Moses explains to the people that to complain is to test the Lord.
Exodus 17:2
Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said,
“Give us water that we may drink.”
And Moses said to them,
“Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?”
King Jim translates it “tempting”…
And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me?
wherefore do ye tempt the Lord?
Exodus 17:2 [KJV]
I remember Jesus said something about that to a dragon snake:
…It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Matthew 4:7 [KJV]
Complaining can make God get hot!
And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes,
and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled,
and the fire of the Lord burned among them
and consumed some outlying parts of the camp.
Numbers 11:1
Complaining is rooted in a heart that doesn’t trust, a heart that forgets who God is and what He’s done. The Lord had rescued them, walked with them, fed them, and still they grumbled. That kind of complaining says, “I don’t think You care. I don’t think You’re good.” God’s fire wasn’t just about anger. It was a warning. A wake-up call. He wanted their hearts back. They needed to trust Him. We need to trust Him.