Whining in the Wilderness: A Study of Numbers 11

The Context

Author of Numbers: Moses

Time Period: 1800-1406 BC

Theme: God is patient and merciful, but He is also just and cannot tolerate sin. There are repercussions for our sin.

Context: The Israelites are wandering in the wilderness for 40 years as a result of not trusting God to take over the Promised Land. They have just left Sinai and are trekking through the Wilderness of Paran. They are complaining…again.

Numbers 11.1-2 (ESV)

Numbers 11:1–2 ESV

And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. Then the people cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire died down.

DISCUSSION NOTES:

The Israelites had been complaining since they set foot outside of Egypt.

They complained so that God would hear them.

Moses stood in the gap for the Israelites on many occasions, just as he did here.