As I have been reading in Numbers I keep thinking, "No, no, no, don't do that, oh no, just... ughhhhh.... too late." The children of Israel just kept murmuring and rebelling and their consequences were tragic. It's easy look at other people's lives, whether it is your current family or friends, or someone written about thousands of years before, with 20/20 vision and judge their decisions. Especially when you read their entire story in 10 minutes and know the gravity of their decisions upon their lives.
The children of Israel saw miracle after miracle in Egypt, as they left Egypt, and as they wandered in the wilderness. I've always questioned why the deliverance, preservation, and constant abiding of His presence was not enough for them to surrender their hearts and lives and follow Yahweh without doubt. What more could they have needed to understand that God's leading was better than their own decisions? It reminded me of when Jesus was telling a story in the New Testament and stated:
And he said, Nay Father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. Luke 16:30-31
The Lord knows the condition of our stubborn hearts. If we are not willing to listen to and follow what is written in His word, miracles won't convince us of His sovereignty over our lives, even if we see dead men living again. Although painful, this process of testing and maturation was necessary for Israel. God took a group of former slaves and transformed them into a nation of warriors ready to inhabit the Promised Land. In Numbers we see a tragic transitional period for Israel as they are molded into what God has planned for them. Let's take a look at some of the instances that we read about in Numbers and try to gain some wisdom that we might apply to our own lives.
The first instance of God having to deal harshly with the children of Israel was in Exodus 32, where about 3,000 men died due to their pagan worship while Moses was on the mountain. Their excuse for making the golden calf was that they didn't know what had happened to Moses and they wanted a god to "go before them." (V32:1) They wanted to be led by a god. It sounds outrageous to think that they had just witnessed Yahweh's power over the pagan Egyptian gods, but they are willing to following one of them again.
Are there moments when we look to other things than God to lead us? Money, our own wisdom, the talking heads on TV, lust, social media influencers; I suspect the list is nearly endless. When the road is dark and tough, it can be easier and more comforting to walk after things you can see instead of walking by faith. But this instance helps us to understand God hasn't abandoned you when you cannot see what He is doing. Have patience and wait for the Lord to lead instead of polluting your soul with lesser things.
In Numbers 11:1-3, Israel starts to complain. Their complaints aren't specifically mentioned in these verses, but the verses follow a description of them following God's leading through the wilderness. Following in verses 4-9, they begin to complain about not having meat. The manna wasn't fulfilling their lusts, and their complaints became overwhelming for Moses. God describes their ungratefulness by stating that they "have despised the Lord which is among you, and have wept before Him saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?" (v11:20)
How often is it that we find ourselves telling God, "what You have given me is not sufficient?" I would like to think that I don't ever have this attitude, but let's be honest... If I choose to worry about provisions for the future, it is not based on the Lord ever failing to provide for any particular day. If I am burdened over a stress or broken relationship, it is not that the Lord has failed in the past to see me through any mess I've created. If I choose to bring any negative thing into my heart and stew on it, it is never because God has not provided a way to handle the situation. Now I do understand, there are tragic moments that are overwhelming, but the remedy won't be found in telling God that He hasn't done enough.
My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. II Corinthians 12:9
Chapter 12 flows right into more griping. This time Moses's siblings are the source of the problem. Miriam and Aaron have some issue with Moses being married to an Ethiopian woman, though it isn't completely clear what the problem is. Additionally, they are jealous of Moses's position with God and feel like they should be respected just the same. The Lord is not happy with their behavior, and He gives Miriam a good scare. God appointed Moses for a specific work, and their roles were to be different.
Do we ever think, but I could do just a good a job as... so and so? Do we then talk about them behind their back to bring dishonor to them? Clearly it is part of our human nature to be prone to such behavior. The Lord provided structure and roles for His families, for His churches, for His leaders. Blessed Lord, grant us all wisdom to guard our hearts from jealousy and our mouths from destroying Your work and purposes.
As they are on the cusp of taking the land God had promised them, in walks fear and doubt and they speak evil against God. In Chapter 13 the spies are commissioned to go investigate the land. Ten of the twelve return saying, "We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we." (v31) God had told them, this is what I am giving you, go check it out and come back to rally the people to go forward. Instead, they were faithless cowards because of the giants in the land. They believed what they saw instead of believing the Creator of all things.
Do we ever tell God: "I can't do it. What You're asking is too much for me." Do we run and hide from God like Jonah saying, "I'm just going to abandon God's mission and do my own thing for a while so that I don't have to carry the heavy burden"? I can't say that I've never done this. There have been circumstances that I was tired of enduring or scared of facing and I doubted the very Word of God which promised me that He would never leave me nor forsake me. "Lord, I believe: help thou mine unbelief." Mark 9:24
Due to the doubting word of the ten, "all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried... the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!" (v14:1-2) The sin of the ten brought the entire group down. A mob mentality arose and they said to one another, "Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt." (v14:4) Can you believe that? The Egyptians, who will for sure put them into slavery, if not kill them for leaving, are a better option than trusting God when faced with an unknown situation???
Frequently God says "Go," but He doesn't tell us how He is going to make the way. Lack of disclosed details on God's part is not an acceptable reason for us to abandon Him. "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19
Moses intercedes for the children of Israel because of their lack of faith. The Lord replies with, "I have pardoned according to thy word, But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, (clearly I have missed a few of their mishaps) and have not hearkened to my voice; Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it." (v 14:20-23)
Never in my life have a seen a group of people execute a plan so poorly. They got the message that God meant business and was going to give them the land, but then they charged ahead outside of specific direction and anointing of the Lord and were slaughtered by the Amalekites. Moses told them, God is not with you, don't do this, but they were too stubborn to listen to good council.
I suppose some of us are more prone to this behavior than others, but it is easy to think we know more than other people about what we should do. We disregard godly council, disobey direct orders, exalt our earthly wisdom above God's written Word and then ACT. For the Israelites in this situation, it meant death for their actions. I pray we can be filled with a spirit of wisdom to heed the godly council of others and put our own pride in check as we move forward serving the Lord.
Although Moses had to deal with the murmuring and was even the target of the complaints at times, his heart towards the people was evident in the dealings with Korah in Numbers 16. Korah and 250 princes rose up against Moses because they wanted to be able to offer sacrifices like the Levitical priests. Moses had not forgotten the tragedy that occurred when his nephews had offered sacrifices against God's instructions. Immediately Moses was grieved for these men and ultimately, the earth opened up and swallowed them.
The Bible states that God appoints leaders in nations, in churches, and in homes and we are to pray for those that lead us as they have a great responsibility before God. But the Lord is very specific and serious about offices and order in His churches and our homes. Let us not seek to "serve" God in a way that He has not requested of us or worse yet, is plainly against what His Word says. God must be bigger than ourselves in our mind and lives.
In Chapter 20 they are back at the "why have ye brought us into this wilderness to die" complaint again. By this time, Moses and Aaron are fed up with the moaning and groaning of the Israelites and they step out of line in dealing with them. Previously, the Lord instructed Moses to strike a stone to provide life-giving water. This time the Lord told Moses and Aaron to speak to the rock and it would give its water to the people. (This was to be a picture of Jesus and Moses messed it up.) Moses struck the rock again. Water still came forth, but Moses and Aaron were not allowed to enter the promised land because they didn't follow God's instructions perfectly.
It appears that Moses was angry with the people at this point. In verse 10 Moses is calling the assembly rebels and griping about them. Was it his anger that led him to strike the rock or was it pride that said God will bring water regardless of what I do? Either way, here is another moment in which we see God giving specific instructions that are not followed. The Lord is serious about us having great fidelity in following His Word.
"to obey is better than sacrifice." I Samuel 15:22
The Lord gives the people a great victory over the Canaanites in Chapter 21 and immediately we read "the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way." (v4) They spoke against God and Moses and said, "Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?" (v5) How did God put up with these people? The Bible tells us that God supernaturally preserved the people for 40 years and not even the soles of their shoes wore out. The only ones who died were those who rebelled or doubted God and suffered the consequences of their sin.
Unfortunately, life is not easy. It can be discouraging and hard. I pray the Lord gives us His perspective of what is truly happening in our lives so that we don't take on this complaining attitude and offend the Lord. As a result of this round of complaining, God sends fiery serpents to deal with the people. Moses is told to provide a remedy by raising a brass serpent on a pole and anyone who looks on it will be healed. We learn from the New Testament that this is a picture of the work of Jesus on the cross. God is trustworthy, whether we understand what He is doing or not.
The Father knows our weaknesses and our failings, yet He still sent His one and only Son to die for us. We will doubt and complain. We will speak out of turn against others and fail to obey perfectly. May the Lord help us in our weaknesses to continue to follow Him and never give up. Before all of the problems unfolded in the wilderness, God told Aaron to bless the congregation. Let us remember God's blessing upon His people and know that He seeks to abide with us, guiding us through life's difficulties.
The Lord bless thee and keep thee:
The Lord make His face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The Lord life up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.
Numbers 7:24-27
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