This Bible study is all about seeing how God provides for His people and what that means for you.
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Throughout scripture, there are countless instances where God provides for His people. God does this in a variety of ways, and often, the Israelites completely miss it. This Bible study on Exodus 17-20 shows how God provides, encouraging you to not miss the many ways in which God is acting in your life.
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Read all about how God provides for His people, before reflecting on it below.
Exodus 17-20
God Provides water from the rock of Christ
Once again, the Israelites are led to a land with no water and their response is to complain. They quarreled with Moses, challenging God’s mercy and provision for them. In response to their complaints, God showed that He provides for their needs when Moses struck the rock so that water could be poured out for them. In the same way, Jesus was struck on on the cross so that living water could be poured out for you.
What does it mean that Jesus was pierced for your transgressions and had His own blood flow from Him so that you could live (1 Corinthians 10:3-4)?
Related Post: The Battle Between Death And Life
God provides through prayer
The Amalekites attacked the Israelites. This once slave-nation now had to become a nation of warriors to protect themselves. Moses knew that in order to be victorious, they would need God’s provision throughout the entire battle. He went up on a hill and held up his hands – this was a common posture of prayer. As long as Moses prayed, the Israelites were winning. When Moses grew tired, he had others come alongside him in prayer.
Do you pray passionately, knowing that God is in control of the outcome, and believing that eternity depends on prayer (James 5:16)?
Not good
“What you are doing is not good.” This was Jethro’s response when he learned that Moses was taking on the task as judge for the Israelites by himself. Jethro knew that this would lead to burnout for Moses and unjust ruling for the people. Reconciling the people with each other was a good thing, but the way Moses was going about it would only lead to disaster. Because of this, Jethro advised Moses to delegate godly leaders for the people and train everyone in the word of God. We need to teach ourselves and others God’s word so that we can live a holy life without always going to someone else for the answers that God wants to show us Himself.
God told Moses to instruct all of the Israelites in God’s word. How do you think this helped the Israelite community? How can knowing God’s word help your relationship with God (Hosea 4:6)?
Falling short of God’s provision
Before God appeared to the Israelites, He reminded them of how He provides for them and who they were in Him. God chose the Israelites to be a Holy nation – a nation set apart. But they needed to follow His commands. The Israelites replied that they would do everything the Lord commanded, but they continuously fell short.
Do you do everything God commands? How are you sure of your relationship with God even though your failure (Ephesians 2:8)?
God provides boundaries
God told Moses to consecrate the Israelites. They needed to prepare for three days because God was going to reveal Himself to the people. Throughout their preparation, God also put limits on the Israelites. He instructed that any person or animal who touched Mount Sinai was to be put to death.
This sounds like such a harsh thing for a loving God to command. But it was in love that God spoke this. God knows that we need boundaries. Otherwise we will live by our feelings and by our flesh, doing what pleases us and not setting ourselves apart from our culture. We set ourselves apart not so that others can see how good we are, but because God is so different than any other being – real or imagined – and He calls us to imitate that. We are set apart so that we can have a relationship with God and so that others can see what it means to know the love of God.
It sometimes takes much preparation to hear from God. Are you ready and willing to listen when God speaks (Isaiah 55:3)?
Who is God?
Before God gave the Israelites His law, He again reminded them of who He is. “I am the Lord your God.” We need to be reminded that God is above everything in our life, nothing can even come close to Him. He is our peace, our comfort, our hope, our provider. He is the one who has always been and who always will be. God also reminded Israel that He is the one who brought them out of Egypt. The Israelites needed to be reminded of the great miracles that led to their freedom. These were things that could only be done by God. God also reminded them because of His grace. God did not require the Israelites to follow the commandments before He led them out of Egypt. He saved them first, and it is out of our gratitude and love for God that we obey.
Who is God to you? Does your view of God line up with what the scriptures say about Him (Matthew 16:15)?
The ten commandments
Then God gave His commandments. The first time God gave the commandments, He gave them directly to the people. He spoke them to the ordinary Israelite, and not to the learned scholar. These were commands for the common man to follow. The first four commandments have to do with our relationship with God. The last six commandments have to do with our relationship with others. This is why the commands can be summed up as “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself”
Which of the commandments is the hardest for you to keep? why? How can you love God and people (Matthew 22:36-39)?
Reflect on how God provides for you
So often, the Israelites didn’t notice or soon forgot about God’s provision. Do you fall into this same trap? Take some time to think about how God provides for you, and thank Him for His unfailing loving kindness and provision in your life.
