Num14 When We Grumble Against God

# When We Grumble Against God
## Numbers 14:1-10

[Silverthorne, CO. Nathan Anderson](https://unsplash.com/photos/mKA3VavSuaI "caption")

---

# Have I grown **resentful** of God?

>>>
+ God **blesses** everyone but me 
  + prayed, done all **supposed** to 
+ Still **stuck**, trapped, 
  + no way out, no **hope**
+ God doesn't **hear**, exist, able 
  + or worse, doesn't **care**

---

## When We Grumble [(Num 14)](# "ref")

1. The Promised Land [(Ex3)](# "ref")
1. Murmurs [(v2-3)](# "ref")
1. The Severity of God [(v11-23)](# "ref")
1. The Kindness of God [(Rom11, Heb3-4)](# "ref")

>>>
+ Faith **journey**, arc of redemp
+ Start at **finish** line: first
  + clarify what **promised land** is
+ Back in **burning bush**,
  + God did make a **glorious promise**
  + to Isr:

---

I have surely seen the **affliction** 
of my people who are in Egypt and have 
heard their **cry** because of their taskmasters.

I know their **sufferings**, and I have come down 
to **deliver** them [...] and to bring them [...] 
to a **good and broad land**, 
a land flowing with milk and honey

[Exodus 3:7-8 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Brandenburg Alps, Austria.  Paul Gilmore](https://unsplash.com/photos/qKIaA41lMjM "caption")

>>>
+ Promise of **blessing** and **peace**
+ Reaffirmation of promise 400yrs prior
  + to **Abraham** in land of Canaan:

---

Know for **certain** that your offspring will be 
**sojourners** in a land that is not theirs 
and will be **servants** there. [...]

And they shall **come back** here 
in the fourth generation [...]

To your offspring **I give this land**

[Genesis 15:13,16,18 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Egypt. Mariam Soliman](https://unsplash.com/photos/Ht5XmeuLyDg "caption")

>>>
+ So Isr had a specific **promise**,
+ Thus their **disbelief** in it
  + invited God's **judgment**.
+ But we mustn't think **prom land**
  + equals **our** goals:
+ "I've had **setbacks** in life, but
  + if I just **believe** enough,
  + God will **bless** me"
+ Crowds who **delighted** 
  + in Jesus' **miracles**
+ thought He would 
  + **overthrow** the Romans:

---

"This is indeed the **Prophet** 
who is to come into the world!”

Perceiving then that they were about to come 
and take him **by force** to make him **king**, 
Jesus **withdrew** again

[John 6:14-15 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Sarah Penney](https://unsplash.com/photos/-6nDec_KT7U "caption")

>>>
+ bc promised land was not 
  + military **victory**
  + a human **government**
  + a patriotic **tribe** to belong
+ Jesus came to **suffer**
  + and die for our **sins**
+ Same crowds shouted **"Crucify!"**
  + bc the **promised land**
  + was not what they **expected**
+ 1st coming to pave the way
  + for the **future** rest:

---

So then, there remains 
a **Sabbath rest** for the people of God,

for whoever has entered **God's rest** 
has also rested from his **works** 
as God did from his.

[Hebrews 4:9-10 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Lake of Carezza, Italy. Alessandro Viaro](https://unsplash.com/photos/fwWj5Y1IgQg "caption")

>>>
+ our **journey** thru wilderness
  + is **preparation** for that rest:
+ Studying God's **truth**
  + to **do** + **teach** (Ez7:10)
+ Exercising **self-discipline**
  + voluntary pursuit of **holiness**
+ Habitual works of **mercy** to needy
  + w/o growing **weary** of good
+ Showing **love** toward all
  + esp **household** of God

---

# What is our **promised land**?

>>>
+ Has God promised:
  + success in school/**work**?
  + **health** + long life?
  + happy **marriage**? (one at all?)
  + happy + success **kids**?
+ "God hath not promised":
  + sun w/o rain
  + joy w/o sorrow
  + peace w/o pain
+ Jesus brought not **happy** fam,
  + but **sword** of division
+ Vacations not **instagram**-worthy
  + but stressful, ugly **battles**
+ bc fight not **person-person**
  + but life of **faith** in God
  + vs life of **rebel** against
  + even w/in own **heart**
+ True **Sabbath** rest in kingdom
  + but **not** there yet
+ Prepare self by cultiv **faith**

---

## When We Grumble [(Num 14)](# "ref")
1. The Promised Land [(Ex3)](# "ref")
1. **Murmurs** [(v2-3)](# "ref")
1. The Severity of God [(v11-23)](# "ref")
1. The Kindness of God [(Rom11, Heb3-4)](# "ref")

>>>
+ **Challenges** to our faith
+ When God asks 
  + the **impossible** of us
+ **Bitterness** starts festering:

---

All the people of Israel 
**grumbled** against Moses and Aaron.

... "I have heard the **grumblings** 
of the people of Israel, 
which they grumble **against me**."

[Numbers 14:2,27 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Mario Purisic](https://unsplash.com/photos/jG1z5o7NCq4 "caption")

>>>
+ "grumble": murmur, indistinct vocal
+ Plausible **deniability**
  + "I didn't say anything":
  + passive aggressive
+ **Kids** grumble when forced to 
  + say **thank you** for ugly gift
+ Impotent **dissent**:
  + "I don't **like** it, but 
  + I can't **do** anything about it"
+ Can't **fight** God, but 
  + His **plan** is terrible
  + His **intent** is to **harm**
+ Feel **trapped**, and, like Isr, 
  + maybe even rather **die**:

---

Would that we had **died** in the land of **Egypt**! 
Or would that we had died in this **wilderness**! 
Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, 
to fall by the **sword**?

Our wives and our little ones will 
become a **prey**. Would it not be better 
for us to **go back** to Egypt?”

[Numbers 14:2-3 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Dallol, Ethiopia. Trevor Cole](https://unsplash.com/photos/UQJP4eEqRV0 "caption")

>>>
+ See no **hope**
+ Going to **die** anyway,
  + rather die in **familiar** place
+ God wants to **destroy** me
+ In **Deut 1**, 40yrs later,
  + preparing to enter Canaan,
  + Moses reviews this event:

---

Yet you [...] **rebelled** against 
the command of the Lord your God. 
And you **murmured** in your tents and said,

"Because the Lord **hated** us he has 
brought us out of the land of Egypt, 
to give us into the hand of the Amorites, 
to **destroy** us."

[Deuteronomy 1:26-27 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Breno Machado](https://unsplash.com/photos/in9-n0JwgZ0 "caption")

>>>
+ Resentment bubbles up in each **heart**
+ Vents outward as **grumbling** in private
+ Culminates in **org** rebellion
  + (select leader to return to Egypt)
+ Root **assumption**:
  + that God **hates** us
  + and wants to **destroy** us
+ Doubting God's **love**:
  + not just that God **is** love
  + but that He loves **me**

---

# Have I ever felt like God **hates** me?

>>>
+ Far away from **love** of God
  + or it applies to **others**? 
+ **Trials** in journey of faith
  + mean God wants to **destroy**? 
+ Every line in Ps 136:
  + His steadfast **love**
  + endures forever
+ It's **important**!
  + bc **doubting** God's love

---

## When We Grumble [(Num 14)](# "ref")
1. The Promised Land [(Ex3)](# "ref")
1. Murmurs [(v2-3)](# "ref")
1. **The Severity of God** [(v11-23)](# "ref")
1. The Kindness of God [(Rom11, Heb3-4)](# "ref")

>>>
+ leads to to **resentment**
  + to **grumbling**
  + to **rebellion**
  + to **judgment**
+ Out of His glory, God **speaks**:

---

How long will this people **despise** me?

And how long will they not **believe** in me, 
in spite of all the **signs** 
that I have done among them?

[Numbers 4:11 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Luis Quintero](https://unsplash.com/photos/ibWxfQOePt4 "caption")

>>>
+ "despise": contempt (NIV)
  + as **lesser**, or as **evil**
  + doubt God's **pwr** or **goodness**
+ "believe": not intellect **assent**
  + self-ID as Chr, or
  + **checklist** of Chr deeds
+ God desires **mercy**, not sacrif
  + Heart **attitude**:
  + **obey** God or **rebel**
+ Never really about **Canaan**:
  + end **ch14**, go up to take Canaan
+ Mo: you turned **back** from God
  + now trying to avoid **punish**
+ Yes, there is **forgiveness**,
  + but do not mistake God's
+ **kindness** for **blindness**, or
  + **meekness** for **weakness**
+ See how Moses **prays** for mercy:

---

Please **pardon** the iniquity of this people, 
according to the greatness 
of your **steadfast love**

[Numbers 4:19 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Chris Lawton](https://unsplash.com/photos/6tfO1M8_gas "caption")

>>>
+ Not bc we **made up** for it
  + **balancing** bad deeds w/good
+ Not bc rebellion was no **big deal**
+ Solely bc **God's** love
  + not our worthiness
+ And not without **consequences**
  + prev vs:

---

The Lord is **slow** to anger 
and abounding in steadfast **love**, 
**forgiving** iniquity and transgression,

but he will by no means **clear** the guilty, 
visiting the iniquity of the **fathers** 
on the **children**, 
to the third and the fourth generation.

[Numbers 4:18 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Steven Van Loy, Biarritz, France](https://unsplash.com/photos/oUhSla4L_98 "caption")

>>>
+ **Generational** curse:
  + Our **sin** affects those around us
+ Our kids are **watching** us
  + how we treat those **weaker**
+ Though I may **say** I'm not my parents
  + when **stressed**, tired
+ I do what I **know**:
  + repeat **mistakes** of prev gen
+ Takes 3-4 gen of **conscious** effort
  + and **power** of HS
  + to **undo** bad habits
+ And God **answers** Moses' prayer:

---

I have **pardoned**, according to your word.

But **truly**, as I live, and as 
all the **earth** shall be filled 
with the **glory** of the Lord,

[Numbers 4:20-21 (ESV) (p.1/2)](# "ref")
[Los Angeles. Edwin Andrade](https://unsplash.com/photos/6liebVeAfrY "caption")

---

none of the men who have seen my **glory** 
and my **signs** that I did in Egypt 
and in the wilderness,

and yet have put me to the **test** these 
ten times and have not **obeyed** my voice,

shall see the **land** 
that I swore to give to their fathers.

[Numbers 4:22-23 (ESV) (p.2/2)](# "ref")

>>>
+ Yes, there is **forgiveness**:
  + was going to **wipe** out
  + by **plague**
+ But still **judgment** on
  + the **rebellious**:
+ Not the **ignorant**, but those who
  + saw **glory**, **signs**
+ and yet **disbelieved**,
  + disobeyed, and **despised**

---

# Am I in **rebellion** against God?

>>>
+ I've **heard** the sermons
  + **read** the Bible
  + **know** the path to walk
+ "I tried it **God's** way, didn't work,
  + now we do it my way" 
+ What God **asks** of me
  + is **impossible**:
  + setting me up for **failure**
+ Is that **you**, today?
+ Doubting God's **love** + **auth**:
  + to resent, grumble,
  + rebel + disbelief
+ Joshua + Caleb **tore** clothes:
  + **Please** turn bf too late!

---

## When We Grumble [(Num 14)](# "ref")
1. The Promised Land [(Ex3)](# "ref")
1. Murmurs [(v2-3)](# "ref")
1. The Severity of God [(v11-23)](# "ref")
1. **The Kindness of God** [(Rom11, Heb3-4)](# "ref")

>>>
+ **Yield** to God's auth,
  + not only bc **fear** of judgment
+ but bc **hope** of kindness
+ **Rom 11**: take note of

---

The **kindness** and the **severity** of God: 
severity toward those who have **fallen**,

but God's kindness to you, 
provided you **continue** in his kindness. 
Otherwise you too will be **cut off**.

[Romans 11:22 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Flor Saurina](https://unsplash.com/photos/mHLHSn4gtno "caption")

>>>
+ Those who were part of orig **vine**
  + saw **glory** + signs
  + self-ID as **followers**
  + knew His **law**
+ But **hardened** their hearts
  + and were **cut off**
  + bc of **unbelief**
+ Heb 3, quoting Ps 95:

---

"**Today**, if you hear his voice, do not 
**harden** your hearts as in the rebellion."

[...] To whom did he swear that 
they would not enter his **rest**, 
but to those who were **disobedient**?

So we see that they were 
unable to enter because of **unbelief**.

[Hebrews 3:15,18-19 (ESV)](# "ref")
[Alex Jones](https://unsplash.com/photos/p0W9Q9gei4g "caption")

>>>
+ **Warning** to those of us
  + who grew up in **church**!
+ Don't take it for **granted**
  + that **connect** to vine
+ **Blessed** by God != **obeying** God
+ Conversely, **hope** for those
  + formerly **far** away from God:

---

And even they, if they do not **continue** 
in their unbelief, will be **grafted** in, 
for God has the power to graft them in again.

[Romans 11:22-23 (ESV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ "But you don't know 
  + the **life** I've lived
+ how I've **blasphemed** God
  + in my actions + priorities"
+ God always extends **invitation**:
  + **Turn**, turn from evil ways
+ We do not do this on our **own**
  + Heb reminds us:

---

For we do not have a **high priest** who is 
unable to **sympathize** with our weaknesses, 
but one who in every respect has been 
**tempted** as we are, yet **without sin**.

Let us then with **confidence** 
draw near to the **throne of grace**, 
that we may receive **mercy** and 
find grace to help in time of need.

[Hebrews 4:15-16 (ESV)](# "ref")
[pxhere](https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1094065 "caption")

>>>
+

---

# What should I **do** when my faith is **weak**?

>>>
+

---