Grumbling and Complaining. (Numbers 11: 1-35)
One of the most common characteristics of human beings is that they complain, and Christians are no exception. We complain about everything. Have you noticed?
Take a moment to think about yesterday. Did you talk to anyone who complained about something. Did you yourself complained about anything yesterday It's and all-pervasive habit, but have you ever wondered what God thinks about complaining? Or, even better, what God does about it?
We don't have to guess about either of those things because in Numbers Chapter 11, we find one of the classic cases in all of the Bible of people complaining.
Here, we not only hear their complaint, but we also see how God responds to it.
That what we are going to look at today in Numbers Chapter 11.
Welcome to TBPDP
The passage begins with the complaint of the people. Then, in the second phase of the passage, we see Moses complaining.
So, let's first examine the people's complaint, which starts in verse one.
1 Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord, and when he heard them, his anger was aroused. Then fire from the Lord burned among them and consumed “some” of the outskirts of the camp. 2 When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed to the Lord and the fire died down. 3 So that place was called Taberah, because fire from the Lord had burned among them.
Let's pause here. This is the first complaint. There's a second coming, which we'll see in just a minute. But let's talk about this one first.
The first complaint, well it doesn't tell us what the complaint is. We'll get to that later. It just points out that they were complaining.
You will recall that yesterday when we were in Numbers 10, they left Sinai and started the journey to the promised land. Do you remember how long ago that was? At this point they have travelled for three days.
So, they're just three days into the journey, and they start complaining.
We'll see in a few minutes the specifics of what they were angry about. But this verse tells us that the Lord himself was angry because complaining angered the Lord.
This is almost a summary statement of the chapter. He judged them, and he judged them with fire. Look at the end of this verse: "the fire burned among them and consumed some."
You see the word "some," and you see it's in italics in almost every translation of the bible. That means it's not in the Hebrew text. So, there's a bit of a debate as to exactly what the fire did, and there are three possibilities.
One, it was a literal fire that consumed something—people or tents. Translators of the New King James Version first added the word "some" as in some people, but that may be true and it may not.
I just want to point out that it says "some." When we get to the interlude, I'll show you why I personally think it was “some people”. But at this point, it could not have been.
The other possibility is a reference to lightning or it's a metaphor of justice, God's burning wrath. But likely, it is literally fire, and it probably killed some of the people. At any rate, we definitely know that God sent a warning.
But, when Moses prayed in verse 2, the fire was quenched, and they called the place where it happened Taberah, meaning "burning."
There is a cyclical nature to Israel's rebellion against God. They tended to repeat the same sins of the past.
Remember the first rebellion of the people came just three days after they had escapedEgypt. Isn't it interesting?
Now, the pattern repeats, just three days after leaving Sinai, they are at it again. So, let me simply suggest, be careful of doing something that sets up a negative pattern in your life.
Jesus said, "He who commits sin becomes a slave of sin." If you start down that road, you may not have the self-control to stop it. So, don't start to begin with.
That's the principle here. Well, they have set themselves up with a pattern. Three days out of Egypt, they're complaining. Three days out of Sinai, they're complaining again.
Now, that's the first complaint by the people. There is a second complaint beginning in verse 4.
It says,
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!”
(Numbers 11: 4-6)
Now we know the complaint. It had to do with the menu. They were saying, "We ate all these things but now we just get the same thing to eat every day, and it's just this manna.
But what's interesting is that this was started by what is called a rabble in verse four.
Apparently, when they left Egypt, some other people went with them—non-Israelites who came out of Egypt with the children of Israel. This trun of phrase bible experts suggest refers to this group. Which is why the KJV and some other versions translates this group as the, “mixed multitude”.
They are the ones were unhappy with this bland diet of manna. They craved the tasty food they had in Egypt instead of this plain, bland diet of manna.
An abundance of nutritional food wasn't the issue. The manna was more than able to sustain them. But they thought it was boring. That's their problem. That's their complaint, and it made them ungrateful and set them complaining.
So, this is the problem the children of Israel had left Egypt, but some of them had their hearts back in Egypt.
Now, here are the details. Verse 7.
7 The manna was like coriander seed and looked like resin. 8 The people went around gathering it, and then ground it in a hand mill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into loaves. And it tasted like something made with olive oil. 9 When the dew settled on the camp at night, the manna also came down.
(Numbers 11: 7-11)
They even complained about the colour.
So, there's nothing wrong with the manna itself, it was certainly nutritious. It sustained them medically. But they were bored. That's the issue. They complained about food because they were bored with their diet, after three days.
So, beware of being bored. God judges complaining but notice this tells us to beware of complaining because of boredom.
This has a spiritual dynamic as well. As believers, we must be careful of the strong flavours and interesting and stimulating fare that the world has to offer and not imbibe those things too much.
Too much participation in those things can make us feel bored with and lose interest in what God has provided for us in our spiritual nourishment, which may become unappealing by comparison over time.
God's provision for our spiritual nourishment and growth are like the manna or his written word his incarnate word, the bread of life.
We can get bored of the daily spiritual nourishment God offers us.
The Sunday morning service in some churches these days seems to revolve around entertaining ourselves, overshadowing the value of scripture and preaching. Beware.
The children of Israel got bored of the food provided in the desert and complained, they too were influenced by the mixed multitude among them. This shows how negative attitudes can spread and our desire for the shiny things of this world can overtake are desire to be nourished by the Lord .
The second complaint arose due to this mixed multitude's influence, causing dissatisfaction with the food then, surprisingly spread to Moses himself who complained.
10 Moses heard the people of every family wailing at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. 11 He asked the Lord, “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 favour in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.” 16 The Lord said to Moses: “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with you. 17 I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone.
(Numbers 11: 10-17)
Moses feeling overwhelmed by the burden of the people expresses his frustration, feeling unfairly burdened with responsibility.
He in fact, compared himself to a nursing mother, lamenting the lack of resources to meet the people's demands.
Remember the complaining of the people against God would very likely have been filtered via Moses as the leader of the people.
Many servants of God feel discouraged in this way by unjust criticism and complaints. Moses, too, reached his limit, expressing a desire to quit.
Personally, I've often felt this frustration in my ministry in the past. While I was fortunate not to have many complainers, I had one lady in my previous church who would always find something to criticize after every sermon. It's wore me down it had to be said.
It's often the complaints that stick with us, not the expressions of gratitude. People naturally tend to vocalize their discontent more readily than their blessings.
Most of what pastors hear are complaints, and it can wear them down to the point of feeling like giving up.
And that is what is going on here, but then the Lord steps in.
In verse 16, offering a solution. He instructs Moses to select 70 elders to share the burden of leadership. Additionally, God promises to provide meat for the people, despite their ingratitude.
This echoes the situation in Acts chapter 6, where the apostles appointed deacons to address complaints within the congregation, about the unfair treatment for all members.
The early churches in Acts were seen to take on the responsibility of caring for widows. Acts chapter 6 illustrates this when the apostles appointed deacons to ensure fair distribution of resources.
They leaders didn't stop doing their main ministry work; instead, they delegated tasks to others, allowing the leaders to focus on prayer and the ministry of the word. This principle of delegation has served well, ensuring tasks are carried out effectively.
18 “Tell the people: ‘Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you wailed, “If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!” Now the Lord will give you meat, and you will eat it. 19 You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, 20 but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it—because you have rejected the Lord, who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”
21 But Moses said, “Here I am among six hundred thousand men on foot, and you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’ 22 Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?” 23 The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.”
(Numbers 11: 18-23)
So, God responds to the Israelites' complaints by promising to provide them meat until they are sick of it. This wasn't meant as a punishment but as a response to their discontent with the manna.
Interestingly, in the Old Testament, meat consumption was normally reserved for special occasions.
So, the Israelites asked for meat, which God provided, but Moses objected, questioning how such a vast number of people could be fed.
It looks like he doubted God's ability to provide for them, forgetting the miraculous provision of manna earlier. Moses even sarcastically suggested gathering all the fish from the sea to feed them.
In response, God asked if His arm had been shortened, reaffirming His power. Moses the relays God's message to the elders.
This demonstrates God's ability to provide and the importance of trusting in His promises, even when they seem impossible to us.
24 So Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the tent. 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took some of the power of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied—but did not do so again.
26 However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. 27 A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”
28 Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ aide since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”
29 But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” 30 Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.
31 Now a wind went out from the Lord and drove quail in from the sea. It scattered them up to two cubits[b] deep all around the camp, as far as a day’s walk in any direction. 32 All that day and night and all the next day the people went out and gathered quail. No one gathered less than ten homers.Then they spread them out all around the camp. 33 But while the meat was still between their teeth and before it could be consumed, the anger of the Lord burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. 34 Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had craved other food. 35 From Kibroth Hattaavah the people travelled to Hazeroth and stayed there.
So, despite only 68 of the appointed 70 elders showing up, God still bestowed His Spirit upon them, including two who remained in the camp.
When Eldad and Medad prophesied outside the Tabernacle, Joshua was concerned, but Moses reassured him, saying he wished all the Lord's people were prophets.
Moses understood that it wasn't about following strict rules but about God's spirit working through His people.
I believe this teaches us today to embrace those who may not do things exactly as we do, as long as they sincerely love and follow Jesus. It's about grace and unity in Christ, rather than rigid adherence to human rules.
After Moses and the elders received the Spirit from the Lord, quail miraculously appeared near the camp, brought by a wind from the Lord. This provision was unusual, suggesting it was supernatural. The quail flew low, making them easy to catch. Excited, the people gathered an abundance of quail, spreading them out around the camp.
However, before the meat was even finished, the Lord's wrath was kindled against them, and a great plague struck the people.
This event serves as a judgment on their greed and discontent. They demanded meat, then rejecting what God had provided for them. In response, God granted their request but also brought sickness and death as consequences.
This discipline was meant to teach them to accept God's provision and trust His wisdom.
So, in summary I believe this passage is meant to demonstrate the consequences of complaining and the importance of trusting God's plan.
It also illustrates Moses' growth in leadership, as he learns to delegate responsibilities and seek supernatural solutions. Ultimately, it reveals God's sovereignty and His willingness to discipline His people for their disobedience.
The message here is clear: stop complaining and be content with what you have. Hebrews 13:5 reminds us to be satisfied with our present circumstances, for God promises to never leave us nor forsake us.
It's all a warning against becoming dissatisfied with what we have and turning away from God.
Another lesson is about the potential danger of complaining. Some people are never satisfied, always finding something to complain about. Complaining can only ever lead to a lack of appreciation for the blessings we have.
Furthermore, I believe this story teaches us that God may allow us to make bad choices, even if they harm us. Just like how the Israelites desired meat and God gave it to them until they became sick, s
Sometimes God lets us have what we want to show us its consequences.
I've seen this play out countless times, where people make choices contrary to scripture, and God allows them to face the repercussions.
It's a reminder that God respects our free will, even if it leads us astray. He may warn us, but ultimately, the choice is ours to make. And sometimes, people are so set in their ways that not even scripture can change their minds.
Some people are so stubborn and set in their ways that they refuse to listen to reason. They insist on having things their way, and they're convinced they're right, no matter what.
But here's the thing: when you're that stubborn, making decisions solely based on your own judgment, you're walking a dangerous path. Because sometimes, God allows us to make foolish choices, and we end up suffering the consequences. Just like the Israelites in Numbers 11, who demanded meat but became sick when they ate it, some of them even dying as a result.
It's like the illustration of the onion and the lily. Onions, despite being part of the lily family, have a pungent, unpleasant odour, while lilies exude a sweet fragrance.
This comparison serves as a reminder that we're meant to be like lilies, spreading sweetness and beauty. But when we become stubborn and complain, we turn into onions a variety of what was once a beautiful smelling family of flowers.
So, the lesson here is clear: don't be like a raw onion. Don't let stubbornness and complaining taint your character and sour your relationships. Instead, strive to be like a lily, radiating grace in all you do.