December 4, 2009 (Numbers 11)

I have the feeling this will be a long blog. So much stuff to learn/remember:

The last chapter ended with Moses begging the Midianite not to leave them, but to be their guide. It never really does say what decision he made. But following that, it does say that morning and night as God led them and then showed them where to stop, Moses would pray. Numbers 11 starts this way:

^{Numbers 11:1} Soon the people began to complain about their hardship, and the Lord heard everything they said. Then the Lord’s anger blazed against them, and he sent a fire to rage among them, and he destroyed some of the people in the outskirts of the camp. ² Then the people screamed to Moses for help, and when he prayed to the Lord, the fire stopped. ³ After that, the area was known as Taberah (which means “the place of burning”), because fire from the Lord had burned among them there.

As I learned before, complaints are always against God. And it infuriated Him. I know I don't understand the depth of His love and concern for us. Complaining shows a lack of gratitude and a lack of faith. But when their leader prayed for them, the fire stopped. We need the prayers and support of each other.

^{Numbers 11:4} Then the foreign rabble who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt. And the people of Israel also began to complain. “Oh, for some meat!” they exclaimed. ⁵ “We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic we wanted. ⁶ But now our appetites are gone. All we ever see is this manna!”

What "foreign rabble" is traveling with me, and polluting my thinking? They remembered the good things they were now missing, but what about the bad? What about the daily load of bricks? What about me....do I forget about the "daily load of sin" that God has removed through Christ? For them, being free should have been enough. For me, being free of sin should be enough. That is the only thing that really matters.

^{Numbers 11:10} Moses heard all the families standing in the doorways of their tents whining, and the Lord became extremely angry. Moses was also very aggravated. ¹¹ And Moses said to the Lord, “Why are you treating me, your servant, so harshly? Have mercy on me! What did I do to deserve the burden of all these people? ¹² Did I give birth to them? Did I bring them into the world? Why did you tell me to carry them in my arms like a mother carries a nursing baby? How can I carry them to the land you swore to give their ancestors? ¹³ Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? They keep whining to me, saying, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ ¹⁴ I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! ¹⁵ If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!”

Moses was "real" with God. He didn't "beat around the bush" around. He dumped it all on God, to the point of blaming Him. And God didn't zap him with a lightning bolt, but He gave him a solution because He saw deeper into the problem. He saw that Moses was trying to do too much on his own and was discouraged.

^{Numbers 11:16} Then the Lord said to Moses, “Gather before me seventy men who are recognized as elders and leaders of Israel. Bring them to the Tabernacle to stand there with you. ¹⁷ I will come down and talk to you there. I will take some of the Spirit that is upon you, and I will put the Spirit upon them also. They will bear the burden of the people along with you, so you will not have to carry it alone.

Then God made a further declaration:
^{Numbers 11:18} “And say to the people, ‘Purify yourselves, for tomorrow you will have meat to eat. You were whining, and the Lord heard you when you cried, “Oh, for some meat! We were better off in Egypt!” Now the Lord will give you meat, and you will have to eat it. ¹⁹ And it won’t be for just a day or two, or for five or ten or even twenty. ²⁰ You will eat it for a whole month until you gag and are sick of it. For you have rejected the Lord, who is here among you, and you have whined to him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”

I think sometimes God gives us what we ask for, to teach us a lesson...to help us realize that we should be depending and waiting upon Him to provide what we need in the way that is truly best for us instead of thinking we know better.

²¹ But Moses responded to the Lord, “There are 600,000 foot soldiers here with me, and yet you say, ‘I will give them meat for a whole month!’ ²² Even if we butchered all our flocks and herds, would that satisfy them? Even if we caught all the fish in the sea, would that be enough?”

²³ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Has my arm lost its power? Now you will see whether or not my word comes true!”

Why do we doubt what God says? If we only had the faith to believe that He is able to do what He says He will do.

^{Numbers 11:31} Now the Lord sent a wind that brought quail from the sea and let them fall all around the camp. For miles in every direction there were quail flying about three feet above the ground. ³² So the people went out and caught quail all that day and throughout the night and all the next day, too. No one gathered less than fifty bushels! They spread the quail all around the camp to dry. ³³ But while they were gorging themselves on the meat—while it was still in their mouths—the anger of the Lord blazed against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. ³⁴ So that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah (which means “graves of gluttony”) because there they buried the people who had craved meat from Egypt.

My study Bible says of these verses: "It might appear that the people were being punished for eating meat, which God had provided, but a deeper problem existed. It was the people's chronic failure to trust God that provoked the anger of the Lord. Sin comes from selfish desires." I pray that God would help me to trust Him.