1. Learning To Listen to God Moses: Disaster in the Desert

2. Beware of Strong Emotions Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? Hidden person inside that comes out during times of stress? Greater chance we will act against our Christian nature at these times.

3. Dealing With Ungrateful Grumbling People Let’s consider Moses as an example. The Lord’s view of Moses expressed in Deuteronomy 34:10 “Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face…”

4. Moses faced trials from grumblers Exodus 15:24: So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What are we to drink?"

5. Exodus 16:2 -- In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. Exodus 17:3 -- But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?“ Numbers 16:41 -- The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. "You have killed the LORD's people," they said.

6. Yet Moses continually interceded in behalf of those grumbling people. Deuteronomy 9:18 -- Then once again I fell prostrate before the LORD for forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water, because of all the sin you had committed, doing what was evil in the LORD's sight and so provoking him to anger.

7. A moment of weakness – Disaster in the Desert Exodus 17:1,3 -- The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin…But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses….

9. Moses cried out to the Lord – vs. 4 Then Moses cried out to the LORD, "What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me."

10. The Lord Provides: Vs. 5-6 The LORD answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. Called Massah and Meribah

11. 39 years later… The Desert of Zin Numbers 20:4-5 -- Why did you bring the LORD's community into this desert, that we and our livestock should die here? 5 Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!"

13. Moses and Aaron fall prostrate before the Lord: Verse 6 The Lord provides: Verse 8 "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink."

14. Moses’ Disaster Mirabah II In vs. 9-11 Moses calls the people rebels. Moses strikes the rock twice with his staff. God sends water gushing out to water the community and livestock

15. What Did Moses Know? He knew that God expects to be obeyed precisely Exodus 16:4 -- Then the LORD 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. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.

16. Exodus 25:9 -- Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you. He knew that strong emotions could be destructive, as in Exodus 2:11-12, when he, himself, killed an Egyptian taskmaster for striking a slave.

17. Moses’ disaster serves as a warning for all times. This event is recounted in 1 Corinthians 10:1-13. Especially: verse 5 – “Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. Verse 12 – So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!