Suffering and Deliverance (Part 15) - Israel is Delivered from Thirst and Hunger

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1. Israel from thirst in the wilderness A. At Marah i. The first place Israel went after they crossed the Red Sea was Marah where the water was bitter (Exo 15:23). ii. Israel did what they always did: complain (Exo 15:24). iii. Moses cried unto the LORD, and God had him cast a tree into the water which made it sweet (Exo 15:25). iv. There are some lessons we can learn from this. a. High mountains are connected to deep valleys; often great deliverance is followed by hardship. b. God is merciful (to a point), even when His children complain. c. A praying and interceding man of God can be the salvation of a church. d. The LORD will not suffer His people to lack their basic needs (Pro 10:3; Php 4:19). e. God can provide when our resources run out. B. At Rephidim i. After providing them with water previously, Israel journeyed to Rephidim, and again there was no water to drink (Exo 17:1). ii. As usual, Israel complained to Moses that they had no water (Exo 17:2-3). iii. They even tempted the LORD, questioning if He was with them (Exo 17:7). iv. The Lord had Moses strike a rock with his rod, and water came out to quench their thirst (Exo 17:5-6). v. The LORD again delivered His people from their distress. C. At Kadesh i. When Israel arrived in Kadesh, there was again no water and they gathered themselves against Moses (Num 20:1-2). ii. They wished that they had died in the wilderness like their brethren had, and they complained about the place that Moses had brought them to (Num 20:3-5). iii. The LORD instructed Moses to speak to the rock and water would come out of it (Num 20:6-8). iv. In frustration, Moses smote the rock with his rod instead of speaking to it, and water came out abundantly (Num 20:9-11). v. Moses was judged for not obeying God and was barred from going into the promised land (Num 20:12). vi. There are some lessons we can learn from this. a. God will allow us to suffer with the same affliction numerous times after He has delivered us from it. b. The LORD is longsuffering and will put up with murmuring, and even lack of faith, and will yet deliver us. c. God has many different ways in which He can provide for the same need. d. God may decide to deliver us even if we don't obey Him fully, but there may be consequences to face later. 2. Israel from hunger in the wilderness A. Two and a half months after being delivered from Egypt, the Israelites found themselves with no food (Exo 16:1-3). B. They complained and wished they had died in Egypt where they had plenty of food (Exo 16:3). C. God was merciful and provided them bread from heaven (Exo 16:4). i. The bread was called manna which was a small, round, white, sweet seed (Exo 16:14-15, 31). ii. The LORD gave them a certain rate every day to prove them (Exo 16:4). iii. They gathered every man according to his eating: those who needed much got much, and those who needed little got little (Exo 16:16-18). iv. On the sixth day God gave them twice as much because they were not to gather on the sabbath day (Exo 16:5, 29). D. The LORD also gave them quail to eat so they had flesh as well as bread (Exo 16:11-13). E. There are some lessons we can learn from this. i. Be careful what you wish for because God may give it to you (that generation ended up dying in the wilderness). ii. Suffering and trouble are things that we will always have to deal with; it is not a one-and-done experience. iii. We have a tendency to forget about God's previous deliverances and provision and quickly complain as soon as something goes wrong. iv. We always think the grass is greener on the other side. v. God is abundant in mercy to whiners like us. vi. God can furnish a table in the wilderness. He can provide for our needs when things seem impossible. vii. God's provision is good. viii. God gives us our daily bread. a. He provides for our present needs, not our lifetime needs all at once. b. He does this to prove us to see if we will live by faith and trust that He will provide again tomorrow. ix. God provides according to our needs. a. God will provide a lot for those who need a lot, such as those with large families. b. God will provide a little for those who need little. x. God will provide extra ahead of time for a time in life when there will be no gathering ― make sure you lay up in store when He does. xi. God provides a variety of provisions to meet our needs.