Paul instructs the Philippians to do everything without grumbling. According to Numbers, the Israelites weren’t too good at that. Me, either — Numbers has my number.
[This discussion can be read aloud in 9 min.]
Philippians: Shine Like Stars – DAY 43
Family Discussions for a New School Year
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DAY 43/FRIDAY
Philippians 2:14-15
Numbers Has My Number
“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky…”
Philippians 2:14-15 (NIV)
*Click here to read in the NIrV, ESV, & NLT.
This week our focus has been on examples of grumbling in the Bible and what Scripture has to say about it, because Paul instructed the Philippians — and all Christians by extension — to do everything without grumbling. Let’s remind ourselves what grumbling is again.
grumble:
- to complain in a surly (gruff, arrogant) manner; mutter discontentedly
- to rumble or growl
*The American Heritage College Dictionary, 4th ed. (2002)
I’m going to turn this back on us with some questions and make it personal.
- Do I ever complain in a surly, gruff, arrogant manner?
- Have I ever muttered discontentedly?
- Do I ever rumble, or even growl, in dissatisfaction?
Honestly, yes. And most often, this grumbling occurs in my home, with my family, the people I love most! Grumbling is not only an issue for the church to address, but for the family. I don’t think I’m sharing anything groundbreaking here. 😉
As we continue to study grumbling & complaining, let’s…
- be honest about our own sins in this area;
- avoid pointing fingers at others;
- think of ways we can bless our family — our parents, brothers, & sisters;
- keep in mind of the good of the Church — all of our brothers- and sisters-in-Christ.
Numbers Has My Number
On DAY 41, we looked at New Testament verses about grumbling.
On DAY 42, we read passages from Exodus in the OT about the grumbling of the Israelites.
Today, we’re reading about the Israelites once again, this time in the book of Numbers.
When I read the following verses in Numbers and all of chapters 11-13 back in March of this year, I wrote in my journal that “I saw some of my sinful tendencies,” and declared that “Numbers has my number.”
Before we dig into today’s Scripture, pray with me what I prayed then.
Lord God,
Help me have a greater understanding of these passages & how I might apply them to my life, & my knowledge of You, & Your will, & my sanctification.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Alicia’s journal, 3.1.22
Complaining is grumbling in a clear voice!
“Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord, and when He heard them His anger was aroused. Then fire from the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. 2When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed to the Lord and the fire died down. 3So that place was called Taberah, because fire from the Lord had burned among them.”
Numbers 11:1-3 (NIV)
Why do people complain?
Is it because we feel/believe we are entitled to certain things, so if we don’t have those things, we let it be known, aloud, to people we think should have taken care of us by providing them? I think we often call those things “rights” now.
| entitle: | give (someone) a legal right or a just claim to receive or do something |
| entitlement: | the fact of having a right to something |
*New Oxford American Dictionary
Fortune & mis-fortune
“And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, His anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. 2Then the people cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire died down. 3So the name of that place was called Taberah, because the fire of the Lord burned among them.”
Numbers 11:1-3 (ESV)
Since the Israelites are complaining about their mis-fortunes, they must feel entitled to fortune, or everything “going their way.”
Are the people entitled to fortune, or fortunate circumstances?
The Lord has (among other things) provided them with:
- leadership;
- freedom from Egyptian slavery;
- all the treasures of the Egyptians (God plundered Egypt for the Israelites);
- food;
- water;
- protection;
- order;
- civil law;
- moral law;
- direction;
- hope;
- a system by which they can have relationship with Him;
- a promised land of their own (to which they have just traveled to the border);
- ways to receive blessing from Him for themselves and their children;
- victory in battle;
- and so much more!
The Lord’s anger is kindled because the Israelites are not entitled to a trouble-free life or having everything they want. I’m pretty sure their sin entitles them to death, cursing, and being cut-off from God! Some of them immediately receive just that.
If you go to God with a sense of entitlement, you have forgotten the fear of the Lord. If you shift blame to your leadership or anyone else, you have forgotten that you, yourself, are a sinner in the sight of a holy God, just as they are, & you deserve death.
Fear the Lord
From the beginning of the exodus from Egypt, the fire of the Lord had been the people’s light in the darkness; however, when the Lord’s holiness is not revered, unholy beings can get burned up by that same good light — with holiness comes judgment!
In doing this, the Lord reminded the people that they are to fear Him, not misfortune!
As Jesus later says,
“But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him.”
Luke 12:5 (NIV)
When I complain about my misfortunes, my hardships, God is not pleased. I am a sinner saved by grace; I am not entitled to fortune & fortunate circumstances in this world. I am, however, entitled to some blessings and an eternal inheritance in the Kingdom of God as a coheir with Christ! For that I should be daily thankful, though that time has not yet fully come.
“‘Truly I tell you,’ Jesus replied, ‘no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for Me and the gospel 30will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31But many who are first will be last, and the last first.'”
Mark 10:29-31 (NIV)
“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 (NIV)
Only God can change our “fortunes.” He is in control of blessing & cursing & everything else!
“He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
Matthew 5:45 (NIV)
We need to maintain a proper view of God in order to maintain a proper view of ourselves. The best place to do that is in the pages of His Word.
When We Complain
“Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord, and when He heard them His anger was aroused. Then fire from the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. 2When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed to the Lord and the fire died down. 3So that place was called Taberah, because fire from the Lord had burned among them.”
Numbers 11:1-3 (NIV)
The people cried out to Moses, their intercessor. An intercessor is a person who intervenes on behalf of another, especially by prayer.* When Moses prayed to the Lord on their behalf, the fire died down.
*New Oxford American Dictionary
I can cry out to Jesus, my Intercessor.
“Therefore He (Jesus) is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.”
Hebrews 7:25 (NIV)
Moses interceded for the people of Israel although they were getting what they deserved. Jesus intercedes for us so we don’t get what we deserve! If that thought doesn’t make us thankful, nothing will.
Before We Complain Again
Here are some Scriptures that can help us be prepared for the temptation to complain or grumble.
“When I consider Your heavens [, O Lord,],
Psalm 8:3-4 (NIV)
the work of Your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which You have set in place,
4what is mankind that You are mindful of them,
human beings that You care for them?”
God is God and I am not. I am a created being, undeserving of His love & attention, and yet, Praise God!, He thinks of me, cares for me, and has provided the Way for me to have relationship with Him — Jesus Christ, my Lord & Savior.
“What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?”
I Corinthians 4:7 (NLT)
I don’t have anything of my own but sin. Everything good is a gift from Him. I can’t complain as if I possess anything good of my own. However, God knows we need His help, so He invites us to complain to Him — if we do it in an humble way.
“I cry aloud to the Lord;
Psalm 142:1-2 (NIV)
I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.
2I pour out before Him my complaint;
before Him I tell my trouble.”
I can still cry out to God and pour out my complaints before Him. In taking my troubles directly to Him, I humbly admit that He is the only One who can help me and the One who is in control of all things.
“…bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”
Colossians 3:13 (ESV)
When we have complaints against each other, human to human and believer to believer, we are to forgive… as the Lord has forgiven us. Meaning, we are to remember we have been forgiven much and we did not deserve the Lord’s forgiveness. We are never to take the attitude of one who is too good to forgive certain people certain offenses. If we do, it means we do not realize how much we have been forgiven by Christ.
“But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
I Corinthians 15:57 (NLT)
There is nothing that can happen to me, of which I could complain, that is worse than slavery to sin & the resulting eternal death — being cut off from God forever. My heart should always be in thankful mode! Thankfulness is the greatest weapon we have against grumbling & complaining.
DAY 43/FRI.-SAT. Prayer
Pray these verses of thanksgiving to the Lord as a family. If possible, have everyone read the first and last verses together, and take turns with the rest.
Let us pray:
“Now, our God,
we give You thanks,
& praise Your glorious name”
(I Chronicles 29:13).
“I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High” (Psalm 7:17).
“I will give thanks to You, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonderful deeds” (Psalm 9:1).
“I will give You thanks, for You answered me; You have become my salvation” (Psalm 118:21).
“Praise the Lord.
Give thanks to the Lord,
for He is good;
His love endures forever”
(Psalm 106:1).
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
DAY 43: Paul instructs the Philippians to do everything without grumbling.