Murmuring in the Wilderness

Choice 5: Exodus 15:23-27; 16-17. Murmuring in the Wilderness

• What did the children of Israel murmur about? Identify all the examples you can find.

o   They murmured about the bitter water that they were not able to drink.

o   They murmured about what to eat. They reminisced the days they were in Egypt that they were eating even in captivity. They said that they were brought out to the wilderness by the lord to die of hunger. I thought that what they were trying to say here was, least in captivity, they were eating. 

• How did the Lord respond to their murmuring?

o   The Lord either provided for every need or helped them be self-sufficient by teaching them how to make things happen. He gave them food and helped them turn bitter water to potable water. 

• Why do you think people murmur against God and those He has chosen as His leaders? (See 1 Nephi 16:1-3.)

o   Truth cuts through the heart of the guilty one.

o   Prophets speaks truth and therefore, people who have hard hearts take their word very offensive.

o   People lack enough understanding or willingness to be taught to help them understand the will of the Lord.

• What does murmuring usually lead to?

o   In my opinion, murmuring leads to rebellion.

o   It stirs the hearts of men into anger.

o   It turns man’s heart into a perfect breading ground of Satan’s plans.

• Read 2 Nephi 27:35. Describe in writing what Nephi suggested as an antidote for murmuring.

o   Those who have done wrong will understand or learn the lesson the hard way. Form my experience, I sometimes learn doctrine when I failed to understand and then go through the consequences of my wrong decisions.  

• What counsel would you give to a friend or a family member who murmurs against the commandments of God?

o   I would suggest them to do as what Nephi did. They should “go and do” and trust that the Lord does not commandments to us that we’re not able to bear.

o   In many occasions when I don’t understand certain things, I push myself to do things until I find reason why I should continue or why do I need to do it.