Numbers 11 Grumbling

The people are on the move again and grumbling and complaining go wherever they do. Not everyone is surly, but enough that it angers God and Moses.

We are going to come across many different campsites and complaints while the people make their way to the Promised Land. There are a LOT of lessons on the way. I’m going to do my best to keep things in order. Hopefully there won’t be events that I have to go back and ‘shoehorn’ in. Let’s join the congregation as they make their way across the Wilderness of Paran.

♥ ♦ ♥

The cloud of the Lord settled after three days of walking. Because of the size of the company, the distance traveled was not that great. It was tiring though; especially on Moses. There was NO WAY he could keep the people from complaining. As soon as he addressed one ‘complaint’, another one cropped up. “Where are we going?” “Are we there yet?” “I’m hungry/tired/thirsty.” You name it, the people complained about it. Not everyone, but enough of the people that it wore on Moses, and those around the complainers.

As the evening meal is being prepared, the complaints multiply exponentially. “I’m tired of this! I wish we could just stay in one place long enough to grow some crops. Then our tables wouldn’t be always filled with mana alone.”

God felt this ‘slap in the face’. He had given the people time each day to gather the mana before having them move onward. And, YES. He FILLED their tables with it. His hand had not deprived them of food. “When are you going to stop complaining” He wants to scream out to them. “What more do you want from me?!”

The celebration of the Passover hasn’t been more than two months ago. The time when they remembered His favor. His hand of protection and their freedom from slavery. Yet, they are still ‘bound’. Bound by their own inability to be content. Their own ‘if only’ attitudes.

God’s anger boils over onto the people. The edges of the camp begin to smolder. As the evening fires were still lit, it took a little time before the people noticed.

Small tufts of smoke began to drift upwards from the embers of anger. Flames licked to life; small in the beginning, but growing by the minute. More smoke puffs up from the flames as if someone had just blown in it. Before too long, the whole camp is ringed with fire.

People on the edges of the camp were the first to notice. They heard the crackling of the flames from behind them and the smell of smoke was stronger than that of their cooking fires. “Fire!” came the excited cry from all around the outer edges of the camp. People ran to the fires, trying to stomp them out or pound them with blankets.

As the people worked to put the fires out, they only grew stronger. In minutes there was a raging inferno ringing the camp. It drove the people backwards into the center of the camp. Nothing they did could stop it.

The fire began moving inward on the camp from all directions. This alone was enough to convince the people that this was the hand of the Lord. Fire did NOT behave this way! They began to cry out to Moses as the outer tents were consumed.

“Moses! Help us! Pray to the Lord for us or we will die!”

Moses had run from his tent at the beginning of the commotion. He, too, had recognized the hand of the Lord. He turned from his place and sprinted to the Tabernacle. He quickly washed his face, hands, and feet before entering the Tent. As soon as the door dropped closed behind him he fell on his face before the altar of incense.

“Please Lord! Withdraw Your hand of judgment on this people. Do not consume us with fire. The people are helpless before You. They have repented of their wrong. For YOUR name’s sake, save us.”

As Moses poured out his heart before the Lord the fires began to stand still. They didn’t advance any farther into the camp. And then, in an instant, they were snuffed out. It was as if someone had smothered the wick of a candle.

The people dropped to the ground in exhaustion and relief. Little by little, the people rose from the ground and went to examine the damage. Tent poles still smoked but there were no embers to extinguish. No lives were lost, but those on the edges of the camp would have to make new tents.

Aaron came to the entrance of the Tent and called out to Moses.

“Moses, the fires are gone.”

When these words registered in Moses’ mind, he began praising God for His mercy. “Thank You Lord for Your mercy on this people. They are a stiff-necked people, but they are Yours. Thank You for getting their attention. And for ending the ‘lesson’ before the whole camp was consumed.”

Moses exited the Tent to see Aaron standing there. “How are the people?”

“They are all here. No one died from the fire.”

“Are they contrite?”

“Most assuredly contrite.”

“How much of the camp burned?”

“Only the outer edges.”

“Then they will have to work together to rebuild the damaged parts of the camp.”

“I will see to it that it gets done. You have done enough for us. Return to your tent and rest.”

Moses and the people all followed Aaron’s directions that night. Moses hoped that the complaints were over.

Morning dawned bright and clear. The women were busy gathering the day’s mana when Moses heard the first complaint.  “Oh that we had meat to eat! ⁵ We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. ⁶ But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.” (Numbers 11:4-6)

“Not again” he groaned. By midafternoon, the discontent of one had spread to the whole camp. The people could be heard crying out from their tent doors.

Moses had ENOUGH! “There is no pleasing this people.” Before he voiced his complaint in the hearing of the people, He went to the Tent to bring his complaint to the Lord.

“Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing child,’ to the land that you swore to give their fathers? Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me and say, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.” (Numbers 11:11-15)

The Lord knew that Moses’ ‘complaint’ wasn’t the same as the peoples’. He had put much responsibility on the shoulders of Moses. And the people did NOT make it easier. Moses had given some of his responsibility to others after Jethro’s instructions, but now, God would share His anointing too. Those chosen for this task would help him shoulder the burden of responsibility.

“Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. ¹⁷ And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone.” (Numbers 11:16-17)

Moses breathed a HUGE sigh of relief. Some would have been upset, hearing that the Lord was going to remove some of his anointing and give it to another; no matter how much it lightened their load. But Moses was a humble man. He was MORE than happy to take the help; whatever the cost.

Before Moses could begin making his list in his mind, the Lord continued.

“And say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat, for you have wept in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was better for us in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat. You shall not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, but a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the Lord who is among you and have wept before him, saying, “Why did we come out of Egypt?”’” (Numbers 11:18-20)

Moses’ jaw dropped! Moses trusted the Lord, but this was a HUGE proclamation. “The people among whom I am number six hundred thousand on foot, and you have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat a whole month!’ Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, and be enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, and be enough for them?” (Numbers 11:21-22)

God was not pleased with Moses’ response, but neither was He going to take back what He had promised. “Is the Lord’s hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.” (Numbers 11:23)

Moses ducked his head shame. “Forgive me Lord. I will go and tell the people immediately.”

Moses rose and came out of the Tent. Aaron was standing near the door, waiting on him. When Moses didn’t put his veil back on, Aaron knew that the Lord had something to say to the people.

“Shall I blow the trumpets?”

“Yes. Blow them both; summon the people.”

Within minutes, the people began to assemble before Tabernacle. When everyone had quieted down, Moses began to speak the words the Lord had given him for the people.

The crowd’s reaction was mixed. Many were excited about the promise of meet to come. Others were doubting God’s ability to deliver on such a promise. “We will see. And when He fails…”

Moses dismissed the main congregation but kept the elders at the Tabernacle. Once the people had left, Moses shared the Lord’s plan with them. “I am going to choose from among you 70 men whom the Lord will share the anointing He has given me on them. If you are not chosen, it is not because you are unworthy, but because the men chosen for this task have shown their dedication to the Lord and their usefulness to me since we left Egypt.”

Moses called out the names of the 70 men he had chosen. Once all the names were announced, they followed him into the outer courtyard.

“Make a circle around the Tent of Meeting” Moses instructed the men.

When everyone was in place, the Lord spoke to Moses. “Behold, your help.” Then a portion of the anointing that was on Moses was taken and divided among the men Moses had named.

Two of the men Moses had chosen hadn’t gone to the assembly earlier. Their tasks had kept them in the camp. When the Lord shared the anointing He had taken from Moses, it fell on them as well and they started prophesying and praising the Lord right where they were.

“Behold, the Lord God of Israel. The Lord is good and His mercies endure forever! He has never made a promise that He will not keep. Trust in the word of the Lord. As He has said it, so shall it be!”

The people around them were amazed. One young man became fearful. He remembered well the lesson of Nadab and Abihu. He was NOT ready for a repeat of that experience. He ran to where Moses was.

Moses was still in the Tabernacle, and rather than incur the wrath of God on himself, he called out to Moses from the doorway of the courtyard. “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” (Numbers 11:27)

Joshua was standing nearby to Moses. His heart nearly seized at the news. He immediately cried out to Moses; “My lord Moses, stop them.” (Numbers 11:28)

Moses shook his head and raised his eyes towards Heaven. His heart was overjoyed at the news. Yet he had to address Joshua and the boy’s fears.

“Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” (Numbers 11:29)

Joshua said no more. He could tell by the look of joy on Moses’ face that he spoke his deepest desire.

The group who had now been ordained to help Moses carry the burden of the people left the Tabernacle and went back out into the camp. They would be among the people to help curb the grumbling, when it grew again, and to point the people back to the Lord.

The next morning, the people noticed the sky getting dark. Not over their heads, but all around them. The wind had come up and quail were driven in on it. They filled the sky as they came and then they fell like rain all around the camp. They didn’t fall at the people’s doorstep, but close enough that they could easily gather them into the camp.

Rejoicing went up throughout the camp. As soon as the ‘rain’ stopped, the people rushed from every angle of the camp to the place where the quail lay. “The people rose all that day and all night and all the next day, and gathered the quail. Those who gathered least gathered ten homers. And they spread them out for themselves all around the camp.” (Numbers 11:37)

Those who had been craving the quail the most, and stirring up the people, were the first to bring their gleanings into their tents. Everyone else followed in their wake. The smell of roasting quail filled the camp. Not a single fire was empty. Most hosted two or three birds.

As soon as the quail was thoroughly cooked, the people began to feast. But before some of them could even swallow their first morsels, their throats began to constrict and choke off their oxygen. They began dying where they sat. What was the most amazing though was the selectiveness of this illness. It struck down ALL those who had instigated the whole cry of Israel for meet. Those sitting near them fell back in fear. Quail fell from the people’s hands and was spat on the ground. There was meat, but the people would NOT eat it!

The quail lay on the ground rotting. The people moved it back to the place where they had gathered it, for the camp began to stink. No one was willing to risk eating it to see if they would be spared. After two days, the smell became so bad, that the people prayed that the Lord would move them to a new location. But they dared not complain!

There was MUCH rejoicing when the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle. Everyone was ready in an instant to go, but they would wait their turn.

(to be continued)

So much for eating it for a month. God gave them a month’s worth, but they were too afraid to eat it. Or at least that is how I see it happening. The people had the “What have You done for me lately” attitude. And even when God did move, like providing the mana every morning, it wasn’t to THEIR liking. Yes. Eating the same thing everyday can get old, but if that is what there is to eat; BE GRATEFUL.

Father God, I pray that I haven’t taken up that attitude. I know I have in the past, on more than one occasion. I have also received an answer to prayer and, instead of simply rejoicing, I wished I had asked for bigger.

I remember praying for a van for our family when I was a teenager. I prayed specifically for a yellow van because, at the time, it was my mother’s favorite color. When my dad brought home this yellow and white van, I KNEW my prayers had been answered. My mom was grateful for the answered prayer but said “Did you HAVE to pray for a YELLOW van?” Thank You Father for answering my prayer, even if my mother’s was a little different. I LOVE seeing Your hand in action. I want to stay on the ‘blessing’ side of that hand though. I don’t want to be the complainer who has her ‘meat’ turn to death in her mouth.