'' Is the Lord Among us or Not'' - ( Exodus part 9)

🎙 Episode Title: Is God With Us or Not? 📖 Text: Exodus 16–17 (Focus: 16:1–3; 17:7)🔑 Intro:Have you ever asked, “Where is God in all this?”Israel did—again and again.In Exodus 16 and 17, just one month after crossing the Red Sea, the people began murmuring… again.This episode explores their protest, God’s proving, and His provision—and how it all relates to trust.1️⃣ The Protest of Israel (Exodus 16:1–3)Whining was Israel’s besetting sin.From Pharaoh’s palace to the Red Sea… to Marah… and now the wilderness.They remembered Egypt’s food, but forgot the bondage.“Murmuring” is low, sullen complaining—it’s not loud rebellion, but persistent distrust.Root issue? They didn’t trust God.Moses did. Some others did. But the majority grumbled.📍 Application: Do we forget the pain of our past when things get tough today? Do we blame leaders instead of trusting the Lord?2️⃣ The Proving of God (Exodus 16:4–36)God gave manna to test them: “That I may prove them…” (v. 4)This was about faith—daily dependence:Matthew 6:11 – Give us this day our daily bread.Some believed. Others failed:They gathered more than needed—disobeyed (v. 20–21)Ignored instructions again (v. 22–28)📝 Lessons from the Manna:God supplies daily grace—not weekly storage.He’s teaching them (and us) to trust Him moment by moment.👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Generational Responsibility:(v. 32–36) — “Others need to see what God did for us.”Parents must pass down God’s faithfulness to the next generation.3️⃣ The Provision of Water (Exodus 17:1–4)A new test—no water—same reaction: complaint and doubt.They forgot what God did at Marah (Exodus 15).As Robert Rayburn said: “There ain’t much education in the second kick of a mule.”Every difficulty is either a testing ground or a stumbling block.🔨 Brake and Rest Stop Illustration:Like highway signs say, “Give ‘Em a Brake”—Israel needed to slow down and trust instead of attacking Moses.They nearly stoned him at Rephidim.4️⃣ God Provides Water (Exodus 17:5–7)Despite the grumbling, God provides from the rock.Moses strikes the rock, and water flows—a picture of grace despite rebellion.The place is named Massah and Meribah—“testing” and “quarreling.”