Numbers 11:1-10

11 Soon the people began to complain about their hardship, and the Lord heard everything they said. Then the Lord’s anger blazed against them, and he sent a fire to rage among them, and he destroyed some of the people in the outskirts of the camp. Then the people screamed to Moses for help, and when he prayed to the Lord, the fire stopped. After that, the area was known as Taberah (which means “the place of burning”), because fire from the Lord had burned among them there.

Then the foreign rabble who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt. And the people of Israel also began to complain. “Oh, for some meat!” they exclaimed. “We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic we wanted. But now our appetites are gone. All we ever see is this manna!”

 

The manna looked like small coriander seeds, and it was pale yellow like gum resin. The people would go out and gather it from the ground. They made flour by grinding it with hand mills or pounding it in mortars. Then they boiled it in a pot and made it into flat cakes. These cakes tasted like pastries baked with olive oil. The manna came down on the camp with the dew during the night.

10 Moses heard all the families standing in the doorways of their tents whining, and the Lord became extremely angry. Moses was also very aggravated.

 

Numbers 31-35

31 Now the Lord sent a wind that brought quail from the sea and let them fall all around the camp. For miles in every direction there were quail flying about three feet above the ground.[a] 32 So the people went out and caught quail all that day and throughout the night and all the next day, too. No one gathered less than fifty bushels[b]! They spread the quail all around the camp to dry. 33 But while they were gorging themselves on the meat—while it was still in their mouths—the anger of the Lord blazed against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. 34 So that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah (which means “graves of gluttony”) because there they buried the people who had craved meat from Egypt. 35 From Kibroth-hattaavah the Israelites traveled to Hazeroth, where they stayed for some time.

I am currently in a Bible study about the life of Moses. This past week the focus was on Numbers 11 and how the children of Israel became discontent with Gods provision. They began to grumble and complain and their whining angered God. Their constant complaining about the food that God had provided for them was an act of ingratitude. God was providing what was best for them and what would sustain them. But they were not content. They began to long for the days when they were in Egypt.

Numbers 11:4

Then the foreign rabbles who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt. And the people of Israel also began to complain. “Oh, for some meat!” they exclaimed..

 

It is amazing how quickly we forget. I am saying we, not they because we do the same thing. When we are discontent the grass always appears greener on the other side. The Children of Israel quickly forgot that they had been rescued from slavery by the hand of God.  Their lusts for food made them forget that their condition as slaves was deplorable. They were not thinking clearly. There are several lessons I learned from this study that I would like to share with you:

  1. To complain is a sin because it shows that we are not grateful for what  God has provided for us.
  2. To complain shows a lack of faith and trust that God knows what is best for us. When we complain we are saying we know best.
  3. To complain shows impatience to be content until God blesses us differently. We must wait for His timing. His timing is always perfect.
  4. To complain show’s immaturity in our walk with God.
  5. Complaining is contagious as well as negative. Be careful who you spend time with, if they complain and whine consistently you will start to do the same.
  6. You may be in a situation that is not perfect but that doesn’t mean you should run back to your past. If God has brought you out of a situation continue to look ahead. In time if you trust Him you will see that He has a perfect plan. Trust God.
In closing I would like to share the words of a song that many of you are familiar with. The song was written by a minister whose name is Paul Jones and is titled“ I Won’t Complain”. I have been blessed by these words many times and I trust you will be also.

 

I Won’t Complain

I’ve had some good days
I’ve had some hills to climb
I’ve had some weary days
And some sleepless nights
But when I look around
And I think things over
All of my good days
Out-weigh my bad days
I won’t complain
[Verse2:]

Sometimes the clouds are low
I can hardly see the road
I ask a question, Lord
Lord, why so much pain?
But he knows what’s best for me
Although my weary eyes
They can’t see
So I’ll just say thank you Lord
I won’t complain

[Chorus:]
The Lord Has been so good to me
He’s been good to me
More than this old world or you could ever be
He’s been so good, To me
He dried all of my tears away
Turned my midnights into day
So I’ll just say thank you Lord
[Adlib:]
I’ve been lied on
But thank you Lord
I’ve been talked about
But thank you Lord
I’ve been misunderstood
But thank you Lord
You might be sick
Body reeking with pain
But thank you Lord
The bills are due
Don’t know where the money coming from
But thank you Lord
Thank you Lord

Thank you Lord

[Chorus:]
I want to thank God
Has been so good to me
He’s been good to me
More than this old world or you could ever be
He’s been so good
He’s been so good
He’s been so good
So good
So good
So good
So good
To me
He dried all of my tears away

Turned my midnight into day

[Ending:]
So I’ll just say thank you Lord,

I won’t complain

By Paul Jones

 

Philippians 4:11-13

11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, 13 I can do all things through Christ[a] who strengthens me.

 

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