Read Exodus 17:1-7.

Read verse 5. What was Moses to take with him? Why do you suppose God gave this instruction?

Read verse 6. What did God say would happen when Moses hit the rock? What caused water to come out of the rock? Was this an ordinary rock?

Let me introduce you to the idea that there is no such thing as an ordinary rock. Yes, I know they're all different colors and formed from different types of sediment and such. But I'm talking about something different here. I recently studied rocks and rock imagery in the Bible for an article I wrote and it changed my whole concept of rocks. I'll share a bit of that on Sunday.

To find out a bit more about this, read 1 Corinthians 10:1-13. There is a very good reason this passage fits so well with Exodus 17 and it's not just historical. The spiritual truth from Exodus 17 is expanded in 1 Corinthians 10.

If you had to identify the central truth from both passages, what would it be?

Let's turn our attention today from the people to Moses.

Read Exodus 17:4. When Moses faced the angry threats of the people, what did he do? When you face upset people, what is the first thing you usually do? I have to confess, taking it to the Lord in prayer is not always my first response! But I have learned it is better to do that sooner rather than later.

The people were not just grumbling against Moses. They were complaining against God, too.

To find out how God handled their grumpiness, read verses 5 and 6.

Wow, He gave them what they needed (and wanted). But look closely at how He did it. Write down each thing God told Moses to do and each thing God said He would do.

Is there someone who is complaining or grumbling against you? Take it to the Lord and ask Him how to handle it. Ask God for his mind about that person and the situation. If we can just gain God's perspective, it dwarfs our own and enables us to handle things we never otherwise could.
Sunday we'll study a scripture pattern for situations like this in 2 Corinthians 2:5-11. For now, read the verses and write what God says to you.

What a blessing it has been to discover the song of deliverance in Exodus 15. My heart was so full as I listened to Becky and Sandy share their own songs based on this chapter last Sunday. Thank you for your willingness to open up to the rest of us.

Thank you, Jeannie Alexander, for teaching in my absence on the 20th on chapter 16.

Now, as we prepare to study chapter 17, let's read verses 1-7.

Look at verse 1. How did they get to Rephidim? Do you think while traveling they anticipated what they would find in Rephidim? It was an oasis in the desert, but what was it like?

Do you ever have unmet expectations? How do you respond when that happens?

Look in verse 2 to find the people's response to their disappointment. What did Moses say they were doing?

Verse 3 shows us how the situation escalated. What was about to happen to Moses? Have you ever witnessed a group of people who get so bent out of shape over a disappointment that they take it out on their leader? Did the Israelites have any legitimate reason to stone Moses?

What started as a real but manageable problem ended in mob threats because the people blamed both God and Moses instead of trusting God to help them solve it.

What can you learn from these three verses?

Write a crisis management plan for the Israelites that would lead them through the proper steps of handling unmet expectations.