“A Company of Complainers” Num 11 I. The Problem with the People II. The Problem with the Prophet III. The Provider Provoked IV. The Protege Perplex

1. A Company of Complainers
“I personally believe we developed language because of our
deep inner need to complain.”
― Jane Wagner
“Complaining is truly my strongest weakness.”
― Evinda Lepins
I. TheProblemwiththePeople
Num 11:1 “boo who” with emphasis on the WHO
1) And when the people complained…
Num 11:2 And the people cried unto Moses…
Num 11:4 …and the children of Israel also wept again, and
said,
Who …[Moses can’t meet our needs, & God isn’t
even in the picture] …shall give us flesh to eat?
Num 11:10 …the people weep …every man in the door of
his tent…

2. Num 11:18 …ye have wept in the ears of the LORD,
saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat?…
Num 11:5
5) We remember
the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the
cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the
onions, and the garlick:
We- Num 11:4 And the mixt multitude… and the children
of Israel…
One evenin' in October
When I was five fifths sober
Takin'g home a load with manly pride
My poor feet began to stutter
So I lay down in the gutter
And a pig come up and lay down by my side
Then we sang it's all fair weather
When good fellers get together
Till a lady passing by was heard to say
"You can tell a man who boozes
By the company he chooses"
So the pig got up and slowly walked away
Yes, the pig got up and slowly walked away

3. Slowly walked away
Slowly walked away
Yes, the pig got up and without a word to say
He looked at me and thought
That he would leave me where I lay
And that same old pig a lesson taught to me
And that was not to be a bigger pig than he
So I hopped next day on the water cart to stay
Ever since the pig got up and slowly walked away
The mixt multitude will ruin your attitude.
The next step for this crowd of complainers-
Num 11:6
6) But now [“just talking reality here”]
our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside
this manna, before our eyes.
[When you take God out of your “reality” you are
left with “nothing at all”]
“Sticks And Stones”
Words are harmless, so they say,
That's where the problem starts;

4. Sticks and stones
May break our bones
But words will break our hearts.
Words are harmless, so they say,
And point you to their charts;
It's harmless fun,
No damage done.
But... Who will mend our hearts?
The x-rays show no damage
Where words have scathed across,
But it still feels hard to manage,
And leaves you at a loss.
Words are harmless, don't complain,
That's where the problem starts.
It's quite absurd-
A single word-
Enough to break our hearts!
Num 11:6 But now our soul is dried away…
[Little did they know]

5. Ps 106:15 And he gave them their request; but sent
leanness into their soul.
Num 11:20 …Why came we forth out of Egypt?
Num 11:2 And the people cried unto Moses;
The Assistance of the Advocate-
Num 11:2 …and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the
fire was quenched.
II. TheProblemwiththeProphet
Ps 106:32-33
32) They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that
it went ill with Moses for their sakes:
33) Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake
unadvisedly with his lips.

6. Num 11:10-15 10 Then Moses heard the people …the
anger of the LORD was kindled …Moses also was
displeased.
11 And Moses said unto the LORD, [ WHY ] Wherefore
hast thou afflicted
thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy
sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon
me?
12 Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them,
that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy
bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto
the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?
13 Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this
people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that
we may eat.
14 I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it
is too heavy for me.
15 And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out
of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not
see my wretchedness.
Moses refers to himself 18 times (6+6+6) When a man
plays God he is anti-christ.

7. III. TheProviderProvoked
Num 11:1 And when the people complained, it
displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his
anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among
them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost
parts of the camp.
[there is a danger in being comfortable far from the
tabernacle]
Num 11:10 Then Moses heard the people weep
throughout their families, every man in the door of his
tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly;
Moses also was displeased.
Num 11:20 But even a whole month, until it come out at
your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that
ye have despised the LORD which is among you, and
have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of
Egypt?
Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for
whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

8. Matt 2:8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said,
Go and search diligently for the young child; and
when ye have found him, bring me word again,
that I may come and worship him also.
Matt 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was
mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and
sent forth, and slew all the children that were in
Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two
years old and under, according to the time which he
had diligently enquired of the wise men.
Num 11:23 And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD'S
hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my
word shall come to pass unto thee or not.
Num 11:33 And while the flesh was yet between their
teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was
kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the
people with a very great plague.
Num 11:34 And he called the name of that place
Kibrothhattaavah: because there they buried the people
that lusted.

9. Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God
forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I
had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou
shalt not covet.
IV. TheProtegePerplexed
Num 11:25-29
25 And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto
him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it
unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when
the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not
cease.
26 But there remained two of the men in the camp, the
name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other
Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of
them that were written, but went not out unto the
tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.
27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said,
Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.
28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one
of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses,
forbid them.

10. 29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake?
would God that all the LORD'S people were prophets, and
that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!
Luke 9:54
54) And when his disciples James and John saw this, they
said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come
down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias
did?
Jas 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every
man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
2Cor 10:8 For though I should boast somewhat more
of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for
edification, and not for your destruction, I should not
be ashamed:
Luke 12:12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the
same hour what ye ought to say.
Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye
shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the
Spirit.

11. “A Company of Complainers”
I. The Problem with the People
II. The Problem with the Prophet
III. The Provider Provoked
IV. The Protege Perplexed