“Now the people became like those who complain of adversity in the hearing of the Lord;” Numbers 11:1a
If there’s one thing apparent as you read through the Wilderness Account, God’s People complained; A LOT! Up to our Reading today, there have been several episodes of Grumbling. Initially, God deals patiently. When the People have nothing to drink at the waters of Marah and they complain, God just gives Moses direction to throw the tree into the water to make it drinkable. While they are still en route to Mount Sinai, the People have nothing to eat and grumble again, God responds by giving them Manna and Quail. When they reach Rephidim “the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water so that we may drink!”” Even Moses’ patience begins to get thin as he said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” God then directs him to “strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.” But things were about to change as we see in our reading today.
We’re not told what brought on this spate of grumbling, but we are told how God reacted. We read “the Lord heard them and His anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some at the outskirts of the camp.” God has been Patient with His People. He has also revealed Himself in such a way as to leave none with reason to mistrust Him. Consider the following: They saw Miraculous Judgements against their Slaveholders and the parting of a huge body of water allowing them to escape and kill their pursuers. They’ve had water come gushing out of a rock and manna rain down on them daily to supply their food and drink. They’ve seen a Pillar of Cloud by day and Fire by night lead and guide them as well as hover over their place of worship. They’ve seen fire come out of the Tabernacle and consume a sacrifice as well as the 2 oldest of Aaron’s sons. And they complain now because they have no meat?
Today’s Lesson? If you are a Christian, STOP COMPLAINING!!! Either God is your Father,…or He’s Not! It’s as simple as that. If He is, then He has a Plan for you and everything is under control. If He is not, then YOU have a Much Bigger Concern. You need to Repent and Believe!