1. As I was looking at this Torah portion I got to thinking about how much we
Grumble at things.
2. And who we are directing that grumbling to, we may think we are directing
Things to a man or women, but ultimately who we are really grumbling against.
3. Look at Num. 10:33-34, they are just leaving Mt. Sinai, Israel was at Mt. Sinai
For about 11 months and 5 days, they celebrated their second Passover and
They leave for Kadesh Barnea right after that, they make about 20 stops
Between Mt. Sinai and Kadesh Barnea, now it is an 11 day journey from Mt.
Sinai also known as Mt. Horeb to Kadesh Barnea Duet. 1:2.
4. Remember they built all of the Tabernacle and everything it, look at Num. 8:1-
26 this is where they finish the Tabernacle and consecrated the Levites for
Service.
5. In Num. 9 they have their second Passover and it is where the Cloud began to
Go before them in Num. 10:11.
6. Look at Ex. 16:35, the Israelites ate the manna for 40 years until they came to
The land that they were to inherit.
7. Now look at Num. 11:1, it says that the people complaining, and the word
Complain mean to complain and to mourn, and the definition of mourn is to be
Sorrowful or lamentation.
8. Most scholars today are saying that they were complaining about their hardship
Or their troubles, let’s take a journey back to Ex. 6:5-6, Yahweh wants Moses
To tell the Israelites that He has heard their groanings, and He is about to
Deliver them from the slavery that the Egyptians had put them under, now the
Word “groan” actually means to make a vocal sound because of severe pain
Either physical, mental, etc.
9. So here is Israel now mourning their troubles that they are experiencing now,
Remember they are no longer under the slavery of Egypt, this is the same thing
They were doing as Yahweh was delivering them from Egypt look at Ex. 14:
11-12.
10. In Ex. 14:12 the Israelites tell Moses that they want Moses to leave them alone
Because it is better to “serve” the Egyptians that to die in the desert can mean
To be a slave, but it can also mean to be a worshipper, so they would rather
Worship Pharaoh than Yahweh so they will not die in the desert.
11. Now it says that when Yahweh heard this His anger burned and fire from
Yahweh blazed among them, KJV and ISR agree that those that were on the
Out skirts of the camp were consumed, they cried out to Moses and Moses
Prayed and the fire stopped, the fire I believe represent His judgment.
12. Now in Num. 11:4 I believe starts another session of complaints, in this one I
Believe is another incident because in this one it deals with food and not just
Hardships.
13. But in this incident, it says, some interesting things, my version says some
Contemptible people, the KJV says a mixt multitude, and it separates Israel
From the Israel, Look at Ex. 12:38 they were an ethnically diverse crowd went
With Israel during the Exodus.
14. These 2 groups rose up because of their lusts for the food of Egypt, they
Wanted the meat, leeks onions, and garlic and in Num. 11:5 they point out
The fish was free making it sound as if Yahweh was charging them for what
They ate.
15. Now look at what is said about what Yahweh had given them, they say in my
Version that they have lost their appetites are gone because all they have to
Look at is this manna, now KJV says that they souls were dried up, the very
Part of them that keeps them alive is drained away.
16. Then Scripture describes it and it tastes like pastry cooked with the finest oil,
Now I don’t have any concept of that than to think of it like Kristy Kreme
Doughnuts, melt in your mouth, and soft doughy treats.
17. Now if we could just stop here and ask if any of you have a mental picture of
What this might look like? What’s going on is a big petty party, and put
Yourself in Yahweh and Moses place and how they must have felt, what must
They be feeling?
18. What do you think Yahweh might be doing here?
19. These people are a serious complaining people, they have been complaining
From the beginning and don’t seem to be interested in Trusting Yahweh at
And only cry out to Moses when they have already gotten themselves in
Trouble with Yahweh.
20. Are we a complaining people today? Do we see ourselves in this passage of
Scripture?
21. So we see in Num. 11:10, that everyone was crying in the door of their tents
And that Yahweh was angry with them and in verse 11 it says that Moses was
Provoked and the KJV says displeased and as we continue to read Moses
Has a conversation with Yahweh asking Him why He has brought such trouble
On His servant.
22. And it comes down to Moses telling Yahweh that he is not able to carry the
Load of providing for the people what they want, and tells Yahweh that if He
Is going to kill him (Moses) do it now, but if not don’t let him (Moses) see
Adversity anymore, the word that is used for misery is adversity.
23. So Yahweh’s answer comes in Num. 11:16-17, Moses is to get 70 men who
Are leaders of tribes and bring them to the door of the tent of meeting, and
Yahweh will take the same Spirit that Yahweh had put on Moses and put
That same Spirit on them so they will be able to help Moses with the load of
Leadership of Israel.
24. Look closely at Num. 11:18-20, they were saying that they really had it good
In Egypt and that they really don’t see why they needed to be delivered from
Egypt so they really wanted to be delivered from slavery but wanted to be able
To stay there and have Yahweh let them mix thing.
25. Yahweh tells them that He is going to give them meat for a month until meant
Is coming out of the nostrils and becomes sickening to them, and Moses says
That if all the flocks were slaughtered for them would it ever be enough for
Them?
26. Now in Num. 11:31-35, Yahweh does what He told them He would do, but
Look at the outcome, Num. 11:33-34, because of their lusts for meat, or we
Could say because of their rejection of Yahweh provision they ended up
Dying from a plague.