Chapter 11 Why did God show his wrath?

[mystic]

I think for every human being, eating the very same one meal multiple times every day for months would cause any human to grumble and complain so why was this wrong for the people to request something else to eat?

[alon]

Dec 22, 2020 5:18:32 GMT -8 mystic said:

I think for every human being, eating the very same one meal multiple times every day for months would cause any human to grumble and complain so why was this wrong for the people to request something else to eat?

Numbers 11:5,17-18 (ESV) We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. ... And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone. And say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat, for you have wept in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was better for us in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat.

I think the reason is twofold, and can be found in the above verses. First look at the phrase "For it was better for us in Egypt.” After the Lord had rescued them from Egypt, miraculously delivered them and protected them; and after they had brought the sentence to wander upon themselves by their lack of trust on the threshold of entering the land, now they are saying they were better off in bondage in Egypt just because their diet was boring! I think that would be enough to try the patience of even God!

Then there is this, "I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them (the elders, sic)." Constant complaining to a leader is wearing to him. Complaining about him diminishes his effectiveness. So here we see both illustrated in a very real sense as Moses was at the end of his ability to cope with them alone. God had to get Moses to appoint elders to share the burden. I think it is telling that He put some of the Spirit that was on Moses on them. God's Spirit could rest on them without diminishing what He gave Moses. The best I can figure why God did it this way was to illustrate that point.

Dan C     

[mystic]

Dec 22, 2020 7:22:26 GMT -8 alon said:

I think the reason is twofold, and can be found in the above verses. First look at the phrase "For it was better for us in Egypt.” After the Lord had rescued them from Egypt, miraculously delivered them and protected them; and after they had brought the sentence to wander upon themselves by their lack of trust on the threshold of entering the land, now they are saying they were better off in bondage in Egypt just because their diet was boring! I think that would be enough to try the patience of even God!

Dan C     

Yes, I can see that clearly now, it's not really the diet being the issue but rather their words and ungratefulness for what God had done for them.