"If we only had meat to eat ...!!!"
Psalm 68:1-6
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song.
1 May God arise, may his enemies be scattered;
may his foes flee before him.
2 May you blow them away like smoke—
as wax melts before the fire,
may the wicked perish before God.
3 But may the righteous be glad
and rejoice before God;
may they be happy and joyful.
4 Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,
extol him who rides on the clouds ;
rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.
5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.
6 God sets the lonely in families,
he leads out the prisoners with singing;
but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
Reflections: This psalm by David begins by reciting a prayer Moses made each day before the Israelites set out for their sojourn in the wilderness (See Numbers 10:35). David repeats the prayer for his context, as the Israelites seek to conquer the Promised Land and go into the territory God had prepared for them. As they do this His praise is to be continually be on their lips, as they also wait for their Savior, the Messiah. As God delivers these people, they are to remember the people in their midst who are on the margins, the widows and orphans (fatherless). Just as they have received mercy by God’s gracious hand even though they are not deserving of it, they should show mercy to those less fortunate. This is a good picture of what worship is; praise God for what He has done for us and then extending that same mercy to others in need.
Numbers 11
Fire From the Lord
11 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. 2 When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed to the Lord and the fire died down. 3 So that place was called Taberah, because fire from the Lord had burned among them.
Quail From the Lord 4 The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. 6 But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna! ”7 The manna was like coriander seed and looked like resin. 8 The people went around gathering it, and then ground it in a hand mill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into loaves. And it tasted like something made with olive oil. 9 When the dew settled on the camp at night, the manna also came down. 10 Moses heard the people of every family wailing at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. 11 He asked the Lord, “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? 12 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 ancestors? 13 Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me —if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”16 The Lord said to 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. 17 I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone. 18 “Tell the people: ‘Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you wailed, “If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!” Now the Lord will give you meat, and you will eat it. 19 You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, 20 but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it —because you have rejected the Lord, who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’” 21 But Moses said, “Here I am among six hundred thousand men on foot, and you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’ 22 Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?” 23 The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you. ” 24 So Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the tent. 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took some of the power of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied —but did not do so again. 26 However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. 27 A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28 Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ aide since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!” 29 But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” 30 Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp. 31 Now a wind went out from the Lord and drove quail in from the sea. It scattered them up to two cubits deep all around the camp, as far as a day’s walk in any direction. 32 All that day and night and all the next day the people went out and gathered quail. No one gathered less than ten homers. Then they spread them out all around the camp. 33 But while the meat was still between their teeth and before it could be consumed, the anger of the Lord burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. 34 Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had craved other food.35 From Kibroth Hattaavah the people traveled to Hazeroth and stayed there.
Reflections: Hitherto things have gone pretty well in the camp, as they are led by the Lord by a pillar of fire by night and cloud by day, except the judgment of Nadab and Abihu who offered the uncensored fire and were struck down. But now we see the humanness of the people of Israel who begin to complain about the length of the journey and frequency of manna for their provision. Even Moses is pushed to the brink and is wearied by their murmuring. Moses cries out to God for help. God answers in a couple of ways. First, he provides 70 elders to help Moses and sends them the Spirit for prophesying, as an evidence of their authority to help Moses. But we also see another judgment by fire as God strikes them with a severe plague. So we see God’s justice and mercy and this would be a lesson to all in the camp not to test God who had so graciously provided for them.
Are you tempted to complain to God thinking about all that you don’t have? Have you take the provision God has given you and all the riches He has given us in Christ for granted? Take a moment to recount the blessings in your life? Pray for those less fortunate and be grateful for all He has granted you.
Mark 13:1-13
The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times
1 As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” 2 “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; everyone will be thrown down.” 3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?” 5 Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. 9 “You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. 11 Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. 12 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 13 Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Reflections: Here Jesus takes aside his inner circle of disciples and checks their fascination with the earthly buildings of the temple. He reminds them that this temple will be overthrown. This literally happened in A.D. 70 some 40 years later. But this verse also has a future prophetic quality to it, giving us instruction about the end times when Jesus will return. Though the disciples didn’t understand this, we learn more about it in John’s prophetic words on the island of Patmos in the book of Revelation. The bottom line is that as followers of Christ we cannot put our trust in buildings and we should not be surprised when earthly authorities persecute us for our faith in Jesus. These are all signs and birth-pangs of the return of Christ. Importantly when we do get in a situation of having to stand up for our faith under threat, the Holy Spirit will give us the words and courage to stand up under the fiery trial.
He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3
They brought to Jesus all who were sick or possessed with demons. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases. Mark 1:32,34
Healer of our every ill, when we are afraid to admit we need you, or afraid of new life, or afraid you may need us to be a part of someone else's healing, heal and comfort us. Amen
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song.
1 May God arise, may his enemies be scattered;
may his foes flee before him.
2 May you blow them away like smoke—
as wax melts before the fire,
may the wicked perish before God.
3 But may the righteous be glad
and rejoice before God;
may they be happy and joyful.
4 Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,
extol him who rides on the clouds ;
rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.
5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.
6 God sets the lonely in families,
he leads out the prisoners with singing;
but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
Reflections: This psalm by David begins by reciting a prayer Moses made each day before the Israelites set out for their sojourn in the wilderness (See Numbers 10:35). David repeats the prayer for his context, as the Israelites seek to conquer the Promised Land and go into the territory God had prepared for them. As they do this His praise is to be continually be on their lips, as they also wait for their Savior, the Messiah. As God delivers these people, they are to remember the people in their midst who are on the margins, the widows and orphans (fatherless). Just as they have received mercy by God’s gracious hand even though they are not deserving of it, they should show mercy to those less fortunate. This is a good picture of what worship is; praise God for what He has done for us and then extending that same mercy to others in need.
Numbers 11
Fire From the Lord
11 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. 2 When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed to the Lord and the fire died down. 3 So that place was called Taberah, because fire from the Lord had burned among them.
Quail From the Lord 4 The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. 6 But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna! ”7 The manna was like coriander seed and looked like resin. 8 The people went around gathering it, and then ground it in a hand mill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into loaves. And it tasted like something made with olive oil. 9 When the dew settled on the camp at night, the manna also came down. 10 Moses heard the people of every family wailing at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. 11 He asked the Lord, “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? 12 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 ancestors? 13 Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me —if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”16 The Lord said to 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. 17 I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone. 18 “Tell the people: ‘Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you wailed, “If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!” Now the Lord will give you meat, and you will eat it. 19 You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, 20 but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it —because you have rejected the Lord, who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’” 21 But Moses said, “Here I am among six hundred thousand men on foot, and you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’ 22 Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?” 23 The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you. ” 24 So Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the tent. 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took some of the power of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied —but did not do so again. 26 However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. 27 A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28 Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ aide since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!” 29 But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” 30 Then Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp. 31 Now a wind went out from the Lord and drove quail in from the sea. It scattered them up to two cubits deep all around the camp, as far as a day’s walk in any direction. 32 All that day and night and all the next day the people went out and gathered quail. No one gathered less than ten homers. Then they spread them out all around the camp. 33 But while the meat was still between their teeth and before it could be consumed, the anger of the Lord burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. 34 Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had craved other food.35 From Kibroth Hattaavah the people traveled to Hazeroth and stayed there.
Reflections: Hitherto things have gone pretty well in the camp, as they are led by the Lord by a pillar of fire by night and cloud by day, except the judgment of Nadab and Abihu who offered the uncensored fire and were struck down. But now we see the humanness of the people of Israel who begin to complain about the length of the journey and frequency of manna for their provision. Even Moses is pushed to the brink and is wearied by their murmuring. Moses cries out to God for help. God answers in a couple of ways. First, he provides 70 elders to help Moses and sends them the Spirit for prophesying, as an evidence of their authority to help Moses. But we also see another judgment by fire as God strikes them with a severe plague. So we see God’s justice and mercy and this would be a lesson to all in the camp not to test God who had so graciously provided for them.
Are you tempted to complain to God thinking about all that you don’t have? Have you take the provision God has given you and all the riches He has given us in Christ for granted? Take a moment to recount the blessings in your life? Pray for those less fortunate and be grateful for all He has granted you.
Mark 13:1-13
The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times
1 As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” 2 “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; everyone will be thrown down.” 3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?” 5 Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. 9 “You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. 11 Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit. 12 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 13 Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Reflections: Here Jesus takes aside his inner circle of disciples and checks their fascination with the earthly buildings of the temple. He reminds them that this temple will be overthrown. This literally happened in A.D. 70 some 40 years later. But this verse also has a future prophetic quality to it, giving us instruction about the end times when Jesus will return. Though the disciples didn’t understand this, we learn more about it in John’s prophetic words on the island of Patmos in the book of Revelation. The bottom line is that as followers of Christ we cannot put our trust in buildings and we should not be surprised when earthly authorities persecute us for our faith in Jesus. These are all signs and birth-pangs of the return of Christ. Importantly when we do get in a situation of having to stand up for our faith under threat, the Holy Spirit will give us the words and courage to stand up under the fiery trial.
He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3
They brought to Jesus all who were sick or possessed with demons. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases. Mark 1:32,34
Healer of our every ill, when we are afraid to admit we need you, or afraid of new life, or afraid you may need us to be a part of someone else's healing, heal and comfort us. Amen
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