May 6, 2009 The Cry of Discontent Kathleen Maples

When God sent Moses to Egypt, He sent him with clear direction. He told him exactly
what he was being sent to do, and how the Pharaoh would respond, and how the
people would believe. He told Moses that by His power He would free His people. God
was going to do the work, Moses was going there to speak for God. God is sending
Moses back to the place where he was educated, back to the place where he tried in his
own strength to deliver the people of Israel and failed miserably. This was the place
where Moses had been marked for death by an angry Pharaoh. Can you imagine the
battle in Moses' mind as he headed back to the place of failure, back to the place where
they had sought to kill him? God told him those who sought his life were dead. But
still, it was a place he had failed miserably in his attempt to do God's will. I reckon the
enemy taunted him all the way with the memories of his failure, and how he buried
that dead Egyptian in the sand, and how two of the Hebrews turned on him when he
tried to mediate their quarrel.

"Do you really think they are going to listen to a miserable failure like you? Not."
"They didn't listen to you then, what makes you think they will listen now?"

Oh, yes, I can almost hear the taunts that hit Moses' mind. Still, he didn't turn back.
He'd had an encounter with God Himself and it had done something to him. You can't
have an experience with God up close and personal and not be radically changed. He
saw that burning bush. He heard the voice of His Creator, the One who made Him, and
He heard Him say put off your shoes, Moses, this is holy ground. Oh, it was holy
ground because He who is Holy was there. He said put off your shoes-put off your
plans, your thoughts, your ways, your agenda, put off everything that separates you
from My holiness, and hear My Voice. Listen to Me.

Oh, God knew how Moses had failed. He'd had this man in the wilderness for forty
years stripping him of confidence in his lavish Egyptian education, and his own
human ability. He'd gone from being a prince in Egypt to a lowly shepherd in the
wilderness, and a husband a father. He was under the leadership of a wise, and godly
father in law, as well. Still, God called Him, and this time, Moses was afraid, reluctant,
insecure in himself, assailed by doubts about his own ability. God brushed all this
way. He didn't call Moses for his ability. The Lord Himself IS Moses' ability. It was
simply. Go back. Speak what I tell you. I will do the work. You just speak for Me. God
laid out the plan, and warned Moses ahead of time what would happen.

When he arrived in Egypt, Moses didn't go and say it's time to leave Egypt, God said
we could so let's go. No. He prayed, followed the direction of the Lord and spoke what
God said to speak, when God said to speak it. The situation in Egypt got much harder
and the opposition of the enemy was fierce. The people began to suffer even more.
They had to wait until the power of the Spirit of God was ready to clear the way and
they followed a man, Moses, who followed the fiery cloud, and that is a perfect
illustration of a Spirit led pastor leading a Spirit led congregation and how we are to
walk with the Lord. He leads, and we follow. Many times we won't want to go where
He leads. Self never wants to go God's way. But we must bring self into subjection to
the leading of the Spirit of God. We can bring self to God everyday and leave self in His
hands. He is able to subdue our iniquities. He's able to subdue everything in us that is
unlike Him. (Php_3:21 Mic_7:19)
They saw God destroy every bondage that held them. They saw Him destroy the
nation of Egypt because Egypt refused to heed God's instruction. He brought them out
of an idolatrous land, knowing they carried idolatry still in their heart, and brought
out little Egyptian idols, as well. Israel followed God and Moses to the Red Sea, to a
place of impossibility and saw His mighty miracles. By a strong wind-the wind of the
Spirit of God, that precious Holy Ghost who cleared the path for them, and said move,
and they moved. He made the way when there was no way.

Not long after seeing all these miracles, they began to get discontent. The journey was
hard, the environment was dry and desolate and they were completely dependent on
the provision of God. If He didn't send the manna, they would starve. If He didn't open
a rock and send water, they would die. So, here they are and they were again,
complaining, and murmuring, tired from their wilderness travels, and they were
about ready to stone him because they were thirsty and hungry. He cried unto the
Lord. The Lord brought water- a symbol of the Holy Spirit, those rivers of living
water, out of a Rock-a symbol of Christ. This is an illustration of the Son of God who
baptizes in the Holy Ghost. He brings that living water of His presence and power into
the life of a believer, making them fruitful, and strong because HE is the life in them.
They cannot produce anything. They bear the fruit that His Life in them produces.
Self, the believer, can take credit for NOTHING. ALL glory goes to GOD.

When God's people cried out because they are in a dry and desolate land, He told the
leadership-point them to the Rock-don't point them to yourself, point them to the
ROCK. Speak to the Rock. That speaks to me of personal communion with HIM. Don't
strike the Rock, He's already been stricken. Now, you speak to the Rock. You get in
His presence and tarry there, He knows your need. He just waits to see if you
understand the depth of your own need enough to tarry until He gives you the power
you need. This is not something He will give those who walk in self, fulfilling their own
desires, or are half hearted.

For the hungry and thirsty, who will not stop until their need is met, take comfort-He
will not give us less than He gave them. We have a better covenant. He knows we need
Holy Ghost power to stand in these awful, perilous times we live in.

Num 11:1 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.
Num 11:2 And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the
fire was quenched.

In Num 11 the people got in trouble for they complained, and it made God mad. They
were mourning, feeling sorry for themselves over the hardship of the journey, over the
things left behind in Egypt. God was tiring of their murmuring. I looked carefully at
the word "displeased" because it applies to the Lord. We need to understand how He
feels and why. I want to know. In the Hebrew H7451, in your concordance, this word
displeased means of course displeasure, but it also means a displeasure accompanied
with pain, and sorrow. Let me tell you, the Lord hears your thoughts, and your words.
He knows the feelings and attitudes in your heart that motivate what you say and do.
He is always watching, always listening. Oh, God forgive us for our thoughts and our
complaining since you saved us. When trials have come hard and we in our ignorance
have not reacted in a spiritual way but in a carnal way, oh God forgive us. I know You
allow these things to bring this to the surface so we can see that in us you already
know is there, so we can repent and you can cleanse. But, oh, please forgive us.

Imagine how He felt. He led them out of an awful situation. He delivered them totally.
He guarded their back when the Egyptians followed them and meant to destroy them
and they were at the Red Sea with no way out. He led them every step of the way,
feeding them, giving them water, and meat. He supernaturally kept their shoes and
clothes from wearing out. They had no map, no Walmart, no McDonald's, no provision
but Him and He was all they needed. He heard and He understood why they were
complaining. He considered carefully their motives-He didn't just react in a blind rage
and send the fire. No. His face looking on them wasn't shining with love at the time, no
His face was angry. It was a hot, burning anger.

He sent His fire and consumed those who were complaining,--He sent judgment in the
form of fire and consumed those who were on the outskirts of the camp. That is very
telling. God is just and will not destroy the righteous with the wicked.

That word 'uttermost' in verse 1 means at the end, the border, the outskirts of the
camp. They weren't on the inner circle. They weren't close to God, which is why they
did not fear to complain. When God's judgment fell, the people shrieked in terror, and
ran to Moses, who immediately began to intercede for them to the Lord and the fire
was put out. Num_11:4 reveals the problem: there was a mixed multitude among them.
This is a common problem in the church. This "mixed multitude" means a casual,
unrestrained, wanton group of people. They were not Hebrews, but were those who
found themselves slaves in Egypt or in hard positions and saw the exodus of the
Hebrews as a way out. They are plagued by covetousness, they desired dainty, easy
things and places. They resented hardship, they resented Moses' authority, and God's.
Their desires conflicted with God's. This mixed multitude was intent on having their
own way-they were slaves to self. It couldn't have been long after God's fiery judgment
fell, in verse 1, because by verse 4 the mixed multitude, resenting the hardships of the
desert, the wilderness, and the traveling, were looking back to Egypt, to the food, and
conveniences they had. This had to be those malcontents who slipped away from
Egypt with Israel when they left. The Israelites were granted no such luxuries in
Egypt. Their life was hard and full of grief. Everything they had, except their animals
and their children, was taken. Their baby boys were slaughtered. They suffered
terribly. I believe God sent the fire and consumed some of the complainers as a
warning to His people, and as a purging out of the leaven in the camp.

The mixed multitude resented the provision of God, they were not satisfied with what
He was feeding them. They had their desire set on things of the world-on Egyptian
particular. They liked the things they fed on in Egypt. There are things you can feed on
that will slow you down and make you sluggish and overweight. This can be a
physical side effect of what you eat. But there are spiritual side effects, as well. If you
over indulge in anything, it will slow you down, and make you sleepy. Spiritually
sleepy. Physically sleepy. They coveted what they fed on in Egypt bad enough they
began to weep and spread their discontent among the people of the camp. On the
journey with God, to walk with Him, the things of Egypt are left behind. Stripped
away. Some yield to the pruning of God, others don't.

Moses heard the cry of discontent spreading, and God heard and His anger was stirred
up again. This time, Moses got mad, too. He cried to God. "Why did you do this to me?
Why have you punished me and laid the burden of such an ungrateful and unruly
people on me? I thought I'd found favor in Your eyes."
What does God do? He doesn't send judgment this time. He sees the situation, and He
tells Moses to gather 70 elders, those who were spiritually mature, and bring them to
the meeting place-the tabernacle where God met with Moses, and present them there.
They had to get filled with the Spirit.

Num 11:16 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.
Num 11:17 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.

Elders represents those who are spiritually mature, they are not young novices in the
way. They've been tested and tried, and they didn't cut and run. They weren't
outsiders. They weren't of the mixed multitude. The word for tabernacle means tent.
It's a meeting place. He says bring them to the place where you and I meet, present
them there to Me. I will descend and speak with you there, and I will take of My Spirit
that I have put on you and put it also on them.

Stop right there and consider. Before they could be in leadership, before they could
minister to the people, they had to be full of the Spirit of God. In the first church after
Pentecost, those who waited on tables and ministered to the widows had to be full of
faith and the Holy Ghost. The Apostles said they would give themselves to the Word of
God continually and prayer. Other church business is to be handled by those full of
faith and the Holy Ghost. This is the pattern laid out by the Word of God. Sadly, you
don't see this Biblical pattern in many churches today and that is why they are for the
most part ineffective.

You have a people here who were more interested in flesh than spirit. Flesh growls and
grumbles. The Spirit does not. Consider when you fast. When your belly is hungry, it
growls. But when you neglect to feed that Christ life inside there is a cry...a humble
cry, urging you back to prayer and the Word. The humility of God never ceases to
astound me.

God does agree to give them the flesh they cried for until it made them sick. It didn't
satisfy that deep inner longing, it made them slow, and sick. He was feeding them
what they needed and many were not satisfied. He descends in a cloud at the
tabernacle and speaks to Moses. The word for "took" is H680, atsal in the Hebrew. It
means to join, to lay aside, in reserve. When you join you unite, amen? He joined these
70 men with Moses, and gave them the same Spirit He had given Moses. Moses was
meek, devoted, and loyal to God. He never looked to man, only to God. Whenever
problems came up he didn't go to his brother, Aaron, or his sister, Miriam, he went to
God. Those who complained and began to feed on flesh, He struck them with a very
great plague. Those who lusted-who coveted and longed after the things of Egypt were
destroyed. God could not allow that to continually remain among His people. It would
defile many. These of the mixed multitude continually complained and met with
judgment. They had no fear of God, they were determined to have their own way.

When He put the same spirit Moses had on the 70 elders, they had the same mind,
same purpose, same desire to follow God, and they began to prophesy. They began to
speak by divine inspiration as a prophet. They didn't stop-they didn't add or do more
than God said. They were obedient like Moses. They became like Moses. Oh, God, do it
again. Give us pastors after your heart, whose primary purpose in life is to seek Your
face, more understanding of Your Word, and sacrificially love and care for Your sheep
and Your lambs. Time after time you find the pattern in the Bible. If He is truly in
charge of His church, the minister is a Spirit filled, Spirit governed minister and the
church produces disciples, missionaries, ministers. Each will produce after its kind.
People will be getting saved, filled with the Holy Ghost, and the Word of God will be
taught in purity and holiness. Reverence will fill the Sanctuary. Needs will be met.
Christ will be taught crucified and risen again. The Cross will be the message. The
Holy Spirit desires to take each of His children to the cross so their self will can be
crucified. Oh, God you heard the Macedonian cry, please the cry of this heart, do it
again, Father. Rise up and scatter the enemies. They have made void Thy law for it is
not taught. No wonder the world mocks and laughs. Rescue Your sheep, Father, and
the Lambs who have been scattered by ignorant pastors and teachers more hung up
on tradition of men than anything else. The Lord is able to do exceeding, abundantly
above all we could ever think to ask. Look to Him not men. Look to His Word, and His
Holy Spirit, for help, direction and leadership. He will not fail us. There is a cry of
discontent among God's people. Some may be crying over the hardness of the journey.
They have not seen Him yet. To see Him, like Paul-and by see I mean understand,
begin to know personally, is to desire Him enough to be willing to endure hardness.
Then some are crying in discontent because they know there is more than what they
see around them. They have caught enough of a glimpse of Him, been taught by Him,
enough to know things around them are out of order and they cry, grieved because He
is misrepresented. God hear the Macedonian cry again and help!