The Heart That Fails The Test | Exodus 17:1-7

Introduction: Thirst Reveals the Heart
Yesterday, we considered the divine purpose behind the wilderness. We saw that God sometimes leads us to dry ground—not to destroy us, but to reveal our hearts and teach us to trust Him.

Now, in verses 2–3, we see what was inside Israel’s heart: unbelief.

Their thirst becomes a theological test—and they fail it. Instead of crying out to God, they lash out at Moses. Instead of trusting His provision, they accuse Him of abandonment.

These verses show us how easily gratitude turns into grumbling, how quickly our hearts forget, and how dangerous it is to test the Lord.

As we study this together, let’s ask God to examine our own hearts. The desert often says more about us than it does about our circumstances.

Quarreling With God's Servant is Quarreling With God
Verse 2 says:

“The people quarreled with Moses and said, ‘Give us water to drink.’”

The word quarreled is not a mild complaint. It means to strive, to bring a legal accusation, to attack.

They didn’t come with a prayer—they came with a lawsuit. They weren’t making a request—they were issuing a demand.

And Moses responds with piercing clarity:

“Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?”

Moses understands something important: this isn’t just about him. When the people accuse him, they are ultimately accusing God.

The same thing happens in ministry today. Pastors, elders, leaders—when they follow God and yet the people grumble, it’s often not about the leader. It’s about the heart’s rebellion against the Word and the will of God.

John Calvin writes:

“When we murmur against the instruments of God’s will, we murmur against God Himself. Let us beware, for what we aim at man may wound our Maker.”

The Danger of Demanding from God
The people didn’t ask for water—they demanded it. Their tone was entitled. Their attitude was aggressive. They didn’t say, “Lord, help us.” They said, “Give us water.”

And when God doesn’t move at the pace they expect, they accuse Him of murder:

“Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”

Think about the irony of that question. God just split the Red Sea. He defeated Pharaoh. He provided manna from heaven. And now they say: “You’re trying to kill us.”

This is what happens when unbelief hijacks memory. It forgets deliverance and fixates on discomfort.

Martyn Lloyd-Jones said,

“The greatest threat to our faith is not external opposition—it is the internal erosion of trust in God’s character.”

When our faith becomes weak, our theology becomes twisted. We begin to accuse the very God who saved us.


Testing the Lord is a Dangerous Sin
Moses puts it plainly:

“Why do you test the LORD?”

To “test” God is not to humbly ask for help. It is to put Him on trial—to demand that He prove Himself—to say, “I will not trust You unless You do what I expect.”

This is exactly what Satan tempted Jesus to do in the wilderness:

“Throw Yourself down... if You are the Son of God...” (Matthew 4:6)

But Jesus replied by quoting from Deuteronomy 6:16, which refers directly to this moment in Exodus 17:

“You shall not put the LORD your God to the test.”

Testing God is when we say: “If You loved me, You’d fix this now.”

It’s when we measure His goodness by our convenience.

It’s when we make our trust conditional.

And that’s exactly what the Israelites did. They didn’t wait. They didn’t pray. They didn’t remember. They tested.

William Perkins warns:

“To tempt God is to call His goodness into question and to set ourselves as judges over the Almighty.”

The Root of the Problem: A Heart of Unbelief
What caused all this? What led to the quarreling, the grumbling, the accusations?
It wasn’t just the thirst. It was unbelief.

Verse 3 says:

“The people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled...”

This grumbling is not just frustration. It’s rebellion. It’s what happens when the heart refuses to remember God's faithfulness.

Psalm 78 recounts this moment and says:

“They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved.” — Psalm 78:18

Unbelief always begins in the heart. And when it’s not dealt with, it becomes words—and then actions—and then judgment.

That’s why Hebrews 3 says:

“Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.” — Hebrews 3:12

This isn’t just a history lesson. It’s a mirror. What’s in our heart?


Applications for Today
These verses hold up a mirror for us. And we need to examine ourselves honestly:

1) Do we come to God with faith or demands?
2) Do we grumble in trial, or trust in truth?
3) Do we test God when He delays?
4) Do we submit to spiritual leadership?
5) Do we remember what God has done?

Conclusion: Guarding the Heart in the Wilderness
Israel failed the test. But you don’t have to.

If you're in a season of thirst, don’t let it harden your heart. Let it refine your trust. Don’t test the Lord—turn to Him. Don’t grumble—worship. Don’t demand—depend.

The same God who parted the sea is still with you. The same Savior who died for your sin will not forget your needs. And the Spirit of God who dwells within you is able to strengthen your faith, even in the desert.

The wilderness reveals the heart.

So, what is your wilderness revealing today?

Let it draw you closer to Christ.