They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, "Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger." Then the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily." So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, "At evening you shall know that it was the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
Exodus 16:1-6
We may suppose that some time has elapsed since Israel's experience at Marah and Elim, as we can gather from the dating given in 1b. But there is a certain significance in the fact that here, so soon, is another instance of their murmuring spirit (in the next chapters there are numerous others!) We might be excused for supposing that they were murmuring all the way along this pilgrim journey, and this in fact is the point that is being made - not that in the literal sense this was so, but that it was undoubtedly their prevailing characteristic. And part of the purpose of the Holy Spirit is to show us in perspective the over-all pattern of Israel's experience. This is how the Spirit of God sees men - in perspective - and He holds up a mirror to us here as a wise precaution, for it is certainly true that this is something that can develop in us without our becoming aware of it. A man can fall into a complaining spirit almost unconsciously until people around him say of him, 'He is always complaining'. Other faults and failings than murmuring fall into this category too, and it is well for us to have a good, honest look at ourselves in the mirror of the Word as a healthy corrective to attitudes which may have developed unawares in us (though, alas, obvious to all around us!). The marvel is that God was so patient with them in it all, and so unaccountably gracious in providing for their needs. And this provision serves but to set in clear outline their ingratitude. David's words in Psalm 103:2 are always a timely exhortation in this connection: 'Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits'. But the fleshpots of Egypt were destined to trouble Israel again and again (3); they had been delivered from the house of bondage, it is true, but Egypt was still in their hearts. Environment is but one factor in the human situation, and a change of abode does not mean a change of heart.