Random Thoughts 301

Are you called to submit to someone? Are other called to submit to you? We need to be careful with our attitudes.

Romans 15:1-6 says ” We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the week, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. For even Christ did not please himself; but as it is written, the reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me. For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we threw the patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Now may the god of patience and comfort Grant you to be like minded towards one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may be of one mind and one mouth glorify the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (nkjv)

Reproach is kind of an old fashioned word meaning disgrace or shame. Griping and complaining against circumstances, griping and complaining against those I’m called to submit to, griping and complaining even when His blessings surrounded me beings disgrace and shame to God’s name.

This passage says that things written before were written for my learning. So I went to the scriptures that had the most griping and complaining to see how God dealt with it.

Exodus is an amazing display of God’s intervention and retribution. The Israelites cried out for deliverance from slavery. God heard there cries and performed mighty miracles. These miracles scared their Egyptian slave masters so much that eventually the Israelites were paid vast sums to leave.

After they were gone just a little while the Pharaoh had a change of heart and sent the army after them. The Israelites saw the army coming for them and they had no place to run . It looked like they were stuck between the army and the sea.

They all complained to Moses saying more or less, You brought us out of Egypt so they wouldn’t have to dig graves. You’re going to get us killed here instead. Moses told them to not be afraid. God delivered you from slavery, He’ll deliver you from this also. Stand still and watch. The sea parted, everyone escaped, the army followed and was drowned.

(Lesson 1: Stand still and watch. God brought me this far. He won’t abandon me now. Ex. 14.)

Three days later they camped by a place called Marah. The water here was bitter and the people complained saying “what shall we drink?” Moses cried out to God and God showed him a tree that when it was put in the water made the water sweet.

(Lesson 2: Even if I’m quick to forget God’s grace and mercy and become bitter, calling on Him can sweeten the situation. Ex. 16:22-30)

A little over a month later food was getting tight. The “whole congregation complained against Moses and Aaron saying” ( paraphrase) remember when back in Egypt? Things may have sucked but least we had food then. Looks like you brought us out here to starve us to death.

So God supplied mana for bread in the mornings and quail for meat in the evenings. All they had to do was go out and collect the mana every morning and kill and cook the quail in the evenings. The only exceptions were that they had to do it every day except for the Sabbath. If they tried to collect more than they needed it would spoil.

(Lesson 3: Work hard and be thankful every day for His provision. Ex. 16.1-26

They could collect twice as much the day before the Sabbath because the Sabbath was to be a day of rest unto the Lord. Some of the Israelite didn’t do this. They went out expecting food and found none. The Lord said to Moses “How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws?”

(Lesson 4: When those I’m responsible for don’t obey God I share in the blame. Ex:16 27-32.)

Along the way again they ran short of water. “Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said “Give us water, that we may drink.” Moses responded by saying “Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the Lord?” Then he “..cried out to the Lord, saying What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!”

The Lord told Moses to take some of the elders on ahead. I’ll stand by you while you strike the rock with your staff and water will come out of it.

(Lesson 5: Gripe and complain long enough and it becomes contentious. Don’t contend with the one God has put over me or he just might let God know how pissy I can be. Ex17:1-7 Lesson 5a: Don’t condemn someone for things only God can change. Ex 27:4)

Then Amalek didn’t like the looks of this rag tag group of people traveling across the land. Besides, he probably heard about how much the Egyptians had paid them to go away. So he and his army came out to fight the Israelis. Moses went up on a nearby hill and while his hands were raised the Israelite army prevailed. Eventually his arms got tired. When his arms fell the Amalekites prevailed. So Aaron and Hur got him a place to sit and held Moses’ arms for him. Israel won the battle.

(Lesson 6: When the person I’ve been complaining about gets tired from interceding for me give him some support. Ex.17:8-13)

Three months after this they came to mount Sinai. For the last three months they’ve seen amazing miracles. Everything from the plagues in Egypt to food falling from heaven, water from rocks to the power of intercessory prayer. Now Moses tells everyone to get cleaned up and get ready because in three days we’re all going to church. You all can come to the foot of the mountain but don’t come any closer.

On the third day the mountain was covered in a thunderstorm so great that the mountain shook. Smoke rose from the mountain like a giant furnace. Then there was a trumpet blast so loud all the people got nervous. They all heard Moses get called up on the mountain.

This is where Moses received the law which covered everything from how people are to treat God, how people are to treat each other, their animals, foreigners and even the land itself when they get to area promised to them through Abraham. Moses reported it all to the people and they said ” all the words that the Lord has said we will do.”

Moses was called back up to the mountain and for forty days he was given instructions on how to build the tabernacle, the implements of worship and the priesthood.

After everything God had done and shown them in the last three months, forty days was just too long to wait to hear more. They took it upon themselves to create an idol contrary to what both God and Moses said, and this just forty days after they agreed to do all the Lord had said.

God saw the idol they had made and was ticked. He threatened to wipe them out and start over. Again Moses interceded on the people’s behalf. Then he came down and saw for himself. He also got ticked off. He smashed the tables he’d been working on for the last forty days, melted the idol and dumped it in the drinking water. Then he found his brother Aaron, who was left in charge, and asked ” What did these people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?”

Aaron’s excuse was just about what we’d expect. In modern vernacular he said, Calm down chief. You know these people are going to do things their own way. They said you’d been gone too long so they asked me to make a replacement god. I took some of their gold, threw it into a fire and, presto, out came a golden calf.

(Lesson 7: just because the person in charge is away don’t get stupid. Ex. 32.)

Things went pretty good for a while after this. The Israelites got organized, they got the Tabernacle and all it’s accoutrement made and started training an army. This took about 9 months.

Then they started complaining again. They were tired of the same food every day. They got bored with it. Mana biscuits, mana pancakes, mana muffins, mana porridge… it’s too bad they couldn’t make manicotti with a nice bottle of Manischewitz. But I digress.

God heard their complaining and started a fire around the edges of the camp. Again Moses interceded and God’s fire went out. Then he went to find out what was going on. The people said “We remember fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. But now there’s nothing but the same old mana.” They moaned and whined and complained to the point that Moses went to God and did some complaining of his own. “Did I give birth to these people? Do I have to take care of them like they were little children throwing tantrums? Why am I being punished? This is just too hard. Please just kill me.

(Lesson 8: Griping and complaining is contagious. Num. 11)

So God stirred up a wind storm that blew in so many quail they were piled up some 3 feet all around the camp of 6000 men plus women and children. Many of them were already dead so it only took two days and a night to clean and cook everything. Of course being already dead some of the meat had turned bad and many people got sick.

(Lesson 9: Don’t complain against the blessing I have. Num 11)

Finally they make it to the boarders of the land promised to them. They sent one man from each tribe to check it out. In Numbers 13:20 it says it was the season of the first ripe grapes. This would make it late summer, so they’d been traveling about 14 months.

God had promised He’d go ahead and fight for them. After all he promised the land to them.

When the spys came back they said the land was great, flowing with milk and honey. They even picked such a large cluster of grapes it took two men to carry it.

Ten of the twelve said the land may be good but the people look tough and they have strong cities. We can’t take them. The other two said with God’s help we could take them.

Ten to two. They were out voted and all the people were discouraged and complained against Moses for bringing them all this way just to die. They decided to select a different leader to bring them back to Egypt. Then they picked stones to kill him and the two spys who voted to go into this promised land.

That’s when God stepped in. His glory filled the tabernacle and He was very angry. Again Moses interceded and rather than wipe them all out He killed the ten who discouraged all the people.

(Lesson 11: Don’t let other complainers talk me out of God’s promises. Num 13-14)

Then God told everyone else “fine, you don’t want what I promised? Then go wander around here in the wilderness until this generation dies off. When your children come back in forty years maybe they’ll accept what you refused.

Some of them didn’t like this idea and tried to invade anyway without God’s help. They got their butts kicked.

So they all took off the other way and wandered around for a while. Some would grumble, some would complaine.A couple of time some tried to take over Moses’ position. Every time God stepped in.

After a while they came to a place where there wasn’t any water. The entire congregation rose up and got angry with Moses saying, ” why have you brought us into this world Ernest. We’re and our animals aregoing to die here. Why did you take us out of Egypt? At least there was water to drink.”

Moses went into the tabernacle and slumped down on the floor. God said to him “Take the rod; when you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield water. ”

Moses took the rod then he and Aaron got everyone together and said, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water out of this rock for you?” Then he struck the rock twice and enough water came out for everyone and every animal.

Then God said to Moses “Because you didn’t listen to Me nor honor Me in everyone’s eyes you shall not bring the children of Israel into the land I promised.

(Lesson 12: Even if I get fed up with other complainers don’t dishonor God. It could cost me everything. Num 20.)

Griping and complaining shows an ungrateful heart and can effect people around me, even to the point of causing them to sin.