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| Numbers 11:1, 10-15 |
So Moses said to the LORD, “Why have You afflicted Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all these people on me” (Numbers 11:11)?
The Israelites complained and aroused God’s anger so much so a fire broke out among them consuming some of them. Moses’ response after these complainers had complained a multitude of times is to turn toward God and also lay out his complaint. He complained about his calling. “Why have You afflicted Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all these people on me? If You treat me like this, please kill me here and now—if I have found favor in Your sight—and do not let me see my wretchedness!” (Numbers 11:11, 15). This is the first time we see Moses and the Israelites both complaining. Where is the voice of reason?
The people’s complaining brought judgment, but Moses’ complaining brought relief. He confessed his burden to be too heavy for him to bear it alone (verse 14). So God raised up seventy elders among the Israelites to help carry the burden of leading and judging Israel (verses 16, 17).
Moses complained and received relief. The Israelites complained and a consuming fire broke out. Why the difference? Was it simply that Moses was God’s favorite? Of course not. Each one of us is God’s favorite. He loves us the same; He cannot love us more, and He will not love us less. Again, I ask what might be the difference in the complaints?
I see the difference in the motives and attitudes behind the complaints. Israel’s complaints came from a looking back at what had been before their exodus from Egypt. They remembered the food and forgot the troubles of that time. They also complained with attitudes of ingratitude as they did not appreciate the miracle manna which came from heaven. They were too focused on past satisfactions of the flesh they could not discern the glory of the moments they were currently living in. Even more, with every complaint Israel voiced, they pointed their grievances toward the man called to lead them as though he had any actual power to do anything other than follow the Lord himself.
Moses’ complaint came with humility. Moses poured his soul out to the Lord with honesty and authenticity. He was broken under the weight of leading this ungrateful mass of people. He fell before the Lord where he knew his answers would come from (Psalm 121:2).
God’s response was different toward each complainer. To those who complained against the leadership God had appointed them, His anger was aroused. Their complaints were aimed horizontally and were answered from a vertical position – on High. Moses’ complaint was voiced to God, a plea for help, and the response he received was from on High, as well, with a vertical solution. I wonder how the Lord would have responded if the Israelites had taken their complaint directly to Him in the first place instead of aiming them at His minister?
How does this example apply to your life today? We are living in an ever increasingly negative world. Are you caught up in it? Are you voicing your complaints too? Who are you voicing them about? Does there need to be a change? Probably.
I recently, after hearing Doug Addison say he was doing it, decided to fast from complaining. I thought, this won’t be difficult for me, I’m not really a negative person. I was shocked and a little ashamed to see how often I leaned into the complaint department instead of the grace and blessings storehouse. It was eye-opening and I’m glad I did it. I think I am going to continue this practice occasionally throughout the year in hopes of seeing improvement each time.
There is enough negativity in the world. Jesus gave us a new life and He gave us a life to model before the world that ought to be different from the world. Let’s not get caught up in the way culture does things; let us instead be counter-cultural for Christ.
“My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:2).