The People Complain about their Hardship

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 (Numbers 11:1).

The People Complain about not having Meat

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. ...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. So that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah (which means “graves of gluttony”) because there they buried the people who had craved meat from Egypt (Numbers 11:4, 33-34).

Aaron and Miriam Crtiicize Moses

While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because he had married a Cushite woman. They said, “Has the Lordspoken only through Moses? Hasn’t he spoken through us, too?” But the Lord heard them... The Lord was very angry with them, and he departed. As the cloud moved from above the Tabernacle, there stood Miriam, her skin as white as snow from leprosy (Numbers 12:1-2, 9-10).

Ten Spies Discourage the People from Obeying the LORD

But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” (Numbers 13:31). [God's judgment to come in the next chapter]

In every scenario, people are complaining. In every scenario we would say the complaint sounds legitmate. Why wouldn't the people complain about the hardship of their constant setting up and tearing, their moving and camping and moving again? Why wouldn't they complain when they only had strange manna (lit. means "What is it?") to eat for every meal, even as they considered better food under Egyptian enslavement? Why couldn't Aaron and Miriam complain about Moses' authority since they were his brother and sister and had an equal role in that God did thus far? Wouldn't we consider the ten spies wiser for trying to dissuade the people into fighting a greater and stronger foe, even giants with fortified cities and experienced fighters?

If we were there among the people, we would likely all be among the complaining crowd. For in the wisdom of the world, we would answer "yes" to all these questions. We would deem all the complaints legitimate. But there is one thing that changes everything: God. God was providing for them, and so they needed to be thankful and content with His provision. God was guiding them, so they needed to respect His choice of leadership and obey His command, even when there seemed to be insurmountable obstacles before them. In all these things God was testing their obedience and devotion to Him. Would they find their satisfaction and confidence in Him alone?

Friends, we are given these examples to guide our perspective and faith. Let us not be like those who complained of hardship and deprivation, desiring what unbelievers enjoy in this life rather than the suffering, loss, persecution and rejection that Christians experience. Let us not fear to fight against the obstacles to our faith, namely, fame, fortune, pleasure and selfish gratification. Let us remember that the LORD is our God. Let us remember our end versus the end of all those, who fail to know Him as their Savior and Lord. 

Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: “Who will give us meat to eat? (Numbers 11:4).

There is only one other mention of the "mixed multitude" in Scripture:

Now the sons of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, aside from children. A mixed multitude also went up with them, along with flocks and herds, a very large number of livestock (Exodus 12:37-38). 

The mixed multitude is distinguished from the "sons of Israel". In Leviticus 24:10 we read of a son born of an Israelite mother and an Egyptian father. Thus, there were half-Israelites among those that came out of Egypt. Some have suggested that there may have even been Egyptians and people from other lands who joined the camp of Israel after hearing about the wonders done among them by the LORD. These would not have had the strong ethnic and covenant ties that the full-blooded Jews shared. Consequently, in Leviticus 24:11 we find that the half-breed son had blasphemed God, and God commanded that he be stoned (Leviticus 24:23).

Aside from his own crime, the half-breed son could have influenced others to blaspheme God. Therefore, judgment had to be swift and complete. This would discourage anyone else from blaspheming God. In a similar vein in the New Testament, when Ananias and Sapphira were found to be lying about their contribution to the early church, God struck them down immediately and so discouraged any who would follow them in their deception (Acts 5:1-11). At the inauguration of the priesthood, God immediately struck down Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, when they offered unauthorized fire (Leviticus 10:1-5).

In our present text, we find the "mixed multitude" influencing the "sons of Israel." The former expressed their craving for meat, and the latter followed with weeping and complaining. Worse, they were longing for the food of Egypt, from where the LORD had rescued them out of their bondage and suffering. Needless to say, God was very angry about their complaining (Numbers 11:10) and struck many of them down (Numbers 11:33-34).

Friends, let us learn this principle of Scripture: "Bad company corrupts good character" (1 Corinthians 15:33). "A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough" (1 Corinthians 5:6). Even in the company of the righteous, there are wicked people who would entrap the good to follow them in their mischief (Jeremiah 5:26). We must be on our guard.

Let us, therefore, have "salt in ourselves" (Mark 9:50); that is, let us have discernment, so that our own moral and spiritual compass is set aright. Even as we minister to others, let us watch ourselves, so that we might not be ensnared by the same evils (Galatians 6:1). And as the young church prayed for boldness to proclaim the Gospel in a hostile environment (Acts 4:29; 20:27), let us also pray for boldness to proclaim the full counsel of Christ in our generation, where preaching the exclusivity of Christ (cf. John 14:6; Acts 4:12) is considered bigotry and declaring the reality of an eternal hell (Matthew 13:41-42; Revelation 20:15) is considered hate. God help us to be salt and light in the world (Matthew 5:13-16).

While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very severe plague (Numbers 11:33).

This passage always disturbs me as often as I read it. God gave them meat, and then killed them before they could enjoy it.

Clearly God was angry with their discontent, and particularly their hankering to return to Egypt. 

He gave them manna to sustain them in the desert, but they lost their appetite when manna was all they had to eat. There was nothing to accompany this bread-like food. I can imagine them eating manna day after day until they got sick of it.

God did not judge them for their discomfort, but then they complained and expressed their preference for Egypt, where, though they were enslaved, they had a variety of food.

We are quick to judge Israel for their discontent. We may even find ourselves smugly nodding at God's crafty judgment, whereby He judged them by the very thing that they craved. 

Yet, I wonder, would we have not complained? After a week of eating only bread, would we have been content and thanked God for His providence?

They would not have known that in just eleven days they would be at the cusp of enjoying the bountiful fruit of the land God had promised them. As far as they knew, manna would be all they would ever get from God. In a touch of dramatic irony, the Jews of Jesus' day wanted Jesus to give them a sign like manna from heaven to convince them to believe in Him (John 6:30-31). Those Jews failed to learn from their own history that manna never produced faith among the Jews in Moses' day. 

Friends, it is not right for us to condemn Israel for their discontent, but we can learn more about the working of God's providence from this account. 

We can learn that God's providence is not always coincident with His pleasure. If we do not receive God's providence in faith, we may be cursed by the very thing He provides. The Israelites were killed by a plague, not because they ate the quail but because they were consumed by their over craving for meat (Numbers 11:34), and they did not trust or glorify God. 

We have the benefit of hindsight and perspective to understand that if the Israelites were just a little more patient - even for eleven days - they would have soon been in the promised land, which overflowed with "milk and honey". They would have had no shortage of variety of food. But now that we can appreciate what Israel failed to perceive and trust, we ought to cease our complaining about any trouble or hardship in our present lives, knowing that "our light and momentary troubles is achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all" (2 Corinthians 4:17).

Let us then be sober-minded in how we respond to God's providence. When He blesses, let us always give thanks to God and not allow even the fulfillment of our cravings to overshadow our worship of Him. When He brings hardships, let us be patient and remember His promises and never slacken in our devotion to Him. And so the first lesson of the Westminster Catechism for all Christians is appropriately "Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever". 

Then the Lord spoke to Moses saying, “Send out for yourself men so that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I am going to give to the sons of Israel (Numbers 13:1-2).

Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it.” But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us.” So they gave out to the sons of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone, in spying it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size. There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight” (Numbers 13:30-33).

God commanded Moses to send out the twelve spies not to determine whether they were able to take the land but simply to observe the land they were going to take. For God had already made the determinaton that He would give the land to them. They were simply to go and see just how vast, bountiful and awesome this gift from God was. 

But instead of trusting God's strength, they chose to assess their own ability. Moses was not immune from this way of thinking. Shortly before this incident he questioned God's ability to provide enough meat to feed all the people for a month:

But Moses said, “The people, among whom I am, are 600,000 on foot; yet You have said, ‘I will give them meat, so that they may eat for a whole month.’ Should flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to be sufficient for them? Or should all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to be sufficient for them?” (Numbers 11:21-22).

On that occasion the LORD reminded Moses,

"Is the LORD's power limited? Now you shall see whether My word will come true for you or not" (Numbers 11:23).

The first part of this verse literally reads, "Is the LORD's hand become short?" (Young's Literal Translation). God would show Moses that what he could not conceive God could and would do.

Yet, God had been doing this all along. He demonstrated His power in the ten plagues by which He delivered Israel from bondage to Egypt. He demonstrated His power by opening up the Red Sea for Israel to walk through on dry ground and then closing it over the Egyptian army. The Israelites even composed a song to commemorate this. He demonstrated it by providing the manna from heaven. And He demonstrated it again by supplying all the people with plentiful meat to eat in the desert. Yet the people still did not believe, for they grumbled, complained and refused to obey the Lord.

As I reflect on these things, this comes to mind. We sing God's praise, "Nothing is too difficult for Thee...Nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing, nothing is too difficult for Thee," We confess our trust in Him, we lift our hands, and some people even cry out week to week with real tears. Yet, the very next moment we are worrying, complaining or immersed in this or that worldly matter, things that have very little relevance to what God has commanded in His Word.

So, I perceive that we have this kind of disconnect between what we say and what we actually believe. I can also see why we need greater suffering and hardship in our lives. It is through suffering that our faith is tested and our spiritual muscles exercised and this gap between what we say and believe is bridged. After all, we are told that even Jesus learned obedience by that which He suffered (Hebrews 5:8). Consider this counsel from Paul and James:

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope (Romans 5:3-4).

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:2-4).

We see that this is what God did for the children of Israel:

Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord (Deuteronomy 8:2-3).

God tested, humbled, and caused Israel to suffer in order to teach them to truly trust and obey Him. 

Father, I thank you for every bit of suffering and hardship that you bring into our lives by which You teach us to trust in You completely and to make obeying Your Word the true priority of our lives. Help us to learn well, such that the reality of our eternal hope in Christ will cause us to persevere in godliness. 

After ten chapters detailing aspects of the Law and certain procedures, chapter 11 begins to detail the events in the history of Israel from Mt. Sinai to Kadesh (approx. 11 days) and then from Kadesh to the Plains of Moab (approx. 40 years). I have catalogued the major sins and punishments by God as recorded in the Book of Numbers. As you read the book, you will notice that these constitute the greater part of all the events recorded in the book. 

People were killed for complaining about hardship, food, drink, tiresome manna, and powerful enemies. People were killed for breaking the Sabbath. People were killed for speaking against Moses' authority and for challenging the authority of Aaron. People were also killed for immorality and idolatry. And three times God threatened to wipe out the entire assembly of Israel because of their complaining and unbelief.

In the New Testament Paul writes that these were meant to serve as examples to us, so that we might not set our hearts on evil as they did:

God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to us all. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it (1 Corinthians 10:5-13).

With that prelude, I encourage you to meditate on the following incidents in Numbers:

FROM MT. SINAI TO KADESH

The people complained about hardship in the desert

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 (Numbers 11:1).

The people complained about boring food and demanded meat

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 (Numbers 11:33).

The people refused to take the land commanded by God

For forty years—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’ I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this wilderness; here they will die" (Numbers 14:34-35).

FROM KADESH TO PLAINS OF MOAB

A man gathered wood on the Sabbath day

Then the LORD said to Moses, “The man must die. The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp.” So the assembly took him outside the camp and stoned him to death, as the LORD commanded Moses (Numbers 14:35-36). 

Korah and his followers demanded priestly authority

As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. They went down alive into the realm of the dead, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community. At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, “The earth is going to swallow us too!” And fire came out from the LORD and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense (Numbers 16:31-35).

Some people complained about the judgment against Korah

But 14,700 people died from the plague, in addition to those who had died because of Korah (NUmbers 16:49). 

The people complained again about lacking food and water

Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died (Numbers 21:6).

Israelite men indulged in sexual immorality with Moabite women and worshiped their gods

So Israel yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor. And the LORD’s anger burned against them. The LORD said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of these people, kill them and expose them in broad daylight before the LORD, so that the LORD’s fierce anger may turn away from Israel.” So Moses said to Israel’s judges, “Each of you must put to death those of your people who have yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor" ...Then the plague against the Israelites was stopped; ⁹ but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000 (Numbers 25:3-5,8-9).

Also, no less than three times the LORD threatened to wipe out all of Israel and start over.

The LORD said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them? I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they" (Numbers 14:11-12).

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Separate yourselves from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once" (Numbers 16:20-21).

And the LORD said to Moses, “Get away from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once” (Numbers 16:44-45). 

Friends, praise God that we live under the grace of God. Yet, let us read about life under the Law of Moses with a sober mind. Then, we will be all the more diligent to work out our salvation with "fear and trembling", as we ought (Philippians 2:12-13).

I see the various pictures of our very fallenness from today's readings and would like to talk about one of them.  There are two wailings and complaints  in Chapter 11.  First one comes from the rabble and the Israelites in verses 4 to 6 saying, ⁴ "The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! ⁵ We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. ⁶ But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!”  The other one is made by their leader Moses in Verses 11 to 15,  “Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? ¹² Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their ancestors? ¹³ Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ ¹⁴ I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. ¹⁵ If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.” 

 It seemed to me in the beginning that the complaint from the Israelites sounded legitimate since I myself cannot be satisfied with only Korean diet and crave for different ethnic cuisines all the time. However, I came to realization that the Lord's anger burned against them not because of the craving itself but due to their rejection of the Lord by kind of romanticizing the life of slavery in Egypt as we can see in verse 20, "...because you have rejected the LORD, who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”"  That would be same as we express nostalgia for our sinful life and say to the Lord "Why did you die for me?  I would rather live in the freedom under sin."  

However, after Moses let out the frustration with the Israelites on the Lord and complained of his burden, the Lord allowed his buren to be distributed to other leaders.  I believed that Moses still revered and loved His Lord even in his frustration and hardship whereas the Israelites were only interested in themselves. 

I realize how much the Lord wants to have relationship with us even though we don't deserve it!  There's no greater love than this!!!!  Let us strive to make it known to others for the Lord's delight which only the Lord deserves.

I moved this posting from Fernando here, as it relates to this day's reading:

On Thursday, February 25, 2010, Fernando writes...

11:4-9 & 11:21-22

I have always been interested in what was not worldly, I always had a sense within me to look for something more than the day's appetites.  But before I starting getting into the Word I had my 'breaks.'  I had my seasons of self-indulgence, the times I don't like to talk about :-) Now I enjoy what I work for!  I found what that 'interest in what was not worldly' was seeking! There are still times though that I seem to stagnate or fall and/or look back, like 'the rabble with them.'  Even like Moses(11:21-22), who has SEEN so many wonders, HEARD so much wisdom, I have that knee jerk reaction to question, saying 'really? I have to do that?'

Chapter 12

I forgot who Mariam was in relation to Moses and Aaron and was shocked that they were all siblings! She was the one that put Moses in the basket! [Just a bit of correction here: Moses' mother, Jochebed, actually put baby Moses in the basket while Miriam watched on - cf. Exodus 2:1-4] She witnessed his ascension to power! (Exodus 2:1-10) I find it a little comical how God responds to Moses' plea for mercy and forgiveness. Essentially, he says 'Moses, I have already forgave her, like you said I said, 'I forgive, but don't excuse.'  Its not like she is forever banished.  I didn't do anything worse than spit on her. She'll be fine.'

I am curious why Aaron didn't get punished.  (Mercy on whom he'll have mercy?)

As the Israelites finally approach Canaan (the land promised by God), Moses send a scouting team to assess the land.  They return after 40 days to report to Moses.  (Num 13:27-31) "They gave Moses this account: "We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan." Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it." But the men who had gone up with him said, "We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are."
 
God has promised that Israel will destroy the current occupiers of Canaan and take the land, yet the scouts report doubt (and fear) in attacking this land.  We see that despite the constant provision by God during the deliverance and exodus from Egypt the Israelites fear men more than God.  The Anak purportedly are physically large and imposing people and thus the fear of the scouting team.  However, Caleb (and Joshua) show confidence in God telling Moses that they should take the land. 
 
Ultimately this is the true test of faith, when we trust God (or fear God) more than we fear men.  Our faith is tested constantly from serving, or giving, we are asked as Christians to walk in faith and not just pay lip service.  And as God is displeased with Israel for their lack of trust, so is He with us when fail to demonstrate our faith.  I think of the faith of David who so defiantly mocked the Philistine Giant (Goliath), because he saw not his 9 foot adversary, but his eyes were fixed on God (who holds the universe in His palm).  This is why God calls David a man of His own heart.

Moses faces opposition from the Israelites in the form of wanting what they had in Egypt - they forget that they were slaves.  In addition both Miriam & Aaron begin to resent Moses & his wife.  In verse 12:3 it says he was a "very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth."  If it weren't for this humility Moses could have used his position and power to influence and adversely affect them both, if he were to become offended by their actions and/or comments.  Humility is a great gift that contains power.  It allows one to seek God's will more effectively.  It keeps one from becoming offended which leads to sin.  Blessings.

In this reading the Israelites complain and having to eat all of the manna and that they miss having meat like they did in Egypt.
 
Aren’t we all like that?  Never satisfied even though the Lord gives us everything we need.  It’s actually easy to understand when it comes to eating the same thing day after day but what about us?  Many of us will walk up to a full refrigerator and then turn around and say, “We have nothing to eat”.  Our houses aren’t big enough.  We don’t have enough clothes.  Etc, etc.  We should all be thankful for what the Lord has given us.