The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 2 — Section 32

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1--4.-Murmurirtgs. In the cc Wilderness of Sin," between Elim and Sinai, on the 15th day of the second month after the departing of Israel out of Egypt, (ver. 1). One short month, but how much can be forgotten even in so brief a space of time! (c-f. eh. xxxii. l). Egypt now lay at a little distance. The supplies of the !~re.elites were failing them. God lets the barrel of meal and the cruse of oil ruu out (1 Kings :xvii. 12), before interposing with bis help. Thus be tries what manner of spirit we are of. Our extremity is bis opportunity. Consider here- I. 'l'HE PEOPLE'S MURMURINGS (ver. 2). These are brought into strong relief in the course of the narrative. "The whole congregation of the children of Israel mur- mured" (vcr. 2). "He beareth your murmurings e.,,aa.inst the Lord, and what are we that ye murmur a.,crainst us?" (ver. 7). "The Lord heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him, and what are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord" (ver. 8). "He bath heard your murmurings" (ver. 9). "I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel" (ver. 12). 1. They murmured, and did not pray. They seem to have left that to Moses (cf. eh. xiv. 15). Remembering what Jehovah had already done for them-the proofs he had already given them of bis goodness and faithfulness-we might have thought that prayer would have been their first resource. But they do not avail themselves of it. They do not even raise the empty cries of eh. xiv. 10. It is a wholly unsubmissive and distrustful spirit which wreaks its unreasonableness on Moses and Aaron in the words, "Ye have brought us forth into the wilderness t.o kill this whole 88sembly with hunger" (ver. 3). We who blame them, however, have only t.o observe our own hearts to see how often we ace in the same condemnation. (See Hamilton's "Moses," Leet. xiv.-" Murmurs.") It is ever easier, in times of difficulty, to murmur than to pray. Yet how much better for ourselves, as well as more dutiful t.o God, could we learn the lesson of coming with every trouble to the throne of grace. " But with my God I leave my canse; From Him I seek relief; To Him in confidence of prayer Unbosom Bll my grief" Had Israel prayed more, relief might have come sooner. 2. Their behaviour affords some interesting illustrations of what a~ murmuring spirit is. Distinguish this spirit from states of mind which bear a sunerficial resemblance t.o it. (1) From the cry of natural distress. When diJitress comes upon us, we cannot but acutely feel the p&in of our situation. and with this is connected the tendency to lament and bewail it. The dictates of the highest piety, indeed, would lead us t.o imitate David in studying to be still before God. "I was dumb, I opened not my mouth because thou didst it" (Ps. :tllll. 9). Yet listen to this same David's lamentations over .Absalom (2 Sam. xvili. 19). There are {~w in who':° the spirit of ~esignation i~ so perfectly forn>ed-in whom religious motives so umformly and entirely predom1na~that a wail of grief 'Tl,/JVer escapes their ~ps. It would, ~owe:er, be c~el. t.o describe ~hese purely natural expressions of feeling as "murmunngs, though 1t IB to be adnutted that an elemP.nt of murmuring frequently mingles with them. (2) From the expos- tulations of good men with God, caused by the perplexity and mystery of his dealings with them. Such expostulations, e.g., as those of Mows in eh. v. 22, 23; or of Joh, on. xv1. 1--1.] Tim IlOOK OF EXODUS 33