Grumbling and Complaining

August 2, 2009

Background Scripture: Numbers 11
Lesson Passage: Numbers 11:1 – 6, 10 – 15

Is gratitude too much to ask of someone who receives of another? To the giver, gratitude is neither the price nor the cost of a gift. It is just simply an attitude of appreciation that someone has been kind out of the goodness of their being. It is a tremendous feeling of joy to give to someone in need. When need is known and communicated, people give an abundance that is often over and above the need itself. These are not loans and there is no expectation that the gift will be returned or compensated for in the future. Then, is it too much to ask that the receiver exhibit behavior indicative of an attitude of gratitude?

Our lesson today is an excerpt from the history of Israel’s desert wandering. Israel’s wilderness history was often punctuated with grumbling and complaining. In fact, the book of Numbers is sometimes referred to as the book of Mumbling. The people complained from one blessing to another one. It seems that the common thread that connected all of Israel’s blessings was the constant complaining they did between the blessings. This is not to say that all of the children of Israel complained; that is an unfair generalization. On several occasions it was just a few complainers but crowd mentality quickly took its toll as many others joined in the refrain. Some non-Israelites were sometimes the trouble makers. These non-Israelites, referred to as a mixed multitude, were first identified in the book of Exodus as leaving out of Egypt along with Israel. They would prove to be a source of weakness for Israel. They are a reminder of biblical warnings that God’s children are not to have fellowship with the world. We are in the world but not of the world. When the world becomes entrenched within a people of God, they will exert a worldly influence upon God’s people.

We should be reminded by the lesson today that human nature has not changed after thousands of years. Those who claim to know God best sometimes complain more than those who admit to either not knowing God or knowing very little of him. The scriptures in our text make it abundantly clear that God does not like complaining. I stop short of saying God does not like complainers because the scripture indicate that God did not like the complaining. The scripture also makes it clear that God hears when his children complain. What is it about complaining that perhaps make it detestable to God? First, complaining expresses a lack of gratitude for what has already been done. Secondly, complaining expresses a lack of confidence or faith that our needs will be met in the future. When we complain about our needs, is it not because we fear that our needs will go unmet? Put another way, when we are absolutely assured that our needs will be met, do we complain about it? Furthermore, we go one additional step in the wrong direction when we have our needs met and we start to hoard or be greedy; greed sometimes suggest that we do not have assurance of future provisions and therefore we better “get it while the getting is good”. All of these reasons brought God’s wrath upon some of Israel. Let us today take heed to their example and avoid grumbling and complaining.

Robert C. Hudson
July 27, 2009

Providing a Fresh Start

July 26, 2009

Background Scripture: Leviticus 25:1 – 31
Lesson Passage: Leviticus 25:8 – 21, 23, 24

The word “jubilee” invokes thoughts of celebration. When one comes to understand the jubilee celebration that God gave to Israel, then it is all the more reason to celebrate. God provided a built-in fresh start for Israel. The number seven is very prominent as it relates to completion and rest. Every seventh day completes a week and is the day of rest—or the Sabbath. Every seventh year was a time of rest for the land and new crops were not to be planted by Israel during that year. Every fiftieth year was a time of rest and freedom; this was the year of jubilee. This was to be observed throughout the land of Israel. No Israelite was exempt or should be overlooked at this time. This was an opportunity to start over no matter how badly things might have gone. Some Israelites had become estranged from their families due to poverty and had to hire themselves out as servants in order to survive. In the year of jubilee (the fiftieth year), those estranged from their families could return to their family and pick up where they left off. Those who had loss the family’s land due to a poor decision or bad management could regain their land. In a sense, the entire socio-economic system was treated as though it had gone bankrupt and everyone had to start over. When this concept is contrasted with the capitalistic economic system of Western culture, one must wonder what would happen to the hearts of people if they realize that runaway greed will not last forever. No matter how much you could gain whether it was done honestly or not, during the year of jubilee, you had to return it to its initial family or their descendants. The jubilee would bring a day of reckoning when everyone had to start over together. What effect would that have on our society when one could no longer hoard material gains and pass them from one generation to another within a family? What God had given the original tribe would be theirs forever even if it is temporarily loss between the jubilee years. The jubilee would reset the assets to their starting point where every tribe received equally. Please note that this is neither socialism nor communism. It is however extremely different from the capitalism of the West. The jubilee is society’s acknowledgment that everything belongs to God and at a set time, everyone must respect God’s division of material wealth rather than man’s. If unforeseen debt overload is a problem, it is only a matter of time before it is all settled. This restart would also give families an opportunity to learn from previous mistakes and make wiser decisions. The entire concept of jubilee is a reminder of man’s stewardship over God’s possessions. We never truly own anything of this world. Death assures us of that. In spite of all legal maneuvers and shenanigans, families do lose everything they once thought they owned. In Western culture, bankruptcy is a legal process to protect the bare minimum needed to survive. It does not truly give individuals the fresh start that advertisers promise. Future applications will still ask if you have ever filed for bankruptcy. This is a clear indication that a financial stigma or bondage remains. God’s process uses the year of jubilee. During the jubilee year, everyone is provided a true fresh start.

Robert C. Hudson
June 25, 2009