Exodus 16:12 “I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I Am the Lord your God.’
It was the 13th century B.C. and Israel had miraculously been delivered from Egyptian slavery. The fear and unbelief of the people initially kept them from entering the promised land and they became a wandering nation for a generation. In the Wilderness of Sin there was a common refrain that summed up the people’s response, “Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.”
What was the complaint? Why would a people who had cried out to God for 400 years to be delivered now be troubled once again?
Israel lacked contentment.
Exodus 16:3 “And the children of Israel said to them, “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
The vision of the people was limited to the fullness of their stomach. The complaints kept coming, from fresh water, to consistent food (which God provided via manna from heaven, the people were as satisfied as the quality of their last meal.
Now, the complaints turned to meat. They weren’t dying from hunger, they were over-dramatizing their desire for a change of diet. Manna was the perfect food, a provision that only God could provide to the millions who walked the desert floor. As the people complained to Moses and Aaron, they reminded the people of whom they were complaining.
Exodus 16:6-7 “Then Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, “At evening you shall know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt. And in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord; for He hears your complaints against the Lord. But what are we, that you complain against us?”
When people complain about those God has anointed, they complain about God Himself. Israel wanted deliverance, they just wanted it done their way. The lack of trust was palpable, the discontent was rising like a wicked crescendo, and the Lord responded.
Exodus 16:11-12 “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I Am the Lord your God.’ ”
Can you hear the disappointment? The way in which the Lord responded was an acknowledgement of a people whose hearts were turned away from Him.
“and you shall know”…..how many times must the Lord remind people that He alone is God? Israel had been shown His power on a daily basis and they still lacked in their belief.
How many times must the Lord show His power before we learn to trust?
Numbers 11:1-2 “Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. Then the people cried out to Moses, and when Moses prayed to the Lord, the fire was quenched.”
The fire that was leading the people at night, the very same fire that protected them from an advancing Egyptian army, was now the fire that consumed them.
Right after the lesson of fire, the people revolted once again.
Numbers 11:4 “Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: “Who will give us meat to eat?
Are cravings something that are unnatural? Of course not! The body craves many things, water, food, even relationships, but when the cravings exceed God’s provision, then they become avenues of sin and idolatry.
The desire of the flesh became the priority, and the desire to please God was disregarded. Cravings are natural, but when the desire becomes the ultimate goal, the object of desire becomes their god. The 10th commandment was clear, “You shall not Covet”, and yet the people disregarded the commandments in full and dishonored themselves.
A cubit was roughly 18 inches, so when God sent a strong wind and drove the quail into the camp, it says that the quail piled up 2 cubits in depth. Three feet of birds all through the camp was more than a provision, it had now become gluttony. What did the people do? The gathered as much as they could, spread the birds all around, and began to gorge themselves..
Exodus 11:33 “But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was aroused against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very great plague”
The wrath of God demonstrates His holiness. Purity, self-control, character, the attributes of abstaining from ungodly cravings is an expectation for God’s people.
The graves of the dead that day were named Kibroth Hattaavah, or Graves of Craving.
There are consequences for a lack of self-control, for a lack of trust, for idolatry of the flesh. There are retributions for those who idolize the world over God’s provision, for they would rather give into the cravings than honor the Lord.
Has the Lord delivered you? Then trust Him for where He is leading, trust Him for all that He has given you. He does not cease from being good, you may not understand why He has you where you are, you need only trust that He will remain faithful.
U.T. 