Murmuring in the Wilderness

Murmuring in the Wilderness

For my in depth study of this week I chose Exodus 15:23-27, 16-17 on the topic of Murmuring in the Wilderness. I wanted to do this because I really didn’t understand it. I have never understood the constant murmuring of the Children. One thing is for sure the children of Israel did a lot of murmuring. Let’s starting with defining what murmuring is.  Freedictionary.com defines it as “An indistinct, whispered, or confidential complaint; a mutter.” Therefore, this means that the children were complaining and whispering among themselves but none of them were bringing any complaints up to the leadership. Moses, Aaron or from what we can tell praying to the Lord about it either. They were just griping (murmuring) among themselves.

Three days after celebrating the Lord for delivering them from Egypt and crossing the Red Sea, in Exodus 15:24 they are murmuring “What shall we drink?” another miracle was provided and then they came to Elim where there was plenty of water.

After leaving Elim, 2 months and 15 days into the journey we find the whole congregation of the children murmuring against Moses and Aaron (Exodus 16:1-3) accusing that they were brought out of slavery only to be starved to death. The Lord provides another miracle, manna from Heaven with one stipulation every day it will rain the same amount, but on the 6^th day it will rain double for the children are to gather extra that day because nothing will fall on the seventh.  Moses warned them not to try to save any and to trust in the Lord and still they did not listen.

I think my favorite verse is Exodus 16:28 “And the Lord said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?”

The Lord is providing bread (manna) from Heaven for the children and again when they arrive in Rephidim the children start murmuring again. In Exodus 17:3 “…Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?” Moses immediately takes the problem to the Lord “What shall I do unto this people? They be almost ready to stone me.” In addition, there is the problem with murmuring. If the concern had been addressed earlier the emotion would not have built up, but can you imagine what it must have been like in that camp for Moses to say that to the Lord? The Lord saved them and brought forth water from a rock using Moses and his staff.

Nephi suggests in 1 Nephi 16:1-3 that people murmur against leaders when hard truths are spoken and difficult things are asked of them that they are not ready for, when truth cuts them to the core.  This suggests that many of the children of Israel were in a crisis of faith, not having enough faith in the Lord, Moses and Aaron to keep them safe.  If Moses and Aaron are not able to address and stop the murmuring then the children could fall away from the Lord as Lamen and Lemual did. Nephi suggests in 2 Nephi 27:35 that learning the doctrine is an antidote for murmuring. This is a great suggestion as learning and studying doctrine leads to understanding and increases faith. The children of Israel did not have faith in the Lord even after seeing miracles. Lack of faith and lack of gratitude for what had happened to them was a large part of their problem I believe.

Do not cease to give thanks for what you have. Do not forget to ask for what you need. The Lord will supply all our needs.