Can you keep a confidence?
A gossip cannot be trusted. Their MO (Modus Operandi) is to tell everything they know and to add a little to the story to spice it up. If you know someone who is constantly telling you someone else’s secrets, then be sure not to tell them yours! But a faithful friend can be trusted.
Have you been snake bit?
There are three types of snake venom: Hemotoxic, which acts on the heart and cardiovascular system; Neurotoxic, which acts on the nervous system and brain; and Cytotoxic, which has a localized action at the site of the bite.
There’s another kind of venom that works on the spirit. It comes not from snakes, but from other people. It’s the venom of ingratitude. It’s the poison of grumbling. And it is more dangerous than most people realize.I think that the venomous nature of complaining must’ve been the reason the Lord sent serpents among the Israelites. He wanted to show them the dangers of ingratitude.
What is the anatomy of ingratitude?
– A heart that won’t wait on God.
– A mouth that speaks against God.
Why is grumbling against God?
– It questions God’s sovereignty (“Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?” v.5)
– It denies God’s provision (“For there is no food and no water” v.5)
– It rejects God’s grace (“Our soul loathes this worthless bread” v.5)
What is the cure for ingratitude?
1) Confess it as sin. (“We have sinned” v.7)
2) Pray that God would remove the venom of ingratitude. (“pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents” v.7)
3) Focus on God’s provision and be thankful. (“if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived” v.9).
To speak or strike?
There were two “water from the rock” miracles under Moses’ wilderness ministry. The first was at Horeb, early in the Israelites 40 year trek. In this, Moses was instructed by God to “strike the rock,” and water would come out of it for the people to drink (Ex.17:1-7). And Moses obeyed. Some 38 years later, the children of the generation who had complained against Moses, complained of no water again. The sins of the fathers are passed on to the sons. Complaining is catching.
The second time, God told Moses to “speak to the rock” and it would yield water. But Moses disobeyed. Nearly 40 years of the Israelites’ complaining had no doubt taken a toll on him. So Moses, took his rod and struck the rock twice, yelling, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” (Num. 20:10). Moses acted out of frustration and anger. He not only struck the rock rather than speaking to it, he took credit for the miracle: “Must we fetch water for you?”
The Lord still honored Moses before the people, allowing water to gush forth from the rock in spite of his disobedience. But Moses and Aaron would pay the price for not considering the Lord’s holiness before the people. Neither of them would enter the Promised Land.
The issue is not whether to “speak or strike.” The issue is about obeying God’s Word and giving Him all the credit for what that obedience brings forth.
The Lord had the heads of house from each of the twelve tribes carve their names into their staffs and Moses placed them in the tabernacle. The next day, all the rods were brought out, “and behold,” only Aaron’s staff had bloomed and brought forth almonds. This was done to put to rest the complaints of those who rebelled against Moses’ and Aaron’s leadership, and therefore God’s leadership as well. Only God could cause a dead stick to bud, blossom and bring forth fruit.
The Hebrew word for an almond tree literally might be translated, “waking” or “watching tree,” for the almond tree was the first to bloom in late winter, in anticipation of spring. The Greeks used to put a cutting of almond blossoms in their homes in celebration of the coming spring season and the end of winter. With the appearance of almond blossoms, it was time to “watch” for spring.
Jeremiah saw a vision of an almond branch and the Lord told him it signified His intent to “watch” over His Word and to make it come to pass (Jer. 1:11-12). Isaiah saw a living rod sprout from the dead stump of Jesse, whose name was also called Israel. He wrote, “There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots” (Isa. 11:1).
The fruitful rod of Aaron points to its fulfillment in the Great High Priest, Jesus. For He is the Rod of Jesse, the Branch of Israel. He is the fulfillment of the Word. He is the almond blossom announcing the end of winter.
At the sound of Jesus’ last cry, the thick curtain separating the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple, was rent from top to bottom, opening the way. This must have been quite startling to the priests who witnessed it during the exact time of afternoon prayers. For it was at the “ninth hour” that Jesus cried out, which was the final time of daily prayers. The Jews counted time from sunrise at 6AM which they called the “first hour,” so the “ninth hour” would have been 3PM. There were three daily prayer times, except on the Sabbath when there were four. The daily prayer times were: Morning prayers at 9AM, Midday prayers at Noon, and Afternoon prayers at 3PM. It was during the third prayer time that Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying “It is finished!” (John 19:30). And the temple veil was torn asunder.
From that moment, Jesus, our Great High Priest, opened up “a new and living way” by His blood, so that we are able to enter the “Holiest” place and bring our requests before the Father (Heb. 10:19-22).
Wealth is useful when facing human justice. It pays for attorneys and even judges of a certain type. Yet, “riches do not profit” when we face the judgment seat of God. All the treasure in the world is useless on that day. As one has said, “You never see a hearse towing a UHaul.” However, this is not a diatribe against affluence, but a warning against short term thinking. Worldly wealth only gives the illusion of security, the instant we breath our last, that fantasy evaporates. Worldly currency has no value in heaven.
But righteousness, or godliness as the apostle Paul calls it, “is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” (1 Tim. 4:8). Therefore, pursue righteousness, which is only found in Christ Jesus. For God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). How do we exchange our sin for this heavenly currency of righteousness? Believe. Believe in what God has done for you in Christ. As as it was said of Abraham, “He believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness,” so shall it be for you. Only righteousness delivers from the final death sentence.
Moses often had to endure the grumbling of the people, but it must have been even more painful when they spoke against his new wife. Even his own sister and brother, Miriam and Aaron, spoke behind his back concerning the Ethiopian woman. Yet, the Lord heard them.
Miriam seems to have been the leader in the backbiting. Aaron just followed along as usual, as he had with the golden calf incident. Miriam was, after all, the older sister. The one who had watched over baby Moses as he floated down the Nile and saw him taken up by the princess of Egypt. She was a prophetess in Israel. Perhaps she had risen to a position of influence with Moses after the apparent death of his first wife. And now, with this Ethiopian woman in his life, she felt a loss of influence with Moses.
Or perhaps she was upset that he had chosen an Ethiopian to marry. The word “Ethiopian” was actually “Couchette” in the Hebrew. The land of Cush might point to the lands South of Egypt or lands in Arabia. If Miriam and Aaron were against his marrying her because of her nationality or skin color, then God’s response to their racism was soon made clear. They were against Moses because of his wife, “so the anger of the Lord was aroused against them” (Num. 12:9).
A couple of takeaways: 1) Don’t speak against God’s man. God is listening. 2) Don’t speak against someone’s marriage because of skin color. You might get leprosy and lose your skin. Miriam did.
Grumbling or gratitude?
The Lord hates grumbling. The people of Israel complained about the menu selection in the wilderness. The Lord had brought them out of slavery in Egypt. He had given them water to drink from the rock. He had given them bread to eat, called manna, that appeared daily with the morning dew. Yet, they complained. They wanted meat. They remembered the fish and vegetables of Egypt, and longed to return to their former diet. Their complaining about the Lord’s provision displeased and angered the Lord.
Grumbling is against God. They may have thought they were grumbling against Moses. But God saw their complaining as being against Him. Grumbling is the opposite of gratitude. It is a toxic attitude of the heart that virulently spreads through a family or a church if left unchecked. Grumbling not only questions God’s provision, it also questions His sovereignty and goodness. Grumbling is a sin!
What can we do when we are infected with the venom of grumbling? Confess your sinful attitude of ingratitude. And be thankful. Thankfulness is the antidote to a grumbling heart. It expresses an attitude of trust in God’s sovereignty and satisfaction with God’s provision. It is an honest recognition of the Lord’s goodness in your life. Remember the instruction of the apostle Paul, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5:18).
After visiting the Temple in Jerusalem, the disciples commented on its magnificence and the beauty of the surrounding buildings there. Jesus surprised them by saying, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another” (Mark 13:2). They asked Jesus two questions in response. 1) When will this happen? And 2) What will be the sign of its fulfillment?
Jesus answered both their “when” and “what” questions concerning the Temple. The Temple would be destroyed during the time of that “generation,” just as Jesus had said. For it was demolished in 70 AD by the Romans. But Jesus went on to tell them even more than they had asked. He also spoke of a time of tribulation followed by his coming again. Concerning this, he gave some of the signs, but not the time. In fact, he warned that no one except the Father knows the time of his return.
Therefore, do not believe those who predict the day or hour of Christ’s return. Jesus has already told us that they do not know. Instead, follow his instructions:
1) “Take heed.” – Be prepared. Live as if he could return today. Get your affairs in order.
2) “Watch” – Stand guard. Keep your eyes open for the signs of his return.
3) “Pray” – Let prayer be the main activity of your heeding and watching.
The destruction of Jerusalem was one of the many signs fulfilled exactly according to Christ’s words. The reality that he is coming again is just as certain.
God gave this benediction to Moses for Aaron, the high priest, to speak over the children of Israel as a blessing. It is made up of three double clauses, each beginning with an invocation to the LORD. The all caps “LORD,” indicates that the Hebrew name, “יְהוָ֤ה, Yahweh,” was being used. God wanted His NAME “put on” (Num.6:27) the Israelites.
In this three part blessing, an early revelation of the Trinity might be seen:
– The Father: “The LORD bless you and keep you.” The Father chooses to bless and keep us.
– The Son: “The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you.” The Son reveals the “face” of God through the incarnation and shows His grace by dying for our sins.
– The Spirit: “The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” The Holy Spirit comes “upon” us to abide within us and give us peace.
Has this Trinitarian blessing been spoken over you?