1 00:00:00,599 --> 00:00:03,839 Ok, if you open with me in your Bibles 2 00:00:03,839 --> 00:00:08,226 to Exodus 16. 3 00:00:08,226 --> 00:00:12,437 I'm not going to read it beforehand. 4 00:00:12,437 --> 00:00:17,755 We're just going to make comments 5 00:00:17,755 --> 00:00:19,104 as we go, 6 00:00:19,104 --> 00:00:26,992 and bring out points there as we go. 7 00:00:26,992 --> 00:00:29,601 The title of this sermons is, 8 00:00:29,601 --> 00:00:31,812 "Grumbling is Contagious 9 00:00:31,812 --> 00:00:38,573 and the Remedy For It." 10 00:00:38,573 --> 00:00:40,509 We've been going through Exodus 11 00:00:40,509 --> 00:00:44,390 back home in Manchester. 12 00:00:44,390 --> 00:00:47,446 And every sermon's about 13 00:00:47,446 --> 00:00:48,922 grumbling and murmuring now 14 00:00:48,922 --> 00:00:50,422 because once they leave Egypt, 15 00:00:50,422 --> 00:00:52,176 that's all they ever do 16 00:00:52,176 --> 00:00:55,905 on the way to the Promised Land. 17 00:00:55,905 --> 00:01:01,970 So, let's pray. 18 00:01:01,970 --> 00:01:04,669 Our Father, 19 00:01:04,669 --> 00:01:06,420 we ask that You should show us 20 00:01:06,420 --> 00:01:07,966 wonderous things from Your law, 21 00:01:07,966 --> 00:01:12,707 from Your Word this morning. 22 00:01:12,707 --> 00:01:14,786 That this text would be real to us 23 00:01:14,786 --> 00:01:16,533 and helpful to us to live 24 00:01:16,533 --> 00:01:18,052 for Your glory. 25 00:01:18,052 --> 00:01:23,586 Search our hearts. 26 00:01:23,586 --> 00:01:24,735 Help us, we ask. 27 00:01:24,735 --> 00:01:26,527 In Jesus' name, 28 00:01:26,527 --> 00:01:31,975 Amen. 29 00:01:31,975 --> 00:01:37,084 Ok, so, in v. 1 then of Exodus 16, 30 00:01:37,084 --> 00:01:40,423 we read, "They..." that is the Israelites, 31 00:01:40,423 --> 00:01:44,236 of course, "...set out from Elim, 32 00:01:44,236 --> 00:01:47,174 and all the congregation of the people 33 00:01:47,174 --> 00:01:51,282 of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, 34 00:01:51,282 --> 00:01:55,212 which is between Elim and Sinai..." 35 00:01:55,212 --> 00:01:57,072 And this wilderness of Sin 36 00:01:57,072 --> 00:01:58,572 where they are now, 37 00:01:58,572 --> 00:02:00,480 it has nothing to do 38 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:01,887 with the English word "sin," 39 00:02:01,887 --> 00:02:04,737 although as we'll see in a moment, 40 00:02:04,737 --> 00:02:06,634 they do a lot of sinning 41 00:02:06,634 --> 00:02:08,198 while they're here. 42 00:02:08,198 --> 00:02:09,495 But it's simply called this 43 00:02:09,495 --> 00:02:13,102 because they're in the Sinai region. 44 00:02:13,102 --> 00:02:16,398 "On the fifteenth day of the second month 45 00:02:16,398 --> 00:02:18,140 after they had departed 46 00:02:18,140 --> 00:02:22,592 from the land of Egypt..." 47 00:02:22,592 --> 00:02:24,607 We're simply being told this 48 00:02:24,607 --> 00:02:26,408 because they left on the 15th day 49 00:02:26,408 --> 00:02:27,700 of the first month, 50 00:02:27,700 --> 00:02:30,964 so what we're being told in that detail 51 00:02:30,964 --> 00:02:34,660 is this happens now exactly one month 52 00:02:34,660 --> 00:02:37,393 since they left Egypt 53 00:02:37,393 --> 00:02:39,454 since they were delivered from the slavery 54 00:02:39,454 --> 00:02:41,480 and bondage there 55 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:44,763 going through the Red Sea, of course. 56 00:02:44,763 --> 00:02:46,882 And v. 2 continues, 57 00:02:46,882 --> 00:02:49,876 "...the whole congregation of the people of Israel 58 00:02:49,876 --> 00:02:52,408 grumbled against Moses and Aaron 59 00:02:52,408 --> 00:02:55,412 in the wilderness." 60 00:02:55,412 --> 00:02:57,612 And so the wording here 61 00:02:57,612 --> 00:03:00,266 with the whole congregation grumbling 62 00:03:00,266 --> 00:03:02,089 against Moses and Aaron, 63 00:03:02,089 --> 00:03:04,046 it's highlighting a contrast 64 00:03:04,046 --> 00:03:07,880 between in the previous chapter, 65 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:12,135 we saw it said the people grumbled 66 00:03:12,135 --> 00:03:15,416 against the leadership of Moses and Aaron. 67 00:03:15,416 --> 00:03:18,538 That time, an angry mob of people 68 00:03:18,538 --> 00:03:20,464 in the congregation - 69 00:03:20,464 --> 00:03:23,375 in the midst, were grumbling 70 00:03:23,375 --> 00:03:25,303 when they went through the trial there 71 00:03:25,303 --> 00:03:27,503 of not having any water 72 00:03:27,503 --> 00:03:31,341 that the murmuring that was at Marah. 73 00:03:31,341 --> 00:03:32,914 Whereas this time, 74 00:03:32,914 --> 00:03:35,676 now it's the whole congregation - 75 00:03:35,676 --> 00:03:37,343 or at least the majority of them 76 00:03:37,343 --> 00:03:39,093 are now grumbling, murmuring 77 00:03:39,093 --> 00:03:41,000 against Moses and Aaron. 78 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:42,518 So now what we have is 79 00:03:42,518 --> 00:03:45,339 a full-blown rebellion. 80 00:03:45,339 --> 00:03:47,875 And so, the first application - 81 00:03:47,875 --> 00:03:51,604 the first point I want you to take note of 82 00:03:51,604 --> 00:03:54,693 here and learn from in this passage 83 00:03:54,693 --> 00:03:56,828 is that grumbling and murmuring 84 00:03:56,828 --> 00:04:00,011 is contagious. 85 00:04:00,011 --> 00:04:01,605 Grumbling and murmuring 86 00:04:01,605 --> 00:04:03,511 is like a disease 87 00:04:03,511 --> 00:04:06,109 that if you're around it long enough, 88 00:04:06,109 --> 00:04:09,543 then you're going to catch it. 89 00:04:09,543 --> 00:04:13,447 You know, people think of this murmuring 90 00:04:13,447 --> 00:04:16,691 and grumbling and being divisive there 91 00:04:16,691 --> 00:04:18,805 as just being a little thing, 92 00:04:18,805 --> 00:04:20,647 but in Proverbs 6 it's 93 00:04:20,647 --> 00:04:23,593 one of the six things the Lord hates; 94 00:04:23,593 --> 00:04:26,659 the seven that are an abomination to Him - 95 00:04:26,659 --> 00:04:30,545 he who sows discord among the brethren. 96 00:04:30,545 --> 00:04:34,015 You see, when you murmur and grumble 97 00:04:34,015 --> 00:04:36,278 in a bad way like these are doing here, 98 00:04:36,278 --> 00:04:38,343 what happens is you sow discord - 99 00:04:38,343 --> 00:04:42,216 you plant a seed in others. 100 00:04:42,216 --> 00:04:44,315 And so when you're around 101 00:04:44,315 --> 00:04:46,107 whiners and murmurers long enough 102 00:04:46,107 --> 00:04:49,432 they will plant the seed in us. 103 00:04:49,432 --> 00:04:54,494 And another point worth noting here 104 00:04:54,494 --> 00:04:58,775 is that the last time they were grumbling 105 00:04:58,775 --> 00:05:00,987 when it was just less of them, 106 00:05:00,987 --> 00:05:02,620 they faced a much bigger trial 107 00:05:02,620 --> 00:05:05,067 of having no water. 108 00:05:05,067 --> 00:05:07,322 And it was just a large mob 109 00:05:07,322 --> 00:05:10,947 of murmurers among the congregation 110 00:05:10,947 --> 00:05:18,386 in this faithless state of rebellion. 111 00:05:18,386 --> 00:05:20,173 And last time, 112 00:05:20,173 --> 00:05:21,695 the rebellious grumblers - 113 00:05:21,695 --> 00:05:23,700 they were shown to be wrong 114 00:05:23,700 --> 00:05:24,909 in what happened there 115 00:05:24,909 --> 00:05:27,726 in the events of Marah. 116 00:05:27,726 --> 00:05:30,434 But when the next trial comes along, 117 00:05:30,434 --> 00:05:32,361 even though as we'll see in a moment, 118 00:05:32,361 --> 00:05:33,731 this is nothing compared to 119 00:05:33,731 --> 00:05:35,809 the previous trial they've had. 120 00:05:35,809 --> 00:05:37,403 You see, the seed of discord 121 00:05:37,403 --> 00:05:40,115 has already been planted in them. 122 00:05:40,115 --> 00:05:42,260 And so now the whole congregation 123 00:05:42,260 --> 00:05:46,542 are murmuring against Moses and Aaron. 124 00:05:46,542 --> 00:05:48,211 Yet, the people here, no doubt, 125 00:05:48,211 --> 00:05:51,126 being led by a few chief grumblers 126 00:05:51,126 --> 00:05:53,966 amongst them, stirring things up, 127 00:05:53,966 --> 00:05:56,628 in there, 128 00:05:56,628 --> 00:05:58,744 starting to complain. 129 00:05:58,744 --> 00:05:59,998 Moses and Aaron - 130 00:05:59,998 --> 00:06:01,448 and this is what you get; 131 00:06:01,448 --> 00:06:02,703 you get a theme of this 132 00:06:02,703 --> 00:06:04,801 as they're on the way to the Promised Land. 133 00:06:04,801 --> 00:06:05,973 Moses and Aaron, 134 00:06:05,973 --> 00:06:07,500 if you were really leading us 135 00:06:07,500 --> 00:06:09,179 in the correct way, 136 00:06:09,179 --> 00:06:10,904 before the Lord, 137 00:06:10,904 --> 00:06:14,414 then we wouldn't be facing another trial. 138 00:06:14,414 --> 00:06:16,869 I mean, this is just too many times now, 139 00:06:16,869 --> 00:06:19,915 Moses and Aaron. 140 00:06:19,915 --> 00:06:21,422 They're saying, look, Moses, 141 00:06:21,422 --> 00:06:23,339 I'm the expert on how to do things 142 00:06:23,339 --> 00:06:24,673 around here. 143 00:06:24,673 --> 00:06:26,285 And if you don't change the way 144 00:06:26,285 --> 00:06:28,018 you're doing things to what I say, 145 00:06:28,018 --> 00:06:29,960 then we're going to face another trial. 146 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:30,932 We've had no water. 147 00:06:30,932 --> 00:06:33,458 And then, we've had the lack of food 148 00:06:33,458 --> 00:06:34,849 and the different trials. 149 00:06:34,849 --> 00:06:37,860 There's one trial after another. 150 00:06:37,860 --> 00:06:39,372 But the thing is, 151 00:06:39,372 --> 00:06:41,630 Moses and Aaron are taking them the way 152 00:06:41,630 --> 00:06:44,156 that God has told them. 153 00:06:44,156 --> 00:06:47,412 And trials are guaranteed 154 00:06:47,412 --> 00:06:48,807 on the Christian's journey 155 00:06:48,807 --> 00:06:52,742 through the wilderness of this life. 156 00:06:52,742 --> 00:06:56,968 You see, the grumbling will only continue 157 00:06:56,968 --> 00:06:59,226 unless these people's hearts are changed 158 00:06:59,226 --> 00:07:00,989 and they learn from this, 159 00:07:00,989 --> 00:07:04,013 which is what I want us to do today. 160 00:07:04,013 --> 00:07:06,855 You know, recently, it wasn't too long ago 161 00:07:06,855 --> 00:07:07,668 was it? 162 00:07:07,668 --> 00:07:10,193 They had the Zika virus in Brazil. 163 00:07:10,193 --> 00:07:12,784 And history is filled, isn't it, 164 00:07:12,784 --> 00:07:15,706 with highly contagious diseases 165 00:07:15,706 --> 00:07:17,106 like the bubonic plague, 166 00:07:17,106 --> 00:07:19,048 the Black Death there. 167 00:07:19,048 --> 00:07:22,451 Well, you see, when you put your arms around 168 00:07:22,451 --> 00:07:25,193 and you give air to constant grumbling 169 00:07:25,193 --> 00:07:27,035 and the hypercritical spirit - 170 00:07:27,035 --> 00:07:29,041 always hypercritical of everything - 171 00:07:29,041 --> 00:07:30,639 you know the person who's always 172 00:07:30,639 --> 00:07:32,290 tearing everything down, 173 00:07:32,290 --> 00:07:34,418 it's like putting your arm around someone 174 00:07:34,418 --> 00:07:36,830 with the bubonic plague. 175 00:07:36,830 --> 00:07:38,492 Or putting your arm around someone 176 00:07:38,492 --> 00:07:39,818 with the Zika virus there 177 00:07:39,818 --> 00:07:41,706 and saying let's go for a walk together 178 00:07:41,706 --> 00:07:45,632 among these mosquitos. 179 00:07:45,632 --> 00:07:47,646 So, number one, the point here 180 00:07:47,646 --> 00:07:49,036 in this enlarging 181 00:07:49,036 --> 00:07:50,764 is grumbling - 182 00:07:50,764 --> 00:07:54,640 this hypercritical spirit is contagious. 183 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:56,851 You know, in these days we live in, 184 00:07:56,851 --> 00:07:59,548 there's all these Internet ministries - 185 00:07:59,548 --> 00:08:01,443 not a good one like you have here, 186 00:08:01,443 --> 00:08:03,673 but there are these really bad ones 187 00:08:03,673 --> 00:08:04,760 out there aren't they, 188 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:06,743 with these hypercritical teachers? 189 00:08:06,743 --> 00:08:08,113 It's normally some guy 190 00:08:08,113 --> 00:08:10,615 and he's sat in his bedroom there, 191 00:08:10,615 --> 00:08:11,816 giving Bible studies. 192 00:08:11,816 --> 00:08:13,051 They don't have a church 193 00:08:13,051 --> 00:08:15,907 because they've kind of already upset 194 00:08:15,907 --> 00:08:19,510 every single person in the world. 195 00:08:19,510 --> 00:08:22,294 And it's so-called discernment ministries. 196 00:08:22,294 --> 00:08:25,555 But what is the fruit of these things? 197 00:08:25,555 --> 00:08:28,071 The fruit of their disciples who watch them 198 00:08:28,071 --> 00:08:30,962 is they also become professional grumblers 199 00:08:30,962 --> 00:08:34,170 and professionals with a hypercritical spirit also. 200 00:08:34,170 --> 00:08:36,712 So number one, the first warning 201 00:08:36,712 --> 00:08:38,406 about grumbling here is it's 202 00:08:38,406 --> 00:08:41,116 a highly contagious disease. 203 00:08:41,116 --> 00:08:41,995 So beware. 204 00:08:41,995 --> 00:08:44,902 It may go down like a tasty trifle 205 00:08:44,902 --> 00:08:46,366 as the Proverbs says, 206 00:08:46,366 --> 00:08:49,058 but don't trifle with it. 207 00:08:49,058 --> 00:08:51,035 Number two though, 208 00:08:51,035 --> 00:08:53,358 this really comes out in this text. 209 00:08:53,358 --> 00:08:55,803 Grumbling and a murmuring spirit 210 00:08:55,803 --> 00:08:58,527 distorts the past. 211 00:08:58,527 --> 00:09:01,342 We can see this in v. 3 here, can't we? 212 00:09:01,342 --> 00:09:04,843 "And the people of Israel said to them, 213 00:09:04,843 --> 00:09:06,708 (to Moses and Aaron) 214 00:09:06,708 --> 00:09:08,454 'Would that we had died 215 00:09:08,454 --> 00:09:09,914 by the hand of the Lord 216 00:09:09,914 --> 00:09:11,290 in the land of Egypt 217 00:09:11,290 --> 00:09:13,432 when we sat by the meat pots 218 00:09:13,432 --> 00:09:17,926 and ate bread to the full.'" 219 00:09:17,926 --> 00:09:20,645 Notice here, it's been one month. 220 00:09:20,645 --> 00:09:21,907 One month. That's all, 221 00:09:21,907 --> 00:09:25,592 since they left Egypt. 222 00:09:25,592 --> 00:09:27,041 And in their grumbling spirit, 223 00:09:27,041 --> 00:09:28,327 they've already forgotten 224 00:09:28,327 --> 00:09:30,588 about their heavy labor there 225 00:09:30,588 --> 00:09:32,337 where they had to make the bricks 226 00:09:32,337 --> 00:09:34,290 and they even had to gather 227 00:09:34,290 --> 00:09:36,072 their own straw 228 00:09:36,072 --> 00:09:37,617 to make the bricks with. 229 00:09:37,617 --> 00:09:39,241 They've forgotten about the whips 230 00:09:39,241 --> 00:09:40,316 upon their backs 231 00:09:40,316 --> 00:09:42,453 and the chains in Egypt. 232 00:09:42,453 --> 00:09:44,449 Just after a month. 233 00:09:44,449 --> 00:09:46,368 And now they're saying here, 234 00:09:46,368 --> 00:09:47,744 "... in the land of Egypt 235 00:09:47,744 --> 00:09:49,728 when we sat by the meat pots 236 00:09:49,728 --> 00:09:52,258 and ate bread to the full." 237 00:09:52,258 --> 00:09:55,502 You see, in their distorted reality 238 00:09:55,502 --> 00:09:57,078 they now hold of the past - 239 00:09:57,078 --> 00:09:59,124 which grumbling paints - 240 00:09:59,124 --> 00:10:00,820 they now have this false picture 241 00:10:00,820 --> 00:10:02,742 in their mind of when they're in Egypt. 242 00:10:02,742 --> 00:10:04,414 You know, as if they were sat down 243 00:10:04,414 --> 00:10:06,369 in comfort each day. 244 00:10:06,369 --> 00:10:09,037 Like, darling, would you pass me 245 00:10:09,037 --> 00:10:14,173 another burger from the barby, please? 246 00:10:14,173 --> 00:10:19,213 Would you like some chicken with that? 247 00:10:19,213 --> 00:10:20,792 And they say here, 248 00:10:20,792 --> 00:10:22,553 "would that we had died 249 00:10:22,553 --> 00:10:23,956 by the hand of the Lord 250 00:10:23,956 --> 00:10:26,340 in the land of Egypt." 251 00:10:26,340 --> 00:10:27,263 In other words, 252 00:10:27,263 --> 00:10:28,727 we could have continued 253 00:10:28,727 --> 00:10:30,995 a happy and a comfortable life 254 00:10:30,995 --> 00:10:32,546 until we died of old age, 255 00:10:32,546 --> 00:10:36,172 of natural causes there. 256 00:10:36,172 --> 00:10:39,262 But what really happened? 257 00:10:39,262 --> 00:10:41,803 You see how distorted the picture 258 00:10:41,803 --> 00:10:43,954 of the past that grumbling paints. 259 00:10:43,954 --> 00:10:45,300 I mean, what really happened 260 00:10:45,300 --> 00:10:47,044 when they were back in Egypt? 261 00:10:47,044 --> 00:10:49,073 We get told earlier 262 00:10:49,073 --> 00:10:57,962 that what happened was the people groaned. 263 00:10:57,962 --> 00:11:00,884 They groaned because of their slavery there, 264 00:11:00,884 --> 00:11:03,125 and they cried out for help. 265 00:11:03,125 --> 00:11:04,461 And their cry for rescue 266 00:11:04,461 --> 00:11:06,714 came up to the Lord. 267 00:11:06,714 --> 00:11:09,442 So, as well as being contagious, 268 00:11:09,442 --> 00:11:12,333 the second danger of 269 00:11:12,333 --> 00:11:15,723 a grumbling, hypercritical spirit here 270 00:11:15,723 --> 00:11:17,314 we learn in this passage is 271 00:11:17,314 --> 00:11:19,713 grumbling and murmuring distorts 272 00:11:19,713 --> 00:11:21,008 the past. 273 00:11:21,008 --> 00:11:22,950 It has to to carry on. 274 00:11:22,950 --> 00:11:24,719 Kevin DeYoung said on this - 275 00:11:24,719 --> 00:11:26,737 I think this is a good quote - 276 00:11:26,737 --> 00:11:27,637 he said, 277 00:11:27,637 --> 00:11:30,347 "We tend to remember a golden age 278 00:11:30,347 --> 00:11:32,904 that didn't really exist. 279 00:11:32,904 --> 00:11:36,085 The good old days weren't always so good. 280 00:11:36,085 --> 00:11:38,403 Listen, if you tend to complain 281 00:11:38,403 --> 00:11:40,065 about everything now, 282 00:11:40,065 --> 00:11:41,784 chances are that you complained 283 00:11:41,784 --> 00:11:43,909 about everything back then 284 00:11:43,909 --> 00:11:46,741 whenever it was." 285 00:11:46,741 --> 00:11:49,150 You see, for grumbling and murmuring 286 00:11:49,150 --> 00:11:50,974 to continue, it relies upon 287 00:11:50,974 --> 00:11:54,917 a distortion of past reality. 288 00:11:54,917 --> 00:11:56,293 But number three, 289 00:11:56,293 --> 00:11:58,225 another thing we learn about this 290 00:11:58,225 --> 00:11:59,289 from this passage is 291 00:11:59,289 --> 00:12:01,881 grumbling and murmuring exaggerates 292 00:12:01,881 --> 00:12:05,523 the present and the future woes. 293 00:12:05,523 --> 00:12:07,805 We see this in the next part of v. 3 294 00:12:07,805 --> 00:12:11,818 here when they accuse Moses and Aaron. 295 00:12:11,818 --> 00:12:13,852 "For you have brought us out 296 00:12:13,852 --> 00:12:16,536 into the wilderness to kill 297 00:12:16,536 --> 00:12:20,701 this whole assembly with hunger." 298 00:12:20,701 --> 00:12:23,304 Ahhh, they say. 299 00:12:23,304 --> 00:12:25,373 You've brought us all to kill us now. 300 00:12:25,373 --> 00:12:29,793 We're all going to die. 301 00:12:29,793 --> 00:12:32,495 Brethren, you know, aside from the fact 302 00:12:32,495 --> 00:12:34,404 they have just seen 303 00:12:34,404 --> 00:12:36,478 the Lord's provision in providing them 304 00:12:36,478 --> 00:12:37,804 the water. 305 00:12:37,804 --> 00:12:39,266 In fact, aside from the fact 306 00:12:39,266 --> 00:12:40,593 that they've just seen 307 00:12:40,593 --> 00:12:43,630 the Lord's faithfulness many, many times. 308 00:12:43,630 --> 00:12:46,039 And so they have no reason to panic 309 00:12:46,039 --> 00:12:49,200 in this here. 310 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:51,508 But, I want you to consider 311 00:12:51,508 --> 00:12:55,172 how exaggerated this trial is here. 312 00:12:55,172 --> 00:12:57,775 Because when they left Egypt, 313 00:12:57,775 --> 00:13:00,622 did they not leave with all their livestock? 314 00:13:00,622 --> 00:13:02,945 Their flocks and their animals there. 315 00:13:02,945 --> 00:13:05,017 Could they not get some milk and cheese 316 00:13:05,017 --> 00:13:07,219 from their cows? 317 00:13:07,219 --> 00:13:09,224 If they're that desperate for meat, 318 00:13:09,224 --> 00:13:11,650 could they not slaughter an animal 319 00:13:11,650 --> 00:13:14,222 and roast it? 320 00:13:14,222 --> 00:13:16,296 You see, the point is that grumblers 321 00:13:16,296 --> 00:13:19,979 exaggerate their misery. 322 00:13:19,979 --> 00:13:22,599 And it's very easy to see, isn't it? 323 00:13:22,599 --> 00:13:24,124 I mean, you just think, 324 00:13:24,124 --> 00:13:26,738 in our own lives, 325 00:13:26,738 --> 00:13:29,003 when we've fallen into this sinful state 326 00:13:29,003 --> 00:13:31,887 of grumbling or murmuring, 327 00:13:31,887 --> 00:13:33,125 when you think back now, 328 00:13:33,125 --> 00:13:36,428 was it as bad as you made out back then? 329 00:13:36,428 --> 00:13:39,575 Was all the panic really worth it? 330 00:13:39,575 --> 00:13:41,786 And the fourth thing we can learn 331 00:13:41,786 --> 00:13:43,360 about this though - 332 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:47,389 this state of murmuring from this passage, 333 00:13:47,389 --> 00:13:52,855 is that it's really murmuring against God. 334 00:13:52,855 --> 00:13:54,766 We see this in v. 7 when Moses 335 00:13:54,766 --> 00:13:58,669 replies to them after God spoke to him: 336 00:13:58,669 --> 00:14:00,913 "And in the morning, you shall see 337 00:14:00,913 --> 00:14:02,241 the glory of the Lord 338 00:14:02,241 --> 00:14:05,375 because He has heard your grumbling 339 00:14:05,375 --> 00:14:08,635 against the Lord." 340 00:14:08,635 --> 00:14:09,846 You see, these people, 341 00:14:09,846 --> 00:14:11,333 they were kidding themselves 342 00:14:11,333 --> 00:14:13,093 that their constant grumbling 343 00:14:13,093 --> 00:14:15,768 and their whining was against Moses and Aaron 344 00:14:15,768 --> 00:14:18,117 and their leadership there. 345 00:14:18,117 --> 00:14:19,771 But ultimately, 346 00:14:19,771 --> 00:14:21,879 their murmuring was against God. 347 00:14:21,879 --> 00:14:23,739 It is God Who was the One 348 00:14:23,739 --> 00:14:26,336 they had the problem with. 349 00:14:26,336 --> 00:14:29,028 As Moses continues to say there in v. 7, 350 00:14:29,028 --> 00:14:31,504 "...for what are we that you grumble 351 00:14:31,504 --> 00:14:33,061 against us?" 352 00:14:33,061 --> 00:14:34,790 For what are we that you grumble 353 00:14:34,790 --> 00:14:36,268 against us? Moses says. 354 00:14:36,268 --> 00:14:37,573 In other words, Moses tells 355 00:14:37,573 --> 00:14:39,147 these people here, 356 00:14:39,147 --> 00:14:41,090 don't shoot the messenger. 357 00:14:41,090 --> 00:14:42,744 I'm only telling you what 358 00:14:42,744 --> 00:14:44,509 the Word of the Lord has said - 359 00:14:44,509 --> 00:14:45,959 what the Bible says. 360 00:14:45,959 --> 00:14:47,581 If you've got a problem with this, 361 00:14:47,581 --> 00:14:49,597 then your problem's not with me, 362 00:14:49,597 --> 00:14:51,499 it's with God. 363 00:14:51,499 --> 00:14:52,973 And then in v. 8, 364 00:14:52,973 --> 00:14:54,791 Moses said, "the Lord gives you 365 00:14:54,791 --> 00:14:56,837 in the evening meat to eat 366 00:14:56,837 --> 00:14:59,617 and in the morning, bread to the full 367 00:14:59,617 --> 00:15:01,377 because the Lord has heard 368 00:15:01,377 --> 00:15:05,631 your grumbling that you grumble against Him. 369 00:15:05,631 --> 00:15:06,795 What are we? 370 00:15:06,795 --> 00:15:08,487 Your grumbling is not against us, 371 00:15:08,487 --> 00:15:11,827 but against the Lord." 372 00:15:11,827 --> 00:15:13,581 You see in grumbling against Moses, 373 00:15:13,581 --> 00:15:14,524 their pastor here - 374 00:15:14,524 --> 00:15:16,529 when he's only trying to do right 375 00:15:16,529 --> 00:15:18,218 before the Lord. 376 00:15:18,218 --> 00:15:19,999 They're grumbling against the Lord. 377 00:15:19,999 --> 00:15:22,102 He's just the messenger leading 378 00:15:22,102 --> 00:15:25,388 as the Lord has told him to do. 379 00:15:25,388 --> 00:15:31,703 You see, 380 00:15:31,703 --> 00:15:34,315 when these people are murmuring here, 381 00:15:34,315 --> 00:15:35,852 and saying Moses and Aaron - 382 00:15:35,852 --> 00:15:37,418 they don't really care about us 383 00:15:37,418 --> 00:15:39,110 or the leadership is harsh, 384 00:15:39,110 --> 00:15:40,656 or whatever they're saying - 385 00:15:40,656 --> 00:15:43,485 many different things you can put in here. 386 00:15:43,485 --> 00:15:44,836 But what they really believe 387 00:15:44,836 --> 00:15:46,440 is God is harsh. 388 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:48,748 Or God is guilty of whatever. 389 00:15:48,748 --> 00:15:50,622 And He's the One Who doesn't care, 390 00:15:50,622 --> 00:15:53,765 because it's His Word Moses and Aaron 391 00:15:53,765 --> 00:15:56,394 are following here, you see. 392 00:15:56,394 --> 00:15:59,365 So, those are the dangers then 393 00:15:59,365 --> 00:16:03,304 of a grumbling spirit in this passage. 394 00:16:03,304 --> 00:16:04,981 It's contagious. 395 00:16:04,981 --> 00:16:06,209 It distorts the past. 396 00:16:06,209 --> 00:16:08,119 It exaggerates the future woes. 397 00:16:08,119 --> 00:16:11,636 And it has to depend on those things. 398 00:16:11,636 --> 00:16:13,458 But now for the remedy, 399 00:16:13,458 --> 00:16:16,636 also in this passage. 400 00:16:16,636 --> 00:16:18,195 If you want to sum it up though, 401 00:16:18,195 --> 00:16:19,254 it's basically this. 402 00:16:19,254 --> 00:16:20,848 This is the remedy for grumbling 403 00:16:20,848 --> 00:16:21,714 and murmuring. 404 00:16:21,714 --> 00:16:24,182 Repent and trust the Lord. 405 00:16:24,182 --> 00:16:26,175 You know, when you go to see a doctor, 406 00:16:26,175 --> 00:16:28,224 he or she will normally 407 00:16:28,224 --> 00:16:30,320 write out for you a prescription 408 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:32,196 that tells you what you need to do 409 00:16:32,196 --> 00:16:33,332 in order to get better. 410 00:16:33,332 --> 00:16:36,356 You need to take this "x" number of times 411 00:16:36,356 --> 00:16:37,520 a day and so forth. 412 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:39,587 Refrain from doing this. 413 00:16:39,587 --> 00:16:41,494 You see, this is God's prescription 414 00:16:41,494 --> 00:16:43,841 for the disease of a murmuring 415 00:16:43,841 --> 00:16:46,232 or hypercritical spirit here. 416 00:16:46,232 --> 00:16:48,703 Repent and trust the Lord. 417 00:16:48,703 --> 00:16:50,935 From v. 4, it says, 418 00:16:50,935 --> 00:16:52,543 "Then the Lord said to Moses, 419 00:16:52,543 --> 00:16:54,727 'Behold, I am about to rain 420 00:16:54,727 --> 00:16:57,047 bread from heaven for you, 421 00:16:57,047 --> 00:16:58,548 and the people shall go out 422 00:16:58,548 --> 00:17:02,589 and gather a day's portion every day 423 00:17:02,589 --> 00:17:04,347 that I may test them 424 00:17:04,347 --> 00:17:07,358 whether they walk in My law or not. 425 00:17:07,358 --> 00:17:08,860 On the sixth day, 426 00:17:08,860 --> 00:17:11,279 when they prepare what they bring in, 427 00:17:11,279 --> 00:17:13,814 it will be twice as much as they gather daily.' 428 00:17:13,814 --> 00:17:15,483 So Moses and Aaron said 429 00:17:15,483 --> 00:17:17,000 to all the people of Israel, 430 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:19,786 'At evening, you shall know 431 00:17:19,786 --> 00:17:22,015 that it was the Lord Who brought you out 432 00:17:22,015 --> 00:17:24,155 of the land of Egypt.'" 433 00:17:24,155 --> 00:17:26,216 I want you to notice that phrase there 434 00:17:26,216 --> 00:17:29,573 in God providing the provision for them. 435 00:17:29,573 --> 00:17:31,894 He says so that you shall know 436 00:17:31,894 --> 00:17:33,254 Who He is. 437 00:17:33,254 --> 00:17:35,379 You shall know Who is the Lord. 438 00:17:35,379 --> 00:17:38,889 You see, that's the remedy. 439 00:17:38,889 --> 00:17:40,787 We know Who the Lord is. 440 00:17:40,787 --> 00:17:42,366 You see, when someone falls into 441 00:17:42,366 --> 00:17:44,980 a state of murmuring and grumbling like this, 442 00:17:44,980 --> 00:17:46,642 they've either forgotten 443 00:17:46,642 --> 00:17:48,535 or they never knew in the first place 444 00:17:48,535 --> 00:17:51,640 Who God is. 445 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:54,634 And then in v. 9-12, we read, 446 00:17:54,634 --> 00:17:56,556 "Moses said to Aaron, 447 00:17:56,556 --> 00:17:58,148 'say to the whole congregation, 448 00:17:58,148 --> 00:17:59,713 the people of Israel, 449 00:17:59,713 --> 00:18:02,288 'Come near before the Lord, 450 00:18:02,288 --> 00:18:05,224 for He has heard your grumbling,' 451 00:18:05,224 --> 00:18:07,167 and as soon as Aaron spoke 452 00:18:07,167 --> 00:18:08,618 to the whole congregation 453 00:18:08,618 --> 00:18:09,861 of the people of Israel, 454 00:18:09,861 --> 00:18:11,465 they looked toward the wilderness 455 00:18:11,465 --> 00:18:13,887 and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared 456 00:18:13,887 --> 00:18:14,999 in the cloud, 457 00:18:14,999 --> 00:18:16,502 and the Lord said to Moses, 458 00:18:16,502 --> 00:18:18,731 'I have heard the grumbling of the people 459 00:18:18,731 --> 00:18:20,237 of Israel. Say to them 460 00:18:20,237 --> 00:18:22,047 at twilight, you shall eat meat. 461 00:18:22,047 --> 00:18:23,467 And in the morning, you shall 462 00:18:23,467 --> 00:18:24,861 be filled with bread. 463 00:18:24,861 --> 00:18:30,783 Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.'" 464 00:18:30,783 --> 00:18:35,251 You see, God provides their need here 465 00:18:35,251 --> 00:18:38,295 in order that you shall know Who God is. 466 00:18:38,295 --> 00:18:41,681 You shall know what God is like. 467 00:18:41,681 --> 00:18:45,665 And so, the first thing God gives them 468 00:18:45,665 --> 00:18:50,271 in this passage is a remedy, if you like. 469 00:18:50,271 --> 00:18:52,688 In the remedy, to trust Him, 470 00:18:52,688 --> 00:18:56,803 the Lord teaches them about His character. 471 00:18:56,803 --> 00:18:59,130 In order that they my trust the Lord, 472 00:18:59,130 --> 00:19:01,273 He teaches them about His character here - 473 00:19:01,273 --> 00:19:02,299 what He's like. 474 00:19:02,299 --> 00:19:04,568 And the first thing He teaches them 475 00:19:04,568 --> 00:19:07,388 in providing is His patience, 476 00:19:07,388 --> 00:19:10,241 isn't it, brethren? 477 00:19:10,241 --> 00:19:14,162 I mean, notice the expected response 478 00:19:14,162 --> 00:19:17,623 from the Lord here to their grumbling. 479 00:19:17,623 --> 00:19:20,399 After all, you see them one time 480 00:19:20,399 --> 00:19:22,554 after another just shove 481 00:19:22,554 --> 00:19:27,205 His mercy in the Lord's face, so to speak, 482 00:19:27,205 --> 00:19:29,072 and despise it and carry on grumbling 483 00:19:29,072 --> 00:19:31,381 one time after another. 484 00:19:31,381 --> 00:19:34,420 The kind of natural response you'd expect 485 00:19:34,420 --> 00:19:36,581 is the Lord to rain down fire from heaven 486 00:19:36,581 --> 00:19:38,373 upon these people. 487 00:19:38,373 --> 00:19:41,094 Saying look, I've had enough of you this time. 488 00:19:41,094 --> 00:19:42,742 But here we see, the first thing 489 00:19:42,742 --> 00:19:45,818 God teaches them is His patience. 490 00:19:45,818 --> 00:19:48,378 That He is long suffering towards them. 491 00:19:48,378 --> 00:19:53,809 That He is slow to anger. 492 00:19:53,809 --> 00:19:56,164 When you realize these things about the Lord, 493 00:19:56,164 --> 00:19:58,531 it's going to help you to trust Him, isn't it? 494 00:19:58,531 --> 00:19:59,868 But the second thing 495 00:19:59,868 --> 00:20:02,428 that God teaches them here about Himself 496 00:20:02,428 --> 00:20:04,908 in a remedy, if you like, to grumbling 497 00:20:04,908 --> 00:20:06,820 so they can learn to trust Him 498 00:20:06,820 --> 00:20:09,039 is that He cares for them 499 00:20:09,039 --> 00:20:12,407 and He provides for their needs. 500 00:20:12,407 --> 00:20:16,739 You see, the grumbling and murmuring spirit 501 00:20:16,739 --> 00:20:20,099 thinks God doesn't care enough for them 502 00:20:20,099 --> 00:20:21,678 and won't provide. 503 00:20:21,678 --> 00:20:24,088 So they think they have to be anxious 504 00:20:24,088 --> 00:20:25,779 about the future, 505 00:20:25,779 --> 00:20:29,234 exaggerating present woes 506 00:20:29,234 --> 00:20:31,779 of what might be. 507 00:20:31,779 --> 00:20:34,037 From v. 13, look at 508 00:20:34,037 --> 00:20:36,124 the Lord's care and provision here. 509 00:20:36,124 --> 00:20:37,918 It says, "In the evening, 510 00:20:37,918 --> 00:20:40,668 quail came upon and covered the camp. 511 00:20:40,668 --> 00:20:43,924 And in the morning, dew lay around the camp." 512 00:20:43,924 --> 00:20:46,285 The Lord provided them meat to eat 513 00:20:46,285 --> 00:20:47,453 there in the quail. 514 00:20:47,453 --> 00:20:50,480 V. 14, "And when the dew had gone up, 515 00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:52,814 there was on the face of the wilderness 516 00:20:52,814 --> 00:20:54,970 a fine flake-like thing, 517 00:20:54,970 --> 00:20:57,410 fine as frost on the ground. 518 00:20:57,410 --> 00:20:59,874 When the people of Israel saw it, 519 00:20:59,874 --> 00:21:01,258 they said to one another, 520 00:21:01,258 --> 00:21:02,734 'what is it?' 521 00:21:02,734 --> 00:21:05,593 They did not know what it was. 522 00:21:05,593 --> 00:21:07,514 And Moses said to them, 523 00:21:07,514 --> 00:21:09,362 'It is the bread that the Lord 524 00:21:09,362 --> 00:21:11,972 has given you to eat.'" 525 00:21:11,972 --> 00:21:14,479 So the Lord - He gives them this manna, 526 00:21:14,479 --> 00:21:16,540 this bread 527 00:21:16,540 --> 00:21:19,901 which miraculously appears on the ground. 528 00:21:19,901 --> 00:21:23,285 In the original, it's a play on words here. 529 00:21:23,285 --> 00:21:26,097 They named this bread that God 530 00:21:26,097 --> 00:21:29,097 miraculously provided: manna. 531 00:21:29,097 --> 00:21:33,589 The word manna means "what is it?" 532 00:21:33,589 --> 00:21:35,515 And so they named this bread "manna" 533 00:21:35,515 --> 00:21:36,982 because when they first saw it 534 00:21:36,982 --> 00:21:37,778 on the ground, 535 00:21:37,778 --> 00:21:40,307 they said, "what is it?" 536 00:21:40,307 --> 00:21:43,937 And so they called it, "what is it?" 537 00:21:43,937 --> 00:21:46,574 You can imagine their conversations 538 00:21:46,574 --> 00:21:50,071 in the houses, the tents, can't you? 539 00:21:50,071 --> 00:21:53,965 You know, mom, what are we having for tea tonight? 540 00:21:53,965 --> 00:21:55,229 Well, you don't say tea, 541 00:21:55,229 --> 00:21:59,520 is it supper down here? Or dinner? 542 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:00,640 What are we having? 543 00:22:00,640 --> 00:22:02,708 We're having "what is it?" 544 00:22:02,708 --> 00:22:04,191 No, what is it? 545 00:22:04,191 --> 00:22:05,888 Yeah, that's what I'm asking you. 546 00:22:05,888 --> 00:22:09,572 What is it? 547 00:22:09,572 --> 00:22:11,429 But look here, look at 548 00:22:11,429 --> 00:22:13,099 the Lord's provision and care. 549 00:22:13,099 --> 00:22:17,336 From v. 16, it continues, 550 00:22:17,336 --> 00:22:19,450 Then as the Lord commanded them, 551 00:22:19,450 --> 00:22:22,104 "Gather of it each one of you 552 00:22:22,104 --> 00:22:24,249 as much as he can eat. 553 00:22:24,249 --> 00:22:26,104 You shall take an omer..." 554 00:22:26,104 --> 00:22:28,010 There's a bit of debate about the size, 555 00:22:28,010 --> 00:22:30,354 but I believe it's about two liters. 556 00:22:30,354 --> 00:22:33,104 "...according to the number of persons 557 00:22:33,104 --> 00:22:38,565 that each of you have in his tent." 558 00:22:38,565 --> 00:22:40,911 So, they're all living in tents 559 00:22:40,911 --> 00:22:42,336 as I said. 560 00:22:42,336 --> 00:22:44,571 When I preached on this at home, 561 00:22:44,571 --> 00:22:46,498 we have a church camping holiday, 562 00:22:46,498 --> 00:22:48,086 and there was a lot of protest. 563 00:22:48,086 --> 00:22:49,764 We don't want a camping holiday. 564 00:22:49,764 --> 00:22:50,890 We don't like camping. 565 00:22:50,890 --> 00:22:52,954 So I said, look, if you don't like camping, 566 00:22:52,954 --> 00:22:56,374 you're not biblical. 567 00:22:56,374 --> 00:22:58,046 But v. 17 though, 568 00:22:58,046 --> 00:23:00,985 "And the people of Israel did so. 569 00:23:00,985 --> 00:23:04,142 They gathered, some more, some less. 570 00:23:04,142 --> 00:23:05,921 But when they measured it 571 00:23:05,921 --> 00:23:07,179 with an omer, 572 00:23:07,179 --> 00:23:09,835 whoever gathered much had nothing left over, 573 00:23:09,835 --> 00:23:12,476 and whoever gathered little had no lack. 574 00:23:12,476 --> 00:23:16,489 Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. 575 00:23:16,489 --> 00:23:18,024 And Moses said to them, 576 00:23:18,024 --> 00:23:21,805 'let no one leave any over until the morning,' 577 00:23:21,805 --> 00:23:24,064 but they did not listen to Moses. 578 00:23:24,064 --> 00:23:26,767 Some left part of it till the morning, 579 00:23:26,767 --> 00:23:28,724 and it bred worms and stank, 580 00:23:28,724 --> 00:23:30,633 and Moses was angry with them. 581 00:23:30,633 --> 00:23:32,704 Morning by morning they gathered it, 582 00:23:32,704 --> 00:23:35,621 each as much as he could eat, 583 00:23:35,621 --> 00:23:38,813 but when the sun grew hot, it melted." 584 00:23:38,813 --> 00:23:43,005 So they had to gather this manna early 585 00:23:43,005 --> 00:23:45,218 before the sunrise or it stank. 586 00:23:45,218 --> 00:23:46,808 And God is teaching there - 587 00:23:46,808 --> 00:23:48,319 as Calvin said - 588 00:23:48,319 --> 00:23:49,934 number one, a work ethic. 589 00:23:49,934 --> 00:23:51,631 If they'd been left all day 590 00:23:51,631 --> 00:23:53,459 to gather it, they could have been 591 00:23:53,459 --> 00:23:54,927 casual about it. 592 00:23:54,927 --> 00:23:57,030 But also, I think much more than that, 593 00:23:57,030 --> 00:23:58,836 in that it stank there 594 00:23:58,836 --> 00:24:00,321 for those who did not listen 595 00:24:00,321 --> 00:24:03,348 to the command of God. 596 00:24:03,348 --> 00:24:05,607 The teaching there is if you're gathering 597 00:24:05,607 --> 00:24:07,024 the manna of God's Word, 598 00:24:07,024 --> 00:24:08,710 but not doing it, 599 00:24:08,710 --> 00:24:10,719 then you stink. 600 00:24:10,719 --> 00:24:16,172 If we're hearing or reading 601 00:24:16,172 --> 00:24:17,176 the Word of God, 602 00:24:17,176 --> 00:24:18,052 but not doing it, 603 00:24:18,052 --> 00:24:19,660 or learning it and not doing it, 604 00:24:19,660 --> 00:24:21,442 then that's the testimony, isn't it, 605 00:24:21,442 --> 00:24:22,598 it leaves before others. 606 00:24:22,598 --> 00:24:24,970 It stinks. 607 00:24:24,970 --> 00:24:27,629 But above all that, 608 00:24:27,629 --> 00:24:29,374 the Lord is teaching us here 609 00:24:29,374 --> 00:24:30,963 that we can depend on Him 610 00:24:30,963 --> 00:24:33,502 day by day. 611 00:24:33,502 --> 00:24:35,974 This is the teaching here. 612 00:24:35,974 --> 00:24:38,470 You see, this text here, 613 00:24:38,470 --> 00:24:39,749 I think it's what our Lord 614 00:24:39,749 --> 00:24:40,672 likely had in mind 615 00:24:40,672 --> 00:24:42,622 when He said in the Sermon on the Mount; 616 00:24:42,622 --> 00:24:44,279 when He taught us to pray there: 617 00:24:44,279 --> 00:24:47,610 Give us this day our daily bread. 618 00:24:47,610 --> 00:24:51,515 Not tomorrow's mercies in advance. 619 00:24:51,515 --> 00:24:54,518 But you see, we can trust the Lord each day 620 00:24:54,518 --> 00:24:56,647 is the teaching. 621 00:24:56,647 --> 00:24:58,332 As He said there, 622 00:24:58,332 --> 00:25:01,732 but if God so clothes the grass of the field, 623 00:25:01,732 --> 00:25:02,887 which today is alive 624 00:25:02,887 --> 00:25:05,886 and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, 625 00:25:05,886 --> 00:25:07,773 will He not much more clothe you, 626 00:25:07,773 --> 00:25:09,738 O ye of little faith? 627 00:25:09,738 --> 00:25:11,473 Therefore do not be anxious, 628 00:25:11,473 --> 00:25:13,280 saying what shall we eat 629 00:25:13,280 --> 00:25:14,395 or what shall we drink 630 00:25:14,395 --> 00:25:15,975 or what shall we wear? 631 00:25:15,975 --> 00:25:17,617 For the Gentiles (the unconverted) 632 00:25:17,617 --> 00:25:19,326 seek after these things, 633 00:25:19,326 --> 00:25:21,916 and your heavenly Father knows 634 00:25:21,916 --> 00:25:23,712 you have need of them all. 635 00:25:23,712 --> 00:25:25,590 But seek first the Kingdom of God 636 00:25:25,590 --> 00:25:26,745 and His righteousness, 637 00:25:26,745 --> 00:25:28,843 and all these things will be added to you. 638 00:25:28,843 --> 00:25:31,281 Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow. 639 00:25:31,281 --> 00:25:33,632 For tomorrow will be anxious for itself. 640 00:25:33,632 --> 00:25:39,004 Sufficient for today is its own trouble. 641 00:25:39,007 --> 00:25:42,789 You see, grumbling tends to exaggerate 642 00:25:42,789 --> 00:25:45,386 the woes and the trials of the future 643 00:25:45,386 --> 00:25:48,147 as does anxiety. 644 00:25:48,147 --> 00:25:50,656 But we are being taught in this 645 00:25:50,656 --> 00:25:56,228 that we can trust the Lord day by day. 646 00:25:56,228 --> 00:25:59,593 Not being told a month in advance 647 00:25:59,593 --> 00:26:03,815 or a year in advance. 648 00:26:03,815 --> 00:26:06,090 You see, worry and anxiety, 649 00:26:06,090 --> 00:26:07,972 it's basically living out the future 650 00:26:07,972 --> 00:26:10,400 before it comes. 651 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:13,369 (Incomplete thought) 652 00:26:13,369 --> 00:26:14,980 The devil can really use this 653 00:26:14,980 --> 00:26:16,644 and get you to exaggerate the woes. 654 00:26:16,644 --> 00:26:19,674 The result of it is it causes people 655 00:26:19,674 --> 00:26:21,986 to distrust the Lord in the present 656 00:26:21,986 --> 00:26:24,635 and do things wrong there. 657 00:26:24,635 --> 00:26:26,241 But we're taught here about how 658 00:26:26,241 --> 00:26:29,795 we can trust the Lord day by day. 659 00:26:29,795 --> 00:26:32,237 And then from v. 22 to the end 660 00:26:32,237 --> 00:26:33,956 of the chapter. 661 00:26:33,956 --> 00:26:35,902 We get this about the Sabbath here. 662 00:26:35,902 --> 00:26:37,886 "On the sixth day, they gathered 663 00:26:37,886 --> 00:26:39,390 twice as much bread, 664 00:26:39,390 --> 00:26:40,322 two omers each. 665 00:26:40,322 --> 00:26:42,495 And when all the leaders of the congregation 666 00:26:42,495 --> 00:26:43,927 came and told Moses, 667 00:26:43,927 --> 00:26:44,891 he said to them, 668 00:26:44,891 --> 00:26:46,741 'this is what the Lord has commanded. 669 00:26:46,741 --> 00:26:49,018 Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest; 670 00:26:49,018 --> 00:26:51,120 a holy Sabbath to the Lord. 671 00:26:51,120 --> 00:26:52,805 Bake what you will bake 672 00:26:52,805 --> 00:26:54,426 and boil what you will boil, 673 00:26:54,426 --> 00:26:57,168 All that is left over and lay aside 674 00:26:57,168 --> 00:26:59,629 to be kept till the morning.' 675 00:26:59,629 --> 00:27:02,256 So they laid it aside till the morning 676 00:27:02,256 --> 00:27:03,789 as Moses had commanded them, 677 00:27:03,789 --> 00:27:05,589 and it did not stink 678 00:27:05,589 --> 00:27:07,945 and there were no worms in it." 679 00:27:07,945 --> 00:27:09,447 Now, that's a test of faith 680 00:27:09,447 --> 00:27:11,659 and obedience, isn't it? 681 00:27:11,659 --> 00:27:13,227 Because in the previous days, 682 00:27:13,227 --> 00:27:14,402 if they left some over, 683 00:27:14,402 --> 00:27:15,197 it stunk. 684 00:27:15,197 --> 00:27:16,366 That's what they'd see. 685 00:27:16,366 --> 00:27:17,720 But then, they were rather 686 00:27:17,720 --> 00:27:19,286 asked to gather two days worth 687 00:27:19,286 --> 00:27:20,706 before the Sabbath. 688 00:27:20,706 --> 00:27:22,572 And it did not stink. 689 00:27:22,572 --> 00:27:25,216 V. 25, "Moses said, 'eat it today, 690 00:27:25,216 --> 00:27:27,807 for today is a Sabbath to the Lord. 691 00:27:27,807 --> 00:27:30,216 Today you will not find it in the field. 692 00:27:30,216 --> 00:27:31,924 Six days you shall gather it, 693 00:27:31,924 --> 00:27:33,296 but on the seventh day, 694 00:27:33,296 --> 00:27:34,861 which is a Sabbath, 695 00:27:34,861 --> 00:27:38,880 there will be none.'" 696 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:40,405 I want you to think here 697 00:27:40,405 --> 00:27:42,651 about the link - 698 00:27:42,651 --> 00:27:44,326 what is the link 699 00:27:44,326 --> 00:27:47,860 in the midst of a passage 700 00:27:47,860 --> 00:27:49,106 about grumbling - 701 00:27:49,106 --> 00:27:51,167 and he gives us much in the way 702 00:27:51,167 --> 00:27:52,350 God deals with them 703 00:27:52,350 --> 00:27:55,360 or a remedy for grumbling. 704 00:27:55,360 --> 00:27:57,072 Why does he suddenly start talking 705 00:27:57,072 --> 00:27:59,799 about the Sabbath day? 706 00:27:59,799 --> 00:28:03,777 What is the link here? 707 00:28:03,777 --> 00:28:06,897 I think the Lord is teaching us here, brethren, 708 00:28:06,897 --> 00:28:10,827 you can trust the Lord enough to rest. 709 00:28:10,827 --> 00:28:13,709 You know, the world won't stop revolving 710 00:28:13,709 --> 00:28:16,447 if you stop worrying for just one second, 711 00:28:16,447 --> 00:28:22,476 believe it or not. 712 00:28:22,476 --> 00:28:25,088 You know, it's easy for parents, isn't it, 713 00:28:25,088 --> 00:28:29,202 that when you go through a trial 714 00:28:29,202 --> 00:28:31,518 and you spend scheduled time 715 00:28:31,518 --> 00:28:33,286 with your children 716 00:28:33,286 --> 00:28:36,113 or some other family member 717 00:28:36,113 --> 00:28:38,108 you're supposed to be spending time with, 718 00:28:38,108 --> 00:28:39,924 you can be spending time with them - 719 00:28:39,924 --> 00:28:42,118 your children - but you're not really there 720 00:28:42,118 --> 00:28:43,933 because you're thinking about 721 00:28:43,933 --> 00:28:50,216 whatever trial there is on your mind. 722 00:28:50,216 --> 00:28:54,021 But I've kind of learned after time, 723 00:28:54,021 --> 00:28:56,312 God can cope without me worrying 724 00:28:56,312 --> 00:28:59,606 about something for a few seconds 725 00:28:59,606 --> 00:29:01,468 and to spend that time with them. 726 00:29:01,468 --> 00:29:03,312 You know, as a pastor at home 727 00:29:03,312 --> 00:29:06,295 I have a kind of Monday off, if you like, 728 00:29:06,295 --> 00:29:09,306 where basically I don't do any counseling 729 00:29:09,306 --> 00:29:10,736 on a Monday, 730 00:29:10,736 --> 00:29:13,011 or the normal churchy things on a Monday 731 00:29:13,011 --> 00:29:16,062 that I do on other days. 732 00:29:16,062 --> 00:29:19,904 And it's been a hard lesson for me to learn. 733 00:29:19,904 --> 00:29:21,189 At first, I was like, 734 00:29:21,189 --> 00:29:23,446 Lord, are You sure You can manage 735 00:29:23,446 --> 00:29:28,413 without me and run the church for a day? 736 00:29:28,413 --> 00:29:30,369 And you know, it's like the Lord says, 737 00:29:30,369 --> 00:29:32,009 well, let Me think about that one. 738 00:29:32,009 --> 00:29:33,894 You know, I made the world in six days 739 00:29:33,894 --> 00:29:35,275 at the command of My voice. 740 00:29:35,275 --> 00:29:37,126 I placed the stars in orbit. 741 00:29:37,126 --> 00:29:39,163 I parted the Red Sea. 742 00:29:39,163 --> 00:29:42,144 Yeah, I think I can just about manage 743 00:29:42,144 --> 00:29:45,020 for a little bit without you. 744 00:29:45,020 --> 00:29:46,067 But you see, brethren, 745 00:29:46,067 --> 00:29:50,904 in that illustration how ridiculous we get 746 00:29:50,904 --> 00:29:53,540 when we don't think we can rest. 747 00:29:53,540 --> 00:29:59,876 What a distrust of the Lord it is, really. 748 00:29:59,876 --> 00:30:01,485 You know, it's funny though, 749 00:30:01,485 --> 00:30:03,744 when, at least in my experience, 750 00:30:03,744 --> 00:30:06,965 when I do have the Monday off, 751 00:30:06,965 --> 00:30:08,619 normally it's the more grumbly, 752 00:30:08,619 --> 00:30:11,168 hypercritical spirit who are the ones 753 00:30:11,168 --> 00:30:13,552 who are always trying to intrude upon that. 754 00:30:13,552 --> 00:30:16,421 Desperate for me to sort out whatever. 755 00:30:16,421 --> 00:30:18,680 It's like I don't care what day it is. 756 00:30:18,680 --> 00:30:19,972 If I say, "jump," 757 00:30:19,972 --> 00:30:25,970 I expect my pastor to say, "how high?" 758 00:30:25,970 --> 00:30:30,220 But anyway, then in v. 27-28, 759 00:30:30,220 --> 00:30:33,864 we see the Sabbath breakers. 760 00:30:33,864 --> 00:30:37,335 From v. 26, once again, 761 00:30:37,335 --> 00:30:39,215 "Six days you shall gather it, 762 00:30:39,215 --> 00:30:40,333 but on the seventh day 763 00:30:40,333 --> 00:30:41,436 which is a Sabbath, 764 00:30:41,436 --> 00:30:42,399 there will be none. 765 00:30:42,399 --> 00:30:43,540 On the seventh day, 766 00:30:43,540 --> 00:30:45,074 some of the people went out 767 00:30:45,074 --> 00:30:47,168 to gather but they found none. 768 00:30:47,168 --> 00:30:48,822 And the Lord said to Moses, 769 00:30:48,822 --> 00:30:50,417 'how long will you refuse to keep 770 00:30:50,417 --> 00:30:55,839 My commandments and My laws?'" 771 00:30:55,839 --> 00:30:57,826 And I think there's application 772 00:30:57,826 --> 00:31:00,362 for the Lord's Day here. 773 00:31:00,362 --> 00:31:02,354 Just as these Israelites, 774 00:31:02,354 --> 00:31:05,644 they prepared before the Sabbath 775 00:31:05,644 --> 00:31:08,392 by gathering what they needed 776 00:31:08,392 --> 00:31:10,839 the day before there. 777 00:31:10,839 --> 00:31:12,623 I think it's good, isn't it, 778 00:31:12,623 --> 00:31:14,566 to prepare for the Lord's Day? 779 00:31:14,566 --> 00:31:15,541 If you can. 780 00:31:15,541 --> 00:31:18,140 As in make sure you're not overly tired 781 00:31:18,140 --> 00:31:20,719 to come in and be with the people. 782 00:31:20,719 --> 00:31:22,420 That you've done things 783 00:31:22,420 --> 00:31:24,417 so you're not rushing around like crazy. 784 00:31:24,417 --> 00:31:26,358 I'm not saying you can't go to the shop 785 00:31:26,358 --> 00:31:27,738 for some milk or something 786 00:31:27,738 --> 00:31:39,151 if you've run out or anything like that. 787 00:31:39,151 --> 00:31:42,496 But from v. 29, 788 00:31:42,496 --> 00:31:45,594 "See the Lord has given you the Sabbath. 789 00:31:45,594 --> 00:31:47,744 Therefore, on the sixth day, 790 00:31:47,744 --> 00:31:50,215 He gives you bread for two days. 791 00:31:50,215 --> 00:31:51,945 Remain each in his place. 792 00:31:51,945 --> 00:31:54,239 Let no one go out of his place 793 00:31:54,239 --> 00:31:55,555 on the seventh day. 794 00:31:55,555 --> 00:32:00,634 So the people rested on the seventh day." 795 00:32:00,634 --> 00:32:02,709 Notice that lastly. 796 00:32:02,709 --> 00:32:05,375 The people rested on the seventh day. 797 00:32:05,375 --> 00:32:07,731 Once again, Sabbath, 798 00:32:07,731 --> 00:32:11,743 and that principle there of rest. 799 00:32:11,743 --> 00:32:15,589 What's your idea of Sabbath rest? 800 00:32:15,589 --> 00:32:18,774 Or the Lord's Day? 801 00:32:18,774 --> 00:32:22,547 Is it a long list of burdensome rules? 802 00:32:22,547 --> 00:32:24,046 You know, our Lord Jesus said, 803 00:32:24,046 --> 00:32:25,851 didn't He, the thing you must know 804 00:32:25,851 --> 00:32:31,266 about the Sabbath is it was made for man. 805 00:32:31,266 --> 00:32:33,381 That is, can you trust Me 806 00:32:33,381 --> 00:32:36,219 enough to rest? 807 00:32:36,219 --> 00:32:39,224 And the thing He most wants us to learn 808 00:32:39,224 --> 00:32:42,157 most of all though 809 00:32:42,157 --> 00:32:45,626 is that you can trust in Him 810 00:32:45,626 --> 00:32:49,732 and rest in what He's done for salvation. 811 00:32:49,732 --> 00:32:54,833 In that picture of the Gospel rest 812 00:32:54,833 --> 00:32:58,099 which it ultimately points to there. 813 00:32:58,099 --> 00:33:00,602 I think I've used this illustration before here. 814 00:33:00,602 --> 00:33:02,024 My wife always tells me off 815 00:33:02,024 --> 00:33:04,616 for using the same illustrations. 816 00:33:04,616 --> 00:33:06,168 So forgive me if I have. 817 00:33:06,168 --> 00:33:08,362 She always says when you use an illustration 818 00:33:08,362 --> 00:33:09,389 you've given before, 819 00:33:09,389 --> 00:33:14,422 I just switch off. 820 00:33:14,422 --> 00:33:16,268 But you have that picture, don't you, 821 00:33:16,268 --> 00:33:19,313 in Genesis of God making the world. 822 00:33:19,313 --> 00:33:21,122 There was an evening and a morning - 823 00:33:21,122 --> 00:33:21,874 the first day. 824 00:33:21,874 --> 00:33:23,905 An evening and a morning, the second day. 825 00:33:23,905 --> 00:33:26,419 An evening, a morning, a third day. 826 00:33:26,419 --> 00:33:30,307 Until you get to the Sabbath day. 827 00:33:30,307 --> 00:33:32,160 And there's no evening and morning. 828 00:33:32,160 --> 00:33:34,829 It's just a continual day. 829 00:33:34,829 --> 00:33:40,922 When God rested on the Sabbath day there, 830 00:33:40,922 --> 00:33:44,664 it's not that He rested and then He carried on 831 00:33:44,664 --> 00:33:45,886 on the following day. 832 00:33:45,886 --> 00:33:47,904 But He rested from it 833 00:33:47,904 --> 00:33:50,496 because it's finished. 834 00:33:50,496 --> 00:33:52,516 The work is all done. 835 00:33:52,516 --> 00:33:54,466 So He entered into His rest. 836 00:33:54,466 --> 00:33:56,028 And you see, that's the picture 837 00:33:56,028 --> 00:33:57,985 of what Christ would do on the cross 838 00:33:57,985 --> 00:34:02,608 there when He said, "It is finished." 839 00:34:02,608 --> 00:34:04,131 He's done everything needed 840 00:34:04,131 --> 00:34:06,580 for salvation. 841 00:34:06,580 --> 00:34:08,205 And you see, that is where 842 00:34:08,205 --> 00:34:09,773 salvation comes, doesn't it? 843 00:34:09,773 --> 00:34:15,916 Resting in what Christ has done for you. 844 00:34:15,916 --> 00:34:19,851 And so, to really finish then, 845 00:34:19,851 --> 00:34:21,726 from v. 31-36, 846 00:34:21,726 --> 00:34:23,904 we're told how some of the manna 847 00:34:23,904 --> 00:34:26,767 was stored, just so later, 848 00:34:26,767 --> 00:34:29,155 it would be one of the items 849 00:34:29,155 --> 00:34:34,211 in the ark of the covenant there. 850 00:34:34,211 --> 00:34:38,214 He tells them to take a jar of it and so forth, 851 00:34:38,214 --> 00:34:41,324 but in John 6, 852 00:34:41,324 --> 00:34:44,878 people came to Jesus and they said to Him, 853 00:34:44,878 --> 00:34:47,587 "What must we do 854 00:34:47,587 --> 00:34:50,652 to be doing the works of God?" 855 00:34:50,652 --> 00:34:52,689 What must we do to be doing the works, 856 00:34:52,689 --> 00:34:53,885 the miracles of God? 857 00:34:53,885 --> 00:34:56,533 They asked Jesus there in John 6. 858 00:34:56,533 --> 00:34:57,845 You see, these people, 859 00:34:57,845 --> 00:35:00,193 they had just seen Jesus feed the 5,000 860 00:35:00,193 --> 00:35:02,223 with five loaves and two fishes. 861 00:35:02,223 --> 00:35:03,524 So they were asking Him, 862 00:35:03,524 --> 00:35:05,931 what must we do? 863 00:35:05,931 --> 00:35:12,688 So we can do a miracle like this. 864 00:35:12,688 --> 00:35:14,253 As Jesus had just said to them, 865 00:35:14,253 --> 00:35:19,613 you are seeking Me for the wrong reasons. 866 00:35:19,613 --> 00:35:21,713 You see, in the miracle of the feeding 867 00:35:21,713 --> 00:35:23,841 of the 5,000, they didn't come to realize 868 00:35:23,841 --> 00:35:25,345 Who He was. 869 00:35:25,345 --> 00:35:28,782 And so they wanted to do miracles, these people, 870 00:35:28,782 --> 00:35:31,455 rather than seeking Him. 871 00:35:31,455 --> 00:35:32,965 Well, Jesus answered them, 872 00:35:32,965 --> 00:35:34,841 "This is the work of God: 873 00:35:34,841 --> 00:35:37,812 that you believe in Him Whom He has sent. 874 00:35:37,812 --> 00:35:40,002 So they said to Him, 875 00:35:40,002 --> 00:35:43,905 'then what sign do you do 876 00:35:43,905 --> 00:35:46,920 that we may see Him and believe You, 877 00:35:46,920 --> 00:35:49,681 and what work You may perform? 878 00:35:49,681 --> 00:35:51,021 Our fathers ate the manna 879 00:35:51,021 --> 00:35:52,520 in the wilderness. 880 00:35:52,520 --> 00:35:53,388 As it is written, 881 00:35:53,388 --> 00:35:55,506 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' 882 00:35:55,506 --> 00:35:56,542 Jesus said to them, 883 00:35:56,542 --> 00:35:58,716 'Truly, truly, I say to you, 884 00:35:58,716 --> 00:36:00,661 it was not Moses who gave you 885 00:36:00,661 --> 00:36:02,102 the bread from heaven, 886 00:36:02,102 --> 00:36:03,637 but My Father gives you 887 00:36:03,637 --> 00:36:05,632 the true bread from heaven. 888 00:36:05,632 --> 00:36:07,491 For the bread of God is He Who 889 00:36:07,491 --> 00:36:09,127 comes down from heaven 890 00:36:09,127 --> 00:36:11,939 and gives life to the world. 891 00:36:11,939 --> 00:36:12,926 They said to Him, 892 00:36:12,926 --> 00:36:15,268 'Sir, give us this bread always.' 893 00:36:15,268 --> 00:36:16,679 Jesus said to them, 894 00:36:16,679 --> 00:36:18,823 'I am the bread of life. 895 00:36:18,823 --> 00:36:21,687 Whoever comes to Me shall not hunger. 896 00:36:21,687 --> 00:36:25,046 Whoever comes to Me shall not thirst.'" 897 00:36:25,046 --> 00:36:28,592 You see, He is the true Manna. 898 00:36:28,592 --> 00:36:30,989 Christ is not some temporary provision 899 00:36:30,989 --> 00:36:34,395 that lasted forty years, in other words, 900 00:36:34,395 --> 00:36:37,017 but everlasting. 901 00:36:37,017 --> 00:36:38,382 You see, Jesus is the One 902 00:36:38,382 --> 00:36:40,034 you must come to to rest in, 903 00:36:40,034 --> 00:36:44,743 and feed from Him for everlasting life. 904 00:36:44,743 --> 00:36:46,219 You see, just as this manna 905 00:36:46,219 --> 00:36:47,791 sustained in the wilderness, 906 00:36:47,791 --> 00:36:50,475 Christ is the One 907 00:36:50,475 --> 00:36:53,577 Who must sustain you before the judgment, 908 00:36:53,577 --> 00:36:57,354 Who we are to feed upon there. 909 00:36:57,354 --> 00:36:59,343 So that's what I have to say. 910 00:36:59,343 --> 00:37:04,898 Let's pray. 911 00:37:04,898 --> 00:37:06,833 Our Father, I just pray that these words 912 00:37:06,833 --> 00:37:09,829 would be helpful to the brothers and sisters, 913 00:37:09,829 --> 00:37:13,402 for the unity of the church here, 914 00:37:13,402 --> 00:37:18,673 to knit hearts together as David and Jonathan. 915 00:37:18,673 --> 00:37:20,267 Keep us from evil, we ask. 916 00:37:20,267 --> 00:37:23,474 Keep us from a grumbling spirit. 917 00:37:23,474 --> 00:37:28,569 Keep us from temptation. 918 00:37:28,569 --> 00:37:30,351 Help us to feed on You. 919 00:37:30,351 --> 00:37:31,441 In Jesus' name, 920 00:37:31,441 --> 00:37:32,934 Amen.