Exodus 16 – June 6

Grumbling

Let’s recap for just a moment. The Israelites have just been freed from their enslavement to the most powerful nation in the world. God set them free by sending the most powerful plagues in the history of the world. He then conquered their enemies by literally parting the Red Sea and leading them through safely before crushing Pharaoh and his armies beneath the collapsing walls of water. Then, God turns the bitter water to sweet, delicious, refreshing water to satisfy them. And after all of that, the Israelites can do nothing but complain. If you had done all of that for a person and then they grumbled about their circumstances, how would you respond? God responds by sending them food in the form of manna. That is a merciful God. 

We will consider that manna more in a few days, but for now take note of what is going on with the hearts of the Jewish people. Verse 2 tells us both the scope and the target of their grumbling. “The whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron…” Their words, and angry stares, and grudging side glances, and bitter gossip were all directed at Moses and Aaron. But God makes it clear that He was their actual target. “the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord.” 

Do you grumble and complain about your trials and tribulations? Do you realize that your grumbling, unthankful, bitter, complaining heart is actually an attack against the Lord? By complaining, you are acting as though God has not done a great work for you. It is also acting as though the Lord is not currently leading you into the best possible place for you. Sometimes to get to the green pastures, the Good Shepherd has to lead you through the valley of the shadow of death. The miracle done for you is far greater than the plagues performed in Egypt. Your sin is forgiven, your debt is paid, you are free. The gifts are better than the gold given by the Egyptians. The promised land that we are going to is better. It is easy to look at them as being foolish for grumbling, but it is even more ludicrous for someone who has been saved by grace to complain. There is an old story that may be apocryphal about Charles Spurgeon overhearing a woman in his church who was complaining about her difficult life. As the story goes, he stopped in his tracks and said to her, “What do I hear? Someone is not in hell, and they are complaining?” In other words, if God had given us what we actually deserve, we would be in eternal misery. Everything that the Lord has given His children is a kind mercy, even when it doesn’t feel like it. We must not be like the Israelites who grumbled against their Deliverer.

Notice that the Lord also gave them manna in order to “test them.” (vs. 4) Even when God did abundantly bless them, they did not follow instructions. They would take the gift in ways that God did not want them to receive it. How often do we do the exact same thing? The Lord gives us wealth, and we hoard it for ourselves. The Lord gives us a home, and we refuse to use it hospitably. God grants us food and we over indulge. He has allowed us to live in a time with incredible technology that literally brings the sum of human knowledge to our fingertips, and instead of using it to learn about the Lord or spread His gospel to the ends of the earth we find ourselves wasting time watching cat videos. When the Lord blesses us with any gift, your heart is put on display and your true motives can be seen. Brothers and sisters, let us use the gifts that God gives us as He intends.