Exodus 17:1-8

Unfortunately, the Israelites showed they had not learned from Marah. They repeated the same sinful actions at the wilderness of Sin,  by blaming Moses and maligning him. ² Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?”

They were turning the test around and instead of learning from the test, they decided they would test God. (Deuteronomy 33:8[notes1] ) We would not understand completely what was happening here without verse 7 and other passages that explain it for us. The people hardened their hearts, like Pharaoh did. They asked if God was really among them. They demanded that if He really was, that He perform for them according to His covenant and do so right now! They were putting God to a test. The test was for them, but they flipped it around and said, “No, the test is for God! If He is really with us, then provide water!”

Scripture will look back to this and denounce it as a defiant and rebellious act. (Deuteronomy 9:22[notes2] )Jesus will quote to Satan, “Do not put the LORD your God to a test.” (Matthew 4:7[notes3] ) God doesn’t need to be taught anything. He has no blind spots. To test Him is to say He is in error and needs to improve. The Israelites were really saying, “God, you’ve failed to give us water when we need it. Keep your covenant with us or we’ll stone your representative!!”

This is a major lesson for the Israelites and for us. When we demand that God perform for us to prove Himself, we are reversing roles with God. We are taking the place of the Creator as judge and putting God on trial.

Here is an eternal truth that we are reminded of by King Ahaz (Isaiah 7:12[notes4] ), by a psalmist (Psalm 78:41[notes5] ), by Jesus (Luke 4:12[notes6] ), and by the author of Hebrews (Hebrews 3:8-9[notes7] ). Man does not test God! God tests us. Tests are to expose our imperfections and help us grow. We are not to test God by demanding that He serve us at our whim.

“God if you are really there then …” God is really there whether you get the answer you want or not! Just because God doesn’t act the way we think He should does not change the reality of who He is or who we are. He is still all-knowing God (Hebrews 4:13[notes8] ), and we are still limited creatures with imperfect knowledge. (1Corinthians 13:12[notes9] )

³ But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” Here they go again with an accusation we will hear until that generation dies off. They have a real need. The young, the elderly, the animals, all need water. They haven’t learned from the last tests that in times of need we are to look to our heavenly Father, present our need, and wait for His word.

I don’t know if anything is more hurtful to a godly leader than to have those they serve malign their motives. There is no way to defend oneself, for they have already seen your sacrificial service but chosen to add the motivations they have imagined. Moses could not rip out his heart and show it to them. All he could do was continue to meekly serve them and hope they would one day be willing to be honest with what they observed. Moses is serving the people at God’s leading, not his own or theirs.

⁴ So Moses cried to the LORD, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” Do you remember how tenaciously Moses tried to get out of accepting this role? (Exodus 4:13[notes10] ) It may have been fear of Pharaoh, but it also may be that he had tried before and had his motives maligned. (Exodus 2:14[notes11] ) Remember, “Will you kill me as you killed the Egyptian? Who made you a ruler over us?” After all the miracles and proofs that YHWH is God and Moses is His chosen leader, they are still unchanged.  Some of them will learn from these tests, but others will not. Are you learning from the tests in your life, or are you unchanged?

8 And of Levi he said, “Give to Levi your Thummim, and your Urim to your godly one, whom you tested at Massah, with whom you quarreled at the waters of Meribah;

[notes2] Deuteronomy 9:22 (ESV)

22 “At Taberah also, and at Massah and at Kibroth-hattaavah you provoked the LORD to wrath.

[notes3] Matthew 4:7 (ESV)

7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”

[notes4] Isaiah 7:12 (ESV)

12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test.”

[notes5] Psalm 78:41 (ESV)

41 They tested God again and again and provoked the Holy One of Israel.

[notes6] Luke 4:12 (ESV)

12 And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”

[notes7] Hebrews 3:8-9 (ESV)

8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness,

9 where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works

[notes8] Hebrews 4:13 (ESV)

13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

[notes9] 1 Corinthians 13:12 (ESV)

12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

[notes10] Exodus 4:13 (ESV)

13 But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.”

[notes11] Exodus 2:14 (ESV)

14 He answered, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, and thought, “Surely the thing is known.”

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