Exodus 17:1–7 - The God who Stands Before Us
- Alan Salwei
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
God stands before us providing even as we grumble before Him
Exodus 17:1–7 (NIV)
17 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.”
Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?”
3 But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”
4 Then Moses cried out to the LORD, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”
5 The LORD answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”
Q&A 120
Q. Why did Christ command us
to call God “our Father”?
A. At the very beginning of our prayer
Christ wants to kindle in us
what is basic to our prayer—
the childlike awe and trust
that God through Christ has become
our Father.
Our fathers do not refuse us
the things of this life;
God our Father will even less refuse to give us
what we ask in faith.
Summary
As the Israelites continued their wandering through the desert, they came upon another concern. While they were camped at Rephidim they did not have water to drink. Just as other events in Exodus had previously done, this crisis again tested the Israelites.
In response to this crisis the people quarreled with Moses. While Moses was the one being confronted, it was actually God who they were putting on trial - the accusation being that God had led them all into the desert just to have them die of thirst.
The Israelites became so hostile that Moses believed them to be on the verge of taking his life by stoning him. In this desperate situation, Moses cried out to the LORD.
God answered Moses’ plea, giving him instructions on how to provide water for the people. Moses was to take his staff and strike a particular rock, once this was done God would provide water from that rock for the people to drink. Moses did as God had commanded and the people were saved from their thirst.
Dig Deeper
There is something about a crisis that brings out either the best or worst of people. We find both extremes present in the search for water while camped at Rephidim.
The shortage of water to drink brought out the worst in the Israelites. They quarreled with Moses and doubted God’s provision. Despite all that God had done and was continuing to do for them, it did not take long for the people to accuse God of leading them into the wilderness to die.
The people’s anger was toward the LORD, yet it was Moses who was the recipient of much of their frustrations. Faced with yet another crisis, Moses knew where to turn. He cried out to God for help and God saved the people from their thirst.
In this crisis we find two responses to God. The first response is that of the Israelites, who became angry and made accusations against God. The second response was that of Moses, who out of his desperation cried out to God for help. When you are faced with a time of need, how do you respond? Do you grumble and doubt like the Israelites or humbly cry out to God like Moses?
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who abundantly provides for our need even when we put Him to the test;
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you would cry out to your Father in heaven rather than grumble against Him;
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
