Hi, teachers. Welcome to session six. We're going to be in Exodus chapter 16. Starting
verse 11, we'll be talking about provision given. Dr. Ben, how are you today, sir?
I'm doing great, Miles. You work with teenagers. I do. As we've pointed out, I think in every
single session that we've done. But I have a question. Have you ever been leading teenagers
maybe to go on a trip, missions trip, camp, whatever, amusement park, various nursing
homes, wherever you take teenagers. Wherever you take teenagers. Have you ever been on
that journey and found some of them complaining? Does that ever happen? Oh no, they're always
perfect angels all the time. I think what was really clear to me one time is we went
to camp and it was like blazing hot and we just got there. And I remember the first
five minutes I started looking at their eyes and then I was like, they're going to start
complaining because I was like trying to get all the luggage out because it was, it was
hot. And then, then they started complaining like, it's hot, Miles. Make it stop being
so hot. And then so what we had to do is like had a quick conversation because for the next
five days I did not want to hear them say, Hey, Miles, it's hot. Can you just do something
about that? And it tends to happen. But usually when you nip it in the butt, it helps, but
they tend to complain sometimes as do I. I have been in, I've been in like situations
where it's amazing how our expectations rise to like technology. Like you've ever been
on a plane and like you get wifi and so like you're doing it and then all of a sudden the
wifi goes out and you're like, Oh, stupid wifi. You're the worst, but come back. I need you.
It was like two years ago, five years ago, whatever it was, it's like, I didn't even
have an internet device that I needed wifi. Now I've got the device and at 30,000 feet,
I can talk to my friend. The fact that you're 3000 feet. Yeah, right. Exactly. So like,
it's amazing how like our, our, all of a sudden our expectation is I need an unfettered connection
to talk through this magic window to everybody I know while I'm flying across the nation
on vacation. Like that's, yeah, it's just amazing how quick we are to complain, right?
And that's what we kind of find is the case. You know, the last lesson that we talked about,
you were telling us about how that God, you know, brought the victory in dealing with
the Egyptians. He brought them across the Red Sea. They walk on dry land and they get
to the other side and their enemy has wiped out. There's no more army. They're on their
way to the promised land and they're rejoicing. They're like absolutely rejoicing, but they're
moved to worship and singing. They're moved to worship and rightly so. And what we talked
about in just a few minutes ago as we made the last video is that we tend to think, Oh,
I would do that too. I would, I would in faith follow God's, you know, God out of Egypt and
I would in faith, you know, go through the Red Sea and, and I would worship too. But
now when they're talking about complaining, Oh man, I wouldn't complain. What a guy just
done. I mean, he's so powerful. What are you doing?
Read the last chapter. Come on.
Right. And, and it's clear that we are not God in the story. We're probably not even
Moses in the story all the time. We really are like the children of Israel, you know,
and that's kind of, that's a little bit of the context for today. We see the people
grumbling and complaining. And before, you know, I complain, I get, I get tempted to
complain a lot and a lot lower situations and like for a lot less than this, I guess
is what I'm trying to say. So we can learn about how God provides and that's really
what the theme of the lesson is God's provision and how he provides.
Yes. Yes. So our main point is going to be, we can learn three truths about our need and
God's provision that should inform how we live. And that'll bring us to our first point.
Complaining demonstrates a lack of trust in God. And we'll start reading in Exodus 16,
verse 11. And the Lord's spake on Moses saying, I have heard the murmurings of the children
of Israel speak unto them saying, I even ye shall eat flesh and at, and in the morning
ye shall be filled with bread, ye shall know that I am the Lord your God. And it came to
pass that at even the quails came up and covered the camp. And in the morning, the
dew lay round about the host. And when the dew that was lay was gone up, behold upon
the face of the wilderness lay a small round thing, a small as the whore frost on the ground.
And when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, it is manna for they
wish not what it was. And Moses said unto them, this is a bread which the Lord hath given
you to eat. So you see, you kind of need to go back to verse nine to really get the point
of the complaining. But I put it in here because this is God's response to their complaining.
Right. If you look it back in verse number, let's see, verse nine in Moses spake on there
and saying to all the congregation of the Lord, Congress and the children of Israel,
come near before the Lord for he hath heard your murmurings. Yeah.
Mermoring. If you've been with any traveling group, you know, Tina, right? You heard the
murmurings. Yeah. I think of what's his name? What's the
Looney Tune character? Oh, with the beard and the. Oh, Sam. Yeah.
You know, he's like he's grumbling. He's murmuring. So and of course, you've as you
lead through the whole thing, the whole past they're talking about murmuring verse seven
in the morning that you see the glory of the Lord for he hath heard your murmurings against
the Lord. And what are we that you murmur against us? So Moses is frustrated because
they're murmuring against God and then they're murmuring against him like Moses was he doing
it. It's all the same thing. And so the Bible says that the Lord hears that and does provide
for them. And like I said, you know, we tend to think of ourselves as we would murmur about
that. But I mean, how many hours would it take where you don't have a lunch? Oh yeah,
you don't have a meal. You don't have a plan. Doesn't seem like you know what the plan for
the meal is that you would go, wait, where's the food?
I'm murmuring by one o'clock if I didn't have lunch. And then I'm murmuring at two because
now I'm tired that I ate lunch and when I skip me, I tell Megan, I'm like, Hey, just
so you know, I didn't have lunch today. So if you could chop chop on that, uh,
does that work? Well, it is not. But yeah, I mean, um, you know, before we just absolutely
destroy them, they, there's millions of people in the world, hundreds of thousands of people
in the wilderness. There's no McDonald's. There's no Einstein's bagels. There's no,
you know, I'm using Jewish. So, um, so that was good. Yeah. They, they don't have, they
don't know what the plan is. And so they, they're grumbling, they're complaining and,
uh, and, but God responds, um, they, they weren't trusting God. And you know, to the point,
you know, we can say, you know, we can give them a little bit of benefit of doubt, but
at the same time, um, what did God just done for them? And that really is the legitimate
point, right? God had brought them out of the sea with a mighty hand and outstretched arm.
The Bible says he, he destroyed their, the gods of the enemies, not that they didn't
exist, but he destroyed the reputations. He, he destroyed the army. He destroyed the,
the Egyptians. They don't have to worry about another army following after them. And now
they're on their way to the promised land and God had provided in all these other ways.
Why, it doesn't even make a logical sense that he would get them, do all of that work
and then just let them star. Oh man, I forgot to bring the lunchables. You know, like that
doesn't even make sense that God would provide if God's been miraculous and, but yeah, we
do the same thing, don't we? What are some ways that maybe we get there?
Yeah, I think it's, you just start going through your day and you get into your routine and
then things start throwing off that routine of, and then you start thinking you deserve
certain things like I deserve to have this. I deserve to have food. I deserve to have
shelter. I deserve to have respect. I deserve like, and then we start cause the complain
is all about us. Like we're mad because we didn't get what we deserve and it's not about
our contentment and what we're honest. Most of us listening to this podcast have rich
people problems. Right. Right.
We, we, I don't want to tell you, I had Italian for lunch. Yeah. I mean, like in the context
of history, right? You know, oh yeah, I've had having style to your food is even if they
like, you just need calories. Like most of the, most of the world, right. I complain about
my car breaking down. Well, good thing you have a car. Like, yeah, I don't have to walk
everywhere. Right. You know, and we don't look, we take for granted the blessings he's
already given us. Oh my goodness. What he's done. Right. And that's exactly what they're
doing. But I love that he doesn't just smite them. You know, he doesn't just say, you know,
I just got you out. I could totally do this. Let me get some new chosen people. Right.
But he continues and loves them and provides for them. To the details here, there's two
things he provides in the midst of their complaining. One is quail. Quail. Right.
And that is the small bird that doesn't, they're easy to catch is the idea. Yeah. And then
also then they have this new bread, you know, this manna, which literally means what is
it? I think that I think the text is kind of funny. We do that too, don't we? Sometimes
like sometimes if there's not an answer, we just name it the question. Right. And so kind
of how nicknames happen. Right. So anyway, what is it becomes the thing? Well, what are
we eating? It's like, who's on first? Right. You know, what's on second? I don't know.
It's on third base. So that's kind of what they do with it. Who, you know, what is it
becomes this thing that they start to eat every day. So, so God responds are complaining
and they were lacking trusting in God. And the good news is that God, like you said,
even though they weren't doing their part, right, which is interesting. And that leads
us to point number two, point number two. Yes, sir. It's trusting God for our needs
is his desire. And we'll see this in verse 16 through 19. Sorry, in verse 16, it says,
this is the thing which Lord hath commanded gather of it every man according to his eating
and Omar for every man according to the number of your persons, take ye every man for them,
which are, which are in his tents. It should have Israel did so and gathered some more,
some less. And when they did meet with it and Omar, he that gathered much had nothing
over and he that got a little had nothing had no lack. They gathered every man according
to his eating and Moses said, let no man leave of it till the morning. So what you have here
is what they ended up doing. And he God gives them instruct instruction through Moses. Right.
Would you explain an Omar? That's okay. You gave me a great definition. So we start with
is a is a unit of measurement. And it seems to be the case in this particular text that
he's saying that it's basically a day's worth of a day's ration of food. Right. Some other
translations use the word court. I don't think that I don't think that an Omar is equal to
a court mathematically, but it gives us some general sense of it gives us a general sense
of around how much maybe a day's eating would be for them. And the reason why we put it,
this idea of trusting God is trusting God for our needs is his desire is that he told
them to just gather exactly what they needed for that day. When Jesus prayed, give us our
this day, our daily bread. He was kind of alluding back, I think back to this idea that
I have for today what I need for today and that I'm trusting God to provide today. And
he did. And I'm thankful for that. And I'm, and I'm not going to put more emphasis on
what he provides me than I do on him. I'm not going to trust more in what he provides
me than I do in him. So I'm not killing a bunch of quail and a bunch, and I'm not gathering
up more than I need in the manna because not trusting him because he might not do it tomorrow.
Right. I'm worried or I want to take advantage of other people and sell it. You know, I'm
going to do enough for today to make it for today. Sufficient is the day. Right. Right.
So tomorrow I'm going to trust in God again. And I think that's, that seems to be his desire
there is for them to not get ahead of him or to get behind him, but to trust in him
and to walk with him and to depend on him and not what he provides. Does this sound
like this could apply? Yeah. Oh, 100%. Yeah. I get so stressed about tomorrow. And I feel
like I have to be sometimes like, well, I'm glad God's providing for today, but what about
tomorrow? I need to start thinking about tomorrow. It's not, it is not responsible Miles for
you not to have a plan for retirement. Right. You know, it's not responsible for us. Yeah.
You're not even, and here the, there is a tension here, right? Cause the Bible does
say a righteous man has a inheritance for his children's children. So there is something
to, to managing our stuff and to, and to preparing for the future and all that. But remember
they're in a situation where they have to depend on God. God's leading them from slavery
back to a promised land and he had over and over again said, I'm going to promise I'm
going to, I'm going to provide for you. I'm your God. You'll be my people. This is his
thing to them. And he, what he wants more than any of it is he wants them to trust him.
And we have a hard time with that. Yeah. Cause I think I'll be less stressed if I worry about
tomorrow, but actually what I'll be is less stress if I focus on God today and all that
he's given me today. And then I don't have to worry about tomorrow. That's a tweetable
moment just there. Yeah. But then I, he gives me everything I need today. It's in today
is sufficient and God is always sufficient. He's given me his grace. That's his new morning
mercies every day. So when I wake up tomorrow, he's still going to be the same God. Right.
And then the next day and the next day, and he's still providing this, this manhood and
I can just trust that and be at peace. And that leads us to this last point, right? Where
he says the last point being trusting God for our needs will work out for us. What do
you think? Yes, sir. So we see this in verse 17, chapter 17, chapter 17. Ooh, that was
a good catch. We should go to chapter 17, turn the Bible's there. All right. Chapter
17, Exodus 17, starting in verse one, we'll go through verse six. And all the congregation
of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of sin after their journeys, according
to the commandment of the Lord and pitched in Rehepidim. And there were no water for
the people to drink. Wherefore, the people did shide with Moses and said, give us water
that we may drink and Moses said to them, why chide you with me? Wherefore, do you tempt
the Lord? And the people thirsted for water and the people murmured against Moses and
said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us out of Egypt to kill us in our children
in our cattle with thirst? Yes, you figured out my plan. You're exactly right. Yes. And
Moses cried into the Lord. Verse four, saying, What shall I do unto these people? They'd
be almost ready to stone me and Lord send to Moses, go on before the people and take
with thee the elders of Israel and thy rod where thou smote the river, take in thy hand
and go. Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock and whorem, and thou shalt smite
the rock and there shall come water out of it that the people may drink. Moses did so
in the side of the elders of Israel. So the problem before was we don't have any food.
We're so hungry now God provides for them and they're learning to trust them every day.
Right. Then they're like thirsty. Yeah. I have some water with this man. Moses, where's
the water? Why did you know did you brought us here to die? You brought us? That's what
you want. You figured out your plan. This whole time you wanted us to die. And you know, of
course he's saying, Why are you chiding me? Why are you tempting the Lord? And the truth
to the matter is, Miles, it's kind of an understatement. After watching the Nile turn to blood, you
know, locus, you know, boils, you don't want to be tempted. God. Yeah. Yeah. Right. They've
seen his power. Yeah. Yeah. So but that's what happens. They do it. And then God tells
Moses to to smite the rock and he does and God provides the water. Right. So I think,
I think kind of the point I was trying to make in this whole lesson is about God's provision
and how God provides for us and what that does with our relationship with him. I think,
like we said, the first thing we need to think about is if I'm complaining, that needs to
be a dashboard light warning saying, Are you not trusting God? Right. I think that that
God is God is not going to be a debtor. The Bible says, I've never seen the righteous
forsaking nor is seed begging for bread. God is a God who provides. And even if like the
worst thing happens, the economy, it all goes to just to waste and we just don't have anything.
The truth of the matter is, if I die to be with God is to be far better. Heaven is not
a place of lack. Yeah. So even if even if it may seem like I'm not getting what I need,
even physically and on this earth, you know, you think about martyrs that, you know, been
persecuted, been in jail, not had food, been mistreated to be absent from the bodies to
be present with the Lord. And ultimately that lack will be taken care of. But even even
that kind of trump card that trumps all of our desire for to say, Oh, you know, God's
not going to be, you know, to trump the idea that we think God's failing us. The truth
of the matter is, it doesn't even get to that place very often. Like God, God over and over
again provides for his people. He my God shall supply all your need according to his riches
and glory. That's not that's not something that we don't have practical connection to.
He God really does take care of us. Right. And when we trust him, he tends to provide
and that's the kind of God we have. And sometimes that we may be in the midst of like, now,
the thing we have a hard time with is what distinguishing between needs and wants. It's
like, what is it? You know, man, that Wi-Fi in the in the plane. Yeah, that's it gets
to need really quick. You know, and how do I know that? Because my expectations lead
me to complaining when they're not fulfilled. And so the truth of the matter is we just
describe problems in marriages. We just describe problems in parental relationships. We describe
problems in between employees and and and employers like all of us tend to trust in
things other than the Lord. Right. And it's it's encouraging how committed
he is to them in even through this food. Even through it. Yeah. And it makes me wonder,
what if they just asked humbly for it before they even complain? Because the first thing
seems like Lord, you're not providing. And like he does. I try to get Lord's mind is
an impossible thing to do. But it's just him saying, could you you can ask you can ask
for water? I've given you everything else. But because he's not rewarding their complaint,
he's just saying, I'm taking care of you. And let me show you how I'm going to take
care of you. And I it's it's encouraging a sense sense to see the Israelites because
it makes me feel like I'm not a complete weirdo in the sense of like, Oh, I do the same thing.
Right. It should convict me also to move forward and see, OK, I don't want to be like the Israelites.
I want to and why is it so easy for us to see the problem when we're looking through
the window, but have a hard time seeing it in the mirror? Oh, yeah. You know what I mean?
In the story goes, man, these guys, these people are they're just like not grateful.
They're not, you know, these are not people that I want to hang out with. These are.
Well, it's easy to see the speck in their eye, but then like the giant log in yours. Yeah.
But I get there, right? And sometimes sometimes even like the good Christian part of us, you
know, we know that like complaining out loud is unbecoming. So we we couch it maybe in
a prayer request or you know what I mean? Or we or we or the other thing is we say it
in here and in here and then and then something happens and it comes out and we're trying
to keep it in, but out of the abundance of the heart of the mouth speaks, right? And
so that's again, why I think the dashboard lights analogy is so important that like probably
what's cut is the abundance that's coming out. So it's the overflow. So that means there's
what comes out is usually a picture that there's a whole lot more of that in there. Yeah. So
we've got to we've got to be able to deal with that on our own and to root that out.
And so what's the anecdote? What is the antidote to a heart that doesn't trust and is complaining?
What's the antidote, Miles? I would say there's a sense of contentment,
you know, if you go to Philippians of just saying Paul says, I know how to be a base.
I know how to bound. He says, and then he later says, I can do all things through Christ
which strengthens me. And that's not a flex on him like, look what I can do. He's saying,
Christ takes care of me. He's strengthening me. So and when the Israelites start thinking
that things actually start going well, and they have no reason to complain because like,
well, God's always providing it's a shift in what we're thinking about. The flex would be,
I can do everything on my own and God's good. God's lucky to have me. Yeah. Right. That would
be the flex. But what Paul says is, is by Christ that I can I can endure all of this. Right.
And be be content and actually joyful through it. And once you have a content in heart and then
you don't have a reason to complain. And that's where the point I want to be right. Even if I
search for a reason to complain, I can't find one because I got too many blessings around. Right.
And that's just a change, like you said, in the heart. And I think it's encouraging in some sense
that I can work through it because as soon as I as soon as that complaining comes out,
that needs to be a warning to me. Like you said, a dash of light. Okay, I got to get this taken
care of. I think sometimes I just, I think in just our culture that we say it's okay if I
complamptious venting, you know, right? But that should be a sign. Hey, something's off. Have you
talked about it? It's even described as therapeutic. And it's like, yeah, actually,
I don't know that it is. It doesn't make anything better. Right. I never leave better after I've
complained actually leave worse. And I actually leave others feeling worse as well. And like,
just like Moses, he's not feeling better after their complaining. You know, he's like, stop
chiding me. What did I do? He's like, I got you guys out and I didn't even do anything. It was
the Lord. It cracks me up because they're like, they start, it's there's even moments where they
start remembering, you know, like, do you remember the onions? They were so good. And they're like,
describe the salad bar back in, you know, Egypt. When we know like, what was going on in Egypt?
Those, they were getting beat. They were like, they were having to get struck. Like they remember
the onions. They don't remember the straw. They remember the straw. They remember the onions.
You know, right? And so now you're counting your blessings. They're like, now you're counting
your former blessings. Yeah, when you were asleep. Yeah, exactly. And don't you remember like,
you're, you're sacrificing to win in the long, you're going to a land of milk and honey. So
forget the onions. You know what I mean? Like, yeah, that's good. So yeah, there's, there's a lot
there. I do think this is a really applicable lesson. And at every age range, you can go to
where that age range tends to find lack of trust in God, you know what I mean? So I think that's,
I think that's a real good application to this lesson. So hey, thanks, Miles. Teachers. Do a
great job this week. Have a good one.