Today's passage provides a transition from the covenant-giving period near Sinai towards the Israelites' long wanderings in the desert. The passage points to several key insights about guidance, leadership, and complaining:
1. Guidance from God's presence. The Israelites had the great benefit of seeing God's presence in the ark and following His guidance through the desert. Please consider Numbers 9:15-23:
"On the day the tabernacle, the Tent of the Testimony, was set up, the cloud covered it. From evening till morning, the cloud above the tabernacle looked like fire. That is how it continued to be; the cloud covered it, and at night it looked like fire. Whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped. At the LORD's command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the LORD's order and did not set out. Sometimes the cloud was over the tabernacle only a few days; at the LORD's command they would encamp, and then at his command they would set out. Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening till morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out. Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out. At the LORD's command they encamped, and at the LORD's command they set out. They obeyed the LORD's order, in accordance with his command through Moses."
We often wonder about God's will and what it means for us. Yet, it appears that God's guidance is for today and comes just at the appropriate time. The key ingredient is our willingness to stick with Him and to listen for His voice. Here, we notice several things about God's guidance for the Israelites that carry over into our present day in the Person of the Holy Spirit:
a. God comforts His people by dwelling with us and giving us His constant presence. For the Israelites, they had the testimony of the cloud. We now have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit: "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." (John 14:15-17)
b. God gives clear instruction and demands obedience: "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." (John 14:26)
c. God's guidance is Word- and truth-centered: "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you." (John 16:12-15)
d. God seeks a community orientation for His people: "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink." (1 Corinthians 12:12,13)
2. The burden of leadership. Upon hearing the Israelites' latest complaint, an exasperated Moses cries out to God for help with his struggles. God responds by raising up a group of 70 elders, from whom Moses would receive support in governance. God promises that He would "come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone." (Numbers 11:17)
We often may feel overwhelmed by the challenges we face. Scripture points out the importance of having friends and trusted advisor in undertaking governance or just in living life (cf. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 and 1 Samuel 23:16). Proverbs 15:22 teaches us the importance of listening carefully to others' input: "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed."
3. The complaining Israelites. After making a second covenant with God (after their idolatrous worship of the golden calf), the Israelites again deeply wound the heart of God through their complaining attitudes. While God had promised to provide for them and did provide manna, they whined to have meat. We often do much the same thing. We show little contentment for our present circumstances, but rather seek a greener pasture somewhere else. God responds to the Israelites through burning members of the camp and bringing a plague among them, even after they've collected a great amount of meat. Even Moses had doubted God's ability to provide.
QUESTIONS
1. How can you better hear God's voice related to His will?
2. How have you complained over the last three days? How might you have responded differently?
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