Stops Along the Exodus Route

America has some towns with curious names. There’s Uncertain, Texas; Neutral, Kansas; and Likely, California. You can visit Why, Arizona or Whynot, North Carolina. You can take a trip to Normal, Illinois or Peculiar, Missouri. There’s even Somewhere, New York and Nowhere, Colorado. I’m sure every one of those places has a fascinating story behind its name, even if few people know it.

Well, how about a place called Test and Quarrel? The Place of Burning? The Graves of Craving? The Waters of Contention? None of those sounds like a place you’d want to go on vacation. But all are names given to stops along the Israelites’ journey from Egypt to Canaan (see Exodus 17:7; Numbers 11:1-3, 34; 20:13). Those unfortunate names commemorate what happened in those places. And the stories are instructive.

At Rephidim, when the Israelites found no water, they quarreled with Moses, grumbling against him: “Why, now, have you brought us up from Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” By their faithlessness the people “tested the Lord, saying, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’” God provided them with water, but Moses named the place Massah (Hebrew for “test”) and Meribah (“quarrel”).

At another stop on the journey, the people complained again (interestingly, Numbers 11 doesn’t mention what they were upset about). God was angry, “and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.” The place became known as Taberah (Hebrew for “burning”).

On yet another occasion, the people grumbled that they were tired of the manna that God had been giving them for food. So the Lord provided them with quail to eat. But even as they ate, He sent a plague because of their greed and ingratitude. Some died and had to be buried there, so the place was named Kibroth-hattaavah (Hebrew for “graves of craving”).

At Kadesh, the people again found no water, and (having learned nothing) they complained against Moses and Aaron. But really their complaint was against God. And although He provided water for them once more, the place was called “the waters of contention” (mayim meribah) “because the sons of Israel contended with the Lord.”

Did you notice what all those incidents have in common? Discontent. Thanklessness. Complaining. And ultimately, a refusal to trust God.

What about us? “Do all things without grumbling or disputing, so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach…” (Philippians 2:14-15). “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (4:6).

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