(1) The contention to Moses and the testing of God
Repeated words: "contended" x2 in v.2; "murmured against Moses" v.3; "a little more and they will stone me," v.4; "He called the name of the place ... and Meribah, because of the contending of the Israelites..." v.7
[contend] (NET) The word means “strive, quarrel, be in contention” and even “litigation.” A translation “quarrel” does not appear to capture the magnitude of what is being done here. The people have a legal dispute—they are contending with Moses as if bringing a lawsuit.
[Meribah] (NET) the name Meribah (מְרִיבָה, mérivah) means “Strife”; it is related to the verb “to strive, quarrel, contend.”
This is the magnitude of their contention. Thirsty to the point of fearing to death was the driving force for their contention. v.3 But, why did Moses consider that as a testing to the LORD? v.2b
Repeated words: test the LORD v.2, Massah...because of their testing of the LORD , saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?" v.7
(NET) ...the people in the desert in rebellion putting God to the test. By doubting that God was truly in their midst, and demanding that he demonstrate his presence, they tested him to see if he would act. There are times when “proving” God is correct and required, but that is done by faith (as with Gideon); when it is done out of unbelief, then it is an act of disloyalty.
(NET) The choice of these names for the place would serve to remind Israel for all time of this failure with God. God wanted this and all subsequent generations to know how unbelief challenges God. And yet, he gave them water. So in spite of their failure, he remained faithful to his promises. The incident became proverbial, for it is the warning in Ps 95:7–8, which is quoted in Heb 3:15: “Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks! Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness. There your fathers tested me and tried me, and they saw my works for forty years.” The lesson is clear enough: to persist in this kind of unbelief could only result in the loss of divine blessing. Or, to put it another way, if they refused to believe in the power of God, they would wander powerless in the wilderness. They had every reason to believe, but they did not. (Note that this does not mean they are unbelievers, only that they would not take God at his word.)
Reflection: Do we test God and demand His presence when we have a strong unfulfilled desire? We demanded God to prove Himself because we would not take God as His word. Not that the Israelites did not know God. God was there on their journey since v.1.
17:1 The whole community of the Israelites traveled on their journey from the Desert of Sin according to the LORD’s instruction, and they pitched camp in Rephidim.
Throughout our lives, we have seen God's hands, but when trials come we forget about that. To quench the thirst was not wrong, but when the thirst took the first place and we are willing to deny the faithfulness of God in order to fulfill that wish then it is sinful. What was your "thirst" that you have to fulfill? What is something that if you do not have you are ready to complain to God?
(2) No fear of man
17:4 Then Moses cried out to the LORD, “What will I do with this people?—a little more and they will stone me!”17:5 The LORD said to Moses, “Go over before the people; take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile and go.
(NET) “Pass over before” indicates that Moses is the leader who goes first, and the people follow him.
(NET) “Pass over before” indicates that Moses is the leader who goes first, and the people follow him.
When Moses told God that they also killed him, God did not tell Moses to have a rest and hid from the people. God told him to lead them and have the people follow him. Who could do that?
17:6 I will be standing before you there on the rock in Horeb, and you will strike the rock, and water will come out of it so that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in plain view of the elders of Israel.
No one could have done that unless they know that God will be standing before them there, waiting for them. Moses believed in God's word and he did so even in fear of the people.
No one could have done that unless they know that God will be standing before them there, waiting for them. Moses believed in God's word and he did so even in fear of the people.
Will you do what Moses did? Are you willing to follow God in your fear? Will you respond in faith even when the situation is unfavourable?
Audrey
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