feb 17 23 israelites complain
DESCRIPTION
Our little Church is using a Chronological Bible Reading Schedule by Skip Andrews. It can be found here: http://www.churchofchristduluthga.org/ Each Sunday a lesson is given from some of that week's reading. This lesson covers Feb 17-23.TRANSCRIPT
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.
TheThe Israelites Complain Israelites Complain
Numbers 11:1 NET When the people complained, it displeased the LORD.
When the LORD heard it, his anger burned,
TheThe Israelites Complain Israelites Complain
and so the fire of the LORD burned among
them and consumed some of the outer parts of the
camp.
TheThe Israelites Complain Israelites Complain
2 When the people cried to Moses, he prayed to the LORD, and the fire died
out.
TheThe Israelites Complain Israelites Complain
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)
Complaints About FoodComplaints About Food
5 We remember the fish we used to eat freely in Egypt, the cucumbers,
the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.
Complaints About FoodComplaints About Food
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)
Complaints About FoodComplaints About Food
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.
Moses' Complaint to the Moses' Complaint to the LordLord
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?
Moses' Complaint to the Moses' Complaint to the LordLord
12 Did I conceive this entire people? Did I give
birth to them, that you should say to me, 'Carry
them in your arms,
Moses' Complaint to the Moses' Complaint to the LordLord
as a foster father bears a nursing child,' to the
land which you swore to their fathers?
Moses' Complaint to the Moses' Complaint to the LordLord
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!'
Moses' Complaint to the Moses' Complaint to the LordLord
14 I am not able to bear this entire people alone, because it is too heavy
for me!
Moses' Complaint to the Moses' Complaint to the LordLord
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' Complaint to the Moses' Complaint to the LordLord
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,
Moses' Complaint to the Moses' Complaint to the LordLord
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
The Response of GodThe Response of God
of the people and officials over them, and bring
them to the tent of meeting; let them take
their position there with you.
The Response of GodThe Response of God
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,
The Response of GodThe Response of God
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)
The Response of GodThe Response of God
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,
The Response of GodThe Response of God
"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,
The Response of GodThe Response of God
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)
The Response of GodThe Response of God
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)
The Response of GodThe Response of God
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.
The Response of GodThe Response of God
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.
Eldad and MedadEldad and Medad
(Now they were among those in the registration, but had not gone to the
tabernacle.) So they prophesied in the camp.
Eldad and MedadEldad and Medad
27 And a young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad
and Medad are prophesying in the
camp!"
Eldad and MedadEldad and Medad
28 Joshua son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his choice young men, said, "My lord Moses,
stop them!"
Eldad and MedadEldad and Medad
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.
ProvisionProvision of Quail of Quail
Can you imagine how many quail it would take
to make a 3 foot pile. That just blows my
mind!
ProvisionProvision of Quail of Quail
32 And the people stayed up all that day, all that night, and all the next day, and gathered the
quail.
ProvisionProvision of Quail of 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.
ProvisionProvision of Quail of Quail
33 But while the meat was still between their teeth,
before they chewed it, the anger of the LORD burned against the
people,
ProvisionProvision of Quail of Quail
and the LORD struck the people with a very great
plague. In what way, and with what effects, we cannot
precisely determine.
ProvisionProvision of Quail of Quail
Some heavy judgment fell upon those murmurers and complainers, but of
what kind the sacred writer says nothing. (Clarke)
ProvisionProvision of Quail of Quail
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!
Guidance From Numbers Guidance From Numbers 1111
God provided people to help Moses. If we are in need of help He will send
it.
Guidance From Numbers Guidance From Numbers 1111
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:
Guidance From Numbers Guidance From Numbers 1111
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.
Guidance From Numbers Guidance From Numbers 1111
8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
This takes place at our conversion as stated in:
Guidance From Numbers Guidance From Numbers 1111
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.
Guidance From Numbers Guidance From Numbers 1111
Can we strive to be day by day,
hour by hour, minute by minute,
The servant of Christ God wants us to be?