Adult STS Lesson 95 Murmuring In the Camp
MEMORY VERSE: “Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.(Numbers 11:10)
TEXT: Numbers 11:1-35; 12:1-16
In fulfilment of His promise to Abraham, God rescued the children of Israel out of the land of bondage through supernatural signs and great deliverance. He led them through the wilderness and generously provided manna (angel’s food) to nourish them on their journey to the Promised Land. Despite God’s love, care and benevolence, on several occasions, they murmured and complained against Him and Moses. God’s demonstration of miraculous power ought to have elicited their trust and confidence; instead, they doubted and disbelieved Him. He had promised them sustenance and security. However, Israel’s failure to wholly trust God led to their undoing. Though they had left Egypt, they carried the sinful practices of Egypt along with them. They hardened their hearts in unbelief and thus incurred the displeasure of God as they were consumed in His wrath in the wilderness. The warning comes to believers: “…To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness” (Hebrews 3:7,8).
- DEVASTATING RESULT OF GOD-PROVOKING MURMURING
Numbers 11:1-10,33-35; Exodus 16:2,11-13; Psalm 78:17-22,30-33; 1 Corinthians 10:10; 1 John 2:15-17
“And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp” (Numbers 11:1). The chapter opens with a negative tone depicting the unpleasant and distrustful behavior of the people. They were so accustomed to murmuring that it became their second nature. Murmuring is sinful and is not condoned by God from His people. It is a show of ingratitude as well as a display of carnality. It is a negative attitude that will always incur God’s indignation. Believers are, therefore, warned to be careful and shun all forms of sinful and carnal conduct, for He “…shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:14). God responded to their murmuring with fierce judgment; He sent His fire to devour some of the people. The pillar of fire was meant for their preservation, warmth and direction; but when they sinned, God employed the same fire to destroy them. Closeness to God is no license for sinning against Him, as He is no respecter of persons. Realising the grave danger of their sinful act, they cried unto Moses who responded by praying to God for mercy and the fire was quenched. “And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?” (Numbers 11:4). The children of Israel had barely escaped God’s wrath when the mixed multitude among them caused them to sin. The mixed multitude was the term used to describe the non-Israelites who joined the people in the exodus from Egypt (Exodus 12:38), having seen the mighty works of God among them. This confirms the timeless Scripture that “…evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Corinthians 15:33). The mixed multitude blended with the people and began to influence them negatively to rebel against God. Soon, they made the people forget God’s goodness, mercy, faithfulness as well as His great plan. They made the children of God desire the dainties of Egypt and despise the manna God had graciously provided for them. They said, “We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes” (Numbers 11:5,6). It is sad that they preferred the herbs of Egypt to the land flowing with milk and honey. Whereas they were mere slaves in Egypt, God was going to give them their own land, but their blindness of heart prevented them from seeing afar off. Their lust for flesh and herbs soon resulted in their profuse weeping. The fact that all the families were swept away by lust shows their level of carnality. “Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased” (Numbers 11:10). They eventually incurred God’s wrath. The event surrounding the mixed multitude conveys some useful lessons for God’s children.
One, believers must be careful about the company they keep and ensure they associate with men of like-precious faith. We should be wise to choose the company of people we relate with, not because they are members of the same church, tribe, profession or in the same neighborhood, but by the content of their character and righteousness. Two, we must always remember God’s mercies, goodness, faithfulness as well as His great plans for us at all times. Three, every Christian must seek to have the sanctification experience both in precept and in practice.
Four, every child of God should set their affection on things above and not on the things of the earth (Colossians 3:1).
Five, we must request daily sufficient grace to endure affliction and patiently wait on God to meet our needs.
Six, children of God must be contented with what they have while trusting God to enlarge their coast and meet their needs.
Seven, we must seek scriptural means of meeting our needs.
Finally, members of the church must make diligent effort not to displease God and His appointed leaders. The consciousness that we can choose our actions but not the consequences should guide our daily decisions even in matters of legitimate needs. God eventually supplied the meat, but “..while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague” (Numbers 11:33). As a consequence, God’s fierce judgment descended on the people twice resulting in devastating destruction. Apostle Paul therefore warns, “Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer” (1 Corinthians 10:10).
- DUE RESPONSE TO GOD-APPOINTED MINISTRY
Numbers 11:11-32; Exodus 16:12,13; Psalm 78:26-29; 1 Timothy 3:1-10; Titus 1:6-9; Exodus 18:19-26; Matthew 7:7-11; Philippians 4:19
Overwhelmed by the unpleasant reaction of the people, Moses resorted to prayer. Truly, the task of leading God’s people as well as meeting their varied needs could be challenging, but leading a group of disgruntled, carnal and backslidden folks can be daunting and very frustrating, In response to Moses’ prayer, God provided meat for the people (Numbers 11:31). He is Jehovah Jireh, the Lord our Provider. Believers should take their needs to Him in faith and trust in His unfailing promises and power. By resorting to God in prayer, Moses revealed the limitation of man in accomplishing divine tasks as well as the need for constant divine renewal of strength. This should serve as a challenge and an encouragement to God’s servants to take their ministerial challenges always to God who has called them and who is ever faithful to come to their aid. God’s response was swift and the impact immediate. He decided to raise co-helpers for Moses who was to select seventy elders among the people and present them to Him for anointing. This teaches us important lessons:
One, no leader, however gifted, can excel in ministry alone.
Two, leaders and workers should be selected with care and prayerfulness. They should be known, tested and proven to be spiritual. Novices are not qualified for appointment to leadership position, no matter the need. In the early Church, the appointment of a replacement for Judas Iscariot was based on those who had “…companied with us [the Apostles and disciples] all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us” (Acts 1:21). Also, Apostle Paul, writing on the qualities of a leader instructs that “…let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless” (1 Timothy 3:10).
Three, Moses was to bring them to the tabernacle. This implies that those chosen to lead God’s people must be separated and consecrated to God.
Four, God was to talk with Moses in their presence signifying the place of His word in leadership and service. Moreover, Moses remained the key leader who received from God and communicated the same message to the rest of the leaders. This was to give validity to Moses’ leadership; thus, they were to assist and not replace him. Authority in leadership is derived. While Moses’ was derived from God, the seventy elders were to derive theirs from Moses. Anyone, like Korah, Absalom, Adonijah, who violates this principle risks the judgment of God.
Five, the authority and effectiveness of leadership in the church are hinged on the Spirit’s empowerment. That they had to be touched by God’s Spirit before they commenced their assignment shows that leadership without the spirit’s endowment will result in futility and endless toil. God has promised the Spirit’s power for His servants. He still baptizes with the Holy Ghost and with Fire (Acts 1:8; Luke 24:49).
- DIVINE RECOGNITION OF GOD-APPROVED MINISTERS
Numbers 12:1-16; 16:1-5,12,15-18,20,21,28-35; 2 Samuel 15:1,4,10-12; 18:1,9,15: Genesis 49:5-7; Acts 1:21,22; Philippians 2:14-16
No sooner had God quelled the rebellion, than another problem erupted. This time, it was orchestrated by Miriam, the women leader and Aaron, Moses’ deputy. She, in company of Aaron, challenged the legitimacy of Moses’ leadership. That the children of Israel murmured against Moses was quite displeasing, but to have the duo of Miriam and Aaron embark on this evil mission was shocking and unexpected. Miriam erred by equating her authority with Moses’. Aaron, who narrowly escaped God’s fierce judgment for leading God’s people into idolatry, lent his support to this revolt instead of rebuking Miriam. By this, he manifested weakness and compromise once again. The Scripture enjoins the believer to “…neither be partaker of other men’s sin” (1 Timothy 5:22). Moses once again displayed the virtue of great leadership. He did not attempt to defend himself; rather, he allowed God to do it (Numbers 12:4-8). God is concerned about His servants. He heard and acted on the rebellion Himself. The consequence of Miriam’s action was swift and unimaginable; she became leprous; white as snow. Believers are hereby warned to beware of how they treat God’s servants. They are to avoid familiarity, which breeds contempt. They should respect and obey them. They should wait on Him to defend them because vengeance belongs to God and He will defend His own. His judgment will come on those who “despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities” (Jude 8). Leaders, however, must display the virtues of meekness, godliness and forgiveness as demonstrated by Moses. Rebels in the church must repent and make necessary restitution to secure God’s forgiveness and restoration. Although Moses interceded for Miriam, God determined she must serve the punishment to teach her and others a lesson that nobody despises God’s appointed servants and gets away with it. Those who are under discipline in the church should humbly bear the punishment as it is for their good. Leaders should not be in a hurry to restore those who have erred but should allow them to be fully purged and purified before restoration. The danger of murmuring, whether against God or His servants, is grave. It incurs divine displeasure, which births unpleasant consequences. The children of Israel suffered unnecessary and incalculable losses because of this vice. Believers today are enjoined to: “Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That [they] may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom [we] shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:14,15). They are to submit themselves to God-ordained leadership and walk by faith to enjoy God’s unbroken fellowship, favour and blessings, and eventually reach the Promised Land.
QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW:
- What is the danger of murmuring against God and His ministers?
- What does the phrase ‘mixed multitudes’ mean in the passage and how does it affect the church today?
- Mention some useful lessons from the event surrounding the mixed multitudes.
- How should believers go about having their needs met
- What do we learn from the selection of the seventy elders that God raised to assist Moses in leading the people?
- What is the place of Holy Spirit’s baptism in Christian leadership?
- What should be the attitude of believers towards God’s ministers?
