Oct. 06, 2021

“THE LIFE OF MOSES”

“PASSING THE TEST”

EXODUS 15:1-17:7

  1.   The Surroundings They Faced:

Exodus 14:31 “Thus Israel saw the great work which the Lord had done in Egypt; so the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and His servant Moses.”

*Songs of Praise:

Exodus 15:1-21

What a day or rejoicing this was for God’s people! But their time of praise on the east bank of the Red Sea did not last long.

Exodus 15:22 “So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water.”

The Hebrews spent forty years wandering in barren deserts like Shur.

Why?

Deuteronomy 8:2 “And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.”

2.   Steps In The Desert:

While the Israelites were sojourning in the wilderness, their responses to God’s tests often followed a pattern that we still repeat today. Let’s look at the steps:

*Abundance From God

*Expectation of More

*Disappointments 

Exodus 15:22-23

*Complaints Over Circumstances:

Disappointments over unmet expectations often bring complaints.

Exodus 15:24 “And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”

*Provision From God:

Exodus 15:25 “So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet.There He made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there He tested them.”

Then Moses spoke to the people:

Exodus 15:26 “And said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.”

The principle God gave was clear: Obey Me, and I will surround you with My protective arms.

3.   A Trio of Tests:

*Test of Time:

The first exam was given after the Lord had led His people to Elim. There they camped beside the “twelve springs of water.”

Exodus 15:27 “Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters.”

Exodus 16:1 “And they journeyed from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they departed from the land of Egypt.”

Exodus 16:2 “Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.”

After only a short period of time, the Hebrews were already disregarding the mighty ways God had met their needs.

*Test of Hunger:

Exodus 16:3 “And the children of Israel said to them, “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

Exodus 16:7-8

Exodus 16:8-35:

But even though they never went hungry, the Hebrews still managed to gripe about the lack of variety in the food God supplied for them. Notice the reason for their complaint:

Numbers 11:5-6 “We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!”

*Test of Thirst:

Exodus 17:1-2 “Then all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sin, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, “Give us water, that we may drink.” So Moses said to them, “Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the Lord?”

In fact, their demand became so intense that Moses cried out to God in fear for his life:

Exodus 17:4 “So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!”

Once again, the Lord answered Moses’ prayer and miraculously met the physical need of the Israelites in spite of their failure to pass another of His exams:

Exodus 17:5-7

4.   Practical Applications:

*It takes a humble attitude to learn from earthly tests.

*It takes a heavy attack to break a daily habit.

*It takes a heavenly appetite to enjoy a heavenly diet.