May 12, 2011 – Numbers 11

I read something yesterday that this chapter takes place three days after they left. Three days is the same amount of time that the Hebrews had traveled from crossing the Red Sea before they started to complain to God about being hungry and when manna first came down from heaven. So it seems like three days is the limit of traveling before they start to get anxious about how things are going. Here we see that what they are complaining about isn't the fact of being hungry, but what they are being fed. I think there's a very unique difference between complaining about being hungry and not having anything to eat and complaining about what is actually being given to you. I think that often we have enough to get by, especially here in America, but still we complain all the time about what it is we actually have. We aren't satisfied with what we've been given, we want something different or newer or shinier, something that we think is more important or improved. And that's what they are asking for here.

It is also interesting that Moses can't take it anymore, the complaining of the people and their constant bickering. It appears that God understands that and give some assistance. And then we have the people getting exactly what they wanted, more meat, in the form of these quails that come from the sea, and yet what it actually brings them is a great plague. It's a very clear picture of " be careful what you wish for ". In what I was reading about this section of Numbers, we're going to see the people complaining again very quickly, and more specifically Moses' family complaining about what ever and there punishments specifically.

This traveling in the wilderness is such a good example for us to think about our lives and what we have or don't have, we need or don't need, how we live our lives from day-to-day and what we're thankful for and what we take for granted. I think the scene where two people were given special gifts but not with the group is also interesting. It appears very similar to the time when the disciples told Jesus there's somebody preaching and teaching in his name that isn't part of their group. And Christ tells them that if you are not against him your for him and to allow him to continue preaching. Here we have two people that were given, but because they were not part of a special group, there not seen as appropriate to be preaching or professing about God. But Moses correctly says that you shouldn't stop them and that they should be allowed to preach because, basically the same reasoning if you are not against God you are for God.