Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing. Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.” Ex 15:20-21

Here God's people are finally at the point where they are going to praise God. There is no record of them praising God for the previous 40 years! Everything is positive, they are finally free because God has delivered them. At this point everything is good.

Let's read on:

Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they travelled in the desert without finding water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.) So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?” Ex. 15:22-24

After an amazing moment of praise, it only took three days for the people to return to complaining! Never underestimate the stubbornness of some people, even God's people. Even though God had done an incredible miracle, resulting in the best moment of praise for a generation, it did not change the hearts of the people. At the first moment of difficulty, they revert to their moaning and complaining.

Things were no different in the time of Jesus:

The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!” John 12:12-13

To give a little context, these people had seen an amazing miracle in the chapter before, the resurrection of Lazarus! It was so evident that God was working that not even the opponents of Jesus tried to deny it! The Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” (John 12:19)

Yet we know by the end of the week they would shout 'crucify him'!  They went from praising Jesus to wanting to kill Him. Just as with Moses, the people went from praising God to grumbling. What on earth did Jesus do to provoke this response? It's an interesting study, what changed their minds?

The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered. “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” Matthew 27:20-23

Did the crowd suddenly decide that they hated Jesus? Or was it that they were just open to persuasion and wanted something else? Even though this was an amazing time of God literally being present and doing the most profound miracles they still turned against Him. All it took was the persuasion of Jesus' opponents and the people changed thier minds. Now remember that these people were devout believers, otherwise they wouldn't have been at the feast. The people of Israel were truly God's people, genuinely saved by Moses and yet they turned against God and Moses. So clearly even the most devout believers can be swayed in their devotion.

What are we going to do? Are we going to praise God? Will we also let God change our hearts? Otherwise, the moment adversity comes, or as soon as things as not to our liking we will quickly revert to our carnal ways and turn away from God.

25/09/24 - Adapted from Pastor Dave Jones' sermon.