Thumbnail Sketch– The Israelites have just left Elim—a place of fine amenable accommodations, including springs and palm trees. Their new departure portends its opposite—a place of lack. Here—between the oasis of Elim and their destination lies the Sinai Desert—a place that lacks adequate water, food, and other life sustaining resources.

A Constellation of Crises – Such an inhospitable place creates a crisis—what will we eat, what will we drink? But material provision is not the only thing in crisis. Leadership, too, is in crisis ("The whole community grumbled against Moses . . ." v. 2). Under Moses and Aaron, trouble and possible death in the wilderness is imminent. Not only that but a crisis of memory further threatens existence—the good old days have never looked better. Finally, a crisis of faith is at the core of the narrative ("The Lord said . . . I have heard their grumbling, vs. 11-12).

Ray Charles – There’s nothing written in the Bible . . . that says if you believe in me, you ain’t going to have no troubles.

What were the good old days like for you? What made them so good?

• What do you see as other problems / crises that arise in this lesson?
• What is the learning curve for Israel on the heels of God’s provision? What about Moses? What’s our learning moment in this story?

I might suggest the various crises that faced Israel in the desert and I would be sympathetic to their very real needs for food, water, etc. in the wilderness—assuming, of course, that there really wasn’t enough water for cattle and humans. Then we could reflect on what such timely intervention by God might teach them and future communities of faith.