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.

Mocked, flogged, nailed to the cross

“And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.”

John 3:13  No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,  that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

Proverbs 30:4    Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name? Surely you know!

Numbers 21:4  From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way.   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.”   Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.  And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.  And the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.”  So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

How do we feel when we are mistreated or treated unfairly?  We want to retaliate or have it made right.  Yet Christ knew what was waiting for him and willing went.  He had done nothing wrong worthy of any form of punishment.  What He did do was heal the sick, bring dead back to life, feed five thousand, open the eyes of blind and the ears of deaf, He gave hope, joy, love.  He cast demons out of those possessed and taught the word of God with authority.  And for this He willing went to be mocked, flogged and nailed to a cross to die.  Why???? Because He was sent from heaven to redeem man from sin, to be the sacrifice once and for all making a way for man to be right with God.  What manner of lives ought we live knowing the price that was paid for our personal sin?