Broadcast
Getting What We Don't Deserve - Part 4
Exodus 17:7
02/01/2024
7 And he called the name of the place Massah and
Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people
of Israel, and because they tested the LORD by
saying, ``Is the LORD among us or not? '' (ESV)
The children of Israel, having left Egypt, were in the
desert of the Sinai peninsula. There, seeing no water, they
grumbled against Moses and against God. Although they were in
the presence of the Almighty, and had seen His mighty hand
deliver them from the Egyptians, they had no faith.
Moses prayed for God's help, and was instructed by God to
strike a rock with his staff. Water gushed out of the rock, and
the children of Israel were satisfied.
Moses recorded in Exodus:
And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah,
because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and
because they tested the LORD by saying, ``Is the LORD
among us or not? ''
Every time this story is related, we see that God does not
give what we deserve, but blesses us out of His love, grace, and
mercy. Rather than punishing the children of Israel for their
lack of faith, He acted on their behalf.
Moses named the camp ``Massah,'' which means ``temptation,''
and Meribah, which means ``strife.'' These names remind us of
our sin and God's mercy.
May our Lord grant us faith to trust in Him for all good,
and to hold firmly to Him even when we are in difficulty, knowing
He will provide all we need. Amen.