Dying of Thirst
Reflective Reading: Exodus 17
“Therefore the people quarrelled against 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?’ 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?’” (Exodus 17:2)
It was here that, “he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarrelling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’” (Exodus 17:7)
The names Massah and Meribah give meaning to the conflict. Massah means testing and Meribah means quarrelling. I don’t think it is an overstatement to suggest that most of our conflicts are due to a lack of trust in the LORD. The children of Israel are angry about their circumstances. They have not matured enough in their faith to recognize that God is indeed with them, even though He has demonstrated in the most miraculous ways that He is on their side. Think about it! God demonstrated His power on their behalf with all the miracles that Moses displayed before Pharoah. All the firstborn children of Egypt died, while all the Israelite children lived. After the plagues, they experienced the parting of the Red Sea, the bitter waters made sweet, and the miracle of the manna. How could they possibly think God was going to let them die of thirst?!
It doesn’t take long for us to forget all that God has done for us. What is it that causes us to forget so easily? Moses reveals that the root of the problem for the children of Israel is their lack of faith in the presence of God: “Is the LORD among us or not?”
If we are not convinced that God is with us in every difficult circumstance, then complaining and quarrelling are sure to follow. Certainly, there will be times when it appears that God is nowhere to be found. But in those darkest hours, God tests us so that we might know the power of His deliverance and redemption. The darker the hour, the greater the deliverance!
When it seems as though we will die of thirst (or loneliness, depression, etc.), we must not be deceived by the drinks of illusion the world offers. These illusions will keep us enslaved and only increase our thirst for more, resulting in conflict, quarrels, doubts, and distrust in the presence of God.
The children of Israel were so fickle in their faith that they wanted to go back to Egypt to their life of slavery. Sadly, many who can’t handle the “testing” go back to their old life, which seems safer and less demanding. What they don’t understand is that it keeps them in a state of insufferable loss and unobtainable longing.
Even Moses was distressed about the circumstances. Though he believed that God was with him, he also believed that if things continued as they were, he would die. So, Moses cried to the LORD,
“What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me” (17:4).
Isn’t that the question so many leaders have asked throughout the centuries—“What shall I do with this people?” God’s answer would come in a most unusual way. And, though it is most unusual, it is the only answer that can bring rest and resolve to man’s quarrelsome and untrusting heart.
God said to Moses,
“Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink” (17:6).
There you have it! Strike the rock! You just never know with God. He certainly comes up with some of the most unusual remedies for mankind’s problems. So, what does strike the rock mean? The Apostle Paul reveals what happened that day in the wilderness when he wrote,
“For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ” (I Corinthians 10:4).
I should have known. The answer is always Jesus! Because Jesus was willing to be struck, to die upon a cross, we never have to thirst. Jesus said,
“Whosoever drinks of this water [water of this world] shall thirst again: But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:13-14).
As always, the Source, the Presence, and the Provider for our empty souls is Jesus. Because he was willing to be struck, we can be filled.
Sincerely,
Mark Hamby
M.S., M. Div., Th. M., D. Min.
Recommended Resources:
Hungering and Thirsting Book/Audio (Ages 6+)
All is not as it seems in this unforgettable drama that unveils the deep mysteries of life. See unlikely heroes rise to save the day, revealing the truth about God and what it means to be truly blessed in the most unexpected of ways!
The Robbers’ Cave Book/Audio (Ages 9+)
It all happened so quickly! Horace’s ankles are locked in chains, preventing him from rescuing his terrified mother as she is dragged away by their captors. She has only seven days to return with the answer that could save her son. During her absence, Horace learns that God’s light can penetrate the darkest evil.
The Runaway Darling Book (Ages 9+)
Judy is bent on antics that get her into heaps of trouble without any sense of remorse, until she finds a book that piques her interest and opens her heart. Join Judy on a twist-and-turn adventure where she discovers the only One who can meet the needs of her heart.
