In the Middle of the Desert

When the journey gets long, people begin asking, “Are we soon there?” Children sometimes begin whining and complaining. A wise parent has packed away a few ‘new’ things to pull out to distract them for a while and make the trip go faster for them. It is the middle of the journey that seems the longest and hardest and tries the patience of all – leaders and followers alike. The Israelites were no exception. 

Egypt was far enough behind them that they forgot about the excessive hard work and the bondage of slavery. They remembered only the good food they had to eat – and the variety of it. Now, in the desert, though they were free from bondage and on their way to the Promised Land, they were getting bored with manna and began to crave other food. They complained and wailed until the “Lord became exceedingly angry and Moses was troubled.” Numbers 11:10b I wonder if Moses was ‘troubled’ because of the wailing or because he wasn’t sure whether God had just enough of it and was going to wipe them all out. 

Moses’ patience was tried to the max and he asked God what he had done to displease Him that He would put the burden of all these people on him. In fact he went on to say, “If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now – if I have found favor in your eyes – and do not let me face my own ruin.” Numbers 11:15 As a leader (who was reluctant to begin with), Moses’ frailty became most apparent in this stressful situation. God understood that He had asked Moses to do a pretty big thing and had been present with Him all the way. 

In His tenderness, God once again looked out for Moses. He had provided Aaron to help Moses get started. Now He provided 70 elders to help share some of the burden of the people. Though God could have done it with Moses alone, He allowed for Moses’ human frailty, his need for human support in managing this body of people. 

Then God turned back to the people and told them to get ready because He was going to give them what they asked for until they had so much they would begin to hate it “– because you have rejected the Lord, who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, ‘Why did we ever leave Egypt?’” Numbers 11:20 The people had lost sight of following God and were focused on what they didn’t have instead of what God had provided and where He was leading them. 

The word ‘rejected’ seems strong – yet I wonder how quickly I ‘reject’ God’s promises and focus on my circumstances. Even Moses wondered how God was going to give these people meat. There wasn’t enough livestock among them to feed them all and hunting wasn’t too good in the desert. “The Lord answered Moses, ‘Is the Lord’s arm too short?’” Numbers 11:23

In this moment of stress, Moses lost site of the power of God to do what He set out to do. His circumstances were yelling pretty loudly and his hearing of God’s voice was dimmed by the wailing of the people around him. It was the middle of the journey. The people ‘craved’ meat over following the Lord to the Promised Land. They lost sight of the goal and were focused on their immediate circumstance.

I wonder how often I lose sight of the goal in the middle of a journey. I am easily distracted and sometimes forget I even have a goal. That is when circumstances become overwhelming. If I lose sight of the goal, I can no longer determine what is worth my attention and what needs to be ignored. I can no longer determine what I need for the journey and begin to crave things I don’t need. If I lose sight of God leading in my life, my cravings will take over. 

God gave the Israelites what they wanted – meat in the form of quail. But with it came a plague that killed many of them. “Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah [means graves of craving] because there they buried the people who had craved other food.” Numbers 11:34

 

I look around me and I wonder how many people are driven by their craving rather than their worship and obedience to God. And I look at the things people crave – love, attention, food, drugs, alcohol, pornography, gossip, electronics, and so much more – and I wonder how many are buried in graves of craving – figuratively or literally. And I ask myself, what is it I crave? If it is anything other than seeking the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, and strength, where will it lead me? 

Every day I make choices. I can choose to follow my God – even if the journey is long and goes through a desert or two – or I can choose to follow my cravings to an early grave. Lord, please give me wisdom to see and identify the cravings and step back from them, knowing that You alone are God and You alone can fulfill all of my needs. Amen.

It's Too Much

The more I study about Moses and his leading the Israelites out of Egypt, the more respect I have for him. It took some prodding from God and giving him his brother Aaron to help him get started (Exodus 4). It took his father-in-law’s wisdom to appoint officials to hear complaints from the people so Moses didn’t have to spend all day settling disputes (Exodus 18). But it was Moses who regularly talked with God and who, with God’s guidance and help, led the people who likely numbered near 2 million (600 thousand men age 20 and over, the Levites, plus women and children).

At first, the people were excited to be free from slavery in Egypt. But it wasn’t long before they began complaining about living conditions and lack of food and/or water. I can’t fathom leading 2 million people on a camping trip in the desert for a week, let alone 40 years. But here is Moses, being faithful to God, leading these people. It is no wonder to me that Moses is saying, “Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their forefathers? Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, 'Give us meat to eat!' I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin." Numbers 11:11-15

I wonder if I would have had the guts to even start out. Moses is thinking about giving up here. He is asking God to cut him loose from the burden he is carrying. Why doesn’t anyone see that it is a huge burden and step up to help him? The people begin to see Moses as the enemy rather than their leader and helper. It is a very painful place to be in leadership. There is much to be learned from how God and Moses handled the problems.

Moses, with God’s help, demonstrated great leadership by having set up an order to traveling and stopping. They were organized by tribes and each had a place to be when they stopped, arranged around the Tabernacle, and a place to be when they traveled, order in line. As they left in order, they opened a space for the Tabernacle and the Holy things as they moved them out. And as they settled, they moved in in order to make space for the Tabernacle and then enclose around it. It was like a chorus getting into place on the risers on stage and leaving in order when they have completed their program. Only this is about 2 million people rather than 40-50.

Even with this all in place and working, the people get hot, tired, hungry, thirsty and testy. And they think Moses should fix it. And so Moses cries to God, “The burden is too heavy for me.” Numbers 11:14 Since the people did not come forth to help Moses on their own, God tells Moses, “Bring me seventy of Israel's elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the Tent of Meeting, that they may stand there with you. I will 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 11:16-17

Now we have middle management and the people have someone else to wail at besides Moses. And then God says, “Okay, I’ll provide meat for you all. In fact, I’ll provide so much you’ll get sick of it!” (Numbers 11:18-20)

Rather than saying, “Thank you. Now there will be some peace again for a few days,” Moses says, “Where is all the meat going to come from? How can we feed this many people meat every day?” (Numbers 11:21-22)

“The Lord answered Moses, ‘Is the Lord’s arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you.’” Numbers 11:23 And God did provide enough quail for all to eat and be filled.

This is not only a story of God providing meat for the Israelites in the desert. It is a story of a leader who is burned out. It is easy to be confident in our leadership when people are following and everything is going well. But when people bulk, complain, or in this case wail, it is a different story. Suddenly, our world falls apart and we want out. It was not only the people not trusting God for provision, it was Moses not trusting God to get him through this. Not that I blame Moses in any way for his reaction at that point. It was a very human response. But I can learn from him and from how God dealt with it, that God can be trusted. His arm is not too short. He can deal with the worst of circumstances and get us through it. And so, regarding my ability to trust God to take care of things, I say with the man in the New Testament who asked Jesus for healing for his son, “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.” Mark 9:24

I’m so glad these rough times have been documented in the Bible as well as the good times. It gives me hope and builds my trust in a God who can reach down into any situation I find myself in and give me just what I need to not only get through that day, but to thrive – to become stronger and better for having gone through it. I hope the next time I find myself burning out I can reach up to God and trust him to get me through rather than complaining and wailing about the burden being too much.