Man likes to grumble complain whine and find someone to blame as soon as something does not go the way he thought things were going to go and we see that so clearly in the amazing book of Exodus and in that scenario we read of in Chapter 16.
The grumbling had begun - we read of that in Chapter 15, and here it is again.
What is happening here? Let’s just take a moment to consider what we are looking at - it is important to get at the actual facts and also to be systematic.
I have written about The Passover in previous articles - we read all about that in Chapter 12 - the details of the Passover and the practical relevance - the safety - the security - the deliverance - for the people of God.
The Passover is a vital pivotal moment but the setting in Chapter 16 is - they are on the other side of the Red Sea - the Egyptian charioteers have been drowned - and after three days in the desert they started grumbling against Moses, the man raised up by God to lead two and a half million people.
The people came to bitter water which was made drinkable. Almighty God is ministering to His Chosen people so tenderly and so practically.
Now there is a problem with the food supply.
Again - the grumbling complaining and whining starts - and of course, the blame falls upon Moses. Why O why do people always want to blame someone?
They had seen so much and yet they want to blame Moses - God’s anointed leader - anointed for the task.
God had brought them out of Egypt - but Egypt was not yet out of them! That is always the harder thing to do.
When we come to Jesus Christ - Jesus saves us from our sins - He rescues us out of our messes - but to get the sin out of us can be a different matter - the envy - jealousy - longings - desires - the looking back to our former way of life. To get all that out of us is a very different matter.
Now they are wishing they were dead. Oh how some people exaggerate situations!
Sandy Shaw
Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children’s Panel in Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.
He broadcasts regularly on WSHO radio out of New Orleans, and writes a weekly commentary at http://www.studylight.org entitled “Word from Scotland” on various biblical themes, as well as a weekly newspaper column.
His M.A. and B.D. degrees are from The University of Edinburgh, and he continues to run and exercise regularly to maintain a level of physical fitness.
Sandy Shaw
sandyshaw63@yahoo.com
Tags: Bible, Education, Fact, God, Inspirational, Israel, Leadership, motivation, philosophy, Religion, Sin, Truth