Numbers (Part 3)
Bible Study Time 1-27-08
(From James Roberts 2-7-99)
Bible Study Time 1-27-08
(From James Roberts 2-7-99)
Last week in our journey through the scripture, we looked at the book of Number, Chapters 9 and 10. We saw two means by which God directed the children of Israel as they traveled through the wilderness from Mt. Sinai to the Promised Land. The first was with the pillar of cloud by day. The cloud gave them their orders as to when they should move and when they should rest in the camp.
When the cloud rested upon the tabernacle, they were to remain in the camp. They were not to strike out on their own, but they were to rest in the camp as they waited upon the Lord. When the cloud lifted up, they knew it was time for them to resume their wilderness journey.
The second way that God gave direction to the children of Israel was by the sounding of the silver trumpet. It’s interesting to notice that silver is a picture of redemption, and only those who have realized the redemption that’s in Christ Jesus can hear clearly the sound of the silver trumpet.
When it was time for the children of Israel to move out, the cloud would lift up off the tabernacle, and the people would assemble in their assigned marching positions. Then, when the trumpet sounded, the first group would begin to march. When the trumpet sounded the second time, the second group would begin to move, and so forth, until the whole nation was marching, following the cloud as it moved through the wilderness. The silver trumpet was also used to sound an alarm in the camp and to call the people together for a holy convocation.
Now, this morning I’d like for us to look at the book of Numbers, Chapter 11, where we see that almost immediately after the children of Israel left Mt. Sinai, the people began to murmur and complain. This reminds us of the book of I Corinthians, Chapter 10, where the Apostle Paul tells us that these Old Testament events happened as examples unto us so that we might learn not to murmur and complain.
Since these Old Testament events were written as examples for our learning, we’re going to look this morning at some applications that we can draw from these illustrations. Notice as we began in verse one:
Numbers 11:1 (KJ2000)
1 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 burned among them, and consumed some that were in the outlying parts of the camp.
Now, why is it that this fire started in the outlying parts of the camp? As it turns out, that is where the mixed multitude lived. The mixed multitude included the Egyptians who had left Egypt with the children of Israel. This probably included Egyptians who had married into Jewish families, but it may well have also included some Egyptians who had simply wanted to leave Egypt having seeing the judgments of God.
Whatever the case, we see further on in this chapter that it was the mixed multitude that first began to murmur and complain about their wilderness experience. Therefore, the fire broke out first in the outlying parts of the camp where the mixed multitude lived. Now, verse two:
Numbers 11:2-4 (KJ2000)
2 And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched.
3 And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the LORD burned among them.
4 And the mixed multitude that was among them had a strong craving: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?
Notice that it was the mixed multitude that began to have intense cravings for the things that they had left in Egypt. And what happened then? This desire soon began to infect all of the children of Israel so that the whole camp began to murmur and complain as they remembered the things that they had left in Egypt. They remembered all of the good things, but they forgot about all of the hardships they had experienced there.
At this point, let me say that the mixed multitude speaks of the world among believers. So often it is the people of the world who influence the children of God rather than the children of God exerting an influence over the world. This is not according to God’s will. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 12:
Romans 12:1,2 (KJ2000)
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
In Exodus 11, we find the children of Israel being conformed to the mixed multitude. Oh, so many times Christian people will accept the standards of the world rather than accepting the perfect standard that is set by the word of God. It is God’s will for us to reveal to the world the righteousness of God so that they too can be taken out of the world and added to the family of God. Now, verse 4:
Numbers 11:4,5 (KJ2000)
4 . . . 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 garlic:
You see, they remembered all of those things that gave flavor to their food back in Egypt, but as we all know, many times the aftertaste of things such as onions and garlic can leave a foul taste in your mouth long after they have been eaten. Well, that’s the way it is with the world. It provides a passing pleasure, but it leaves a bitter taste after that moment of pleasure is gone. Now notice verse six:
Numbers 11:6-9 (KJ2000)
6 But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, besides this manna, before our eyes.
7 And the manna was as coriander seed, and the color thereof as the color 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.
Here we see that the people began to despise the manna even though the manna was an all-purpose food. The people could prepare that manna in so many different ways, but as they began to yearn for the things of Egypt, they grew dissatisfied with the manna that God had provided even though this manna was pleasant to the taste and profitable for nourishment. In John, Chapter 6, we see that the manna was a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ who is the true bread from heaven.
The manna in the wilderness was pleasant food; it was nutritious food. It was an all-purpose food which supplied the daily needs of the people, and it was free for the taking. But sadly enough, the people in the wilderness began to lose their taste for the manna.
This is a picture for us today of the fact that many Christians, as they begin to be conformed to this world system and the things of the world, they will begin to value the things of the world more than they value Jesus Christ, the true manna from heaven. Now let’s read verse ten:
Numbers 11:10-15 (KJ2000)
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, Why have you afflicted your servant? and why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people upon me?
12 Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that you should say unto me, Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse bears the nursing child, unto the land which you swore to give unto their fathers?
13 From where 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 you deal thus with me, kill me, I pray you, out of hand, if I have found favor in your sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.
Here we see Moses, the great leader of the children of Israel, confessing his inability to lead the people, and he complained to the Lord, saying, why have you given me these people to lead?
In the book of I Corinthians, Chapter 10, we find that the children of Israel were baptized into Moses as they followed the cloud and went through the Red Sea. In other words, God identified the children of Israel with Moses so that they became His people, but Moses freely admitted his inadequacies.
Moses is a picture of the insufficiency of the Law. Many people today look to the Law to supply their spiritual needs, but the Law is insufficient even as Moses was insufficient. Moses said, who am I to give these people meat?
The children of Israel were baptized into Moses, but according to Romans 6, believers today are baptized into Jesus Christ. This is not something that man can do. It is something that can be done only by the Holy Spirit. When we believe, the Holy Spirit baptizes us into Jesus Christ and identifies us with Him.
If you’re a believer today, you can say, I died with Jesus Christ. I was buried with Him, I was raised with Him, I am now ascended with Him and seated with Him in the heavens. You can say with the Apostle Paul, I am accepted in the beloved; when God wants to see me, He just looks over at His Son and He sees me in the Son.
In John, Chapter 1, John compares the ministry of Jesus Christ to that of Moses and says:
John 1:17 (KJ2000)
17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
The Law was insufficient to meet the needs of the children of Israel, but the work of Christ upon the cross supplies our every need. Romans 8 says:
Romans 8:3,4 (KJ2000)
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the (righteous requirements) of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
The Lord Jesus Christ, into whom we have been baptized, will never complain to the Father, saying, I am not able to bear them; why have you done this to me? No, Jesus Christ gladly owns us as His own, and He serves as our intercessor in the heavens today. If we sin, He pleads our case before the Father. We have an advocate with the Father in the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself.
How thankful we should be today for that which we have in the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you know Him today as your Savior? Have you trusted Him? If you have, you have been baptized into Him. You have been accepted in Christ, and He will supply every need that you have. He will be the manna from heaven that supplies your every need.
I see that our time it gone. Thank you for listening to Bible Study Time this morning.
Church links:
When the cloud rested upon the tabernacle, they were to remain in the camp. They were not to strike out on their own, but they were to rest in the camp as they waited upon the Lord. When the cloud lifted up, they knew it was time for them to resume their wilderness journey.
The second way that God gave direction to the children of Israel was by the sounding of the silver trumpet. It’s interesting to notice that silver is a picture of redemption, and only those who have realized the redemption that’s in Christ Jesus can hear clearly the sound of the silver trumpet.
When it was time for the children of Israel to move out, the cloud would lift up off the tabernacle, and the people would assemble in their assigned marching positions. Then, when the trumpet sounded, the first group would begin to march. When the trumpet sounded the second time, the second group would begin to move, and so forth, until the whole nation was marching, following the cloud as it moved through the wilderness. The silver trumpet was also used to sound an alarm in the camp and to call the people together for a holy convocation.
Now, this morning I’d like for us to look at the book of Numbers, Chapter 11, where we see that almost immediately after the children of Israel left Mt. Sinai, the people began to murmur and complain. This reminds us of the book of I Corinthians, Chapter 10, where the Apostle Paul tells us that these Old Testament events happened as examples unto us so that we might learn not to murmur and complain.
Since these Old Testament events were written as examples for our learning, we’re going to look this morning at some applications that we can draw from these illustrations. Notice as we began in verse one:
Numbers 11:1 (KJ2000)
1 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 burned among them, and consumed some that were in the outlying parts of the camp.
Now, why is it that this fire started in the outlying parts of the camp? As it turns out, that is where the mixed multitude lived. The mixed multitude included the Egyptians who had left Egypt with the children of Israel. This probably included Egyptians who had married into Jewish families, but it may well have also included some Egyptians who had simply wanted to leave Egypt having seeing the judgments of God.
Whatever the case, we see further on in this chapter that it was the mixed multitude that first began to murmur and complain about their wilderness experience. Therefore, the fire broke out first in the outlying parts of the camp where the mixed multitude lived. Now, verse two:
Numbers 11:2-4 (KJ2000)
2 And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched.
3 And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the LORD burned among them.
4 And the mixed multitude that was among them had a strong craving: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?
Notice that it was the mixed multitude that began to have intense cravings for the things that they had left in Egypt. And what happened then? This desire soon began to infect all of the children of Israel so that the whole camp began to murmur and complain as they remembered the things that they had left in Egypt. They remembered all of the good things, but they forgot about all of the hardships they had experienced there.
At this point, let me say that the mixed multitude speaks of the world among believers. So often it is the people of the world who influence the children of God rather than the children of God exerting an influence over the world. This is not according to God’s will. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 12:
Romans 12:1,2 (KJ2000)
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
In Exodus 11, we find the children of Israel being conformed to the mixed multitude. Oh, so many times Christian people will accept the standards of the world rather than accepting the perfect standard that is set by the word of God. It is God’s will for us to reveal to the world the righteousness of God so that they too can be taken out of the world and added to the family of God. Now, verse 4:
Numbers 11:4,5 (KJ2000)
4 . . . 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 garlic:
You see, they remembered all of those things that gave flavor to their food back in Egypt, but as we all know, many times the aftertaste of things such as onions and garlic can leave a foul taste in your mouth long after they have been eaten. Well, that’s the way it is with the world. It provides a passing pleasure, but it leaves a bitter taste after that moment of pleasure is gone. Now notice verse six:
Numbers 11:6-9 (KJ2000)
6 But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, besides this manna, before our eyes.
7 And the manna was as coriander seed, and the color thereof as the color 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.
Here we see that the people began to despise the manna even though the manna was an all-purpose food. The people could prepare that manna in so many different ways, but as they began to yearn for the things of Egypt, they grew dissatisfied with the manna that God had provided even though this manna was pleasant to the taste and profitable for nourishment. In John, Chapter 6, we see that the manna was a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ who is the true bread from heaven.
The manna in the wilderness was pleasant food; it was nutritious food. It was an all-purpose food which supplied the daily needs of the people, and it was free for the taking. But sadly enough, the people in the wilderness began to lose their taste for the manna.
This is a picture for us today of the fact that many Christians, as they begin to be conformed to this world system and the things of the world, they will begin to value the things of the world more than they value Jesus Christ, the true manna from heaven. Now let’s read verse ten:
Numbers 11:10-15 (KJ2000)
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, Why have you afflicted your servant? and why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people upon me?
12 Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that you should say unto me, Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse bears the nursing child, unto the land which you swore to give unto their fathers?
13 From where 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 you deal thus with me, kill me, I pray you, out of hand, if I have found favor in your sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.
Here we see Moses, the great leader of the children of Israel, confessing his inability to lead the people, and he complained to the Lord, saying, why have you given me these people to lead?
In the book of I Corinthians, Chapter 10, we find that the children of Israel were baptized into Moses as they followed the cloud and went through the Red Sea. In other words, God identified the children of Israel with Moses so that they became His people, but Moses freely admitted his inadequacies.
Moses is a picture of the insufficiency of the Law. Many people today look to the Law to supply their spiritual needs, but the Law is insufficient even as Moses was insufficient. Moses said, who am I to give these people meat?
The children of Israel were baptized into Moses, but according to Romans 6, believers today are baptized into Jesus Christ. This is not something that man can do. It is something that can be done only by the Holy Spirit. When we believe, the Holy Spirit baptizes us into Jesus Christ and identifies us with Him.
If you’re a believer today, you can say, I died with Jesus Christ. I was buried with Him, I was raised with Him, I am now ascended with Him and seated with Him in the heavens. You can say with the Apostle Paul, I am accepted in the beloved; when God wants to see me, He just looks over at His Son and He sees me in the Son.
In John, Chapter 1, John compares the ministry of Jesus Christ to that of Moses and says:
John 1:17 (KJ2000)
17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
The Law was insufficient to meet the needs of the children of Israel, but the work of Christ upon the cross supplies our every need. Romans 8 says:
Romans 8:3,4 (KJ2000)
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the (righteous requirements) of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
The Lord Jesus Christ, into whom we have been baptized, will never complain to the Father, saying, I am not able to bear them; why have you done this to me? No, Jesus Christ gladly owns us as His own, and He serves as our intercessor in the heavens today. If we sin, He pleads our case before the Father. We have an advocate with the Father in the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself.
How thankful we should be today for that which we have in the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you know Him today as your Savior? Have you trusted Him? If you have, you have been baptized into Him. You have been accepted in Christ, and He will supply every need that you have. He will be the manna from heaven that supplies your every need.
I see that our time it gone. Thank you for listening to Bible Study Time this morning.
Church links:
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