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 Well, good morning, church. It's good to see you all this morning. Would you turn with me to the book of Numbers?

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 That is the fourth book of the Old Testament. It begins on page 101 in the Pew Bible.

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 We're picking up in chapter 11 today on page 111 or page 112 if you have one of the new Pew Bibles.

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 Now, the book of Numbers gets a pretty bad rap, I think, because the first few chapters are just that,

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 a long list of counting the people of Israel before they leave Mount Sinai, chapter after chapter of

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 Numbers. How spiritually edifying could that be, right? Now, of course, in a congregation like ours,

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 I know some of you love math and numbers and spreadsheets, so maybe you crack into the book

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 of Numbers and you feel like Han Solo stepping onto the Millennium Falcon. You're like,

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 Chewy, we're home. But numbers does get a pretty bad rap on the whole, I think, as being somewhat

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 impractical and somewhat boring. And yet, and yet, that is not the way that the New Testament and the

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 early church saw the book of Numbers. In fact, the Apostle Paul spends a whole chapter of 1 Corinthians

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 almost, 1 Corinthians chapter 10, talking basically about Numbers. Listen to what Paul says in 1 Corinthians

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 10, 1 through 6. He says,

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 Then Paul says this, he says,

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 Now, these things took place as examples for us. And then after giving a bunch of examples from mostly

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 Numbers, Paul again says, now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down

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 for our instruction on whom the end of the ages has come. Now, do you see what Paul is saying here?

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 Do you see what the apostles in the early church understood about the Old Testament, even the book

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 of Numbers? They understood that God had written down these things not just for people long ago,

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 but also and especially for us. They understood that the church, having received the fulfillment of

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 the Old Testament promises, needs those Old Testament examples so that we might live faithfully today

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 in the fulfillment of those promises. Now, we get the title Numbers from the Greek translation of this

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 book, but do you know what the Hebrew title is? Hebrew title of this book is called Bamidbar,

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 In the Wilderness, In the Wilderness. That's a much cooler title, don't you think? In the Wilderness,

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 and a much more accurate one for the bulk of what this book is about. As Pastor Matt laid out last week,

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 this book is about a journey through the wilderness, a journey with our faithful, holy, gracious,

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 and sovereign God. It's about the temptations and trials that the Old Testament church faced

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 as they traveled to the promised land, and it's about the trials and temptations that the New

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 Testament church faces as we head towards the new heavens and the new earth. And above all,

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 this book is about the God who goes with us in the wilderness, who's faithful to His people,

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 and who's faithful to His promises. And today, in Numbers chapter 11, we're going to look at the

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 first step of that journey. Remember last week, Pastor Matt took a bird's-eye view of chapters 1

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 through 10, and in chapter 10, the people are ready to go, the trumpets sound, and they march forth from

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 Sinai with the tabernacle in their midst. The cloud and fire of God's own presence is guiding them.

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 What could go wrong, right? Well, let's read the first nine verses of Numbers 11,

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 and let's see how their journey begins. And Josh, on the slides, I'm going to take it in chunks,

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 so just kind of follow along with me throughout the sermon. Sound good? Good. All right, so let's look

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 at verses 1 through 7. They just left. They just started walking through the wilderness.

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 This is how it starts. And the people complained. And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord

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 about their misfortunes. And when the Lord heard it, His anger was kindled. And the fire of the Lord

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 burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. Then the people cried out to Moses,

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 and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire died down. So the name of that place was called Tabarah,

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 because the fire of the Lord burned among them. Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving.

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 And the people of Israel also wept again and said, Oh, that we had meat to eat. We remember the fish we

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 ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.

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 But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.

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 Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium. The people went

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 about and gathered it and ground it in hand mills or beat it in mortars and boiled it in pots and made

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 cakes of it. And the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil. When the dew fell upon the

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 camp in the night, the manna fell with it. Okay, so no sooner have the people struck out on their great

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 journey to the promised land, no sooner have they finally begun their march with God Himself at their

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 head, no sooner have they set forth, then they start complaining and grumbling. Now Numbers 11 actually

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 records two separate instances of grumbling and complaining. The first at a place they come to

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 call taberah, which means burning in verses 1 through 3, and the second in verses 4 through 9 at a place

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 kind of not too far away, just down the road, that they'll come to call kibroth hatah avah, which we'll

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 see what that means at the end of the story. And the complaint in the first instance seems to be about

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 something, you know, it seems to be about what they're facing. And the complaint in the second

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 instance seems to be about what they're lacking. They're facing in verse 1 misfortunes or hardships,

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 and they're lacking in verse 5, as they say, meat to eat.

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 Now perhaps at first grumbling or complaining, it doesn't strike us as the sort of greatest

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 spiritual danger facing the church today, right? I mean, who cares if we grumble or complain, right?

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 Is it really all that bad? Sometimes we can even excuse our complaining spirit by saying,

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 well, that's just my personality, you know, I'm a bit of a curmudgeon.

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 But, you know, Numbers 11 would have us reassess, maybe, our carefree attitude towards grumbling and

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 complaining. When the complaining of the people reaches the Lord's ears in verse 1, what happens?

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 His anger burns, and fire circles the edges of the camp. Now, Numbers doesn't say how the Lord sends

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 fire, maybe it was some lightning or something like that, nor does it say if anyone is actually hurt

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 in that burning. But the people realize suddenly that they are in danger, and in response they cry out

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 to Moses for help, and Moses intercedes for them, and the fire dies down. Are we willing to hear

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 this warning about a complaining and grumbling spirit? Perhaps complaining and grumbling is worse

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 than we give it credit for. Why? Well, notice some things that we learn about grumbling and complaining

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 in this passage. Notice in this passage how complaining is contagious. The complaining in

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 verses 4 through 6 starts with what our ESV calls a rabble. One Jewish commentator on Numbers translate this

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 word as riffraff in verse 4. So, the riffraff starts complaining, but then suddenly what happens?

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 The whole camp is grumbling and crying out. You see, a complaining spirit infects those in contact with

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 it. It's like a virus that spreads. And notice in this passage how it's not just contagious, but

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 complaining kind of grows in its intensity. What starts out as a kind of general grumbling about their

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 hardships in verses 1 through 3 grows in verses 4 through 6 to a specific longing, even a craving,

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 for the food they used to eat in Egypt. The general murmur about it being kind of tough to walk through

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 the wilderness becomes more specific and more intense. Suddenly, the man is no good. They want

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 fish and cucumbers and garlic. Oh, garlic. They want to go back to Egypt.

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 And now we start to really see why complaining is so spiritually deadly. Ultimately, complaining is a

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 spirit that rejects God's provision. Manna was God's gift to them. Manna was His miraculous way of

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 sustaining them in the wilderness. What an incredible dishonor to God to look back at melons and cucumbers

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 and say, rather than God's presence guiding me, rather than God's miraculous provision sustaining me,

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 I'd rather go back to Egypt. Complaining takes our eyes off of God's goodness and steals His glory.

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 But lastly, complaining, it narrows our vision and it begins to distort reality.

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 God is taking His people. What is God doing in this part of Numbers? God's taking His people

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 to a land that's flowing with milk and honey, as the metaphor says. He's promised to protect and provide

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 for them the whole way. He's already sent plagues on Egypt. He's already parted the Red Sea. He's

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 already given them manna to eat. He's already displayed His glory on Mount Sinai. They are a people

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 who have been freed, who have been liberated by the God who created all things, and God is leading them

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 to a home. But instead of that vision filling their sights, a spirit of complaining takes root,

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 and they'd rather go back to slavery in Egypt so long as they could eat some cucumbers and melons

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 and garlic. Complaining has narrowed their vision and distorted reality. Complaining has narrowed their

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 vision of what God truly has in store for His people. I mean, wouldn't a few months in the

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 wilderness be worth dwelling in the promised land, generation upon generation upon generation?

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 And complaining distorts reality. Complaining and grumbling has made their slavery in Egypt seem

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 not so bad after all. They seem to have forgotten that Pharaoh had institutionalized the killing of

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 their male children, had forced them to labor under the oppression of his regime, and had treated them

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 like property to be disposed of. I mean, in their complaining, the people have in essence said,

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 I'd rather have that than God. And that's why fire breaks out on the edges of the camp, you see.

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 It's God's warning to His people. The way of complaining, the way of grumbling, the way of

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 discontent, it's the way, actually, of spiritual death. What does fire do? Fire, it disintegrates things,

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 right? It takes something that's solid and substantive, and it turns it into ash. The fire is

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 basically saying if the people persist in complaining, then it will be their spiritual

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 disintegration. The fire is a warning, and it's on the edges of the camp. Why is it on the edges of the

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 camp? Because it's driving the people back to the center, right? And what's in the center of the camp?

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 Do you remember from the first chapters of Numbers? Why did…what did God tell them to build right in

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 the middle of their camp? The tabernacle, the tent where God's presence would symbolically dwell in

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 their midst. God's trying to discipline them, to warn them, to come back to Him,

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 and not go along the paths of spiritual disintegration and grumbling, complaining, craving.

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 But as we see in verses 4 through 6, the complaining grows.

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 So the opening of chapter 11 helps us to see this danger of complaining, the danger. But it's not just

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 the people who complain. It's also Moses. After the general grumbling about hardships in verse 1,

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 Moses intercedes for the people. But when the complaining grows in verses 4 through 6,

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 Moses begins to despair. All right, let's pick up the story in verse 10. In verse 10,

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 Moses heard the people weeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent,

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 and the anger of the Lord blazed hotly. And Moses was displeased. Moses said to the Lord,

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 why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight,

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 that you lay the burden of all this people on me? Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them

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 birth that you should say to me, carry them in your bosom as a nurse carries a nursing child,

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 to the land that you swore to give to their fathers? Where am I to get meat to give to all

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 this people? For they weep before me and say, give us meat that we may eat. I am not able to carry

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 all this people alone. The burden is too heavy for me. If you will treat me like this, kill me at once

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 if I found favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness. Sounds like parents on a road trip,

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 right? With kids in the back seat. What does Moses complaining teach us? Well, for one thing,

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 notice how often Moses says in this section, I or me.

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 Complaining, you see, makes us kind of curve in on ourselves, and it just fosters self-pity,

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 and out of self-pity comes despair. The people wanted to go back to Egypt, but Moses, completely

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 overwhelmed, collapsing and complaining in self-pity, would rather God just put him out of his misery

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 right now. Friends, perhaps you're not like Moses, utterly despairing. Perhaps you're not like the

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 Israelites, wishing a return to slavery just so they can eat a few fish with melons. But listen to what

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 the Apostle Paul writes in Philippians 2 that Peter read for us earlier. He says,

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 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent children of God

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 without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation among whom you shine as lights in the

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 world. You see, the New Testament gives us a picture of the church being a people who shine like stars in

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 the midst of the dark. And what is one of the marks of our brightness as the people of Christ,

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 that we can do all things without grumbling or disputing, or grumbling and complaining,

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 as the NIV translates it. Complaining makes our lives very narrow, very self-centered. In the midst of

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 hardship, the Israelites started looking back to Egypt, and Moses couldn't stop thinking about himself

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 in self-pity. But instead, the New Testament calls us to shine like stars without complaining or

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 grumbling, with our vision wide to God's goodness and God's future, with our eyes not on ourselves,

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 but on Him. So what are you or I prone to complain about? Perhaps like the Israelites in Numbers 11,

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 you complain about the hardships or misfortunes that you're facing. Or maybe you complain about the

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 material things you're lacking. Are you and I willing to hear the warning of Numbers 11,

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 that this complaining will only narrow our vision, distort our reality, fill us with self-pity,

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 and ultimately dishonor the God who saves us?

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 But what's the solution? What's the solution? How do we stop being a people of a complaining spirit?

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 Well, let's continue to follow the story of Numbers 11, and let's see how God responds. Let's pick up in

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 verse 16. Then the Lord said to Moses,

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 "'Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and

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 officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with

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 you. And I will come down and talk with you there, and I will take some of the spirit that is on you

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 and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it

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 yourself alone. And say to the people, consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat,

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 for you have wept in the hearing of the Lord, saying, who will give us meat to eat? For it was

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 better for us in Egypt. Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat. You shall not eat

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 just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, but all month, until it comes

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 out of your nostrils, and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the Lord who is among

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 you, and have wept before Him, saying, why did we come out of Egypt? But Moses said,

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 "'The people among whom I am number six hundred thousand on foot, and you have said, I will give

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 them meat that they may eat a whole month? Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, and be enough

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 for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, and be enough for them?'

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 And the Lord said to Moses, "'Is the Lord's hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will

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 come true for you or not.'" So the Lord speaks to Moses, and He answers both Moses' complaint and the

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 people's complaint. God promises to send help to Moses and to send meat for the people. And when Moses

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 expresses doubt that God could send meat for so many people, God says to Moses, "'Is the Lord's hand

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 shortened?' In other words, Moses, do you think I'm not powerful enough to do this? And that's perhaps

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 the first step out of a complaining spirit, to look again to God's mighty, sovereign, redeeming hand.

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 You face trials and hardships. You don't know how you're going to go on. Your job is a mess. Or parenting

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 has you at your wit's end. Or your friends are leaving you. Or your neighbors are difficult. Or

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 your marriage is in a rocky spot. And you can feel the complaining spirit rise in your heart. "'Why me?

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 Why does this have to happen to me? God's led me into this wilderness, and He's abandoned me. Why do I

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 even bother?' But then the Lord speaks and says, "'Is my hand too short to save you, to provide for you,

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 to preserve you?' The hand of the Lord that brought Egypt to its knees, the hand of the Lord that parted

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 the Red Sea, the hand of the Lord that drowned Pharaoh's army, the hand of the Lord that gives

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 you manna, gives you daily bread every day, the hand of the Lord that shaped the mountains, and filled

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 the seas, and put the planets in their orbits around the sun. Is this hand of the Lord too short

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 to meet you in your need, in your misfortunes, in your lack?' No, brothers and sisters, the Lord's hand

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 is never too short. His sovereign, sustaining, almighty hand will give you exactly what you need

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 to persevere in every circumstance. He will always fulfill His promises. This is what God says to

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 Moses after pointing Moses to the hand of His power. He points Moses then to His word. Is the Lord's hand

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 shortened? Now you will see whether My word will come true for you or not. After setting our minds on the

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 power of God, we can set our minds on the promises of God. Here's the next step out of a complaining

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 spirit, God's promises. God's promises are good, and His promises are transforming. Listen to what Peter

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 says in 2 Peter 1, verses 3-4. He says, "'God's divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to

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 life and godliness through the knowledge of His own glory and excellence by which He has granted to us

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 His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of His divine nature,

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 having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.'" How do we begin to

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 shine like stars? We look to God's promises because if complaining narrows our vision, if complaining distorts our

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 understanding of reality, the power and promise of God starts to expand our vision again. It brings us back to

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 what's really real. So how does God fulfill His word then to Moses? Well, let's continue in verse 24 of Numbers 11.

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 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord, and he gathered seventy men of the elders

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 of the people and placed them around the tent. Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him and

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 took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the spirit rested

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 on them, they prophesied, but they did not continue doing it. Now two men remained in the camp, one named

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 Eldad and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they

00:23:18.799 --> 00:23:24.960
 had not gone out to the tent. And so they prophesied in the camp. And a young man ran and told Moses,

00:23:25.099 --> 00:23:30.440
 Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp. And Joshua, the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from

00:23:30.440 --> 00:23:38.539
 his youth, said, "'My Lord, Moses, stop them.'" But Moses said to him, "'Are you jealous for my sake?'

00:23:38.539 --> 00:23:46.279
 Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, that the Lord would put His Spirit on them."

00:23:46.279 --> 00:23:49.480
 And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

00:23:51.159 --> 00:23:56.079
 So God promises that He will empower seventy elders of the people, seventy officers, to come

00:23:56.079 --> 00:24:01.139
 alongside Moses with the spiritual task of shepherding the people. And that's exactly what

00:24:01.139 --> 00:24:07.200
 He does. God sends His Spirit, and as a sign that these men have been set apart, they prophesy.

00:24:07.200 --> 00:24:12.680
 And not as an ongoing ministry. Verse 25 says they didn't continue doing it, but they prophesy once

00:24:12.680 --> 00:24:18.039
 as a sign that they're now equipped and set apart to fulfill this co-shepherding work with Moses.

00:24:19.340 --> 00:24:23.539
 It's not clear what the nature of this prophecy was. Most likely they spoke words of praise and

00:24:23.539 --> 00:24:28.799
 adoration to God and words of encouragement and exhortation to the people. But from here on out,

00:24:28.920 --> 00:24:35.200
 Moses wouldn't have to be the only one spiritually caring for the people. Moses would still have a

00:24:35.200 --> 00:24:40.340
 special and unique role as the leader of God's people. We'll see more about that in chapter 12

00:24:40.340 --> 00:24:46.220
 next week. But the burden for caring for the people would now continue to be shared.

00:24:47.819 --> 00:24:51.860
 And how does Moses respond to this work of the Spirit of God?

00:24:53.360 --> 00:24:58.900
 Notice that two of these seventy men, Eldad and Medad, weren't able to be at the tabernacle when God's

00:24:58.900 --> 00:25:02.299
 Spirit came down that day. We aren't told why they couldn't be there, but nevertheless,

00:25:02.299 --> 00:25:08.539
 God's Spirit comes and rests on them and they too prophesy. And then Joshua, getting news of this,

00:25:08.579 --> 00:25:14.720
 afraid that this might steal some of Moses' authority and take away some of Moses' honor,

00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:19.819
 tells Moses, Moses, you have to make them stop. But how does Moses respond?

00:25:22.419 --> 00:25:26.159
 Notice, notice Moses' change of heart here.

00:25:26.160 --> 00:25:30.360
 In verses 10 through 15, Moses couldn't stop thinking about himself.

00:25:31.600 --> 00:25:37.759
 But now, Moses has given up his self-pity and his self-centeredness and says,

00:25:38.440 --> 00:25:46.380
 don't be jealous for my glory, Joshua. If God wants to put His Spirit on all of God's people,

00:25:47.140 --> 00:25:49.160
 then that would be the greatest gift of all.

00:25:49.160 --> 00:25:55.180
 You see, now Moses is thinking about God's glory and God's honor.

00:25:57.060 --> 00:26:00.700
 And of course, one day God would fulfill this word that Moses spoke.

00:26:02.160 --> 00:26:07.440
 When Jesus Christ ascended on high to the Father's right hand and poured out the Spirit at Pentecost,

00:26:08.080 --> 00:26:11.900
 all of God's people were now filled with the Spirit.

00:26:11.900 --> 00:26:15.780
 And that is true of every believer in Jesus Christ today.

00:26:16.620 --> 00:26:19.100
 God's Spirit causes us to be born anew,

00:26:20.220 --> 00:26:21.740
 grants a saving faith,

00:26:22.380 --> 00:26:23.380
 empowers us,

00:26:23.720 --> 00:26:25.220
 and equips us for service,

00:26:25.400 --> 00:26:27.200
 preserves and keeps us

00:26:27.200 --> 00:26:28.420
 throughout our days.

00:26:30.300 --> 00:26:32.340
 The Spirit dwells in us richly.

00:26:33.940 --> 00:26:35.740
 And doesn't that strike a blow

00:26:35.740 --> 00:26:37.660
 to our complaining hearts?

00:26:38.640 --> 00:26:40.000
 God has filled us

00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:41.259
 with His Spirit.

00:26:42.299 --> 00:26:43.900
 We're not left alone

00:26:43.900 --> 00:26:45.059
 or abandoned

00:26:45.059 --> 00:26:46.960
 in this wilderness journey.

00:26:47.579 --> 00:26:49.799
 The church is not wandering aimlessly.

00:26:50.460 --> 00:26:52.920
 We have the Spirit of God in us.

00:26:55.059 --> 00:26:57.059
 And Paul says in Philippians 2.13,

00:26:57.200 --> 00:26:58.819
 it's God who works in you,

00:26:59.319 --> 00:27:01.220
 both to will and to work

00:27:01.220 --> 00:27:02.660
 for His good pleasure.

00:27:03.599 --> 00:27:04.880
 Rather than giving in

00:27:04.880 --> 00:27:06.720
 to the self-pity of a complaining heart,

00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:08.480
 we have hearts that are dependent

00:27:08.480 --> 00:27:10.339
 on the Spirit's work in us.

00:27:10.720 --> 00:27:12.559
 Yes, we will face trials and hardships

00:27:12.559 --> 00:27:13.519
 in this wilderness.

00:27:13.980 --> 00:27:15.200
 What did you expect?

00:27:18.180 --> 00:27:19.740
 Anything worth doing

00:27:19.740 --> 00:27:21.400
 is going to have challenges

00:27:21.400 --> 00:27:22.400
 and hardships.

00:27:23.539 --> 00:27:25.299
 But how much greater

00:27:25.299 --> 00:27:26.519
 is the provision

00:27:26.519 --> 00:27:27.660
 that God has given us,

00:27:27.880 --> 00:27:29.920
 the provision of His own Spirit

00:27:29.920 --> 00:27:30.880
 dwelling in us

00:27:30.880 --> 00:27:31.960
 to face these challenges,

00:27:32.200 --> 00:27:33.360
 to face these hardships?

00:27:34.279 --> 00:27:35.880
 In 1 Corinthians 10.13,

00:27:35.880 --> 00:27:37.980
 after giving all those examples

00:27:37.980 --> 00:27:38.720
 from Numbers

00:27:38.720 --> 00:27:40.340
 of the evils we should avoid,

00:27:40.700 --> 00:27:41.700
 Paul then writes this.

00:27:42.760 --> 00:27:43.100
 He says,

00:27:44.160 --> 00:27:46.100
 no temptation has overtaken you.

00:27:46.660 --> 00:27:47.840
 That is not common to man.

00:27:48.840 --> 00:27:49.600
 God is faithful.

00:27:50.620 --> 00:27:51.720
 And He will not let you

00:27:51.720 --> 00:27:53.080
 be tempted beyond your ability.

00:27:53.540 --> 00:27:54.720
 But with the temptation,

00:27:55.000 --> 00:27:56.280
 He will also provide

00:27:56.280 --> 00:27:57.200
 the way of escape

00:27:57.200 --> 00:27:59.440
 that you may be able to endure it.

00:28:01.380 --> 00:28:02.400
 Brothers and sisters,

00:28:02.400 --> 00:28:05.440
 let our complaining

00:28:05.440 --> 00:28:07.640
 be turned instead

00:28:07.640 --> 00:28:10.620
 to depending on the Spirit

00:28:10.620 --> 00:28:13.220
 for strength and endurance

00:28:13.220 --> 00:28:14.800
 and wisdom and help.

00:28:17.300 --> 00:28:19.040
 So God's provision to Moses

00:28:19.040 --> 00:28:20.420
 helps us to see

00:28:20.420 --> 00:28:22.259
 God's provision to us today.

00:28:23.540 --> 00:28:24.780
 But the chapter ends,

00:28:24.820 --> 00:28:26.259
 the chapter ends with a warning.

00:28:28.080 --> 00:28:29.400
 At the beginning of chapter 11,

00:28:29.460 --> 00:28:30.759
 the people started to despise

00:28:30.759 --> 00:28:31.619
 the manna and instead

00:28:31.619 --> 00:28:32.519
 they longed for meat,

00:28:33.019 --> 00:28:33.900
 like the meat they used

00:28:33.900 --> 00:28:34.579
 to eat in Egypt.

00:28:35.779 --> 00:28:38.059
 And God, in judgment,

00:28:39.240 --> 00:28:41.379
 gives them exactly

00:28:41.379 --> 00:28:42.319
 what they ask for.

00:28:44.819 --> 00:28:45.680
 Let's read the rest

00:28:45.680 --> 00:28:46.299
 of chapter 11,

00:28:46.379 --> 00:28:47.420
 picking up in verse 31.

00:28:48.539 --> 00:28:49.660
 Then a wind from the Lord

00:28:49.660 --> 00:28:50.299
 sprang up,

00:28:50.619 --> 00:28:51.779
 and it brought quail

00:28:51.779 --> 00:28:52.460
 from the sea

00:28:52.460 --> 00:28:54.279
 and let them fall

00:28:54.279 --> 00:28:55.140
 beside the camp.

00:28:55.640 --> 00:28:56.700
 About a day's journey

00:28:56.700 --> 00:28:57.460
 on this side

00:28:57.460 --> 00:28:58.599
 and a day's journey

00:28:58.599 --> 00:28:59.279
 on that side

00:28:59.279 --> 00:29:00.019
 around the camp

00:29:00.019 --> 00:29:01.779
 and about two cubits

00:29:01.779 --> 00:29:02.539
 above the ground.

00:29:03.939 --> 00:29:05.059
 And the people rose

00:29:05.059 --> 00:29:05.819
 all that day

00:29:05.819 --> 00:29:06.699
 and all night

00:29:06.699 --> 00:29:07.779
 and all the next day

00:29:07.779 --> 00:29:09.240
 and gathered the quail.

00:29:10.299 --> 00:29:11.419
 Those who gathered least

00:29:11.419 --> 00:29:12.519
 gathered ten homers

00:29:12.519 --> 00:29:14.319
 and they spread them out

00:29:14.319 --> 00:29:14.759
 for themselves

00:29:14.759 --> 00:29:15.819
 all around the camp.

00:29:17.240 --> 00:29:17.959
 While the meat

00:29:17.959 --> 00:29:20.039
 was yet between their teeth,

00:29:20.599 --> 00:29:21.879
 before it was consumed,

00:29:22.579 --> 00:29:23.799
 the anger of the Lord

00:29:23.799 --> 00:29:24.419
 was kindled

00:29:24.419 --> 00:29:25.240
 against the people

00:29:25.240 --> 00:29:26.640
 and the Lord

00:29:26.640 --> 00:29:27.680
 struck down the people

00:29:27.680 --> 00:29:28.980
 with a very great plague.

00:29:30.460 --> 00:29:30.740
 Therefore,

00:29:30.859 --> 00:29:32.099
 the name of that place

00:29:32.099 --> 00:29:32.720
 was called

00:29:32.720 --> 00:29:34.799
 Kebroth Hata'avah

00:29:34.799 --> 00:29:36.240
 because there

00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:37.500
 they buried the people

00:29:37.500 --> 00:29:38.920
 who had the craving.

00:29:40.420 --> 00:29:41.880
 And from Kebroth Hata'avah,

00:29:42.039 --> 00:29:42.799
 the people journeyed

00:29:42.799 --> 00:29:43.420
 to Hazeroth

00:29:43.420 --> 00:29:44.819
 and they remained

00:29:44.819 --> 00:29:45.880
 at Hazeroth.

00:29:47.740 --> 00:29:48.900
 Even after the warning

00:29:48.900 --> 00:29:50.319
 of verses 1 through 3,

00:29:51.000 --> 00:29:52.200
 even after the outpouring

00:29:52.200 --> 00:29:52.859
 of the Spirit

00:29:52.859 --> 00:29:54.519
 in verses 24 through 30,

00:29:55.240 --> 00:29:57.180
 the people still

00:29:57.180 --> 00:29:59.420
 craved meat.

00:30:00.700 --> 00:30:01.819
 So in judgment,

00:30:03.059 --> 00:30:04.680
 God gave them

00:30:04.680 --> 00:30:06.660
 exactly what they asked for.

00:30:07.440 --> 00:30:08.799
 The Lord sends a wind

00:30:08.799 --> 00:30:10.059
 and it pushes

00:30:10.059 --> 00:30:11.599
 a massive flock

00:30:11.599 --> 00:30:13.000
 of migratory quail

00:30:13.000 --> 00:30:13.900
 right to them

00:30:13.900 --> 00:30:15.200
 and the quail

00:30:15.200 --> 00:30:16.120
 begin to come down

00:30:16.120 --> 00:30:17.240
 and fall in quantities

00:30:17.240 --> 00:30:18.319
 that allow everyone

00:30:18.319 --> 00:30:19.000
 who wants it

00:30:19.000 --> 00:30:20.339
 to gather basketful

00:30:20.339 --> 00:30:21.500
 upon basketful.

00:30:22.200 --> 00:30:23.000
 And as the meat

00:30:23.000 --> 00:30:23.680
 is drying

00:30:23.680 --> 00:30:24.759
 and curing

00:30:24.759 --> 00:30:25.360
 in the sun

00:30:25.360 --> 00:30:26.480
 and as those

00:30:26.480 --> 00:30:27.360
 who left the camp

00:30:27.360 --> 00:30:28.440
 to gather the quail

00:30:28.440 --> 00:30:29.539
 are starting

00:30:29.539 --> 00:30:30.640
 to fill their bellies

00:30:30.640 --> 00:30:30.960
 with it,

00:30:31.000 --> 00:30:31.600
 as it's sticking

00:30:31.600 --> 00:30:32.440
 in their teeth,

00:30:32.779 --> 00:30:33.860
 a plague breaks out

00:30:33.860 --> 00:30:35.820
 and many die.

00:30:37.519 --> 00:30:38.860
 They got what they asked for,

00:30:39.400 --> 00:30:40.620
 a belly full of meat.

00:30:42.620 --> 00:30:43.620
 And perhaps the implication

00:30:43.620 --> 00:30:44.299
 seems to be

00:30:44.299 --> 00:30:44.720
 that the meat

00:30:44.720 --> 00:30:45.620
 was full of a disease

00:30:45.620 --> 00:30:46.200
 that killed many

00:30:46.200 --> 00:30:46.980
 of those who ate it.

00:30:49.060 --> 00:30:49.779
 Romans 1 says

00:30:49.779 --> 00:30:51.359
 that the wrath of God

00:30:51.359 --> 00:30:53.559
 is often expressed

00:30:53.559 --> 00:30:54.480
 in this age

00:30:54.480 --> 00:30:56.680
 when God gives us over

00:30:56.680 --> 00:30:58.759
 to the disordered desires

00:30:58.759 --> 00:31:00.279
 of our own fallen hearts.

00:31:03.000 --> 00:31:04.079
 What if,

00:31:04.480 --> 00:31:07.500
 what if God gave you

00:31:07.500 --> 00:31:09.240
 all the money

00:31:09.240 --> 00:31:10.740
 and the sex

00:31:10.740 --> 00:31:11.759
 and the power

00:31:11.759 --> 00:31:12.819
 that you crave?

00:31:12.819 --> 00:31:16.859
 What if He gave it all

00:31:16.859 --> 00:31:17.319
 to you,

00:31:17.799 --> 00:31:19.139
 everything you complain

00:31:19.139 --> 00:31:19.460
 about,

00:31:19.619 --> 00:31:20.779
 everything you crave?

00:31:22.259 --> 00:31:23.319
 Would that be heaven

00:31:23.319 --> 00:31:26.720
 or would that be hell?

00:31:28.899 --> 00:31:29.980
 The truth is,

00:31:30.419 --> 00:31:31.759
 it would be hell

00:31:31.759 --> 00:31:33.759
 because it would be

00:31:33.759 --> 00:31:34.679
 a life separated

00:31:34.679 --> 00:31:35.299
 from God

00:31:35.299 --> 00:31:37.339
 who alone

00:31:37.339 --> 00:31:37.879
 is life

00:31:37.879 --> 00:31:38.679
 and goodness

00:31:38.679 --> 00:31:39.319
 and beauty

00:31:39.319 --> 00:31:39.980
 and truth.

00:31:39.980 --> 00:31:41.500
 You can have

00:31:41.500 --> 00:31:42.360
 everything

00:31:42.360 --> 00:31:42.980
 this world

00:31:42.980 --> 00:31:43.720
 has to offer,

00:31:44.180 --> 00:31:44.980
 but without

00:31:44.980 --> 00:31:47.200
 a living relationship

00:31:47.200 --> 00:31:47.860
 with God,

00:31:47.980 --> 00:31:48.819
 none of it

00:31:48.819 --> 00:31:49.500
 will satisfy

00:31:49.500 --> 00:31:52.059
 because only God

00:31:52.059 --> 00:31:53.539
 can truly satisfy

00:31:53.539 --> 00:31:54.140
 our souls.

00:31:58.039 --> 00:31:59.740
 And look at what God

00:31:59.740 --> 00:32:01.259
 had already

00:32:01.259 --> 00:32:02.420
 provided for them.

00:32:04.360 --> 00:32:05.380
 Did God want

00:32:05.380 --> 00:32:06.000
 the Israelites

00:32:06.000 --> 00:32:07.099
 to be miserable

00:32:07.099 --> 00:32:08.380
 as they journeyed

00:32:08.380 --> 00:32:08.940
 through the wilderness?

00:32:08.940 --> 00:32:10.700
 Did God,

00:32:10.980 --> 00:32:11.920
 was God intention

00:32:11.920 --> 00:32:12.400
 for them

00:32:12.400 --> 00:32:13.200
 to be dour

00:32:13.200 --> 00:32:14.320
 and unhappy

00:32:14.320 --> 00:32:15.759
 and emaciated

00:32:15.759 --> 00:32:16.779
 as they traveled

00:32:16.779 --> 00:32:17.720
 through the promised land

00:32:17.720 --> 00:32:18.480
 as a sign

00:32:18.480 --> 00:32:18.980
 that they were

00:32:18.980 --> 00:32:19.759
 really spiritual

00:32:19.759 --> 00:32:20.259
 and holy?

00:32:21.380 --> 00:32:21.840
 No!

00:32:22.660 --> 00:32:23.420
 That's not

00:32:23.420 --> 00:32:24.420
 the sort of God He is.

00:32:24.519 --> 00:32:25.400
 How do we know that?

00:32:27.200 --> 00:32:27.680
 Well,

00:32:27.720 --> 00:32:28.480
 look at what God

00:32:28.480 --> 00:32:29.480
 had provided

00:32:29.480 --> 00:32:29.980
 for them.

00:32:32.180 --> 00:32:32.880
 In verses

00:32:32.880 --> 00:32:33.840
 seven through nine,

00:32:34.860 --> 00:32:35.440
 there's this

00:32:35.440 --> 00:32:36.140
 seemingly

00:32:36.140 --> 00:32:38.460
 extraneous

00:32:38.460 --> 00:32:39.600
 description

00:32:39.600 --> 00:32:41.240
 of the manna.

00:32:43.400 --> 00:32:44.240
 We get this

00:32:44.240 --> 00:32:44.680
 description

00:32:44.680 --> 00:32:45.320
 of the manna

00:32:45.320 --> 00:32:45.820
 that God

00:32:45.820 --> 00:32:46.940
 provided for the people

00:32:46.940 --> 00:32:47.640
 every day

00:32:47.640 --> 00:32:48.280
 of their journey

00:32:48.280 --> 00:32:49.080
 through the wilderness.

00:32:50.120 --> 00:32:51.160
 The people are sick

00:32:51.160 --> 00:32:51.880
 and tired

00:32:51.880 --> 00:32:52.460
 of manna

00:32:52.460 --> 00:32:53.200
 in verse six.

00:32:53.940 --> 00:32:54.860
 But what do we learn

00:32:54.860 --> 00:32:55.620
 about this manna?

00:32:56.500 --> 00:32:57.520
 Is it crusty,

00:32:57.660 --> 00:32:58.300
 stale bread

00:32:58.300 --> 00:32:59.360
 that barely satisfies?

00:32:59.560 --> 00:33:00.000
 Is it something

00:33:00.000 --> 00:33:01.200
 you just as soon

00:33:01.200 --> 00:33:02.120
 feed to the birds

00:33:02.120 --> 00:33:02.820
 rather than feed

00:33:02.819 --> 00:33:03.279
 to yourself?

00:33:05.299 --> 00:33:05.700
 No.

00:33:07.259 --> 00:33:08.200
 Look at those verses

00:33:08.200 --> 00:33:08.559
 again.

00:33:09.579 --> 00:33:10.299
 What do we see

00:33:10.299 --> 00:33:10.980
 about this manna?

00:33:11.099 --> 00:33:11.379
 First,

00:33:11.460 --> 00:33:11.960
 in verse seven,

00:33:12.019 --> 00:33:12.339
 it's something

00:33:12.339 --> 00:33:13.079
 that's kind of pleasant

00:33:13.079 --> 00:33:14.419
 to look at.

00:33:15.259 --> 00:33:16.379
 Bdellium is a kind

00:33:16.379 --> 00:33:17.179
 of golden resin.

00:33:17.339 --> 00:33:17.960
 It's like amber

00:33:17.960 --> 00:33:19.299
 or like orange glass.

00:33:19.799 --> 00:33:20.559
 It would have shown

00:33:20.559 --> 00:33:21.099
 in the sun

00:33:21.099 --> 00:33:22.019
 and given off

00:33:22.019 --> 00:33:23.939
 this kind of warm glow.

00:33:25.119 --> 00:33:25.879
 And in verse eight,

00:33:25.939 --> 00:33:26.939
 we learn that this manna

00:33:26.939 --> 00:33:27.700
 was sort of versatile.

00:33:27.919 --> 00:33:28.579
 They could boil it.

00:33:28.639 --> 00:33:29.319
 They could make cakes

00:33:29.319 --> 00:33:29.799
 out of it.

00:33:31.000 --> 00:33:31.279
 Yes,

00:33:31.299 --> 00:33:31.859
 it was the same

00:33:31.859 --> 00:33:32.639
 starting point,

00:33:32.679 --> 00:33:33.459
 but they could adapt it.

00:33:33.500 --> 00:33:34.119
 They could be creative

00:33:34.119 --> 00:33:34.579
 with it.

00:33:35.000 --> 00:33:35.919
 Like the wall of bread

00:33:35.919 --> 00:33:36.619
 at G Cafe.

00:33:36.819 --> 00:33:37.699
 There's dozens of styles

00:33:37.699 --> 00:33:38.579
 and shapes and colors

00:33:38.579 --> 00:33:39.039
 and textures.

00:33:39.179 --> 00:33:40.079
 You can have challah one day.

00:33:40.139 --> 00:33:41.419
 You can have that round one

00:33:41.419 --> 00:33:42.159
 that looks kind of gross

00:33:42.159 --> 00:33:43.019
 the next day, you know.

00:33:45.159 --> 00:33:46.279
 But it wasn't just pleasant

00:33:46.279 --> 00:33:46.899
 to look at

00:33:46.899 --> 00:33:48.079
 or versatile to cook with.

00:33:48.299 --> 00:33:49.259
 The end of verse eight

00:33:49.259 --> 00:33:50.399
 tells us that it tasted

00:33:50.399 --> 00:33:51.619
 really good.

00:33:53.899 --> 00:33:55.119
 And the taste of it

00:33:55.119 --> 00:33:56.379
 was like the taste

00:33:56.379 --> 00:33:58.119
 of cakes baked with oil.

00:33:58.119 --> 00:34:02.779
 Compare that with Exodus 16, 31

00:34:02.779 --> 00:34:03.439
 where we're told

00:34:03.439 --> 00:34:05.000
 that the taste of manna

00:34:05.000 --> 00:34:06.319
 was like wafers

00:34:06.319 --> 00:34:07.119
 made with honey.

00:34:10.239 --> 00:34:11.380
 So what did God want

00:34:11.380 --> 00:34:12.219
 the Israelites to eat

00:34:12.219 --> 00:34:12.799
 as they journeyed

00:34:12.799 --> 00:34:13.259
 through the wilderness?

00:34:14.599 --> 00:34:15.619
 He wanted them to eat

00:34:15.619 --> 00:34:16.099
 something that was

00:34:16.099 --> 00:34:17.139
 beautiful to look at,

00:34:17.900 --> 00:34:18.579
 that was versatile

00:34:18.579 --> 00:34:19.339
 to cook with,

00:34:19.480 --> 00:34:20.159
 that was delicious

00:34:20.159 --> 00:34:21.019
 to the taste.

00:34:21.980 --> 00:34:22.819
 Was God out to make

00:34:22.819 --> 00:34:23.559
 His people miserable

00:34:23.559 --> 00:34:24.179
 in the wilderness

00:34:24.179 --> 00:34:24.960
 with His provision?

00:34:25.059 --> 00:34:25.539
 Not at all.

00:34:25.539 --> 00:34:27.860
 God is a good Father

00:34:27.860 --> 00:34:28.820
 who gives good gifts

00:34:28.820 --> 00:34:30.000
 to His children to enjoy.

00:34:30.759 --> 00:34:31.599
 It's as if God

00:34:31.599 --> 00:34:32.139
 was giving them

00:34:32.139 --> 00:34:34.059
 fresh baked croissants

00:34:34.059 --> 00:34:34.800
 every day.

00:34:36.099 --> 00:34:36.980
 And miraculously,

00:34:37.219 --> 00:34:37.980
 these croissants

00:34:37.980 --> 00:34:39.039
 were actually nutritious

00:34:39.039 --> 00:34:40.880
 enough to sustain them.

00:34:41.719 --> 00:34:43.000
 I mean, that sounds awesome, right?

00:34:43.800 --> 00:34:44.639
 Like, if I could eat

00:34:44.639 --> 00:34:45.619
 croissants every day

00:34:45.619 --> 00:34:46.759
 and have enough energy

00:34:46.759 --> 00:34:47.199
 and nutrition

00:34:47.199 --> 00:34:48.139
 to hike through the wilderness,

00:34:48.380 --> 00:34:49.340
 I would take that deal

00:34:49.340 --> 00:34:50.380
 hands down, wouldn't you?

00:34:52.840 --> 00:34:54.599
 The tragedy of Numbers 11

00:34:54.599 --> 00:34:56.699
 is that the people

00:34:56.699 --> 00:34:57.880
 are more eager

00:34:57.880 --> 00:34:59.699
 to leave the camp

00:34:59.699 --> 00:35:01.039
 for a basket full

00:35:01.039 --> 00:35:01.960
 of dead quail

00:35:01.960 --> 00:35:03.920
 than to remain

00:35:03.920 --> 00:35:04.619
 in the camp

00:35:04.619 --> 00:35:05.960
 with the bread of heaven

00:35:05.960 --> 00:35:07.279
 that tastes like

00:35:07.279 --> 00:35:08.059
 honey and butter

00:35:08.059 --> 00:35:09.639
 and always keeps them

00:35:09.639 --> 00:35:11.199
 satisfied for the journey ahead.

00:35:14.139 --> 00:35:14.860
 But friends,

00:35:14.920 --> 00:35:15.679
 here's the good news.

00:35:16.839 --> 00:35:17.799
 If the manna

00:35:17.799 --> 00:35:18.559
 that God provided

00:35:18.559 --> 00:35:19.099
 in the wilderness

00:35:19.099 --> 00:35:19.940
 was miraculous

00:35:19.940 --> 00:35:21.339
 and satisfying,

00:35:21.340 --> 00:35:23.559
 as a church,

00:35:23.660 --> 00:35:24.140
 we have something

00:35:24.140 --> 00:35:25.120
 even greater today.

00:35:26.300 --> 00:35:27.280
 We have a manna

00:35:27.280 --> 00:35:28.320
 that's sweeter

00:35:28.320 --> 00:35:29.720
 and more satisfying

00:35:29.720 --> 00:35:30.519
 than anything

00:35:30.519 --> 00:35:31.240
 the Old Testament

00:35:31.240 --> 00:35:32.519
 people of God experienced.

00:35:33.039 --> 00:35:33.860
 We have a bread

00:35:33.860 --> 00:35:34.300
 from heaven

00:35:34.300 --> 00:35:35.000
 that doesn't just

00:35:35.000 --> 00:35:35.920
 satisfy the body

00:35:35.920 --> 00:35:36.539
 or the tongue,

00:35:37.600 --> 00:35:38.860
 but that satisfies

00:35:38.860 --> 00:35:39.420
 the soul

00:35:39.420 --> 00:35:40.840
 and will never

00:35:40.840 --> 00:35:41.840
 leave us hungry again.

00:35:43.920 --> 00:35:45.100
 In John chapter 6,

00:35:45.200 --> 00:35:46.400
 Jesus feeds the 5,000,

00:35:46.519 --> 00:35:47.160
 and when the crowds

00:35:47.160 --> 00:35:48.140
 later come back to Him,

00:35:48.500 --> 00:35:49.059
 and some of them

00:35:49.059 --> 00:35:49.900
 kind of start grumbling

00:35:49.900 --> 00:35:50.780
 because they're not really sure

00:35:50.780 --> 00:35:51.700
 what to make of this Jesus.

00:35:51.820 --> 00:35:52.960
 Jesus says in verses 48

00:35:52.960 --> 00:35:53.480
 through 51,

00:35:53.599 --> 00:35:53.900
 He says,

00:35:54.860 --> 00:35:55.840
 I'm the bread of life.

00:35:57.039 --> 00:35:58.119
 Your fathers ate manna

00:35:58.119 --> 00:35:58.639
 in the wilderness

00:35:58.639 --> 00:35:59.700
 and they died.

00:36:00.760 --> 00:36:01.800
 This is the bread

00:36:01.800 --> 00:36:02.800
 that comes down

00:36:02.800 --> 00:36:03.320
 from heaven

00:36:03.320 --> 00:36:05.019
 so that one may eat of it

00:36:05.019 --> 00:36:05.820
 and not die.

00:36:06.700 --> 00:36:07.780
 I'm the living bread

00:36:07.780 --> 00:36:08.860
 that came down from heaven.

00:36:09.360 --> 00:36:11.019
 If anyone eats this bread,

00:36:11.579 --> 00:36:12.380
 he'll live forever.

00:36:14.619 --> 00:36:15.480
 You see, friends,

00:36:15.920 --> 00:36:17.180
 Jesus is telling us here

00:36:17.180 --> 00:36:18.800
 that He's the true

00:36:18.800 --> 00:36:19.639
 and better manna.

00:36:20.880 --> 00:36:22.000
 The manna was pleasant

00:36:22.000 --> 00:36:22.619
 to look at.

00:36:23.519 --> 00:36:24.200
 Ah, but the beauty

00:36:24.200 --> 00:36:24.960
 of Jesus Christ

00:36:24.960 --> 00:36:25.700
 is even greater.

00:36:26.680 --> 00:36:27.300
 His love,

00:36:27.740 --> 00:36:28.420
 His mercy,

00:36:28.800 --> 00:36:29.440
 His forgiveness,

00:36:29.960 --> 00:36:30.639
 His kindness,

00:36:31.079 --> 00:36:31.760
 His glory.

00:36:32.059 --> 00:36:33.599
 We will behold Him forever

00:36:33.599 --> 00:36:34.760
 and never cease

00:36:34.760 --> 00:36:35.460
 to adore Him.

00:36:36.680 --> 00:36:38.139
 The manna was versatile,

00:36:39.139 --> 00:36:40.260
 but Jesus Christ

00:36:40.260 --> 00:36:41.639
 is able to meet us

00:36:41.639 --> 00:36:43.480
 in all of our needs.

00:36:44.260 --> 00:36:46.240
 There is no soul

00:36:46.240 --> 00:36:47.200
 that His grace

00:36:47.200 --> 00:36:48.119
 cannot fulfill.

00:36:48.119 --> 00:36:48.960
 Every tribe,

00:36:49.099 --> 00:36:49.339
 tongue,

00:36:49.460 --> 00:36:49.900
 and nation,

00:36:50.059 --> 00:36:50.940
 male and female,

00:36:51.319 --> 00:36:52.159
 young and old,

00:36:52.460 --> 00:36:53.059
 rich and poor.

00:36:53.159 --> 00:36:54.019
 Jesus is the Savior

00:36:54.019 --> 00:36:55.039
 of all people,

00:36:55.539 --> 00:36:56.519
 no matter who you are

00:36:56.519 --> 00:36:57.400
 or where you've been,

00:36:57.940 --> 00:36:58.739
 no matter how great

00:36:58.739 --> 00:36:59.619
 your sins and failures,

00:36:59.900 --> 00:37:00.739
 no matter how deep

00:37:00.739 --> 00:37:01.819
 your scars and shame.

00:37:01.920 --> 00:37:04.420
 He's the all-sufficient Savior.

00:37:04.420 --> 00:37:08.539
 But the manna wasn't just

00:37:08.539 --> 00:37:09.400
 pleasant to look at

00:37:09.400 --> 00:37:10.559
 or versatile to use,

00:37:10.599 --> 00:37:11.980
 it was sweet to the taste.

00:37:13.539 --> 00:37:14.260
 A friend of you

00:37:14.260 --> 00:37:15.139
 tasted the sweetness

00:37:15.139 --> 00:37:15.720
 of Jesus.

00:37:15.719 --> 00:37:18.819
 I know that sounds

00:37:18.819 --> 00:37:19.719
 kind of weird at first,

00:37:20.719 --> 00:37:22.179
 but do you know

00:37:22.179 --> 00:37:23.859
 the sweet comfort

00:37:23.859 --> 00:37:25.159
 that He brings to the soul

00:37:25.159 --> 00:37:26.679
 better than honey,

00:37:27.419 --> 00:37:29.019
 better than rich oil or wine?

00:37:29.879 --> 00:37:31.119
 In that same passage

00:37:31.119 --> 00:37:31.799
 of John 6,

00:37:31.899 --> 00:37:32.939
 Jesus compares believing

00:37:32.939 --> 00:37:33.839
 and trusting in Him

00:37:33.839 --> 00:37:35.299
 to eating His flesh.

00:37:36.439 --> 00:37:37.659
 That's an arresting metaphor,

00:37:37.819 --> 00:37:38.179
 isn't it?

00:37:38.839 --> 00:37:40.239
 And Jesus meant it to be.

00:37:40.239 --> 00:37:43.099
 It means that faith

00:37:43.099 --> 00:37:44.059
 in Jesus Christ

00:37:44.059 --> 00:37:45.139
 is intimate.

00:37:46.979 --> 00:37:48.139
 It's the sort of trust

00:37:48.139 --> 00:37:49.039
 you put in a friend,

00:37:49.179 --> 00:37:49.699
 in a parent,

00:37:49.839 --> 00:37:50.299
 in a lover.

00:37:50.599 --> 00:37:52.099
 It's a whole life embrace.

00:37:53.479 --> 00:37:54.239
 And Jesus says,

00:37:54.359 --> 00:37:54.599
 come,

00:37:54.959 --> 00:37:56.399
 come embrace me

00:37:56.399 --> 00:37:57.639
 and I'll embrace you

00:37:57.639 --> 00:37:59.039
 and I'll keep you

00:37:59.039 --> 00:37:59.979
 and I'll protect you

00:37:59.979 --> 00:38:01.119
 and I'll strengthen you

00:38:01.119 --> 00:38:02.899
 and I'll be like honey

00:38:02.899 --> 00:38:03.599
 to your soul.

00:38:06.199 --> 00:38:07.039
 But last, you see,

00:38:07.119 --> 00:38:07.779
 the manna wasn't just

00:38:07.779 --> 00:38:08.599
 pleasant to look at,

00:38:08.639 --> 00:38:09.519
 it wasn't just versatile,

00:38:09.519 --> 00:38:10.659
 it wasn't just sweet,

00:38:11.320 --> 00:38:13.019
 it was free.

00:38:14.219 --> 00:38:15.199
 It was free.

00:38:16.099 --> 00:38:17.159
 God gave it to His people

00:38:17.159 --> 00:38:18.659
 freely every evening

00:38:18.659 --> 00:38:19.759
 with a dew that fell

00:38:19.759 --> 00:38:20.460
 on the ground.

00:38:21.920 --> 00:38:23.579
 But if the manna came freely,

00:38:24.860 --> 00:38:25.800
 how much more

00:38:25.800 --> 00:38:27.340
 did Jesus Christ come to us

00:38:27.340 --> 00:38:28.960
 with all of His blessings

00:38:28.960 --> 00:38:30.360
 free of charge?

00:38:31.679 --> 00:38:32.759
 When our sins

00:38:32.759 --> 00:38:33.539
 and our complaining

00:38:33.539 --> 00:38:35.159
 had put us outside the camp,

00:38:35.460 --> 00:38:36.300
 when our rebellion

00:38:36.300 --> 00:38:36.920
 against God

00:38:36.920 --> 00:38:37.659
 deserved nothing

00:38:37.659 --> 00:38:39.000
 but God's burning wrath,

00:38:39.000 --> 00:38:40.260
 Jesus came down

00:38:40.260 --> 00:38:41.280
 from heaven freely

00:38:41.280 --> 00:38:42.900
 into the night

00:38:42.900 --> 00:38:43.579
 of our sin,

00:38:44.099 --> 00:38:45.800
 went outside the camp

00:38:45.800 --> 00:38:47.360
 and endured on the cross

00:38:47.360 --> 00:38:47.900
 the penalty

00:38:47.900 --> 00:38:49.199
 that our sins deserved

00:38:49.199 --> 00:38:51.119
 and rose on the third day

00:38:51.119 --> 00:38:52.420
 ensuring that our sins

00:38:52.420 --> 00:38:53.380
 would be washed away

00:38:53.380 --> 00:38:55.539
 and offering eternal life

00:38:55.539 --> 00:38:56.380
 to all who repent

00:38:56.380 --> 00:38:56.960
 of their sins

00:38:56.960 --> 00:38:57.800
 and believe in Him.

00:38:58.539 --> 00:38:58.900
 You see,

00:38:59.000 --> 00:38:59.800
 this bread of life

00:38:59.800 --> 00:39:01.380
 comes free of charge.

00:39:02.360 --> 00:39:03.420
 There's nothing you need

00:39:03.420 --> 00:39:04.280
 to do to earn it

00:39:04.280 --> 00:39:05.219
 or deserve it.

00:39:05.219 --> 00:39:06.980
 Jesus did all the work

00:39:06.980 --> 00:39:07.980
 so that you could enjoy

00:39:07.980 --> 00:39:08.500
 His beauty

00:39:08.500 --> 00:39:09.179
 and sufficiency

00:39:09.179 --> 00:39:09.899
 and sweetness

00:39:09.899 --> 00:39:11.359
 utterly without cost

00:39:11.359 --> 00:39:12.199
 and without payment.

00:39:12.439 --> 00:39:13.299
 He paid the cost

00:39:13.299 --> 00:39:14.239
 so you don't have to.

00:39:15.419 --> 00:39:17.119
 You just have to receive it

00:39:17.119 --> 00:39:19.579
 to take it in your mouth

00:39:19.579 --> 00:39:20.739
 and feel the sweetness

00:39:20.739 --> 00:39:21.480
 on your tongue.

00:39:24.319 --> 00:39:25.879
 So now you can be satisfied

00:39:25.879 --> 00:39:26.359
 in Him.

00:39:26.360 --> 00:39:28.920
 You see,

00:39:29.900 --> 00:39:30.920
 Jesus is the one

00:39:30.920 --> 00:39:32.920
 who is meant to satisfy

00:39:32.920 --> 00:39:34.380
 the cravings of our soul

00:39:34.380 --> 00:39:36.940
 and drive out our complaining.

00:39:38.660 --> 00:39:40.960
 You can be satisfied in Christ

00:39:40.960 --> 00:39:43.920
 and now your cravings

00:39:43.920 --> 00:39:45.059
 don't have to leave you

00:39:45.059 --> 00:39:45.740
 in the grave.

00:39:46.480 --> 00:39:47.000
 That's what

00:39:47.000 --> 00:39:49.000
 kebroth hatah avah means,

00:39:49.140 --> 00:39:50.860
 the graves of craving.

00:39:51.900 --> 00:39:52.480
 No, you see,

00:39:52.519 --> 00:39:54.280
 if you place your desire

00:39:54.280 --> 00:39:55.579
 upon Jesus Christ,

00:39:55.579 --> 00:39:58.019
 He will satisfy

00:39:58.019 --> 00:39:58.779
 and save you.

00:40:00.460 --> 00:40:01.019
 You see,

00:40:01.099 --> 00:40:02.039
 there's a food for us

00:40:02.039 --> 00:40:02.539
 in the wilderness,

00:40:02.739 --> 00:40:03.440
 brothers and sisters.

00:40:04.860 --> 00:40:06.079
 There's a food for us

00:40:06.079 --> 00:40:06.639
 in Christ

00:40:06.639 --> 00:40:08.420
 and it will turn

00:40:08.420 --> 00:40:09.259
 our complaints

00:40:09.259 --> 00:40:10.119
 into praise.

00:40:10.639 --> 00:40:11.779
 It will turn our grumblings

00:40:11.779 --> 00:40:12.719
 into rejoicings.

00:40:14.159 --> 00:40:15.619
 Jesus is the bread of heaven.

00:40:16.920 --> 00:40:17.980
 Let's feast on Him

00:40:17.980 --> 00:40:18.739
 and be satisfied.

00:40:19.900 --> 00:40:20.819
 Let's pray together.

00:40:22.779 --> 00:40:23.539
 Oh, Lord,

00:40:23.539 --> 00:40:27.279
 you came down

00:40:27.279 --> 00:40:28.500
 from heaven to earth

00:40:28.500 --> 00:40:29.579
 like the manna

00:40:29.579 --> 00:40:30.880
 so long ago,

00:40:31.000 --> 00:40:31.259
 Jesus,

00:40:31.599 --> 00:40:32.800
 to fill the deepest

00:40:32.800 --> 00:40:33.900
 longings of our heart,

00:40:34.699 --> 00:40:36.400
 to fulfill the longings

00:40:36.400 --> 00:40:36.940
 that we need

00:40:36.940 --> 00:40:37.579
 for forgiveness,

00:40:38.099 --> 00:40:39.519
 to fulfill the longings

00:40:39.519 --> 00:40:39.920
 that we need

00:40:39.920 --> 00:40:40.460
 for meaning

00:40:40.460 --> 00:40:41.259
 and significance

00:40:41.259 --> 00:40:42.059
 and satisfaction

00:40:42.059 --> 00:40:42.860
 for hope

00:40:42.860 --> 00:40:43.440
 and a future.

00:40:44.139 --> 00:40:44.420
 Lord,

00:40:44.480 --> 00:40:45.259
 it is all in you.

00:40:46.400 --> 00:40:47.659
 Help us by your Spirit

00:40:47.659 --> 00:40:50.480
 to truly enjoy you,

00:40:50.480 --> 00:40:52.579
 to not take you

00:40:52.579 --> 00:40:53.139
 for granted,

00:40:53.320 --> 00:40:54.420
 to embrace you,

00:40:54.840 --> 00:40:55.699
 to let your love

00:40:55.699 --> 00:40:56.719
 fill our hearts

00:40:56.719 --> 00:40:59.059
 that we might do

00:40:59.059 --> 00:40:59.760
 all things

00:40:59.760 --> 00:41:00.380
 in your service

00:41:00.380 --> 00:41:01.139
 without grumbling

00:41:01.139 --> 00:41:01.840
 or complaining

00:41:01.840 --> 00:41:04.199
 and shine like stars

00:41:04.199 --> 00:41:06.099
 in the midst

00:41:06.099 --> 00:41:06.940
 of our generation.

00:41:07.940 --> 00:41:08.280
 Amen.

00:41:08.980 --> 00:41:08.980


00:41:08.980 --> 00:41:08.980


00:41:08.980 --> 00:41:08.980


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