THE ISRAELITES
HOW MANY TIMES DID THEY COMPLAIN IN THE DESERT?
(and can we learn from them?)
BACKGROUND:
From a previous lesson, we learned the story about Joseph. After Joseph died and all of his brothers and that entire generation, there arose a new king over Egypt, and he didn’t know the history of Joseph in Egypt.
This new king was paranoid. He figured if the Israelites grew in number to the point that they outnumbered the Egyptians, the Israelites may join forces with any of Egypt’s enemies, and he’d be out of business.
So, this paranoid king turned the Israelites into slaves. But the more the Egyptians afflicted the Isrealites, the more they multiplied!
He even told the midwives to the Israelites to kill any male child born to the Israelites. But this plan didn’t work, either. The king (hereinafter referred to as “Pharaoh”) became so paranoid that he even had ALL of the male babies born thrown into the river. And that’s how Moses was found… in a little basket in the river.
We learned of Moses in a previous lesson, and found that it was Moses, in obedience to God, who eventually led the Israelites out of the bondage of Egypt.
COMPLAINT NUMBER ONE:
So, what was the Isrealites’ first complaint?
When Pharaoh and his army chased after the Isrealites and the Israelites saw them coming, they were afraid. They cried out to the Lord and said to Moses:
Exodus 14:11-12 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou now taken us away to die in the wilderness? Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying. Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
But this is what the Lord heard from them during their time in bondage:
Exodus 3:7 and 9 And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows. Now, therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is
come unto Me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.
It was only after Moses had requested that Pharaoh let the Israelites go that Pharaoh decided to make their work even harder. (they leaned to their own understanding… this is isn’t the way it should work out) … The Israelites then said to Moses and Aaron:
Exodus 5:21 And they said unto them, The Lord look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, and to put a sword in their hand to slay us.
Moses knew at that point that he had a difficult group to deal with. They blamed HIM instead of trusting in God. And Moses reacted! But the Lord assured him again and again to trust and obey.
(read Exodus 5:22-23 and 6:1)
So, the first complaint after they were let go was found in Exodus 14:11-12 and it was due to fear. Fear is a lack of trust.
They even became afraid even AFTER being led by a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night!
Exodus 13:21-22 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.
And this was after God showing them favor in the sight of the Egyptians in the way of spoils! Before the left Egypt, God made sure that they had all they needed… the Egyptians gave it all to them!
Exodus 12:36 And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.
How quickly they forgot the miracle itself of being set free from bondage!
Exodus 13:3 And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out from this place.
But how quickly they ‘leaned to their own understanding’ and became frightened. When they became frightened, they reacted by their wrong attitude to Moses. They were outright rude.
How quickly WE forget! We can learn from this first mistake the Isrealites made! When we fear, we forget. We are ‘leaning to our own understanding’ … It’s that simple. Yet the Lord is merciful, and even with the Israelites, we see his love and mercy.
And once the sea parted and they were safely on the other side, and they witnessed the destruction of the pursuing Egyptians, then they feared (reverenced) the Lord and believed the Lord and His servant, Moses.
Exodus 14:31 And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and His servant Moses.
When it the most difficult to trust God, we need to remember what He has already done. If we react because of fear, we will do and/or say stupid stuff!
Do you think that maybe sometimes the Lord allows situations in order for us to trust Him more? I don’t know, but we do see that at the end of this whole situation at the Red Sea, the children of Israel end up reverencing the Lord and believing Moses.
And that is exactly what happened.
Did it last? Was that enough for the Israelites to believe and trust in future situations and circumstances?
Next week we shall see.
