Numbers 12:1

Numbers 12:1 says, And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.  Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses, God's chosen leader, because he had married an Ethiopian woman.  We may at times want to criticize those whom God has put in power today because we don't like who they are married to, but if God called them, He knew all about them, as He did about Moses, so we need to simply support them.  Verse two adds, And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.  Miriam and Aaron were basically jealous of Moses, and that is where a lot of problems in the church, the family of God, come from today.  They asked if God spoke only through Moses, or if He didn't speak through them too.  We should never be jealous of anyone because the fact that God is doing more through them than He is through us.  God heard what they were saying, just as He hears our complaints about others today.  Verse three continues, (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)  Moses was the most meek man in the world, yet God chose him to lead the nation of Israel out of bondage and to the promised land.  We sometimes may feel that a preacher should be a more forceful person, but they just need to be who God wants them to be.  Verse four states, And the LORD spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.  God called Moses, Aaron, and Miriam into the tabernacle of the congregation.  Since they were the three people involved in this, God called them all together.  God may call us together with those we have a problem with if we are listening to Him.  Verse five adds, And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.  God came down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle and called Miriam and Aaron to Him, and they stood before Him.  One day, God is going to call everyone before Him, but in this lifetime He may call us together spiritually if not physically with those that we have problems with, and if He does, we would be wise enough to respond.  Verse six continues, And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. God said that if there was a prophet among them, it would be because God had spoken to them first through a vision or dream.  Verse seven declares, My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.  God then said that He had not spoken to Moses through dreams or visions, but had spoken to him face to face.  As followers of Christ today, we can speak directly to God and He can speak directly to us.  That doesn't mean that He will never speak to us through dreams or visions though.  We just have to make sure that we know beyond a doubt that is really God Who is talking to us.  Verse eight adds, With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?  God continued to tell Miriam and Aaron how He spoke personally with Moses, then asked how they were not afraid to speak against Moses.  We should never speak against anyone that God has called to serve Him because we don't like the way they are doing it, or because we feel that we can do it better.  Verse nine continues, And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed.  God was angry with Miriam and Aaron and departed from where the were.  We need to pray that our actions as Christians will never cause God to leave our presence.  Though we are saved forever if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ, we can still act in such a way that we lose His direction in life at times.  We should never act out of envy or jealousy for how God is using someone else. 

Numbers 11:24

Numbers 11:24 says, And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle.  Moses went out and told the people what God had said and gathered the seventy elders and placed them around about the tabernacle.  We aren't told who these seventy elders were, but know that they were the leaders of the people.  We need to do what God tells us to do today, especially the leaders of the nation.  Verse twenty-five adds, And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.  God came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses, then took the Spirit that was on Moses and gave the Spirit to these seventy elders as well.  When this happened, they began to prophesy and did not stop.  When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we have the Holy Spirit come to indwell us and we should proclaim His word without stopping.  Verse twenty-six continues, But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.  Two men, Eldad and Medad, didn't go to the tabernacle but remained 8n the camp and started prophesying.  For whatever reason, they did not come to the tabernacle even though they were two of the seventy, but the Spirit found and enabled them where they were.  We are fortunate that we don't have to be in a certain place for God to use us, and if He chooses us, He will find and equip us wherever we are.  Verse twenty-seven states, And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.  A young man ran and told Moses what Eldad and Medad were doing, for whatever reason.  Some people today may still run to religious leaders if they see someone that they don't believe should be doing so proclaiming God's word, but it is not up to us to judge.  Verse twenty-six adds, And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.  Joshua, who would later be noted for his faith in God, told Moses to tell them to stop.  We may be faithful to God, but at times we may still be wrong in what we personally believe should happen in the Church, God's people.  Verse twenty-nine continues, And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD’s people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!   Moses asked Joshua if he was opposed to Eldad and Medad prophesying out of envy for Moses, and then said that he would like for all God's people to be prophets and the Spirit of the LORD be on all of them. As Christians today, the Spirit of the Lord is in all of us, and we should proclaim His word wherever we are.  Verse  thirty says, And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.  Moses went into the camp with the elders.  We as followers of Christ need to go where the people are and share the gospel with them.  Verse thirty-one adds, 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.  God then basically rained down quail all around the camp, piling them up high.  God did what He had said He would do and provided them with more meat than they could eat.  If we quit complaining and simply look to God to provide our needs, He will bless us beyond measure.  Verse thirty-two continues, 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.  It took the people two days to gather all the quail.  Verse thirty-three declares,  And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague.  As they were eating, God's wrath was kindled against them, because they had not been satisfied with His provision for them but had demanded more, and He sent a plague on them.  Just because we may get more in this world than we we really need and that God has already provided for us doesn't mean that this is a sign of God's blessing us.  Verse thirty-four adds, And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted.  God named the place Kibrothhattaavah, because the people had lusted there.  I don't believe that we as Christians should ever lust after the things of this world.  Verse thirty-five continues, And the people journeyed from Kibrothhattaavah unto Hazeroth; and abode at Hazeroth.  The people left there and went to Hazeroth, where they abode for awhile.  If we have been envying the things of this world, we need to leave the place of envy behind and move on by faith.

Numbers 11`18

Numbers 11;18 says, And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, 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 eat.  God told Moses that He had heard their complaints, even their saying that in Egypt they had meat to eat, and that tomorrow they would have meat to eat.  God did not have to do this, but He chose do so.  We also have another example of the fact that God gave people animals for food, which is a consistent fact throughout the Bible.  Verse nineteen adds, Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;  Verse twenty adds, 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?  God said that they wouldn't have meat to eat for one or two days, but for a month, until it was running out of their nostrils and they despised it, because they had despised the LORD by claiming that they were better off in Egypt.  If we began to moan about what we have given up to follow God, He may allow us to have so much that we begin to despise it, because no matter how much or the things of this world we accumulate, if we do so while questioning God's goodness, they will never satisfy us.  Verse twenty-one states, Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month.  Moses said to the people that God knew the number of the people of Israel and that He was going to give them meat to eat for the whole month.  God knows the number of the followers of Christ today, and He will always meet our needs spiritually, and that is all that really counts.  We should never believe that we were better off before we accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, even if we lose everything in this world, even life itself.  Verse twenty-two adds, Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?  Moses questioned whether everything, all the sheep, cattle, and fish, would have to be destroyed in order to feed this great number of people meat.  We need not question God's ability to provide what He promises to His people, nor should we.  Verse twenty-three declares, And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD’s hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.  God asked Moses if he thought God's power was limited, and then told him to wait and see if what He had promised He would not deliver.  As Christians, we simply have to wait by faith to see the promises of God be fulfilled, and even if it isn't in our lifetime, they will definitely be fulfilled.  God never has nor never will fail to keep His promises.  

Numbers 11:10

Numbers 11:10 says, Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.  Moses heard the people weep because they didn't like what God was providing for them to eat.  God's anger was kindled greatly, and Moses was displeased.  What angers God should at least displease us as followers of Christ, whether we are the ones guilty or doing it or whether we see others doing it.  Verse eleven adds, 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?  Of course, Moses then basically tried to blame God for the situation.  Though God was providing for their every need, Moses asked why God afflicted him with all their burdens.  We too often want to complain to God when we feel that things are not going right, instead of thanking Him for His abundant love and mercy.  Verse twelve continues, 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?  Moses asked God if he should be responsible for the people of Israel as if they were all his children.  Since God had entrusted Moses with this responsibility, the answer was yes.  Moses saw it as a terrible burden instead of as a great privilege.  I believe we too often complain about what God has given us the great privilege of doing because we see it as a burden instead.  Verse thirteen asks, Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.  Moses asked God where he could get enough meat for the people to eat instead of asking why God put up with their complaining.  I don't believe that we should ever claim that God will give Christians everything they want, but should instead profess the truth that He will give them everything they need.  We are too often a complaining people instead of a praising people as followers of Christ.  Verse fourteen adds, I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.  Moses said he couldn't bear all the responsibility alone, and he was right.  God was there to enable him to do what he had been called to do, and He will do the same for us today.  We are never alone in doing what God has called us to do, but as Christians always have the Holy Spirit is empower us.  Verse fifteen continues, 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.  Moses then asked God if he had found favor in God's sight to just kill him.  At least Moses didn't say he was going to kill himself, but he put his fate in God's hands.  We may feel overwhelmed as Christians as we do what God has called us to do at times, and might even feel that we would be better off just leaving this old sinful world, but we should also know that whether we live or die is in God's hands.  Paul would later write of the same dilemma.  As Paul said, to die would be better from an everlasting perspective, but to live would be an opportunity to continue to share the gospel with others, and he placed it in God's hands, and so must we.  Verse sixteen declares, And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.  God told Moses to bring Him seventy elders that he knew to be dependable elders to the tabernacle so they could stand with Moses.  God answered Moses's complaint, even though Moses was never alone in serving God.  He already had Aaron and his sons as well as the Levites to help him, but God was providing him additional help.  If we are doing what God calls us to do, He has already provided us with all the help we need to do it, yet we often complain, and He may give us additional help, whether we really need it or not.  Verse seventeen adds, And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.  God told Moses that when these seventy were gathered that He would come down and put the same Spirit in them that was in Moses.  As followers of Christ, we already have the same Holy Spirit living in us, and we are never alone in bearing the burdens of life as we do God's work.  The Holy Spirit is there to equip and empower us to do whatever God calls us to do, and as long as we are following in faith, we really never should feel overwhelmed. 

Numbers 11:1

Numbers 11:1 says, And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.  God had just delivered the people of Israel from bondage in Egypt with great reiches, and they complained.  God has delivered us as followers of Christ from the bonbage and penalty of sin, yet we often complain.  God was angry with them, and consumed some of them with fire in the outer edges of the camp.  God will hear our just complaints as Matthew Henry says, but will be angry at our unjust murmuring.  Verse two adds, And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched.  The people then cried out to Moses.  Matthew Henry says that though God knew of the murmuring of the people, Moses evidently wasn't aware of it, but after God began to punish them, they cried out to him.  We often do not cry out to God until He begins to deal with our grumbling from lack of faith.  Moses prayed to God for the people, and the fire was quenched.  If we have done something to anger God, and acting out of a lack of faith is one thing that might do this, we need to come to Him in prayer and repentance.  Verse three continues, And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the LORD burnt among them.  Moses gave the place where this occurred a name, Taberah, because the fire of God had burned against them there.  Verse four states, And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?  Even after all that God had done for them and the punishment for murmuring, some of the people began to lust for meat to eat.  We too often lust for more than God has provided for us as Christians, and I believe He is still disappointed when we do.  Verse five adds, 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:  Forgetting that they were slaves, the people simply remembered the good food that they had in Egypt.  We too often look back on the things of they world that we may have had before becoming followers of Christ and feel that we are missing something, but we are missing nothing that we will ever need.  Verse six continues, But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.  They complained that all they had was manna, which they didn't have to work for and God supplied in abundance.  I believe we too often complain about what we don't have as Christians instead of praising God for what He does supply us with.  Verse seven says, And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium.  Verse eight adds, 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.  We are told a little more about the manna.  We know that even though God provided it, the people still had to gather and cook it.  I believe that we too often expect God to meet our needs and even go beyond that and fulfill our wants without any effort on our part.  Verse nine continues, And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.  At night, the manna fell like dew from heaven.  We also know that it could not be hoarded, but only what could be used that day was to be gathered. I believe we need to rely on God to meet our needs daily, and not attempt to hoard the things He blesses us with.

Numbers 10:29

Numbers 10:29 aays, And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses’ father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel.  Moses told Hobab, his brother-in-law,  that he was going to the land that the LORD had prepared for the people of Israel.  Moses invited Hobab to come with them, and we should invite others to come with us to the heavenly home that God has prepared for His people.  Of  course, the only way they can do this is by accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord.  Verse thirty adds, And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred.  Hobab said he wasn't going, but was returning to his own people instead, just as many people today choose to stay with the people of this world instead of accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.  Verse thirty-one states, And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes.  Moses asked Hobab to stay with them as they were camping in the wilderness, and that God would be with them and insure that they fared well.  Even in the wilderness of the world today, if people refuse to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord the first time we invite them to, we need to continue to invite them to do so.  Verse thirty-two adds, And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what goodness the LORD shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee.  Moses then told Hobab that if he went with them, God would be with him just as He was with the people of Israel, and that he could be of service to them since he was more familiar with the land.  Though God was leading them, just as He does today, He still expects use to us our God given talents to serve Him.  Once we became a follower of Christ, we are all a part of the same family, no matter where we are from in this world.  Verse thirty-three says, And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days’ journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them.  Moses and the people of Israel then departed from the mount of the LORD and traveled three days with the Ark of the Covenant going before them.  We should invite others to join us as we journey this earth following God's guidance to our heavenly home, but once He tells us to move, we need to go whether they come with us or not.  We are not told if Hobab went with them or not, and we today may not always know if those that we witness to have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord or not.  Verse thirty-four adds, And the cloud of the LORD was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp.  The cloud of the LORD guided them by day.  Verse thirty-six declares, And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.  When the cloud was moving, Moses asked God to scatter the enemies of Israel,  and He will scatter our enemies today as we are out doing His work.  Verse thirty-six adds, And when it rested, he said, Return, O LORD, unto the many thousands of Israel.  When the cloud rested, Moses asked God to return to be with His people.   We know that God is always with us today as followers of Christ though the Holy Spirit indwelling us.

Numbers 10:11

Numbers 10:11 says, And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony.  In the twentieth day of the second month of the second year since leaving Egypt, the cloud moved.  God had things organized before He led them on.  Verse twelve adds, And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.  God led them to the wilderness of Paran by the movement of the cloud, and the people followed.  However and wherever God leads us today we must follow, and when He tells us to stay, we must stay.  Verse thirteen continues, And they first took their journey according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.  Though following the cloud, the people of Israel recognized that they were following Moses who was following God's direction.  As Christians today, if we are following anyone, say a preacher or teacher in the church, we better make sure that they are following God's direction in what they preach and teach.  Of course, in order to do this, we must know what God's word says.  Verse fourteen states, In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah according to their armies: and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.  The tribe of Judah went first.  Verse fifteen adds, And over the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethaneel the son of Zuar.  Verse sixteen continues, And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.  Then the tribe of Issachar and Zebulun went with them.  This was all done under the direction of God, just as we must work together under God's direction today as followers of Christ.  Verse seventeen concludes, And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle.  The tabernacle was taken down, and the sons of Gershon and Merari carried it.  Verse eighteen says, And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur. Verse nineteen adds,, And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.  Next, the tribes of Rueben and Simeon moved out, still under God's direction.  We need to have Christians today, wherever we are, to be working under God's directions.  Verse twenty continues, And over the host of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.  Verse twenty-one concludes, And the Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary: and the other did set up the tabernacle against they came.  The Kohathites carried the tabernacle and the others set it up when they got to where God led them.  Verse twenty-two states, And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud.  Verse twenty-three adds, And over the host of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.  Verse twenty-four continues, And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.  Verse twenty-five says, And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan set forward, which was the rereward of all the camps throughout their hosts: and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.  Verse twenty-six adds, And over the host of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ocran.  Verse twenty-seven continues, And over the host of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan.  Then verse twenty-eight concludes, Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their armies, when they set forward.  All the people of Israel set out on their journey in the order that God had told them to do.  We today as followers of Christ must set out on our journey as God leads us, and if we do, we will all work together to accomplish His work.