Numbers 11.
1880 52 The Book of Numbers gives us the history of the journeying of the Israelites in the wilderness and of their continual rebellion. As the history of God's people, it is most encouraging, inasmuch as it exalts God and shows all His patience toward His people. Toward the end of the journey, God gives this judgment that He has not seen iniquity in Jacob.
Israel encamped at the commandment of the Lord; the ark of the covenant conducted them. God gave them in everything directions. After that the ark had directed them for three days, they complained of fatigue. It is the first time that Israel complains of the road, and the beginning of the action of unbelief, even in the hearts of the faithful. After having passed the Red Sea Israel sang the song of perfect deliverance. But when it is needful to march through a desert where there is no water nor road, and where one must depend for everything on God, flesh begins to get weary and regrets the enjoyments it had in Egypt!
We may be wearied, not of God but of what we are, and of carrying this treasure in earthen vessels; nor does this weariness estrange us from God, The Lord Jesus could say, How long shall I suffer you? The flesh, when it manifests itself in presence of God, does not complain of the weariness that it finds and from which it desires relief. Notwithstanding the difficulties and the flesh, as Christ is stronger than Satan, if we were ever in presence of God, we should discover in His sight all that which is in us, we should go forth strengthened by His grace, and the flesh would not manifest itself in an evil way. The more I am in the presence of God, the more will my heart be weary of evil. This will be a weariness and a sadness according to Christ, who was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. God loves this weariness and relieves it: it proceeds from the love of Christ in us; it does not grow slack in the work nor does it yield in temptation. If I am faithful, impossible that I should not be weary of the sin that is in me.
The weariness which comes from the flesh, which does not resist, nor loves it, and yields to complaint, is not pleasing to God. (Num. 11:1.) "And the LORD heard it, and his anger was kindled." For this complaining was a rejection of Himself. They despised their Lord, though it took the form of weeping. (Num. 11:20.) When the flesh is allowed activity in us, we are weary of the road and the Lord is set at naught. Such is what the flesh ever does. God takes care of everything, but the flesh finds weariness and breaks into complaint. Jehovah shows first His presence in burning fire, and consumed some in the uttermost part of the camp. It is thus Jehovah recalled them to His presence. Humiliation follows, and at Moses' intercession mercy resumes its course. There were among the people not a few whose hearts were yet in Egypt. For the journey we have need of but little; the lighter our baggage, the easier will be our march. God does not give us what would attach us to this world of sin, but what suffices for the journey toward Canaan. The worldly-minded cannot content themselves with this provision, because they have no hope of Canaan, which is not their inheritance. "And the children of Israel also wept again and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick. But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes." (Num. 11:4-6.)
They seek something else than God gave them as the suited food for the way. If God were to give His people some food which would bind them to the earth, it would be a misfortune. Be gave them manna from heaven. "And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium. And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil. And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it." (Num. 11:7-9.) This is not our rest, nor is it here. The heart desires rest now after a fleshly sort; and the remembrance of worldly thins comes up Again, It is a remembrance, and net a hope, The manna that God gave day by day is the grace in Christ sufficient for the journey
Israel do not recollect the bondage, and the bricks, and the blows in Egypt. Satan does not recall to us the miseries of the world; and God would not be satisfied in His love to us if He made us happy here below. He would not give us that which makes us forget that we are in the wilderness, travelling (not resting) here below. God would prove His grace sufficient for us. When He no longer suffices us, the activity of the flesh begins. Impossible in grace to make provision for tomorrow nor to rest on the grace of yesterday. There is no resting-place but God: absolute dependence on Himself is that which God desires. God remembers Israel every morning (allowing for the sabbath, which was no real exception) for forty years. The unbeliever may like to receive the gifts of God; the believer loves Him who gives them. If God had only given the manna once a month, He would have shown His love but once, and not every day. God shows every moment how He loves us. To be filled with the mind of God, to depend constantly on Him, is to be in the joy of the faithful. If our eyes are not content with seeing the manna every morning, we despise the love of God. Are we happy to be wholly dependent on God?
Moses was justly displeased (Num. 11:10), but he failed in faith. "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? Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat. I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness." (Num. 11:11-15.)
He forgets that the difficulty is before God, and that it concerns God. The disciples in the ship tossed by the tempest were afraid, as if with Jesus they could perish! As God has bound up His glory with our interests, our unbelief separates our interests from the glory of God. It is the greatest chastening from God when He gives that which the flesh craves. "Say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall cat. Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; but even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the Lord which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?" (Num. 11:18-20.) He strikes at the same time. "And there went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day's journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth. And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp. And while the flesh was vet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Loan smote the people with a very great plague. And he called the name of that place Kibroth-hattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted." (Num. 11:31-34.) The Israelites at the sight of the quails ought to have confessed their sin and returned to the Lord. On the contrary they feasted on the quails to the satisfying of their lusts, and were punished.