In chapter 11, the people began to complain about their hardships, and when the Lord heard their complaints He was angered and caused fire to burn the outskirts of the camp. Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire stopped. The Israelites, again, began to complain, this time about not having any meat to eat. This, again, angered the Lord, as well as, Moses. Moses said to the Lord, “Why are you treating me, your servant, so miserably? What did I do to deserve the burden of a people like this? Are they my children? Am I their father? Is that why you have told me to carry them in my arms--like a nurse carries a baby--to the land you swore to give their ancestors? Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? They keep complaining and saying, “Give us meat!” I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! I’d rather you killed me than treat me like this. Please spare me this misery!” (Numbers 11:11-15)
As you can imagine, the Lord is angry at this point. Listening to Moses, he grants his request and tells him to gather 70 leaders of Israel and bring them to the Tabernacle. The Lord said, “....I will take some of the Spirit that is upon you, and I will put the Spirit upon them also. They will bear the burden of the people along with you, so you will not have to carry it alone” (Numbers 11:17).
Hold it...let’s unpack this! We don’t want to miss what just happened. The Lord actually heard and LISTENED to Moses! God recognizes that Moses is His servant, and because Moses is committed to God, God frees him of this burden. Yes, the Lord is angry, but not with Moses!
Lord, you are so good!!! Whenever we are burdened, we can come to you. “....Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Mathew 11:28). Thank you, Lord!
The Lord also informs Moses to tell the people they will have meat to eat. He continues by saying, “.....And it won’t be for just a day or two, or for five or ten or even twenty. You will eat it for a whole month until you gag and are sick of it” (Numbers 11:19-20). God is not happy! Then Moses begins to question God in verse 21….”How are we going to do that? There are 600,000 foot soldiers here with me.” “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Is there any limit to my power? Now you will see whether or not my word comes true!” (verse 23).
And His Word came true. God took some of the Spirit that was on Moses and distributed upon the 70 leaders, and they began prophesying. God also sent quail that surrounded people in every direction for miles and allowed the quail to fall into the camp. The people spread this meat they asked for all over the camp. “But while they were still eating the meat, the anger of the Lord blazed against the people, and he caused a severe plague to break out among them. So that place was called Kibrothhattaavah--”the graves of craving”--because they buried the people there who had craved meat from Egypt” (Numbers 11:33-34). Be careful what you ask for, and more importantly, how you ask for it.
Lord, thank you for your Word today! Fill us all with a spirit of joy and thankfulness, so that anger, stress, worry, depression, and complaining has no place to live within us. We love you!
“May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
….AND MAY WE ALL PRACTICE THIS WITH ONE ANOTHER.
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