SCRIPTURE: NUMBERS 11
BIBLE VERSES:
“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. When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed to the Lord and the fire died down. So that place was called Taberah because fire from the Lord had burned among them.” (Numbers 11:1-3)
“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!’ 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?” 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 11:21-23)
FIRE FROM THE LORD (vs. 1-3)
The people complained about their hardship and the Lord was angry.. He sent fire to burn among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. Moses cried out tot he Lord and the fire died down. That place was called Taberah.
QUAIL FROM THE LORD (vs. 4-35)
The Israelites craved for other foods – meat, fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. They were tired of eating manna everyday. So, they started to wail and complain to Moses. Moses was troubled and asked why he put the burden of the people on him. He asked God to let him die rather than to face the grumbling and discontentment of the People. The Lord told Moses to select 70 Israelite leaders to help him carry the burden of the people.
Then the Lord said that he will give them meat for the whole month until it comes out of their nostrils and they would loathe it. But Moses could not believe that the flocks and herds nor fish in the sea would be enough to feed them. The Lord answered Moses: “Is the Lord’s arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you” (v. 23)
A wind from the Lord went out and drove quail in from the sea down all around the camp. All the people went out to gather. But while the meat was still between their teeth and before it could be consumed, the anger of the Lord burned against the people. He struck them with a severe plague. The people died and were buried in Kibroth Hattaavah (meaning graves of lust). Then they travel to Hazeroth and stayed there.
THOUGHTS:
The sad results of carnality among God’s people is discouragement on the part of the leaders. Moses was so discouraged and asked to be killed but God told Moses to take 70 elders and He empowered them to assist him. We need to learn to take our problem to the one who can do something about them.
God gave the lusting Jews the meat that they craved. But the people who ate them died of a great plague. God sometimes answers our prayers. But not all the answers are a blessing at all.
The Jews remembered the delicious Egyptian food but forgot the brutal slap as slaves. They did not appreciate what God was doing for them – setting them free, making them a new nation and giving them a new land. Are we grateful for what God has given us or are we always thinking about what we would like to have? Do not let unfulfilled desires to cause us to forget God’s gifts of life, food, health, works and friends.
Moses questioned God’s ability to feed the wandering Israelites. In order to have complete confidence and trust in the Lord, we should not rely on our own understanding but remember his past work and present power.
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