Feb 17 23 Israelites Complain

TheThe Israelites Complain Israelites Complain

Have you ever traveled with a bunch of people and it seems some of

them are always complaining?

TheThe Israelites Complain Israelites Complain Traveling through the desert with 600,000 former slaves,

some are bound to complain.

Something terrible happens when these, God’s people,

start complaining.


Numbers 11:1 NET When the people complained, it displeased the LORD.

When the LORD heard it, his anger burned,


and so the fire of the LORD burned among

them and consumed some of the outer parts of the

camp.


2 When the people cried to Moses, he prayed to the LORD, and the fire died

out.


3 So he called the name of that place Taberah

because there the fire of the LORD burned among

them.

TheThe Israelites Complain Israelites ComplainThe first ten chapters of

Numbers repeatedly emphasize the complete obedience of

Moses and the people to the dictates of the Lord. But only

three days into their march, the people reverted to disloyal

complaints.

TheThe Israelites Complain Israelites ComplainThey had expressed the same complaints a year earlier only

three days after their deliverance at the waters of the "Red Sea" and

subsequently had complained about manna and a lack of water.

fire from the LORD; By God's mercy, this purging fire was limited

to the outskirts of the camp. (NIV StudyBibleNotes)

Complaints About FoodComplaints About Food

4 Now the mixed multitude who were among them craved more desirable

foods, and so the Israelites wept again and said, "If only we had meat to eat!

Complaints About FoodComplaints About FoodThe mixed multitude (“rabble,” so NASB,

NIV, NRSV; NLT “foreign rabble”) is the translation of an unusual word, ף ס( פ+ אס- / It occurs in the .(ha’safsuf) ה0

Hebrew Bible only here. It may mean “a gathering of people” from the verb ף yielding ,(asaf’) אס-the idea of a mixed multitude.

Complaints About FoodComplaints About FoodBut the root is different, and so

no clear connection can be established. Many

commentators therefore think the word is stronger, showing contempt through a word that

would be equivalent to “riff-raff.” (NET notes)

Complaints About FoodComplaints About FoodCertainly meat was not their common fare when they were slaves in Egypt. Now that they were in a new type of distress,

the people romanticized the past and minimized its discomforts. (NIV StudyBible)


5 We remember the fish we used to eat freely in Egypt, the cucumbers,

the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.


6 But now we are dried up, and there is nothing at all before us except

this manna!"

Complaints About FoodComplaints About FoodThe adverb “freely” is from the word ן נ- from , (”khanan, “to be gracious) ח/

which is derived the noun “grace.” The word

underscores the idea of “free, without cost, for no reason,

gratis.” Here the simple sense is “freely,” without any cost.

Complaints About FoodComplaints About FoodBut there may be more

significance in the choice of the words in this passage, showing the ingratitude of the Israelites to God for His deliverance from

bondage. To them now the bondage is preferable to the

salvation – this is what angered the Lord. (NETnotes)


When other people start complaining around you have you found that you

start complaining yourself?

It can be contagious.

Moses' Complaint to the Moses' Complaint to the LordLord

10 Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the

door of his tent; and when the anger of the LORD

was kindled greatly, Moses was also displeased.


11 And Moses said to the LORD, "Why have you afflicted your servant?

Why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of this entire

people on me?


12 Did I conceive this entire people? Did I give

birth to them, that you should say to me, 'Carry

them in your arms,


as a foster father bears a nursing child,' to the

land which you swore to their fathers?


13 From where shall I get meat to give to this entire

people, for they cry to me, 'Give us meat, that

we may eat!'


14 I am not able to bear this entire people alone, because it is too heavy

for me!


15 But if you are going to deal with me like this,

then kill me immediately. If I have found favor in

your sight then do not let me see my trouble."


Moses begins to feel the burden of caring for this people, a

stubborn and rebellious people. His complaint shows how

contagious their complaining has been. It is one thing to cry out to God about the load of

ministry,


but it is quite another to do it in such a way as to reflect a lack of faith in God’s provision. God has to remind the leader Moses

that he, the Lord, can do anything. This is a variation on the theme from Exodus – “who

am I that I should lead….” (NETnotes)

The Response of GodThe Response of God

16 The LORD said to Moses, "Gather to me

seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you

know are elders


of the people and officials over them, and bring

them to the tent of meeting; let them take

their position there with you.


17 Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take part of the spirit that is on you, and

will put it on them,


and they will bear some of the burden of the people with you, so that you do

not bear it all by yourself.

The Response of GodThe Response of GodThe Lord provides Spirit-

empowered assistance for Moses. Here is another variation on the

theme of Moses’ faith. Just as he refused to lead alone and was

given Aaron to share the work, so here he protests the burden and will share it with seventy elders.

The Response of GodThe Response of GodIf God’s servant will not trust

wholeheartedly, that individual will not be used by God as he or she

might have been. Others will share in the power and the work.

Probably one could say that it was God’s will for others to share this leadership – but not to receive it

through these circumstances. (NETnotes)


18 “And say to the people, 'Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, and you will eat meat, for you have

wept in the hearing of the LORD, saying,


"Who will give us meat to eat, for life was good for us in Egypt?" Therefore the LORD will give you meat, and you will eat.

The Response of GodThe Response of Godthat is, “prepare yourselves,” by repentance and submission, to receive to-morrow the flesh you clamor for. But it is evident that

the tenor of the language implied a severe rebuke and that the blessing promised would prove a curse. (JFB)

The Response of GodThe Response of God19 You will eat, not just one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten

days, nor twenty days, 20 but a whole month, until it comes out your nostrils

and makes you sick,


because you have despised the LORD who is among you and have

wept before him, saying, "Why did we ever come

out of Egypt?" ' "

The Response of GodThe Response of GodThe Lord's response to the great distress of his prophet was twofold—mercy and curse: 1. There was

mercy to Moses in that his responsibility was now to be

shared by 70 leaders. 2. There was a curse on the people that

was analogous to their complaint: They asked for meat and would

now become sick with meat. (NIVStudyBible)


21 Moses said, "The people around me are

600,000 on foot; but you say, 'I will give them

meat, that they may eat for a whole month.'

The Response of GodThe Response of God22 Would they have

enough if the flocks and herds were slaughtered

for them? If all the fish of the sea were caught for them, would they have

enough?"

The Response of GodThe Response of GodSix hundred thousand men on foot.

The numbers are consistent: A marching force of this size

suggests a total population of over 2,000,000. Moses' distress at

providing meat for this immense number of people is nearly

comical—the task is impossible. (NIVStudyBiblbe)


23 And the LORD said to Moses, "Is the LORD's hand shortened? Now

you will see whether my word to you will come

true or not!"

The Response of GodThe Response of God24 So Moses went out and told the people the words

of the LORD. He then gathered seventy men of the elders of the people

and had them stand around the tabernacle.

The Response of GodThe Response of God25 And the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to them, and he took some of the Spirit that was on Moses and

put it on the seventy elders.


When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied,

but did not do so again. the Spirit

God's empowering presence.

The Response of GodThe Response of Godthey prophesied Probably means

that they gave ecstatic expression to an intense religious experience. but they did not do so

again. It seems that the temporary gift of prophecy to the elders was primarily to establish

their credentials as Spirit-empowered leaders. (NIVStudyBible)

The Response of GodThe Response of GodWhen we get to the New Testament we’ll comment

on how gifts from God were given to establish credentials and provide

guidance until the written Word of God came.

Eldad and MedadEldad and Medad

26 But two men remained in the camp; one's name

was Eldad, and the other's name was Medad. And the spirit rested on

them.


(Now they were among those in the registration, but had not gone to the

tabernacle.) So they prophesied in the camp.


27 And a young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad

and Medad are prophesying in the

camp!"


28 Joshua son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his choice young men, said, "My lord Moses,

stop them!"


29 Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for me? I

wish that all the LORD's people were prophets,

that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!"

Eldad and MedadEldad and MedadAre you jealous for my sake? Here the true spirit of Moses is

demonstrated. Rather than being threatened by the public

demonstration of the gifts of the Spirit by Eldad and Medad,

Moses desired that all God's people might have the full gifts

of the Spirit. (NIVStudyBible)

ProvisionProvision of Quail of Quail

31 Now a wind went out from the LORD and

brought quail from the sea, and let them fall

near the camp,

ProvisionProvision of Quail of Quailabout a day's journey on

this side, and about a day's journey on the

other side, all around the camp, and about three feet high on the surface

of the ground.


Can you imagine how many quail it would take

to make a 3 foot pile. That just blows my

mind!


32 And the people stayed up all that day, all that night, and all the next day, and gathered the

quail.


The one who gathered the least gathered ten

homers, (That is, probably about 60

bushels) and they spread them out for themselves

all around the camp.


33 But while the meat was still between their teeth,

before they chewed it, the anger of the LORD burned against the

people,


and the LORD struck the people with a very great

plague. In what way, and with what effects, we cannot

precisely determine.


Some heavy judgment fell upon those murmurers and complainers, but of

what kind the sacred writer says nothing. (Clarke)


34 So the name of that place was called Kibroth Hattaavah, because there

they buried the people that craved different

food.

Guidance From Numbers Guidance From Numbers 1111

What can we take from the 11th chapter of Numbers? Be content with the place and circumstance God has

you in. Don’t be a complainer!


God provided people to help Moses. If we are in need of help He will send

it.


We are to prepare ourselves in repentance and

submission. Moses prophetic desire for God’s people to have the Spirit of God has been fulfilled in:


Mark 1:7 NET He proclaimed, "One more powerful than I am is coming after me; I am not worthy to bend down and untie the strap

of his sandals.


8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

This takes place at our conversion as stated in:


Acts 2:38 NET Peter said to them, "Repent, and each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ

for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.


Can we strive to be day by day,

hour by hour, minute by minute,

The servant of Christ God wants us to be?

Feb 17 23 Israelites Complain

Spiritual

Transcript of Feb 17 23 Israelites Complain