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[Complain-Cancer-Contagious-Curse-(no)
Commitment] Num
11:1--Now when the people complained,
it displeased the LORD;
for the LORD heard it,
So
the fire of the LORD burned among them,
and consumed some in the outskirts
of the camp.
[It
kills those off on the outer perimeters first] 2-3 Then the people cried out to Moses, and when Moses prayed to the LORD, the fire wahttp://complain.htmls quenched. [NIV = the fire died down] So he
called the name of the place Taberah,
[place of burning]
because the fire of the LORD had burned
among them. 4 Now the mixed multitude [(NIV) = rabble] who were
among them yielded to intense
craving; so the children of Israel also wept again [Started wailing] and said:
"Who will give us meat to
eat? 5-6 "We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now
our whole being is dried up;
there is nothing
at all except this manna before our eyes!"
7
Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its color like the
color of bdellium. 8 The people went about and gathered it, ground it on millstones or beat it in the mortar, cooked it
in pans, and made cakes of it; and its taste was like the taste of
pastry prepared with oil. 9
And when the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on
it. 10
Then Moses heard the
people weeping throughout their families,
everyone at the door of his tent; and the
anger of the LORD was greatly aroused; [Extremely
Angry]
Moses also was displeased.
(NKJ)
[Moses
was also very aggravated] * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * FOUR
CONCLUSIONS: a)
Their were complainers.
b)
There was secret
discontentment among them, which as yet did had not broken
into an open mutiny. c)
James 3:5—See how great a forest a little fire kindles! (NKJ) d)
They began to quarrel
with God himself. *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Bible
scholars ask why were they complaining when they were given with so much
to be thankful for. a)
Their
camp was
guided, guarded, and graced.
b)
They
had supernatural food. c)
Their feet
did not swell. d)
Their
clothes did wear out <Deut. 8:4>.
e)
What more could have been done
for a people to make them content?
Those with an irritable discontented spirit will always
find something to complain about! The
People’s reaction: 1.
Others probably complained that they did not move sooner. 2.
Some undoubtedly complained about the weather. 3.
Others thought a three days' journey was too long a march. 4.
They all complained about the
food. God
Almighty’s Reaction:
1)
The mixed multitude
began to lust—the rabble
that came with them out of Egypt, 2)
They expecting only the land of promise, but not
conditions on the way to it. 3)
They
were hangers on—who went with
them only because they were blessing
seekers. 4)
A few factious,
discontented, ill-natured people,
can do a great deal of mischief in the best church. 5)
They talked of Egypt like
they lived as princes there—the truth was that they were slaves.
6)
Ungrateful people have very selective memories—they remembered
the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the
garlic; but they do not
remember the brick-kilns, the terrible task-masters, the oppression, and
the stinging of their whips.
7)
The manna was supernatural
bread from heaven—the Bible calls it angels' food.
It was good for food, and pleasant to the eye.
It was wholesome food and nourishing.
It was not dry bread; it tasted like fresh
oil. It was pleasant
(the Jews say, Wisd. 16:20) to every man's palate.
he wanted to fix it. By
the different ways of dressing it, it yielded a multiple dishes.
It cost them no money, nor effort—it fell
in the night, while they slept. The
labor of gathering it, is not worth speaking about.
They lived as free loaders, and yet talked of Egypt's
cheap fish, they paid for by their slavery. 8)
Furthermore, the manna came from the direct intervention and provision of God—His compassion was new
every morning, always fresh.
Yet they speak of manna with such scorn—“our soul
is dried away”. They
speak as if God is mean in allowing them no better food.
They despised
it—they despised
God’s provision. Discontented
minds will find fault with what is good—it provokes God to undervalue
his gracious provision, by saying, “nothing but manna”! 9)
Those who could be very
happy often make themselves very
miserable by complaining. They
could not be satisfied unless they had meat to eat. They brought
flocks and herds with them in great abundance out of Egypt. Either they were covetous, and could not find it in their
hearts to kill them, and lessen the size of their flocks or else beef
and mutton would not satisfy them.
They must have something else, more pleasant and special.
Food was not
sufficient; they must be feasting. 10)
They lusted greatly and greedily!
They wept as spoiled
children! They
cried because they did have
what they wanted when they wanted it.
*
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Num
11:20(NKJ)--'but for a whole
month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to
you, because
you have despised the LORD who is among you,
and have wept before Him, saying, "Why did we ever come up
out of Egypt?"'" 21
And Moses said, "The people whom I am among are six hundred thousand men on foot;
yet You have said, 'I will give them meat, that they may eat for
a whole month.' 22
"Shall flocks and
herds be slaughtered for them, to provide enough for them?
Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together
for them, to provide enough for them?" 23
And the LORD said to Moses, "Has
the LORD'S arm been shortened?
Now you shall see whether what I say will
happen to you or not."
[God will do what He has said!]
[God’s ability to supply a miracle in the
easiest way in what seemed like and impossible circumstance!] Num
11:31--Now
a wind went out from the LORD, and it brought quail from the sea and
left them fluttering
near the camp, about a
day's journey on this side and about a day's journey on the
other side,
all around the camp, and about
two cubits above the surface of the ground.
(NKJ)
[24 miles in either direction i.e. approx.
48 miles of quail flying three foot above the ground.] Num
11:32--So
the people caught and killed quail all that day and through the night
and all the next day too! The
least anyone gathered was 100
bushels! Quail were
spread out all around the camp.
(TLB) Num
11:33-34--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. So
the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah ["The Place of the Graves Caused by Lust”] because there they buried the people who had been
greedy. (NAS)
[Mass funeral] [There are many who have died
spiritually because of the craving for material possessions. Their lust for money and what it buys, becomes
their grave!] See Psalm 106:13-15 Things
to be thankful for:
*
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * MAJOR
DANGERS OF COMPLAINING: 1.
Complaining is a contagious cancer.
(It spreads quickly and it produces death!) 2.
Complaining is a curse on the one who is complaining and upon
those he or she touches. 3.
Complainers rob others and themselves of the joy of serving
Jesus! 4.
All complaints are ultimately aimed at God and against God! 5.
Complaining is an act of unbelief—of not exercising faith.
It is a negative spirit with a negative mouth. 6.
Complaining is the opposite of thankfulness.
The complainer does not count his or her blessings. 7.
Complainers are never good at obedience! 8.
Complainers rarely have much production, whether at work or in a
church—quit squawking and go to work. *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * This message will not mean as much without the tape. Order tape #282. Click "HERE" to return to the main sermon notes page |
