#2 (THE "DIFFICULTIES ON THE JOURNEY" SERIES)
"DIFFICULTIES
ABOUT THE ‘BREAD’!"
TEXT: Numbers
11:4-35
INTRO: It is a
real revelation of the soul that the most discontented people are those who have
the most! As a general rule, those
with the most time on their hands are least likely to be available to help;
those who are the busiest are the ones who get involved to help others. There is more dissatisfaction in wealthy
nations than there is in 3rd world countries. Those most bored are those with the most
options in life!
It seems to be a condition of the human
soul that we cannot find happiness in what we have as long as we can see
something we don't have!
There seems to be more joy and peace in
struggling Churches in poor countries than there is in rich affluent
societies. In societies where the
individual is emphasized the people want their OWN needs met rather than having
God's will met. There is a tendency
to look for something new and different all the time and not be happy with what
God has already provided.
One famous preacher in American history
recorded it this way:
ILLUS:
ONE DAY
HENRY WARD BEECHER WAS INTERESTED IN BUYING A HORSE. SEEING A NICE LOOKING ONE HE ASKED THE
OWNER ABOUT IT. THE OWNER STATED,
“THIS HORSE IS SOUND, HE IS ABLE TO GO
ANY GAIT; WALK, TROT, PACE, OR GALLOP.
HE WILL WORK ANY PLACE YOU PUT HIM, AND HE WILL NEITHER BITE NOR
KICK. HE WILL STAND WITHOUT
HITCHING, IS GENTLE, BUT FULL OF SPIRIT.
HE GOES WITH ONLY A NUDGE, IN ANY DIRECTION YOU INDICATE OR LEAD, AND HE
STOPS WHENEVER YOU WANT.” TO
THIS THE PREACHER RESPONDED, “AH, IF ONLY
THAT HORSE WERE A MEMBER OF MY CHURCH!” -- Source
Unknown
There is a grave danger to our soul
when we can't be satisfied with what God has given us and we feel we must have
something better than the basic blessings He has made available to us and His
Church!
PROP. SENT: The Bible teaches us that the most
dangerous condition of the heart is the one that becomes dissatisfied with Cod's
basic provisions, especially the Word of God. Cravings for "flesh" when we already
have the "Bread of life” is dangerous!
I. DISSATISFACTION &
DESIRE!
11:4-15
A.
Mixed Blood!
11:4-6
1. "The Rabble"
... this is the only time this term was used in the Old Testament, it
literally meant those who were of mixed blood, not fully
Jewish!
a. These were the Egyptians who had
come along on the trip because of the blessings of God and the power of God they
had witnessed earlier!
b. However, now living in the desert
for a while had been tough, and they didn't like the effort it took to live for
God, they wanted more blessings and less struggle!
c. They had followed Israel because of
the miracles, the good things God had sent them, but now they were bored with
the same miracles everyday, like the constant “bread from
heaven” called “Manna.”
2. They were use to excitement in
Egypt, and having whatever they wanted when they wanted it, of being waited on
by others ... this desert stuff was not what they were accustomed
to!
a. This servanthood stuff and trusting
God in a desert didn't sit well with them.
b. And the “bread of
heaven” each day was getting a little boring too ... they wanted
something more, a little "flesh" to
spice things up!
ILLUS: IN MATT. 24 JESUS TALKS ABOUT
THE LAST DAYS AND STATES THAT SATAN IS GOING TO DO SOME FANCY MIRACLES TO GET
PEOPLES’ ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE BIBLE, THAT IF IT WERE POSSIBLE TO EVEN TRY AND
DECEIVE THE VERY ELECT OF GOD!
RECENTLY I HAD A PASTOR SAY TO ME THAT THEY COULDN'T WAIT TO GET OUT OF
SUNDAY SCHOOL AND STUDYING THE BIBLE SO THEY COULD REALLY GET AN EXPERIENCE,
EVEN IF IT INCLUDED SOME “FLESH.”
HE WOULD RATHER HAVE FLESH IF IT BROUGHT SOME EXCITEMENT INTO HIS
CONGREGATION! IRONICALLY HE GOT HIS
FLESH, AND LOST SOME PEOPLE! THERE
IS NO SUBSTITUTE THAT IS AS FULFILLING AS GOD’S “MANNA”
THE BREAD OF HEAVEN!
3. There is indication that this was a
regular problem of their heart, notice here in verse 4 the phrase: “and again
the Israelites started wailing!”
a. This was not the first time they
had learned to complain about God's provision for
them!
b. It is sad to think that just a few
complainers could stir up so much dissatisfaction!
c. These “mixed blood”
folks were dissatisfied, they had one foot in Egypt still, and one in
Israel! They were dissatisfied
enough with Egypt to leave it, but dissatisfied enough with God to make His
people miserable too!
4. Dissatisfaction is a spreading
disease!
a. First thing that happens with a
dissatisfied spirit is that the memory becomes faulty!
b. They suddenly remember how
wonderful they think Egypt had been, with all the meat, vegetables, and spices
they always wanted; WHAT! They
didn't have this stuff, they had been slaves, their memories were now very
distorted!
5. Their complaining is simple, “we have lost our
appetites, we never see anything but this
manna!”
a. God's heavenly bread was no longer
satisfying to them, they craved some flesh!
b. Christians will always get
themselves in trouble when they develop an attitude that the Word of God is
boring and they want something more and exciting!
B.
Manna's Blessing 11:7-9
1. Manna had been God's provision of
bread for them during their travels in the desert!
a. There is no greater source of
spiritual help and nutrition for Christians as we travel to the “promise
land” than the Bible, which is the real bread of
life!
b. This bread no doubt contained
everything they needed to stay strong for the journey, but it now had become
something they loathed!
2. This can happen with Christians and
the bible, they get tired of bible study, they tire of sermons and hearing the
same truths preached over and over again; they want something more exciting to
happen, perhaps even a little flesh to spice up their
lives!
3. God had made this Manna sweet, good
tasting, nutritious, and available, you will note however that though God
provided it, it was their responsibility to go out and gather it and shape it
into a form that could be eaten!
a. This is true with the bible, God
provided it…
b. But we must gather it, shape it
into forms that can be consumed, etc.
4. This was bread from heaven ... it
didn't change over the course of the entire 40 year trip to the promise land, it
was exactly the same the whole journey!
a. And so it is with the bible, God's
Word will never change, it will be the same the whole trip to the promise land;
all the way to heaven!
b. It never lost its ability to
provide all the strength they needed, it was God's blessing upon them; one they
took for granted and grew tired of!
c. It was there in the evening, and
gathered in the morning each day except the 7th day. On the 6th day there was twice as much so
they could rest on the Sabbath!
d. All attempts to store it up failed
(except for the Sabbath) ... it would not be fit if they tried to get ahead; it
had to only be gathered daily for consumption!
C.
Murmuring & Blubbering!
11:10-15
1. However, like us many times, they
failed to see the constant blessing of this bread from heaven and they hungered
for something more thrilling!
a. They organized a planned complaint,
each stood in the entrance of his tent and moaned and wailed out
loud!
b. Imagine a couple million or so
people doing this all at the same time!!
c. God has a hard time with
discontented hearts!
2. Moses has a hard time with all
these discontented followers too! Like many Pastors who pastor churches of
discontented people he too becomes discontented!
a. Discontentment is
infectious!
b. Now, not only are the people
blubbering and complaining, so is Moses!
3. Moses mistakenly assumed he was to
carry these people's burdens alone, but in fact God had only asked him to lead
these people; God would carry them!
a. The people cry out
loud!
b. Moses cries out loud
too!
c. The last line of verse 15 indicates Moses was more concerned about
his own reputation that he was of God's at that time, “do not let me
face my own ruin.”
4 Israel had lost sight of the
difference between “wants” and “needs!” They needed the manna, they
wanted flesh, but too much want can distract attention from the real
need!
ILLUS:
IN HIS BOOK
"MAVERICK" BY RICARDO SEMLER,
HE TELLS OF A LESSON HE LEARNED ABOUT WANTS AND NEEDS. HE WORKED AT SEMCO AND IN A MEETING
SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS COMPLAINED OF THE NEED FOR MORE FILE CABINETS. THE NEED CAME TO ABOUT $50,000 FOR MORE
CABINETS, AND SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS HAD BEEN WAITING FOR MONTHS ALREADY WITH FILES
LYING AROUND. HOWEVER; SOMEONE
ASKED THE QUESTION “WHAT IF WE CLEAN OUT
ALL THE UNNECESSARY FILES AND OLD PAPERS NO LONGER NEEDED FIRST.” THEY TOOK A HALF DAY AND EVERY
DEPARTMENT WENT THROUGH EVERY CABINET CLEANING OUT ALL THE OLD STUFF NO LONGER
NECESSARY. AFTER THE CLEANOUT, NOT
ONLY DID THEY FIND THEY HAD ENOUGH CABINETS, BUT THE COMPANY WAS ABLE TO AUCTION
OFF DOZENS OF OLD FILE CABINETS THAT WERE EMPTY AND NOT NEEDED! THE REAL NEED WAS CLEANING OUT THE OLD,
NOT BUYING MORE CABINETS! THIS
SAVED THE COMPANY MORE THAN $50,000!
-- Source
Unknown
a. How many times do we tell the Lord
what we NEED, when what we really need is already
available!
b. We need a relationship healed and
we pray for God to do it, when all the time the bible tells us about how to heal
relationships; how to forgive, how to know “love that covers
a multitude of sins,” how to go to our brother and make things right;
but we ignore this “word” and hope God will somehow take care of it
supernaturally for us instead!
II. DELIVERANCE &
DISTRESS!
11:16-30
A.
Magnificent Blessings! 11:16-17,
24-30
1. God starts with Moses, God
instructs Moses to find 70 men with reputations as leaders, men of proven
character already!
a. To these men, God will put the same
Spirit that is on Moses on them!
b. It is clear from this plan that God
was not talking about helping Moses out administratively ... this had already
happened earlier thanks to advice from his father-in-law
Jethro.
c. It is clear that what God had in
mind here was for Moses to have Spiritual help! These would become like Elders, men to
lift up Moses and be an encouragement to him, to help him keep focus
spiritually!
2. Moses losing perspective because of
all the complaining people made it necessary for him to have some spiritual
support, to help keep him from losing perspective too!
3. No longer would Moses carry the
people alone spiritually, already there were those helping carry the load
administratively, but this would be spiritual help!
4. This kind of help to him would
require the SAME SPIRIT that already was on Moses!
a. And so God does
this!
b. And it becomes a great blessing to
Moses.. .and Israel in the long run!
B.
Messy Blessing 11:18-23
1. Moses is back on track, but now the
people need addressing, they begged for “flesh” and so God is going give them what they
want!
a. The only
thing sometimes more frightening than not getting what we want from God is
getting exactly what we want from God!
b. God may sometimes give us exactly
what we complain we want, and in the end it will prove to be very bad, but very
educational!
2. There is an interesting contrast here
between the “wind that blew in camp” ... the coming of the
Spirit on the 70 and the “wind that blew
outside the camp” that
brought the flesh!
a. It is hard to find the Spirit
outside the camp!
b. The only wind to blow outside is
the wind of flesh!
c. God was inside the camp and the
tabernacle, but outside the winds of flesh blew!
3. God promises to give them what they
want, he will send them flesh if that is what they really want and it will be a
mixed blessing, they will get what they want and within a month it will make
them all sick, some unto death!
a. Their idea of "blessing" would prove not to be God's
idea of "blessing!"
b. God granted them the desires of
their heart!
III. DANGEROUS DESIRES! 11:31-35
A.
Misguided Bounty 11:31-34
1. While the Holy Spirit settled on
the Elders inside the camp, the "wind" of flesh struck outside the
camp!
a. The word in Hebrew for "wind"
and "Spirit" is the same... it is "RUACH," thus it was the Holy Spirit inside
camp, and the "spirit" of flesh outside!
b. They certainly must have praised
God for this "answer" to their
prayers at least at first, oh how happy they were in the
beginning!
2. Israel got quails, the Elders got the Dove! The Elders
got the better deal by far!
3. NOTE:
These same Israelites that were
tired of gathering the daily manna were willing to spend 36 hours without sleep
to gather all this flesh!
a. Each man gathered no less than 500
gallons of flesh, pretty weighty stuff!
b. The efforts for flesh were far
greater than for the manna!
c. If only they had the same
commitment to the heavenly bread!
4. Yet, while the very blessing they
had begged for was being consumed, it turned rotten in their
mouths!
a. They had brought flesh into the
camp of God and it was there that this flesh turned sour in the very act of
consuming it! Sin is often like
this, tastes sweet when first experienced but leaves a bad taste in our mouths
after.
b. A plague broke out among God's
people, many became sick and some even died!
c. The blessing they wanted proved to
be a curse in the long run, instead of fulfilling their inner desire it only
made them ill, something "flesh" will always do when it becomes the
substitute for the Word of God or heavenly bread!
5. Lusting for something other than
God's bread didn't satisfy, lust never is satisfied!
ILLUS:
THE STORY
IS TOLD ABOUT ABRAHAM LINCOLN AS HE WAS WALKING DOWN THE STREET ONE DAY WITH HIS
2 SONS, BOTH OF WHOM WERE CRYING OUT LOUD.
A PASSERBY HEARD THE BOYS CRYING LOUDLY AND CAME UP TO LINCOLN AND ASKED,
"WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOUR
BOYS?" LINCOLN'S ANSWER WAS
VERY INSTRUCTIVE, HE SAID, "EXACTLY WHAT
IS WRONG WITH THE WHOLE WORLD, I HAVE 3 WALNUTS IN MY POCKET AND EACH BOY WANTS
2 OF THEM!" -- Source
Unknown
6. Israel thought they could do fine
without the bread from heaven, that a substitute would be just as fine ...
but the substitute brought death, not life like the heavenly
bread!
a. The world, especially the Church,
is not fine without God's Word, the heavenly bread. It never changes, it is exactly what we
need for the journey.
ILLUS:
WHEN THOMAS
PAINE SHOWED BENJAMIN FRANKLIN THE MANUSCRIPT OF “THE AGE OF REASON”
FRANKLIN ADVISED HIM NOT TO PUBLISH IT, SAYING, "THE WORLD IS BAD ENOUGH WITH THE BIBLE;
WHAT WOULD IT BE WITHOUT IT!" – Source Unknown
b. God's provision is still the best
one, monotonous or not!
7. They renamed this area, "KIBROTH
HATTAAVAH" which in Hebrew means, "Graves of
cravings."
a. They are not to forget this
experience of lusting for the flesh and the results.
b. The name change would remind them
and the future generations of the dangers of craving flesh over the Word of
God!
c. Their craving for flesh had left
its mark, many sick, several died.
A tragedy that could have been avoided had they stuck to heavenly
bread!
B.
Mercy Bestowed! 11:35
1. This story doesn't end on a tragic
note however, God intervenes and in His mercy He takes them from "graves of
cravings" to "Hazeroth" which in Hebrew means, “courtyards ... it was an oasis in the
desert!
a. God does not hold on to His anger,
He brings them to a place of rest and refreshment, here they would rest and once
again be fed Manna, God's heavenly bread!
b. Here, hope would be restored, and
so would perspective!
c. Here, they would gather strength
and find healing again!
2. They stayed here for a while, and
with lessons learned they settle down once again and find satisfaction and joy
while feasting on “bread from heaven!”
a. So often we want something new and
exciting to happen to us, yet what we need most is to learn to appreciate the
provisions God already has given us … His daily bread the Word of
God!
b. Nothing is better for us than this
manna!
3. This oasis was better than the desert,
but the food was the same … manna!
4. Refreshed in body and spirit they would
be ready to journey on again!
CONCLUSION: Israel grew tired of the "ordinary"
bread God had sent them each day.
They began to crave something more exciting. As their dissatisfaction grew their
willingness to accept anything new grew also! As they cried out to God for something
more than heavenly bread they finally got what they wanted ... lots of flesh,
and it made them sick in the end!
Getting what we want isn't always what is best for us. Be sure to seek heavenly
bread!