The book of Numbers is quite fascinating, especially considering how often the children of Israel held Moses and Aaron responsible for their own setbacks.
In Numbers 12 after Aaron and Miriam had murmured against their younger brother Moses, the LORD was provoked to anger, Miriam was stricken with leprosy and had to be excluded from the camp for 7 days. This was known by everybody in the camp and one would have thought it would have taught them a lesson; but not to the children of Israel.
In Numbers 14, after the alarming report given by ten out of twelve spies about their exploration of the Promised Land, the people started murmuring against their leaders again: “Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, "Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?" And they said to one another, "Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt."” (vs. 1-4) Once again, they aroused the Lord’s anger and the ten faithless spies died as well as thousands of others who have had the effrontery to stand up against the Amalekites, despite Moses’ strong objections (vs. 37 & 45). And to top it all up, the Lord told them that with the exception of Caleb and Joshua, none of those who came out of Egypt would see the Promised Land; that they would die in the wilderness and wander in it for 40 years (vs. 21-23, 30, 34)! One would have thought it would have taught them a lesson; but once again, not to the children of Israel.
In Numbers 16, Korah, Dathan and Abiram rebelled against Moses and Aaron, dragging 250 men along with them. This was so bad that God wanted to exterminate everybody on site instead of doing it in 40 years as previously told. Thanks to the intercession of Moses and Aaron, He decided against it; but the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up alive with their families and all their possessions. As for their 250 followers, they were "roasted" after daring to bring a strange fire before the Lord. The people fled in terror for fear of being either “barbecued” or buried alive. One would have thought they would have definitely understood the lesson this time; but once again, not the very stubborn children of Israel.
Indeed, “on the next day all the congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron, saying, "You have killed the people of the LORD."” (vs. 41) Isn’t it terrible? How daring! The Lord's answer was not long in coming: 14,700 men died and the losses were only limited by the swift intervention of this same Moses against whom the entire people was angry! You reckon the lesson was forever understood at last? Then, you haven’t read Numbers 20...
This time around, they got to Kadesh –i.e. sanctuary-, in the wilderness of Zin; “there was no water for the congregation. And they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. And the people quarreled with Moses and said, "Would that we had perished when our brothers perished before the LORD! Why have you brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle? And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink."” (vs. 2-5)
If they really wanted to die with their brothers, why did they flee when they were buried alive? Now they were complaining about an “evil place with no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and no water to drink” and they seemed to have forgotten that they ended up there precisely because they themselves had refused to go where milk and honey flew. They seemed to have forgotten that it was their disobedience, their attitude and their refusal to believe that God only wished them well by asking them to go to Canaan that harvested them 40 years of wilderness. Instead of remembering the real reason why they were there, they found the perfect scapegoats: Moses and Aaron. Unfortunately, on this occasion, Moses lost his temper and his ticket into the Promised Land along with it.
Shortly after, they were back at it and they even dared attacking GOD as well: “From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food."” (Nu 21.4-5) The worthless food was the manna of course: the symbol of GOD’s supernatural provision. Once again, the reaction of the Lord was quick to come. Since they would not stop complaining that they were perishing in the desert, God helped them to really perish by sending fiery serpents against them and many were bitten and died.
Such a series of murmurs, rebellion and disobedience is absolutely unthinkable. What was the problem of these people? What can we learn from this all?
We will talk about this next week; but in the meantime, spend some time pondering over their attitude… and yours.
God bless you.
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