Grumbling and it's consequences

March 14, 2021 (Sunday)

 

One thing that seems to remain constant is the human weakness to grumbling. Some have elevated grumbling into an Olympic level sport. There are people who are not happy unless they are grumbling about something or someone. However, there is a bitter sting. Let’s take a look a one story.

 

Numbers 21:4 sets up the story, “They marched from Mount Hor on the Reed Sea road around the land of Edom. The people became impatient on the road.” [CEB] Unfortunately patience is only learned under difficult circumstances. The word we translate “patience” is the Greek word that means endurance. It is the character trait of not moving off a deliberate purpose.

 

Paul noted, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance” [Romans 5:3 ESV]. James claims, “for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” [James 1:3 ESV] Suffering and the testing of faith produces “patience.”

 

Impatience can create all sorts of problems. In this case, “The people spoke against God and Moses: “Why did you bring us up from Egypt to kill us in the desert, where there is no food or water. And we detest this miserable bread!” [Numbers 21:5 CEB] Lightning strikes. In unfavorable circumstances the people criticize leadership. It may sound legitimate, but it is grumbling, and God is not impressed.

 

How did God respond to this criticism? I am glad you asked… but you might not like the answer. “So the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people and they bit the people. Many of the Israelites died.” [Numbers 21:5 CEB] There was a poisonous snake in the Garden of Eden that caused the death of humanity. Now snakes show up as a form of punishment.

 

Ooops. “The people went to Moses and said, “We’ve sinned, for we spoke against the Lord and you. Pray to the Lord so that he will send the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.” [Numbers 21:7 CEB] Don’t you wish a lesson could be learned without the pain of making a mistake? Why do we have to be disciplined to realize the correct path? Are humans this dense? Absolutely!

 

God provides relief, with a catch. “The Lord said to Moses, “Make a poisonous snake and place it on a pole. Whoever is bitten can look at it and live.” [Numbers 21:8 CEB] The catch is the person who wanted to live had to look at the snake on the pole. Throughout the Bible God takes the initiative and always requires people to respond.

 

Why is this important? I am so glad you asked!!! Jesus reflected back to this story in John 3:14 – 15, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” [ESV] Get it? The salvation, found only in Jesus, is available to all but effective only for those who will turn to Him.

 

Remember the bitter sting? Grumbling is a symptom of unbelief. After describing the grumbling as “rebellion” in Hebrews 3:19, we are confronted by the reality “So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.” [ESV] The warning blares to all believers, “Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that none of you have an evil, unfaithful heart that abandons the living God.” [Hebrews 3:12 CEB]

 

Seriously? Discount this warning at your own peril. Grumbling (complaining, being critical) is the verbal vomit of a heart that is or has shifted to unbelief. It is the edge of a cliff in abandoning the living God. How do I know this is a warning to believers? Umm… you can’t abandon (turn away, fall away) from something you don’t have.