Based on Exodus 16:1-3 (New King James Version)
“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. Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 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.’”
Do you understand that God sees and hears everything, and even knows your inner most parts? God knows everything. How can I make such an assertion? Because the Word says so. For starters, the Word of God is more than just a collection of words and thoughts written through the centuries by men that were inspired by God. The Word of God is a Person, the Person of Christ, as it is written: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” John 1:1-2. The Word is part of the Divine Trinity, and John reveals Him as the Lord Jesus. And so, by establishing this fundamental principle is that we can establish the following, as it is also written: “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:12-13. Therefore, the Word of God is spoken of in a personified sense because It (He) is a Person, the Word is the Lord. As such, the Word of God, or rather, the Lord pierces even to the division of the soul and spirit, the joints and marrow, and discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart, and nothing is hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to Him. He knows absolutely everything.
In the following passage, we can see this principle in action, per se, as it is written: “Now it happened on another Sabbath, also, that He entered the synagogue and taught. And a man was there whose right hand was withered. So the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an accusation against Him. But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, ‘Arise and stand here.’ And he arose and stood. Then Jesus said to them, ‘I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?’ And when He had looked around at them all, He said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. But they were filled with rage, and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.” Luke 6:6-11. Here we read that He knew their thoughts and understood their intentions by the way He acted. And of course, they were filled with rage for all of those reasons, because they realized that He knew everything, and that they didn’t even have the smallest excuse to precisely carry out what they wanted to, their plans were completely frustrated. On a tangent, and as further clarification of everything the Lord knew about their plans, the scribes and pharisees could not just go and kill the Lord. It had to be done in a way where they could be seen as the good guys, to feel justified publicly, and so no one could notice their true intentions.
Now then, coming back to today’s key passage, we see again the issue of murmuring and speaking evil of the Lord, because that is what murmuring is: complaining, or speaking ill of someone, and doing it secretly. After God had done such wonderous works, miracles, signs with supernatural power, to free them from the power of Egypt, where they were slaves for centuries, with rigid, harsh, and ruthless masters, those that made them build those great pyramids we see today, with hard work, at the edge of the sword and being whipped, with blood and death, they dare come to complain that God wasn’t doing things right, and that they were better off in Egypt? That is an incredible injustice and such a false accusation! They were truly better off in Egypt? Of course not! There was no limit to their lack of appreciation and ungratefulness! And this issue of murmuring and complaining against God really made Him weary, together with their other sins. That’s why they roamed the desert for 40 years, until the generation that had left Egypt disappeared in the desert. Because of their rebellion and complaints, a trip that should have only taken 9 months if they would have walked a mile per day (1.6 km) took them 40 years. Do you understand that complaining against God, speaking evil of Him, and murmuring brings only more problems? And, why does this happen? Because if a person does not have a heart to acknowledge realities, and to realize everything the Lord has done, continues doing, and intends to do with those that love the Lord, they simply will not receive good while here on earth, and even less, in eternity. How can God reward people that don’t see as blessing and good the things He does? How can God give good if everything He does is seen by them as evil or inferior?
The issue is that we cannot temp the Lord, nor murmur like many times we have the tendency to do (if we are honest), for it is written: “Nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” 1 Corinthians 10:9-11. And this is New Testament passage, not Old Testament, for those of you that claim that the things of the Old Testament don’t apply today. The past was written for us so we can learn from it and apply what we learn from then now, and in the future. This is what we need to keep in mind before murmuring: “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” Isaiah 55:8-9. And I would venture to say that we should be careful with thinking evil of God, having clarified everything we did previously, because not only does He know when you speak evil of Him, but also, He knows and understands even the depths of your being, He knows your thoughts and intentions, as it is also written: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9-10.
So then, if you don’t look to learn and understand everything God has done, does, and thinks about doing to those that love Him, things will not go well for you. But, if you look to think and feel good towards God, seeing reality, that He loves you and only desires good for you now, even though you may not be able to understand right now because you simply don’t have the capacity to know what He knows, then you will obtain what He has for you now and even more importantly, what He desires for you to have in the future, in eternity. So, will you continue murmuring against Him that sooner or later will give you according to the intentions of your heart? Lord bless! John