Today's Reading: Numbers 11
Self pity-
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Numbers 11:1 (ESV)
11 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.
My people here complained about how bad they had it Jeff. Remember that I am in control and I am watching over you. Come to me with your petitions and share an open heart with me but do not let a dissatisfaction in my provision rise up in you that you would question my goodness or my purpose for you. Do not let your circumstances, which I have most certainly allowed or even specifically ordered for you, bring you to speak evil of me in your heart. Be as Paul the Apostle and find yourself content…
2 Corinthians 12:10 (ESV)
10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Philippians 4:11 (ESV)
11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.
For this dissatisfaction and complaining is clearly an offense to me and it reveals a distrust and a preference for your own comfort and desires over a satisfaction in me. For this my wrath was poured out and some were killed among them as I burned the perimeter of the camp.
Lord you certainly owe us nothing but judgement and I am grateful for your love and mercy and grace that allows us to rejoice in your wonderful provision. Let me not complain about what you put before me or what you walk me into but rather let me always be humble and thankful for each breath you allow me to take.
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Intercession-
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Numbers 11:2 (ESV)
2 Then the people cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire died down.
Moses regularly interceeds for my people and displays the idea of repentance and confession. Moses here pleads for mercy and confesses the wickedness in the camp. Moses speaks on behalf of the people so his confession and faithful prayers move me to action for the whole nation. Certainly prayer can change things Jeff.
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But we really need what the world has, really...
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Numbers 11:4–6 (ESV)
4 Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. 6 But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”
See how the flesh can so easily entangle you in the cares, the riches, and the pleasures of this life Jeff. My people seemed to forget the negative aspects of their situation in Egypt as they are blinded by a craving for the pleasures they used to indulge. They no doubt are imagining the Egyptians still eating these things and they are envious. They begin to question in their heart if they should have followed me since I was not making "their life better". Hear me Jeff- I am not a genie that promises to make your kingdom great. I am the living God who killed His Son that you would be free from my wrath and that you would have opportunity to know me and to enjoy my glory. Do you continue to try to live your own life and to feed your kingdom according to all your fleshly desires or your "personal ambitions"? Or do you take up your cross daily and seek first my kingdom and my righteousness- which is found in trusting my Son?
Do you even their excuse of their strength being dried up? They come up with rationalizations for their passions but the truth is that their heart is far from me and so they find not satisfaction in me. Don't be fooled into thinking that you have need of soemthing that I do not provide for you. Come and wrestle over it with me if you feel this way- don't look for the answer in the world. Draw near to me Jeff and we will dine together and you will indeed be satisfied…
Revelation 3:20 (ESV)
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
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Pray for my kingdom, not yours-
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Numbers 11:13–14 (ESV)
13 Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me and say, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ 14 I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me.
See how Moses was overwhelmed with the complaints of the people and he did not know how to deal with it. He actually prayed that I kill him if I was not going to change these circumstances becasue the burdon was so great. I spread his burdon among 70 elders that I brought from the prople to aid Moses and then I gave the answer on how to deal with this grumbling and complaining and craving for the pleasures they previously had in Egypt while they were in slavery…
Numbers 11:18–20 (ESV)
18 And say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat, for you have wept in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was better for us in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat. 19 You shall not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, 20 but a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the Lord who is among you and have wept before him, saying, “Why did we come out of Egypt?” ’ ”
So I delivered quail in rediculous abundance upon them Jeff.
Numbers 11:31–32 (ESV)
31 Then a wind from the Lord sprang up, and it brought quail from the sea and let them fall beside the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and a day’s journey on the other side, around the camp, and about two cubits above the ground. 32 And the people rose all that day and all night and all the next day, and gathered the quail. Those who gathered least gathered ten homers. And they spread them out for themselves all around the camp.
See how I can indeed accomplish anything I choose in your life. I can bring you any circumstance I choose. Receive what I bring you knowing that I have chosen it for you. Petition with a faithful and humble heart regarding your circumstances with a focus on my kingdom and you will see me act, but seek your own kingdom and fleshly indulgance like my people did here and you will receive no answer…or worse…
Numbers 11:33 (ESV)
33 While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck down the people with a very great plague.
From the Bible Knowledge Commentary-
For two days and a night the overflight continued till every gatherer had accumulated at least 10 homers (ca. 60 bushels, niv marg.) of quail. Soon after the people began their orgy of lustful gluttony the Lord unleashed His wrath against them and sent a severe plague that killed many of them. The reason for this is clear in the statement that the place where this happened was named Kibroth Hattaavah (“graves of craving”) because there they buried the people who had craved other food. Their sin was, in effect, a rejection of the Lord and His bountiful provision in favor of an unbridled appetite. As Paul later said of the enemies of Christ, “Their god is their stomach” (Phil. 3:9). No doubt terrified by their experience there, the people moved on to Hazeroth (possibly present-day Ain Khadra), just south of the Desert of Paran.
My people convinced themsleves that they required this meat and so I evidenced that I was completely able to provide them with whatever I choose, but I was giving them over to their own sin so that it would eat them, rather than them eat it. The lesson was hard learned here Jeff but know that you can indulge the flesh and the sweet sting of sin will poison you. Do not be envious of the world that is drunk on their own passions Jeff. Trust me to provide what you really need and find satisfaction in me alone. This will truly be sweeter than anything you can find in this creation of mine.
Application and prayer:
Thank you Lord for the wonderful things you do in my life and for indeed providing for me plentifully. Let me not be given over to the flesh in this pull to materialism that is ever present in the world. Teach me to live as the psalmist in Psalm 73…
Psalm 73:25–26 (ESV)
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Soli Deo Gloria!
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