Reading through Exodus - Deuteronomy, we see a long and repeating pattern of the Israelites rebelling, being put in their place, rebelling, being put in their place, rebelling, being put in their place, and of course rebelling again. We read this through today and just have to wonder "what were they thinking?" As if the pillar of fire by night and smoke by day wasn't enough of a sign to them. As if the splitting sea that freed them didn't clue them in to God's greatness. As if the fact God killed every firstborn male in Egypt, yet spared the Israelites, didn't tell them "hey, maybe God's on our side". Apparently not. Every time the Israelites suffered the slightest trial, they suddenly decided to rebel against Moses, as if he was peddling some fake religion that had failed to live up to its promises.
But here's the question, my friends: Are we any different? How many of us, when we face trials, suddenly forget the trials God already brought us through? How many of us, when we so much as lack a blessing, forget the blessings God's been raining down on us since the day we were born? So ok, God didn't break a rock in half to give us water, but has He ever let us down before? Is there even one time in our lives when our inability to feel His presence has been a legitimate sign of His absence? Yet some of us get so taken away by our trials, our very faith begins to waver.
God didn't choose the Israelites because He thought they were special. They were neither especially grand, nor especially sinful. They do seem to have had a stubbornness about them, but I don't believe any nation would have been any less fickle. It is the nature of man. Be honest with yourself: Even knowing what you know now, would you be any better than they were? Thus, the Israelites were not chosen so that we who read of them could have someone to look down on and feel superior to. My brethren, these people were chosen as a mirror! They are us, and we are them.
But a mirror allows us to see what we otherwise couldn't. That slightly out of place beard hair, that stray booger, that piece of food no one had the decency to tell you was smeared across your gob. Mirrors enable you to correct things you would have otherwise been blissfully unaware of. Something is out of place, and a mirror allows you to see it in order to correct it. Therefore, let us learn from the Israelites. Do not continue to repeat their mistakes. When things go wrong, don't turn on God, just trust Him.