Feb 28: Numbers 11-13

Feb 28, Numbers 11-13

Numbers 11 - we start to see the disobedience of the Israelites and lack of trust. The people start complaining about only having manna provided for them and they reminisce about the ‘good ol days’ of slavery in Egypt. The had all kinds of food to eat for free, they say. Let us not forget - they paid for the food with their lives and bondage to Pharaoh. Do you ever do that with memory lane? You remember something being amazing when things are tough, but in reality it was not what you recall when things are tough. Or better yet, do you remember when you have gotten out of sin, but then you think of all the ‘good’ things about the sin. Tempting you to go back? Instead of thinking of all the bad and being realistic with the sin? Yet, they complain horrendously and the Lord hears it. After Moses complains to God about how hard his calling and role is, God decides to give them meat to eat… so much so that they will be sick of it when its done. God tells Moses to gather some elders and then God puts part of His Spirit onto them (like He did for Moses) and they begin to prophesy for a little while. Commentators think that this was to give validity to their calling. God decides to give them meat (quail) for a whole month to shut them up (and still provide for them). Then the day of quail comes and some of the Israelites got greedy and took way too much. The Bible says they gathered at least 10 homers. In today’s language that means that they were so greedy for meat, they gathered around 480 gallons of quail. This is the best example of ‘gluttony’ that we have in the Bible. It is being so greedy for food, that you take so much because you don’t want others to have any. This made God so mad, as this was a gift to them. And they were grabbing only for themselves, and such a huge amount that they couldn’t possibly eat themselves, as it just showed their sinful, selfish, greedy nature. God was angered at their greed and sent a horrific plague onto them and a bunch died (which is why it was called ‘Graves of craving’.) 

Numbers 12 almost seems incredulous that Aaron and Miriam complain against Moses, after all they have been through together. But, they are Israelites and human, which means they get swayed easily at times (remember Aaron with the golden calf…). It starts off with them talking about the “Cushite" woman that Moses has married. This racial chatter, soon turns to a unkind attitude towards talking about Moses behind his back. And then it turns into a spiritual debate. As they wondered if Moses was better than them. They are basically jealous of their brother getting all the attention and since God hears everything, he hears them and this infuriates God. God calls a meeting and disciplines them for going against His anointed Prophet and gives leprosy to Miriam! Then Aaron apologizes to Moses, and in return Moses intercedes for Miriam. But God tells Moses that she must be put out for a week then she can come back. What is interesting about this is that the Israelites had customs for a family. And one of those customs was that if a daughter was to humiliate or shame her father, her father was to spit in her face, and send her outside of the camp for 7 days, for her to ‘learn her lesson.’ This was for the rebuke and then the return and acceptance of a wayward daughter. So here, God the Father, is treating Miriam as if she was His daughter. Her punishment was that of a Father. It might seem harsh, but Miriam would have learned her lesson, and she would have also realized that God was indeed her loving Father, as He was sending her a sign that He was treating her as a daughter. For a Fathers responsibility afterwards, was to also accept and forgive the daughter after the week was over.   

Numbers 13. God tells Moses to send out spies into Canaan, because the Israelites will have it someday as their own land, given to them by God. Moses selects chief men from each tribe to go. They went to spy out the land and also bring back some produce representing what was there. So, after 40 days they came back with produce and also some tall tales. Caleb was all about going in and attacking, as he placed his faith in Yahweh to go before them. But, the others were not on the same page. They came back and embellished the Nephilim men (who were giants), comparing themselves as grasshoppers compared to them. But what the reality is - they did not trust that God would save them.

To sum it all up:

• IF you are tempted to go down memory lane - keep in mind who you are now and what Christ has done in you if you are a believer in Christ. It is fine to recollect memories - I am just cautioning against fantasizing about them and seeing them incorrectly to only have yourself discontent with where God currently has you.
• If you are disciplined by God, it means that you are loved enough to be treated as family. God disciplines those He loves. 
• Have you had a time recently where you didn’t trust in God? And instead saw the giants in the land, instead of seeing what God could do?