Numbers 11:31-35 – Quail At Last!

Read Numbers 11:31-35

They asked for it, and they got it–lots and lots of meat! Yet, when we remember how the people of Israel whined and complained about not having meat, we see that the quail sent by God wasn’t necessarily the blessing it could have been. God was angry with them for not being more grateful for what he was already providing for them.

Our society tends to fall prey to this same tendency. We always want more, including the next “shiny object” that catches our attention, and then we forget to say thank you. Why is that? We let our desire for more rob us of the gratitude we should be feeling for what God has provided. For the people of Israel, they longed for something they no longer had, something they had enjoyed while in bondage in Egypt. At least they had a good memory of that time. Continue reading “Numbers 11:31-35 – Quail At Last!”

Numbers 11:16-30 – God’s Solution

Read Numbers 11:16-30

God’s solution has always been the Holy Spirit. Moses had already been gifted the Spirit’s power and protection. Because Moses was feeling overwhelmed (remember our previous reading), God listened and responded to Moses’ desperate cries for help.

Can you imagine having seventy helpers? Granted, Moses’ job was never-ending, having to keep track of all the tribes of Israel stuck in the wilderness. God chose that one man, Moses, but the Holy Spirit was also at work. Still, only one man doing the work to oversee and lead thousands is quite a big ask. God knew what he was doing in choosing Moses. Continue reading “Numbers 11:16-30 – God’s Solution”

Numbers 11:1-15 – How They Really Felt

Read Numbers 11:1-15

Do you ever hold back when you’re talking to God? Do you always let him know exactly how you feel, even if you moan and whine a bit? We see here how the people of Israel didn’t hold back. We just noted how agreeable they had been in obeying God when he told them it was time to move.

The ”honeymoon phase” of their captivity was coming to an end. In other words, the people’s patience was wearing thin, and tensions in the wilderness were in high gear. How did God respond? Continue reading “Numbers 11:1-15 – How They Really Felt”

Numbers 10:11-36 – Time to Move On

Read Numbers 10:11-36

Again we have a date of sorts to place the movement of the people. That must have been an exciting day to finally put the instructions God gave Moses into practice. Although the people would be leaving behind what had become “familiar” for two years. Do you think the people were anxious for a change of scenery?

What a sight this must have been to see this huge group of people start dismantling the tabernacle and moving in such orderly fashion! There had to be some grumbling as the people put these instructions to the test, but the text is silent on that. I know from having moved many times in my life, there are always tensions and frustrations that seem to creep in, even when you think you’ve planned and packed efficiently. Continue reading “Numbers 10:11-36 – Time to Move On”

Numbers 10:1-10 – Blow the Trumpets

Read Numbers 10:1-10

If you ever wondered how Moses managed to get everyone’s attention when he had a word from the LORD, now we know. Trumpets. The priests were to blow the trumpets in some fashion, depending on the message. I have to admit visions of Captain Van Trapp and his whistle in the opening scenes of “The Sound of Music” come to mind in terms of the effectiveness of that type of signal communication.

Priests had been trusted with many things in the law. Here we have yet another task to manage—the trumpet blowing. God was serious about this task because he made it permanent. I wonder if the people ever imagined the trumpets as the voice of God. Certainly, when they sounded it meant something was happening, and it was time to respond to God’s message. Continue reading “Numbers 10:1-10 – Blow the Trumpets”

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