Sermon Tone Analysis

The theme of this lesson may be summed up by the words of the apostle Paul, (2 Corinthians 5:7) "For we walk by faith, not by sight".

God calls us to follow Him by faith, to trust His promises and obey His commands.

If we walk by faith, we cannot fail, but if by we walk by sight, we cannot win.

Despising God's Blessings (Numbers 11:1-15) These verses remind us of small children on a trip.

Just shortly after the trip gets started you hear: "I'm hungry,' "I'm thirsty" and "are we there yet?"

Three days journey from Sinai and the people began to complain.

Their manner was insufferable, and a lot of harsh things were said.

It is sad how quickly some folks get tired of following the Lord's way.

(Numbers 11:1-3)"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 burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.

And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched.

And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the Lord burnt among them”.

In His anger, the Lord devoured those in uttermost parts of the camp.

This likely refers to hesitant to follow the pillar of cloud or pillar of fire.

The name Taberah (tansy-raw) means burning (verse 3).

After all that God had done for them, should anyone wonder why God was displeased?

Moses' intercessory prayer quenched the fire of the Lord's judgment.

There was a mixed multitude of people that went up with Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 12.38).

"Mixed multitude" is from two Hebrew words, ereb (ay-reb), Which is used to speak of a mongrel race or mingled people and the word rad meaning in abundance.

The term "mixed multitude" in Numbers 11:4 is from the Hebrew word aspesuph (as-pes-oof) and it is only used here.

It refers to a wanton or promiscuous assemblage of riffraff This multitude was made up of Egyptians and other foreigners who followed Israel out of Egypt.

These foreigners had little knowledge of Jehovah, the true and living God.

They had witnessed the power of God through the words and miracles they saw Moses do.

However, they were the first to complain about what they felt was a bad situation and this led to evil.

And their view quickly began to spread to others.

The Israelites allowed those who offered testimonies for any cause that would pervert the children of Israel to join in with their expressed disapproval.

The wrong crowd too often influences us.

We are often easily swayed by peer pressure.

This is another reason why children of God need to choose their friends and companions wisely.

Jehovah warned Israel, and you need to take heed as well, not to follow the crowd when it is doing wrong; and do not allow the view of others to sway you into offering testimonies for any cause that will pervert justice.

(Exodus 23:2) “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment".

To do so will always bring trouble with it.

Although you must live in this world, you do not have to become partakers of its evil.

(John 17:14, 15) "I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil".

Paul recorded the words of God in his second letter to the church at Corinth concerning being unequally yoked with unbelievers.

His admonition was, (2 Corinthians 6:17)"Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you".

One who longs for evil things of their past and disparage the blessings of the Lord are deserving of His judgment.

They had forgotten the grueling work and the sting of the taskmaster's whip.

They were moaning the loss of fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic (Numbers 11:5).

Jehovah provided bread from Heaven, called manna in a miraculous way.

It came fit Heaven and rested on the night dew so it remained clean as God intended (verses 6-9).

Instead of thanking God for His provision, they stood in the door of their tents weeping.

(1 Corinthians 15:33) "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners", Their wicked attitude and action angered the Lord and caused Moses to become displeased (Numbers 11:10), The honor of leading God's chosen people had become a heavy burden, Their murmuring took an adverse effect on Moses.

(Numbers 11:11)"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?".

Moses was struggling during a weak moment.

Lackadaisical, cold and indifferent church members do not realize the burdens they lay upon a faithful and loving pastor.

How many pastors have said or at least thought, (Numbers 11:14) "I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me".

Children of God need to heed these words, (Hebrews 13:17)"Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief.

for that is unprofitable for you'.

The leaders of God's people will answer for how they lead.

Those they are leading will answer for how they follow.

Seventy Elders Prophesy (Numbers 11:16-35)

God answered Moses' prayer for help with the call of seventy elders.

In Hebrew zagen (zaw-kane) was more than just an old man.

The word carries the idea of dignity, privilege and proven.

They were to meet with the Lord around His sanctuary.

It is to this number of elders that the Jewish Talmud traces the origin of the Sanhedrin.

The Sanhedrin Counsel was the highest tribuna during the Greek and Roman periods.

In New Testament times, members of the Sanhedrin were selected from three classes, the chief priests (high priests, the scribes and the elders, "And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation that they may stand there with thee.

And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone" (Numbers 11:16, 17).

The people

Quail Numbers 11:31.

Small, game birds which God sent to Israel in the wilderness to satisfy their hunger and unjustified desire for meat.

(See Psalm 105:40.)

God judged Israel and many people died because of their lust.

The place was called Kibroth-hataavah or graves of lust.

They Buried the People That Lusted (Numbers 11:34):

Kibroth-hattaavah was the place of another tragedy during the trek from Sinai to Kadesh-barnea.

Kibroth-hattaavah means graves of lust or graves of craving.

It was here God again took the lives of those who complained against Him.

The food God had provided was not good enough, these people craved or lusted after flesh.

God gave to them what they asked.

He sent quail to them in an almost unbelievable quantity.

The man who did not do very well in gath-ering them still picked up ten homers or about sixty bushels.

The scene must have been one of disorder to say the least, one of complete chaos to say the most.

People running as fast as they could to gather as much as they could to gorge themselves to satisfy a fleshly need while God provided for them every day.

Those people may have briefly tasted that meat, but before they could swallow, God killed them.

They were then buried at Kibroth-hattaavah.

Miriam and Aaron Oppose Moses' Marriage (Numbers 12:1-16)

"The camp moved northward to Hazeroth.

Here a power play of a different Sort unfold.

It is a pitiful sight to watch children of God succumb to self-conceit and envy.

It is plausible that Zipporah had passed away.

She was a descendent of Midian, who was a son of Abraham by Keturah "Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.

And she bare him...Midian" (Genesis 25:1, 2).

The context could possibly indicate that Moses had recently married another woman.

A marriage that Miriam and Aaron opposed.

With the possible death of Zipporah, Miriam was moved with envy, and perhaps some spite, to gain a more prominent place of leadership.

"And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.

And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses?

hath he not spoken also by us?

And the Lord heard it" (Numbers 12:1, 2).

The Lord came quickly to the defence of His chosen leader.

"And the LoRD spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation.

And they three came out" (verse 4).

He honored Moses above other prophets.

To the others, He came in visions and dream, but He spoke with Moses "mouth to mouth" (verse 8).

There was no mediation.

Moses was faithful in all things in God's house, therefore they spoke face to face.

"And the LoRD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend" (Exodus 33:11).