Thursday, November 19, 2020

Numbers 11:4-15 comments: the people complain

 

Numbers 11:4 ¶  And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? 5  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: 6  But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes. 7  And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium. 8  And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil. 9  And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it. 10  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. 11  And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? 12  Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? 13  Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat. 14  I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. 15  And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.

 

The people long for the fish they had eaten of in Egypt, the vegetables and the fruit and spices. They complained about the manna they were given. See the passage in Exodus 16 on Manna and some of my previous comments.

The small, round piece of food that is left after the dew is called Manna, which Strong’s says means, “What is it?” which is also evident from the passage.

It is later called angel’s food.

Psalm 78:24  And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. 25  Man did eat angels’ food: he sent them meat to the full.

But is also a reference to some event in the realm of the spirit that we can hardly understand.

Psalm 74:12 ¶  For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. 13  Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters. 14  Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

Moses, too, finds himself complaining about the complaining. He is not the first person or the last to ask God to kill him. Job, as well, made the complaint that what he was given to bear was too much. Job, Elijah, and Jonah will all feel that frustration from feeling as if what they had to face was way too much for them.

 

Does God give us more than we can bear? Evangelicals like to say no, and it is the subject of many daily devotions insisting that God will not lay on us more than we can bear. This is nonsense. One value of placing more on a person than they can possibly deal with whether it be grief and loss, sickness, or even a burden they did not ask for is to make that person completely dependent upon God. So, yes, He is perfectly capable of giving you more than you can handle without His help, direction, support, and guidance. In fact, He may just want to do it Himself through your weak and fragile vessel.

Here is Paul talking about suffering without the things he needs to survive, physical things like food he has to go without.

Philippians 4:10 ¶  But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. 11  Not that I speak in

respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am

instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. 14  Notwithstanding ye have well done,

that ye did communicate with my affliction. 15  Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with

me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. 16  For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. 17  Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may

abound to your account. 18  But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice

acceptable, wellpleasing to God. 19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

 

Even Paul, though, with this attitude about lacking in the necessities of life not provided for by a church was capable of feeling overwhelmed. But Paul knew and understood that it was only Christ alone who could push him to do the things God had ordained and sustain him through his difficulties and tribulations and give him the strength he needed to carry on.

2Corinthians 11:22 ¶  Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. 23  Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 24  Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25  Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I

stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26  In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27  In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28  Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. 29  Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? 30  If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. 31  The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. 32  In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: 33  And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.

 

    2Corinthians 12:1 ¶  It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2  I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3  And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4  How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5  Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I

will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 6  For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. 7  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

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