Is the Lord Among Us? — Joseph Hall on Exodus 17

Is the Lord Among Us?

And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us, or not?

Exodus chapter 17 verse 7

BEFORE, Israel thirsted and was satisfied; after that, they hungered and were filled; now they thirst again. They have bread and meat, but what drink? It is a marvel if God do not evermore hold us short of something, because he would keep us still in exercise. We should forget at whose cost we live, if we wanted nothing. Still God observes a vicissitude of evil and good; and the same evils that we have passed, return upon us in their courses.

Crosses are not of the nature of those diseases which they say a man can have but once. Their first seizure does but make way for their re-entry. None but our last enemy comes once for all: and I know not, if that; for even in living we die daily. So must we take our leaves of all afflictions, that we reserve a lodging for them and expect their return.

All Israel murmured when they wanted bread, meat, water; and yet all Israel departed from the wilderness of Sin to Rephidim, at God's command. The very worst men will obey God in something; none but the good, in all. He is rarely desperate, that makes a universal opposition to God. It is an unsound praise that is given a man for one good action. It may be safely said of the very devils themselves, that they do something well: they know, and believe, and tremble.

If we follow God, and murmur, it is all one as if we had staid behind.

Those distrust his providence in their necessity, that are ready to follow his guidance in their welfare. It is a harder matter to endure an extreme want, than to obey a hard commandment. Sufferings are greater trials than actions. How many have we seen jeopard their lives, with cheerful resolution, which cannot endure in cold blood to lose a limb with patience! Because God will have his thoroughly tried, he puts them to both: and if we cannot endure both, to follow him from Sin, and to thirst in Rephidim, we are not sound Israelites.

God led them on purpose to this dry Rephidim. He could as well have conducted them to another Elim, to convenient waterings. Or he, that gives the waters of all their channels, could as well have derived them to meet Israel: but God does purposely carry them to thirst. It is not for necessity that we fare ill, but out of choice. It were all one with God to give us health, as sickness; abundance as poverty.

The treasury of his riches has more store than his creature can be capable of. We could not complain, if it were not good for us to want.

This should have been a contentment able to quench any thirst; "God had led us hither." If Moses out of ignorance had misguided us, or we by chance fallen upon these dry deserts, though this were no remedy of our grief, yet it might be some ground of our complaint. But now the counsel of so wise and merciful a God has drawn into this want; and shall not he as easily find the way?

"It is the Lord, let him do what he will." There can be no more forcible motive to patience, than the acknowledgment of a Divine hand that strikes us. It is fearful to be in the hand of an adversary; but who would not be confident of a father? Yet, in our frail humanity, choler may transport a man from remembrance of nature; but when we feel ourselves under the discipline of a wise God, (that can temper our afflictions to our strength, to our benefit) who would not rather murmur at himself, that he should swerve towards impatience?

Yet these sturdy Israelites wilfully murmur, and will not have their thirst quenched with faith, but with water; "Give us water."

I looked to hear when they would have entreated Moses to pray for them: but, instead of entreating, they contend: and, instead of prayers, I find commands; "Give us water." If they had gone to God without Moses, I should have praised their faith: but now they go to Moses without God; I hate their stubborn faithlessness. To seek to the second means, with neglect of the first, is the fruit of a false faith.

The answer of Moses is, like himself, mild and sweet. Why contend you with me? Why tempt you the Lord?" In the first expostulation condemning them of injustice; since not he but the Lord had afflicted them: in the second of presumption; that since it was God that tempted them by want, they should tempt him by murmuring. In the one he would have them see their wrong; in the other, their danger. As the act came not from him, but from God, so he puts it off to God from himself.

"Why tempt you the Lord?" The opposition which is made to the instruments of God, redounds ever to his person. He holds himself smitten through the sides of his ministers. So has God incorporated these respects, that our subtilty cannot divide them.

But what temptation is this? "Is the Lord among us or no?" Infidelity is crafty, and yet foolish! crafty in her insinuations, foolish in her conceits. They imply, "If we were sure the Lord were with us, we would not distrust." They conceive doubts of his presence, after such confirmations. What could God do more to make them know him present, unless every moment should have renewed miracles? The plagues of Egypt, and the division of the sea were so famous, that the very inns of Jericho rang of them.

Their waters were lately sweetened; the quails were yet in their teeth; the manna was yet in their eye: yea, they saw God in the pillar of the cloud, and yet they say, "Is the Lord amongst us?" No argument is enough to an incredulous heart; not reason, not sense, not experience. How much better was that faith of Thomas, that would believe his eyes and hands, though his ears he would not! O the deep infidelity of these Israelites, that saw, and believed not!

And how will they know if God be amongst them? As if he could not be with them, and they be athirst. Either God must humour carnal minds, or be distrusted. If they prosper, though it be with wickedness, God is with them. If they be thwarted in their own designs, straightway "Is God with us?" It was the way to put God from them, to distrust and murmur. If he had not been with them, they had not lived.

If he had been in them, they had not mutinied. They can think him absent in their want, and cannot see him absent in their sin; and yet wickedness, not affliction, argues him gone: yet then is he most present, when he most chastises.