One of the characteristics common to all human beings is inconsistency. Fashion collections that are the height of style in one season generally appear in the sales of the next. The inconsistent person is one who lacks constancy, firmness, or stability. To be inconsistent is to be fickle and unfaithful. The behavior of the people of Israel in the wilderness is an example of extreme inconsistency.
Immediately after the deeply significant event of Passover (Êx 12), having just left the Red Sea opened by God (Êx 14) and after a worship service in recognition of God's greatness and goodness (Êx 15), the Hebrews suffered an attack of inconsistency.
"There is nothing to drink!"
It took only three days in the wilderness for the Israelites to begin complaining. First "there is nothing to drink!" Then, "this water is not good!", and then, "there is nothing to eat!" Think of that cranky child on family vacation, multiply by about a hundred thousand, and then you will begin to have an idea of what was happening. Miriam's song about the great God who works wonders had already been forgotten (see Êx 15.21). What the people were singing during their long march through the wilderness was quite a different song, irritating even.
Despite God's faithful and miraculous provision of water and manna, the complaining continued until they arrived at the camp of Rephidim. It was there that God commanded Moses to strike the rock at Horeb (Êx 17). In doing so, a torrent of water miraculously poured from the stone.
Drinking from the rock
In his first letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul refers to this incident, saying that "the rock was Christ" (1Co 10.4). In other words, in a spiritual and supernatural sense (though also very real), Jesus was with the people of Israel during their long journey through the wilderness.
What a testimony to God's faithfulness! The Lord continued to protect His people and care for them even when they made the worst complaints. What a wonderful vision of grace!
Is it not exactly how God cares for us? We worship Him in an inconsistent way. We follow the Lord sporadically. At one moment, we praise God for a blessing in our lives, then, afterwards, we turn around and rebuke Him for His "failure" in not giving us what we wanted. In short, we are inconsistent.
Despite this, He remains faithful. God never ceases to love us. His gifts - including the greatest of them, the forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life - are never offered on the basis of merit. We are too eccentric to deserve anything from a Holy God. Nevertheless God's blessings are poured out graciously and freely. The more we focus on this truth and honor our faithful God, the more steadfast we will become in our devotion to Him.