Tag: Aaron

12.  And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened.

Exodus 32:30   The next day Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold. But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.” But the Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book. But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.”

Then the Lord sent a plague on the people, because they made the calf, the one that Aaron made.

Ezekiel 18:4    Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die.

Psalms 109:13-14     May his posterity be cut off; may his name be blotted out in the second generation!  May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out!

Revelation 13:8     and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.

Revelation 20:12     And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.

Psalms 69:28    Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous.

These are some serious words of judgment for those who disregard God.  I was speaking with a seminary student recently and they made a comment that got me to thinking.  They said “Christianity today spells out our walk with God in the big moment choices, being born again and baptism, but our walk is more than a big moment choice.  It is a life of sacrifice of self for unity, for showing love, for being generous, for being kind, to allow ourselves to be wronged and forgive the act against us.

I wonder if preaching today speaks to the big moments and does not talk of the daily walk that humbly serves, honors, glorifies, follows, and obeys God over self and society pressures. You don’t have to look far to see the lives of those who claim the big moment choices but you see no fruit in their lives.  In fact, there is very little difference in their life from those who do not believe in God.  Fruit of the Spirit is cultivated over a lifetime of daily walking with God, daily spending time in His word, daily seeking to hear Him, daily desiring to be led by Him, daily wanting to honor and glorify Him, daily wanting sin in their life exposed so they can confess it and be forgiven, daily wanting to be used by Him, daily surrendering self-wants and desires, daily seeking to show the light of Jesus Christ into a dark world, daily looking for God moments with the lost, daily seeking to make disciples.

Every day is a choice of self or God. One leads to being blotted out and the other to eternal life.

Do whatever He tells you.

Exodus 17:8   Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”

Joshua 11:15     Just as the LORD had commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did. He left nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded Moses.

Matthew 28:20    teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

John 2:5     His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

“So Joshua did as Moses told him.”  So Joshua did.  He left nothing undone”  “Observe all that I have commanded you.”  “Do whatever he tells you.”

Noah did as the Lord commanded, Abraham did as the Lord commanded.  Samuel, Elisha, Elijah, Esther, Ruth, Daniel, Isaiah, Nehemiah, 12 Disciples, Paul, Barnabas, Timothy….. and the list can go on and on of those we read about who did as the Lord commanded.

Why does this seem natural to some?  Is it possible that these people believed (relied on, trusted in, and clung to) God?  Could it be that they made with an intentional heart, mind, and soul choice which was fueled by a desire to seek and honor God?

There is something different about people who intentionally choose each day to deny self and humbly, seek, and desire, God.  they want to grow in understanding and knowledge of Him.  They want to honor Him through what they think and say.  They want to worship and praise Him.  They want to follow and obey Him. They want to hear His whispers of guidance and correction into their daily life.

We grow in obedience, understanding, reliance, hope, strength, and power when scripture is more than a book for times of trouble.  When there are intentional commitment and humble purposeful desire for scripture, it becomes the like the air we breathe, the food we eat, and water we drink because without it death comes quickly. Without it, there is no understanding of God’s love and wrath.  There is no understanding of God’s power and might. There is no understanding of His precious promises.  There is no basis to build faith and hope.  There is no place of refuge. There is no divine peace in our soul.  There is no way for us to “Do as He commands”.

How are you to be able to “Do whatever He tells you”  if you are not seeking to hear Him speak?  Make a choice today to read His word and desire for Him speak to your heart, mind, and soul.  Do whatever He tells you.

1. Written with the finger of God / To be kept as a sign against rebels

Exodus 16:31   Now the house of Israel called its name manna. It was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Let an omer of it be kept throughout your generations, so that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’” And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the Lord to be kept throughout your generations.” As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the testimony to be kept. The people of Israel ate the manna forty years, till they came to a habitable land. They ate the manna till they came to the border of the land of Canaan. (An omer is the tenth part of an ephah.)

Exodus 25:16     And you shall put into the ark the testimony that I shall give you.

Exodus 25:21     And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you

Exodus 30:6   And you shall put it in front of the veil that is above the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is above the testimony, where I will meet with you.

Exodus 31:18    And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.

Exodus 38:21    These are the records of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony, as they were recorded at the commandment of Moses,

Exodus 40:20     He took the testimony and put it into the ark, and put the poles on the ark and set the mercy seat above on the ark.

Numbers 1:53     But the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the testimony, so that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the people of Israel. And the Levites shall keep guard over the tabernacle of the testimony.”

Numbers 17:10    And the LORD said to Moses, “Put back the staff of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebels, that you may make an end of their grumblings against me, lest they die.”

Put into the are the testimony that I give you. The tablets, an omer of manna, and the staff.  These were to be reminders of God’s mighty power displayed before all of Egypt and Israel. God’s provision for 40 years, and God’s commandments.  These were a constant reminder before the people and were declared by God as a testimony to His chosen.  They were to keep people from forgetting all that God had done and by application what He can do.

I think about the Bible, His written word, given to us with much more testimony about Him, His love for us, His plan for us, His expectations of us, His desire for us, His provision for us, and eternity.  Isn’t amazing how He reaches out to His creation with such caring love.  Isn’t it awesome that He not only gave his written word to us but also as it is written in

Do not allow complacent neglect to have any part of your heart, mind, and soul.  Be intentional in your full commitment to humbly serve, honor, glorify, worship, follow, and obey Him.

We have been given a great testimony to believe and proclaim.

While they are yet speaking I will hear

Exodus 16:9    Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, Come near before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’” And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. And the Lord said to Moses, “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”  In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.

Numbers 16:16     And Moses said to Korah, “Be present, you and all your company, before the LORD,

Ezekiel 34:30    And they shall know that I am the LORD their God with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 39:22    The house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God, from that day forward.

Joel 3:17     “So you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who dwells in Zion, my holy mountain.

Zechariah 13:9    And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’”

Zechariah 10:6     “I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph. I will bring them back because I have compassion on them, and they shall be as though I had not rejected them, for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them.

Psalms 34:15-19     The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.  The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.  When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.  The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.  Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.

Psalms 50:15    and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

Psalms 91:15     When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.

Isaiah 65:24    Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear.

Jeremiah 29:11-12    For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.

Romans 10:12-14    For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.  For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

I am intrigued by these verses.  God, showing His love, mercy, awesome power to a nation of grumbling people.  They were not calling on God but rather grumbling against Him.  They were not believing in Him, trusting in Him, relying on Him but rather living in the circumstances and the situation they were in.  They are just weeks from where God showed 8 great wonders prior to delivering them out of the hands of Egypt, days past when the Red Sea was parted and fewer days from water being supplied.  Still, these great wonders of God did nothing to change there heart.  Did they see these things as works of an Awesome God or just flukes of nature?  Did they not question how these things could happen apart from God?

When you think about it, complaining and grumbling does not take much effort.  It comes easy.  It does not need much of a push to get us there.  This seems to be our natural state of mind if left unchecked.  Still, it is a choice.

Just as it is an intentional choice to grumble and complain, it is an intentional choice to believe (trust in, rely on, cling to) God.  For those who do, they will see the Mighty hand of God at work.  They will hear His whispers of leading, encouragement, hope, peace, and joy, with eyes and ears wide open.  They will cling to His promises.   They will call on Him.  They will pray to Him.  They will rely on Him.  They will trust in Him.  They will seek and desire Him.  They will honor and glorify Him.  They will humbly serve Him.  They will wait on Him.  They will follow Him.  They will obey Him.

It is a choice….

Exodus 16:4   Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, “At evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against the Lord. For what are we, that you grumble against us?” And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord.”

Deuteronomy 8:2     And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.

Joshua 24:15     And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

It is a choice to make between serving God and serving self.  It is a choice to be humble when pride is knocking at your door.  It is a choice to seek God first when everything in you says to handle it yourself.  It is a choice to wait on God’s perfect plan and purpose when timing of our trial/trouble is weighting us down.  It is a choice to trust in, rely on, and cling to God when chaos fills our lives.  It is a choice to desire Him rather than a fix to our problems.  It is a choice to want to spend time in His word and hear Him speak to our heart when we seem to be burdened with busyness.  It is a choice to not grumble.  It is a choice to keep unity.  It is a choice to allow yourself to be wronged.  It is a choice to forgive others.  It is a choice to be joyful.  It is a choice to say no to things of this world that replace God in our lives.  It is a choice to do what is right even when others are not.  It is a choice to make disciples.  It is a choice to share the Gospel.  It is a choice to be kind.  It is a choice to be generous.  It is a choice to praise and worship God.  It is a choice to dwell on things of God.  It is a choice to be thankful.  It is a choice to encourage others.  It is a choice to find refuge in God.  It is a choice to used by Him.

Choose this day whom you will serve.  But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.

Do all things without grumbling

Exodus 16:1   They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

Psalms 106:7     Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.

Psalms 106:13     But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel.

Psalms 106:25    They murmured in their tents, and did not obey the voice of the LORD.

1Corinthians 10:9  We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer.

Numbers 14:27-30     “How long shall this wicked congregation grumble against me? I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against me.  Say to them, ‘As I live, declares the LORD, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you:  your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness, and of all your number, listed in the census from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against me,  not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.

Philippians 2:14     Do all things without grumbling or disputing,

I don’t know what is worse, to not believe there is a God, or to know there is a Powerful, Mighty, Limitless, Creator – “God” and grumble about His care, purpose, plan, and love for those who are called by His name.  One denies God exists and the other denies His omniscient and omnipresence in and through His creation.  One gives no thought and the other denies His faithfulness and steadfast love.

For those who deny God exists there is not much hope outside of God softening their heart to Him and giving them one more chance to receive Him.  For those who believe that God exists and they grumble through life, blaming God, and discounting God, this is very sad state of mind to be in.

We all have moments in our life where we question “why” are the trials that hit us not stopped by God.  Scripture tells us that God allows some trials and troubles to come our way to test our heart.  It is not as though God does not already know but rather to show us the state of our heart, our faith, our trust and our reliance in the awesome hands of God.

We do well to learn from those in the past and not repeat the same humanistic views.  We do well to lean not onto our own understanding but through prayer and thanksgiving let our requests be known to God.  Relying on Him, trusting in Him, clinging to Him – this is where hope and faith grow and mature.

Whatever it is you are facing – place it in God’s hands and allow Him to work His perfect plan through it all.

I will rescue Him or My heart would not turn toward this people

Exodus 15:25  And he cried to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the LORD made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them,

Exodus 14:10     When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD.

Exodus 17:4     So Moses cried to the LORD, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.”

Psalms 50:15    and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

Psalms 91:15     When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.

Psalms 99:6    Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who called upon his name. They called to the LORD, and he answered them.

Jeremiah 15:1     Then the LORD said to me, “Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my heart would not turn toward this people. Send them out of my sight, and let them go!

Coming to a point in our life where we cry out to God is a good thing.  The alternative would be that we have no one to call on other than what humans may be able to attempt to help with.  Some of our trials are beyond what family and friends can help us with.  We can face something that eats at our heart, mind, and soul and we come to understand and know that only God can intervene.  Crying out to God is our lifeline and hope. 

When we are in times like this in our life can you imagine what it would be like to not have God to turn to?  What must it be like to have hope and trust only in what the world can offer?  How isolated and lonely it must be. He is ever present and the only thing that keeps us apart is our hardened heart, deaf ears, blind eyes, stiff neck, self-centeredness, pride, and love of this world.

Praise God that He has promised to be our rock, refuge, strength, shield, and hope.  He has promised to be ever present with steadfast love and arms open wide.  In Him alone will we find that which only He can supply.  Stay close to Him, seek Him, desire Him, and intentionally commit to humbly serve, honor, glorify, worship, praise, follow and obey Him.  

How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me?

Exodus 7:7 Now Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh.

Exodus 7:10   So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded.

Exodus 7:20  Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded.

Exodus 8:17 And they did so.

Exodus 9:14  so that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth. For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth. But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.

Exodus 9:27  Then Pharaoh sent and called Moses and Aaron and said to them, “This time I have sinned; the Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong.

Exodus 10:3  So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me?

Exodus 10:16  Then Pharaoh hastily called Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you. Now therefore, forgive my sin, please, only this once, and plead with the Lord your God only to remove this death from me.”

Exodus 12:28  Then the people of Israel went and did so; as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.

Exodus 12:50  All the people of Israel did just as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron. And on that very day the Lord brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt

Exodus 13:3 Then Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place.

Exodus 13:17  When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea.

Can you see the committed following of Moses and Aaron, and as well the hardening of the hearts of the Egyptians.  Though they saw first hand the might wonders, signs and works of God they denied them and the power of God.

Before doing what the Lord God asks of us we need to be willing to hear and willing to act.  There will be those who oppose God.  There will be those who will join God.  There will be those who will follow God.

It is apparent who is opposing.  They will say and do things that expose their heart of stone.  They will try to explain away God.   God is not hindered or blocked.  His plans and purposes will come to pass.

Joining and following God is more than words.  It is a change of heart, mind, and soul.  It is permanent. It is life changing. It is life long. True commitment will be seen by their actions “so they did as God spoke“.  They want to hear God’s whispers and will hear them speak into their heart.  They will act on His leading.  They will trust in His promises. They will grow in their humbleness toward Him.  They will cling to Him, rely on Him, and trust in Him.  They seek and desire to honor and glorify Him.

However, it does not take much hardening to deafen our ears to be able to hear God speak to our heart.  The quickest way to hardening our heart is through busyness. We seem to find this excuse permissible and justified in our commitment and walk with Him.   We need to be intentional in our walk with Him and be able to discern when busyness over takes us.  We need to know what is non-value added into our lives and say “no more”.  We may need to say no to some good things to be in control of our intentional walk with Him.

I don’t know how many lives of people I have seen where God intervened in their busyness by some trial or troubling event.  God did not take them through and easy path – He led them straight to the Red Sea where there was no way back and no way forward but by the Hand of God.  These people were changed because there was a new “God induced”, “God priority” set in their lives.  If this is what it takes to renew, refresh, recommit, and establish a new level of commitment to humbly serve, honor, glorify, follow, and obey, I wish it on all people, rather than watch them spend another day without God being their joy, peace, love, hope, courage, strength, power, refuge, and guiding light.

Be Bold, do not hold back

Exodus 5:1   Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.”

Ezekiel 2:6     And you, son of man, be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions. Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.

Matthew 10:28    And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Acts 4:29     And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,

Isaiah 58:1    “Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins.

Ephesians 6:18-20    praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,  and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,

2 Timothy 4:17     But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed

Where has the boldness gone in proclaiming the Gospel?  Where has the boldness gone to live righteously?  Where has the boldness gone to declare the sovereignty, power and might of God?

The Greek term translated bold or boldly or boldness, means “candor in the face of opposition.” We should give a candid, clear, compassionate, compelling witness to the news of how sins can be forgiven in Jesus Christ and how we have experienced that reality personally. Boldness isn’t being obnoxious–I’m gonna shove this down your throat whether you want to hear it or not. Boldness can be very gentle, kind and from a loving heart. It’s not mean or pushy; it’s just convinced. Boldness does not adjust the presentation to avoid a negative response.

We want to see people converted but don’t want any feathers ruffled or anyone to get upset when they reject the Gospel. Today we want to be the aroma of life to those who are being saved without being the aroma of death to those who are perishing

God has called you to something bold today. It may not be taking a nation out of slavery, but God has put a task before you today that you need to accomplish. There’s going to be be people and circumstances that stand against you doing that bold thing. Ignore them or confront them, but don’t let them stop you. Persist in faith by continuing forward through the opposition into the victory that God has already won in through Jesus Christ.

There’s going to be trouble. There’s going to be opposition. But don’t worry about it. Jesus has already overcome and the Father has always been in control. Be bold in pursuing what God has put before you. Persist in faith.

They Grumbled

“Your grumbling is not against us but against the LORD.”

Exodus 15:23  When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah.  And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”  And he cried to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the LORD made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them,  saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, your healer.”

Exodus 16:2     And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness,

Numbers 11:1-6     And the people complained in the hearing of the LORD about their misfortunes, and when the LORD heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the LORD burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp.

Numbers 14:2   And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness!

Numbers 16:11    Therefore it is against the LORD that you and all your company have gathered together. What is Aaron that you grumble against him?”

Numbers 16:41    But on the next day all the congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron,

Numbers 20:2-5     Now there was no water for the congregation. And they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.  And the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Would that we had perished when our brothers perished before the LORD!  Why have you brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle?  And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.”

Numbers 21:5     And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.”

Jude 1:16    These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires;

Philippians 2:14   Do all things without grumbling or disputing,

Matthew 6:25     “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Grumbling? What is it that creeps into our lives that make us grumble?  Can you hear it in the voice of the people in these verses?  Note how God had just split the Red Sea, the people crossed over on dry ground and the whole Egyptian army was wiped out and now there is a little test put on them with food and water.  What did they do? Grumbled.

Take a quick glance back at all the times God has been faithful in your life.  What is it that you are facing that is greater than what God can do?  Is He testing you?  Are you grumbling?  Are you looking for something other than God’s provision and timing?

God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  He will not change.  Yet we (I) allow doubt to creep in.  Faith does not allow doubt.  Faith waits.  Faith trusts.  Faith knows God is in control.

What ever it is that is casting doubt on God’s faithfulness – stop it – humbly seek to serve, honor, glorify, and praise Him through it.