The picture painted of the character of God is made all the more remarkable considering how the people respond to His might works of rescuing them from slavery and the military force of Egypt.
Ten unmistakeable signs and a Red Sea crossing miracle should have been enough to show beyond any doubt that the God who delivered them was able to do anything except fail. But no, whether it was two incidents of lacking water or the lack of the cuisine to which they were accustomed and the people would grumble. They would murmur and grumble and there would be references to Egypt as though they were better off back in slavery. Truly you could take the people out of Egypt, but it was another thing getting the Egypt out of them.
The target of the grumbling was usually Moses and Aaron. These after all were the key characters in leading the people on the ground. The validation of their leadership in the might works God did through them made them the first point of referral for the grumbling.
Moses could have easily taken offence and got upset at the ungrateful and miserable behaviour of the people. Indeed he could have taken it personally as if the people were directly blaming him for everything that went wrong. Moses, however, had a good idea of what his role in everything was. He was the mediator between the people and God. When the people were moaning, he took it to the right place and informed the people that they were not criticising a man – they were criticising God Himself.
The heart of the shepherd was very much evident in Moses, however, for it was still his desire not to ditch the people but to provide for them. He didn’t complain to God – he cried out to God. He knew he needed help in the situation and the way to get that help was not passing on the grumbling but calling out to God for the help.
Strength of character was certainly needed by the time of the second incident to do with water when Moses felt he was about to get stoned. As the man in the middle, he clearly saw that the people were doing themselves no favours putting God to the test so frequently.
He called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarrelling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
Exodus 17:7
When it comes to disputes between those you lead and God who calls you, good leaders know who they have to side with and who they have to strongly counsel. This episode left a mark with Moses as it led him to name those locations as milestones of millstones that the people were putting around their head with the lack of faith in their deliverer.
While their faith wasn’t up to scratch, it’s credit to Moses that at this stage of his journey with God and the people, that his faith continued to develop with each incident. He knew where to put his trust. Unlike the people he led, the examples he had witnessed strengthened his confidence that God who took him back to Israel, and took Israel out of Egypt would be sufficient to provide. Even provide for grumblers.
Character of faith, trust and perseverance was crucial for Moses to overcome in these episodes. This is a man whose encounters with God shaped his character. This is an encouragement to various challenges we face today that divine encounters with the One who delivers us from the enemy – and defeats the enemy – is more than capable of amply providing for us what we need in those challenges.
Are our eyes too consumed with the earthly circumstances, to look up to where our redemption comes from? Are we among the faithful or the grumblers?
(Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash)
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
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