The people complain.

You will find that, as a rule, those who complain about the way the ball bounces are usually the ones who drop it. (Source Unknown)

Complaining

The human heart is so sinful that it soon forgets God’s blessings, ignores God’s promises, and finds fault with God’s provisions. Just three days after the great praise service by the Red Sea, the people complained against Moses and God because they didn’t have water to drink (Ex. 15:22-27). Now, three days after leaving Sinai they complain again about hardships (v. 1), and about the lack of meat (v. 4). It says that “the mixed multitude” complained. This “mixed multitude” refers to a mixed crowd of Egyptians and others who followed Israel out of Egypt.

The Jews had experienced a miracle six mornings a week when “the bread of heaven” (Psa. 78:24) fell in their camp and provided all the food they needed for the day. However, perhaps influenced by the “mixed multitude,” many of the Jews got tired of their diet and tried to improve on God’s recipe (v. 8). Instead of being satisfied with what God had provided, they wanted the food they had enjoyed in Egypt. They had forgotten the bondage of Egypt and remembered only the things that pleased the flesh. They didn’t ask God to fill their need; instead they demanded meat and they stopped trusting God to care for them.

How tragic it is when professed believers in churches crave substitutes that the world has to offer instead of desiring the heavenly manna of the Word of God (John 6:60-69). In trying to attract and please the “mixed multitude,” churches have turned their sanctuaries into places of entertainment and their ministries into mere performances. Moses had been singing triumphantly about the Lord (10:35-36), but after hearing the people complain, it was not long before he was lamenting about what the Lord had called him to do. The people complained to one another and nothing was accomplished.  Moses took his complaint to God who could solve any problem. Many of us are good at complaining to each other instead of taking our problem to the One who can do something about it.

Application

It is so easy to take my eyes off the Lord and focus on myself. Lord help me to keep focused on You.

Numbers 11:1-15 (English Standard Version)


Warning: MagpieRSS: Failed to parse RSS file. (Space required at line 39, column 24) in /var/www/html/familytimes/includes/magpie6-1/rss_fetch.inc on line 230

Warning: array_slice() expects parameter 1 to be array, null given in /var/www/html/familytimes/includes/rss/esvLookup.php on line 15

View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway) »