Êxodo 16

Êxodo 16

Pink - God takes note of the discontent of our hearts — as well as the murmuring of our lips. Not only is discontent a grievous sin against God, but it unfits the Christian for the discharge of holy duties, preventing the exercise of those graces which are necessary in order thereunto. It silences the lips of supplication, for how can a murmurer pray? It destroys the spirit of submission, for complaining is a fretting against the Lord. It quenches faith, hope and love. Discontent is the very essence of ingratitude, and therefore it stifles the voice of thanksgiving. There cannot be any rest of soul, until we quietly resign our persons and portions to God's good pleasure. Discontent corrodes the strings of the heart, and therefore it arrests all growth in grace. Discontent is usually over temporal matters, and this is a sad intimation that material things are sought after more eagerly than are spiritual things. It argues a lack of confidence in the care of our heavenly Father to provide for us the things which are needed. Exodus 16:9 Then Moses said to Aaron, "Say to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, 'Come near before the LORD, for He has heard your grumblings.'" Come near - Nu 16:16 heard - Ex 16:2,8 Exodus 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries MOSES COMMANDS CONGREGATION TO COME NEAR Then Moses said to Aaron, "Say to all the congregation of the sons of Israel - Recall Aaron is Moses' mouthpiece (Ex 4:15,16+). 'Come near before the LORD, for He has heard your grumblings - Come near means "approach, draw near" (Lxx = proserchomai as used in Hebrews - most uses describing believers drawing near -- Heb. 4:16; Heb. 7:25, Heb. 10:22; Heb. 11:6; Heb. 12:18; Heb. 12:22 and one of non-believing Jews drawing near in Heb 10:1) The Hebrew verb is used in the Torah of drawing near for religious purposes (Ex 28:1, Ex 29:4, 10, Ex. 40:12; Ex. 40:32; Lev. 1:2 and multiple uses in Leviticus). In this context come near obviously refe -- some describing Jews not yet believers drawing near Heb. 10:1; rs to the Israelites approaching the glory cloud. Can you imagine the people's reaction? Moses does not say why they are to draw near. And since they have been grumbling this might not be a friendly confrontation! What then could I do when God arises? And when He calls me to account, what will I answer Him? Grumblings (08519) see above on telunah Exodus 16:10 It came about as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. that they looked - Ex 16:7 Nu 14:10 16:19,42 appeared - Ex 13:21,22 40:34-38 Lev 9:6 Nu 16:42 1Ki 8:10,11 Mt 17:5 Exodus 16 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE SHEKINAH GLORY OF YAHWEH APPEARED It came about as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness - The verb looked toward is panah which means to turn (the related noun panim means face - used of Moses' looking around in Ex 2:12 and Pharaoh turning around in indifference in Ex 7:23; The verb used in Isa 45:22KJV = "Look unto me and be ye saved!" = as did C H Spurgeon) and so it is more accurately rendered "they turned to look" or "they turned to face" toward Yahweh! The text does not describe their response/reaction, but surely they were on their faces as that was the usual effect of the glory of the LORD in the Bible. And behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud - Behold (hinneh) draws one's attention to what follows. One would think that you would not need to add a "behold" when the glory of Yahweh appeared as He would have attracted everyone's attention! This is surely the Shekinah glory cloud. S. R. Driver says, "A brilliant glow of fire…symbolizing Jehovah's presence, gleamed through the cloud, resting…on the Tent of Meeting. The cloud shrouds the full brilliancy of the glory, which human eye could not behold" The cloud is the the very cloud that had been leading them (Ex 13:21–22; Ex 14:19–24). Steven