Murmuring against God, not man

Pam Padgett ... teacher

After the children of Israel were brought out of Egypt, they found no water in the wilderness of Shur, then bitter water which they could not drink in Marah.  They murmured (express discontentment, grumble, complain) against Moses.   

Exodus 15:22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. 23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. 24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

Moses turned to God with the problem, and God showed him a tree which made the waters sweet ...  

Exodus 15:25 And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: ...

When they came to the wilderness of Sin the children of Israel murmured because there was no food ...  

Exodus 16:2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: 3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

Moses and Aaron told the people that God would give them flesh to eat in the evening and bread in the morning, that they would know that God brought them out of Egypt and that they would see the glory of the Lord.  They also told the people that God heard their murmurings against HIM.  Their murmurings were not against Moses and Aaron but against God ....   

Exodus 16:6 And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the Lord hath brought you out from the land of Egypt: 7 And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the Lord; for that he heareth your murmurings against the Lord: and what are we, that ye murmur against us? 8 And Moses said, This shall be, when the Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the Lord heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord. 

And God, having heard murmurings of the children of Israel, showed HIS glory to them in the cloud ...  

Exodus 16:9 And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the Lord: for he hath heard your murmurings. 10 And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.

The children of Israel saw God bring them out of Egypt and destroy Pharaoh and his army by HIS mighty works and power.  Yet instead of trusting God to provide their needs, they murmured.  Although their murmurings were toward Moses and Aaron, they were actually against God who had delivered them so wonderfully from Egypt, and who has all glory and power.