“But God” is a powerful message. The word “but”means yet, nevertheless, nonetheless, however, even so, still, notwithstanding, despite that, and in spite of. Despite the Israelites constant murmuring and complaining, God continued to provide for them.
The stiff-necked Israelites had refused to worship God. But God in His mercy sent Moses to lead His people and their flocks and herds into the promise land. This promise is known as the Abrahamic Covenant, that still stands in perpetuity (Genesis 12:1-3). God then specified the actual property. “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates” (Genesis 15:18-21; Genesis 48:3-4). In hopes of maintaining peace with her neighbors, Israel has given away three-fourths of the land mass promised to them by God (Joel 3:2). And still there is no peace because her enemies want all Jewish people destroyed. The current rise in antisemitism only validates the spiritual battle that has raged for centuries.
The Jews were in bondage to the Pharoah of Egypt who refused to let God’s people go. But God sent plagues and death to all the first-born males, including Pharoah’s son. Only then did he let God’s people go. Moses then led the Israelites on a journey to the Red Sea.
Trapped by mountains on two sides, the enemy behind them, and the vast ocean before them, the Israelites complained bitterly and said they should have stayed in Egypt. “But God” instructed Moses to lift his staff that would part the waters for the people and their animals to escape the advancing Egyptian army.
Oceanographers, after years of searching, have discovered the exact place of the Red Sea crossing and have found the remains of chariot wheels incrusted with plankton at the bottom of the ocean bed that had previously dried from a strong east wind that God caused to blow all night (Exodus 14:1-30).
After passing safely through the Red Sea, they traveled three days without finding water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink the bitter water. So, the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?” “But God”instructed Moses to throw a piece of wood into the water, making it drinkable (Exodus 15:22-25).
The Israelites then traveled to the Desert of Sin where they complained to Moses, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There, we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death,” But God said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day” (Exodus 16:1-32). Yet His people continued to grumble and complain that they had no meat to eat. But God sent them quail.
Israelites then camped at Rephidim, where they again complained they had no water. But God had Moses strike the Rock of Horeb and water flowed (Exodus 17:5-7) While at Rephidim, the Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites. But God gave Joshua victory over their enemy (17:8-14 NKJV).
Eventually, the Israelites arrived at Mt. Sinai where God would give Moses the Ten Commandments. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven: Do not make any gods to be alongside Me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold’” (Exodus 20:22-23). God gave this warning because He knew the wicked intent of His people.
God called Moses up the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments, while his brother Aaron stayed with the people. But when he tarried coming down the mountain, the people grew restless and convinced Aaron to gather all the gold jewelry and “…make us gods that shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” (Exodus 32:1)
Aaron should have dissuaded the people. Astonishingly, he instructed them, “Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me. So, all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. And he (Aaron) received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf. Then they said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!’” Not only did he not stop them from sinning, but he was complicit in their sin. (Exodus 32:2-4 NKJV)
When Moses approached the camp and saw the people dancing around the idol, his anger raged as he threw the tablets, breaking them into pieces. He then took the golden calf, burned it in the fire, ground it to powder, scattered it on the water, and made the Israelites drink it. (Exodus 32:19-20)
The Bible warns that “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand” (Matthew 12:25; Luke 11:17). The Jews were divided between worshipping God whom they could not see, and an idol created by their own hands that they could see. Ironically, Jesus (God incarnate) eventually came in body and spirit but was rejected by the very people who looked for His coming.
Exodus through the Book of Numbers records God’s miraculous care and provision; yet the Israelites carnal demand of a god they could see should not shock us, considering today’s increasing apostasy, the questioning of God’s existence, and worshipping the gods of self, pleasures, and materiel things.
God responded to 40 years of the Israelites’ complaining and bemoaning their leaving Egypt, “…not one of those who saw My glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed Me and tested Me ten times—not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated Me with contempt will ever see it” (Numbers 14:22-23 NIV). All who had bitterly complained died in the wilderness. Only those age nineteen and younger went on to possess the Promise Land, which eventually became the great nation of Israel.
Despite the Israelites ingratitude and constant grumbling, God showed them mercy, and today He continues to show mercy as He calls the Jews from around the world back to their homeland…Israel. Most Jews have rejected their Jewish Messiah for more than 2,000 years, but God has not forgotten His people.His love and compassion continue to call to the Jews and to reach out to all people who will receive His Son, Jesus Christ.
PRAYER: Father, open the hearts and minds of those who ignore You, don’t believe You, deny Your Son Jesus exists, or believe they can do life without You. But You, the eternal God does not give up on people and You have not forsaken Your chosen people—the Jews. Therefore, pursue hearts and minds of all people, so that 2024 will see a great harvest of hearts surrendered to Your Son, Jesus Christ. In Jesus name, amen.
NOTE: The picture is of Mt. Sinai and the black is still there from when “…Mount Sinai was completely in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.” (Exodus 19:18 NKJV)