provision, even in the midst of their doubt and complaints. He also let the Israelites test their own faith and their obedience to God.
In conclusion, the story of the Israelites’ complaint and Moses’ prayer serves as a reminder to us that we must remain faithful to God, even in the midst of doubt and uncertainty. We must trust that God will provide for us and guide us, even when things seem uncertain. We must also remain obedient to God’s commands, even when we do not understand them or agree with them.
We can also learn from the relationship between God and Moses. Moses was a faithful servant of God who turned to Him in prayer whenever he faced challenges or difficult situations. He did not rely on his own strength or wisdom but trusted in God’s guidance and provision.
Likewise, we too must develop a close relationship with God through prayer and reading His Word. We must rely on Him for guidance and strength, knowing that He is faithful and will never leave us nor forsake us.
As we navigate through the challenges and difficulties of life, let us remember the faithfulness of God and the example of Moses. Let us turn to God in prayer and remain obedient to His commands, trusting that He will provide for us and guide us on our journey.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4)
Let us embrace the trials and challenges of life as opportunities to grow in faith and trust in God. Let us remain steadfast and faithful, knowing that God is with us and will provide for us every step of the way.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for your faithfulness and provision in our lives. Help us to remain faithful to you, even when things seem uncertain. We pray that you would provide for our needs and guide us on our journey, just as you did for the Israelites in the wilderness. We ask for your forgiveness for our faithlessness and disobedience. Help us to trust in you and remain obedient to your commands even under situations that we feel impossible. We ask all these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.
So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (Matthew 6:31-32)