Water at Massa and Meribah
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. Now there was no water for the people to drink. 17:2 So the people contended with Moses, and they said, “Give us water to drink!” Moses said to them, “Why do you contend with me? Why do you test the Lord?” 17:3 But the people were very thirsty there for water, and they murmured against Moses and said, “Why in the world did you bring us up out of Egypt – to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?”
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. 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.
17:7 he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contending of the Israelites and because of their testing the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
Victory over the Amalekites
17:8 Amalek came and attacked Israel in Rephidim. 17:9 So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”
17:10 So Joshua fought against Amalek just as Moses had instructed him;and Moses and Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 17:11 whenever Moses would raise his hands, then Israel prevailed, but whenever he would rest his hands, then Amalek prevailed. 17:12 When the hands of Moses became heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side and one on the other, and so his hands were steady until the sun went down. 17:13 So Joshua destroyed Amalek and his army with the sword.17:14 the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in the book, and rehearse it in Joshua’s hearing; for I will surely wipe out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. 17:15 Moses built an altar, and he called it “The Lord is my Banner,” 17:16 for he said, “For a hand was lifted up to the throne of the Lord – that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”
Source links, tools & excellent commentary
http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Exo&chapter=17
http://www.nextbible.org/
http://labs.bible.org/
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From verse 17:2 - Why do you test the Lord?
ReplyDeleteGod had moved the Israelites to this place. This place had no water. God was testing their response to that. Did God not know about the lack of water? Certainly not. God knows everything. He can test us for He does it to see our hearts. Are we for Him or against Him? But can we test Him? At first the answer seems both obvious (either way you answer it). If we say yes we can test Him we are trying to simply determine if He is God. If we say no we cannot then we are implying that yes He is God and doesn't need to prove anything.
So what's right? At this point in my walk I am certain the answer is no, I cannot test the LORD. Yesterday was grumbling, today is arguing and testing. I am most certainly guilty of offending God on both day's themes. Do I put the LORD to the test? Almost everyday! I am sorry for that. Personally I do a lot of negotiations and tit-for-tats with God. Mostly around material blessings or selfish wants for myself.
So here is the real challenge. Do I put myself to the test? Can I not test the LORD, or can I work to reduce them? I once heard Andy Stanley say, and I'll paraphrase him, "How can God bless you when you do not honor Him?" With my tests I am certainly not honoring Him.