4/27/2008

The Complaining Begins

Exodus 15:22-17:7
I. Context
Who are the main characters in this passage? What do we know about them?
Moses:

The Israelites:

When does this passage take place?

The events of this passage appear to follow directly after the preceeding passages, i.e. there doesn't appear to be a
significant break in time between the crossing of the Red Sea and this passage . The first verse of chapter 16 tells
us that they came to the Desert of Sin on the 15th day of the second month (Iyyar/Ziv), and Exodus 12:3 tells us
that Passover occurred on the 14th day of the first month (Nisan/Abib), so roughly a month has passed since the
Israelites left Egypt. Nisan/Abib corresponds with the end of March and first part of April by our calendar and
Iyyar/Ziv corresponds with the end of April and the first part of May.

Where does this passage take place?

From the Red Sea, the Israelites traveled through the Desert of Shur to Marah, where they found bitter water. From
there, they traveled to Elim and then into the Desert of Sin. Finally, at the end of the passage, they camp at
Rephidim and, after complaining about lack of water, the Lord leads them to Massah and Meribah, near Mt.
Horeb. Mt. Horeb is near Mt. Sinai and it is where Moses first encountered the Lord as the Burning Bush. Thus,
Moses has returned to the starting point of his quest.

What is going on? (Summary of Events)

The Lord has delivered his people from Egypt and from the Egyptian army that pursued them across the Red Sea.
After a time of worship and praise to the Lord, Moses leads the people from the Red Sea through the Desert of
Shur to Marah, where the water was too bitter to drink. The Israelites complained to Moses and Moses cried out to
the Lord who provided a piece of wood to make the water drinkable. The Lord tested the people by promising to
keep the diseases that were sent upon the Egyptians from afflicting them if they would obey his commands and do
what was right. (15:22-27)
After camping at Elim with its twelve springs and seventy palm trees, they set out toward Sinai through the Desert
of Sin. There the people complained about hunger, so the Lord provided manna on the ground each morning and
quail to eat each evening. With this, the Lord gave specific instructions to the people about how much to collect, to
collect twice as much on the sixth day, and not to keep any until morning, except on the sixth day. With this, the
Lord instituted the observance of the Sabbath. (16:1-36)
As the Israelites traveled through the Desert of Sin, they became thirsty and complained to Moses again when they
camped at Rephidim. Frustrated with the people, Moses asks the Lord what to do and the Lord instructed him to
take the elders ahead of the people to Horeb and strike a rock there with his staff. When Moses did this, water
poured from the rock for the people to drink. (17:1-7)
II. Interpretation
What principles are illustrated in this passage? What would you consider the theme of this passage?

How is God involved in this passage? What do we learn of his character? How does this passage point us toward or
connect with Christ?

Compare and contrast Moses as the mediator between the Lord and the Israelites vs. Christ as the mediator between God
the Father and mankind. How is mankind like the Israelites?

III. Application
Mercy and grace are prevailing themes in this passage as well as throughout Genesis and thus far in Exodus. From the
very beginning, God shows his unmerited favor upon sinful man and his patience of wrath upon their sinfulness. We live
today under that same grace and mercy that has been credited to us through Christ. Do we take that for granted?
When we read of the Israelites' complaining, it's easy for us to be critical of their lack of faith and immaturity. Yet how
often to we find ourselves complaining about our circumstances? What is the difference between complaining/grumbling
(Phil. 2:14-15) and "making your requests known to God" (Phil. 4:6)?
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