Why do we doubt God

Opening

Give it up for the worship team

if you have your Bibles with you we will be in numbers 11

how his is going to work is we are going to go through the chapter and look at some key verses and how we can apply it to our life

Now i’m not going to read the whole chapter

I can’t read good at all so neither one of us would like it

I’m not like tanner he read it and i didn’t know he read the whole chapter

With me you’d know we read the whole chapter

BUT WE WILL START IN VERSE 1

PEOPLE LOST THEIR FEAR FOR THE LORD

Numbers 11:1 CSB

Now the people began complaining openly before the Lord about hardship. When the Lord heard, his anger burned, and fire from the Lord blazed among them and consumed the outskirts of the camp.

This is very similar to tanners sermon last week

talking about people lost fear in the Lord

it’s gotten worse since Leviticus 10

they have no shame now

first let’s set the context for this passage

in chapter 9 we see the guidance by the cloud

when the cloud would covered the tent the Israelites would stay put

sometimes for just the night or for a day sometimes for many days

but when the cloud or fire would lift up off the tent aka the tabernacle they would be able to move

Then in chapter 10 we see that they move from Sinai to Paran

which is about an 11 day journey or 150-200 miles

which is a long trip

especially if you have to stop a whole bunch and put the tent of meeting up and then tear it down

so it makes sense for them to be tired of traveling

So me and anna went to Dallas before summer started for my Birthday

I would work so hard to get through traffic and around 18 wheelers

but as soon as i would get through them

which took an hour at least

she would go “I need to go to the bathroom”

I worked so hard to get past them and finally got into the rythem of things

I’d image that is what the isrealites were going through

that is more than likely what a lot of their hardship was

they didn’t have a home

they always had to set stuff up just to take it back down

they were probably tired of walking

and eating the same stuff everyday

Then we get to chapter 11 V 1

and it starts out telling us that they are complaining

they complained openly before the Lord

the had no fear for the Lord

before when Moses was on Mt Sini when he came down they were so scared of the Lord

They even told Moses to speak on their behalf to the Lord Because they were so scared of the Lord

so something changed for them to stop fearing the Lord

not even the fear of talking to him

they are past that

they’ve lost the fear of the Lord entirly

they have started complaining that He’s not taking care of them like the Egyptians did

So how did we get to this point of No longer fearing the LORD

Your surrounding circle matters V4-5

we see that riffraff is among them

This is likely Egyptians

we get this from exodus when they left after the plagues it says mixed company leaves with them

The egyptians didn’t have a background of a fear for the Lord

they likely followed other gods in Egypt

and what happens when they are surrounded by riffraff

the riffraff starts telling them how upset they should be

they remind them of the good they had in Egypt but not the bad

Notice that they don’t bring up the bad only the good

we see this in Genesis when the serpent temps Adam and Eve

He showed them that they would be like God

tried to show them the good

in our everyday life we experience this

the enemy makes us desire what looks good to our sinful side

but he doesn’t show you the bad

sin has consequences

again the enemy show you the fun

going out and letting loose a little

relieving the stress

He doesn’t show you the negative

that hinders with what God has called us to do

brings us away from God

makes us lean on worldly things not on God

But lets look at the good stuff they are missing

now i’m sure that it taste better

cucumbers- were something everyone wanted high demand

Melons- were cool and refreshing especially in the dessert

Leeks, garlic, and onion- these were used as seasoning

have you ever had food that was not well seasoned

not the greatest

notice these are wants not needs V 8-9

wants

these are things they wanted

things that made life more enjoyable

more fun

they want whatever their flesh desires

they missed the luxuries

needs

what they need is food

water

and God

they have all of that

God gave them what they needed

he gave them food

God gave them manna

it didn’t look good but it was food

it wasn’t a luxury

it probably didn’t cool them off it was baked bread

at the end of the day it was food

at the end of V8 it says what it taste like

It tasted like a pastry cooked with the finest oil

this food at least taste good

so the Lord provided more than he needed to

He could have given them food that taste terrible

but he gave them food that was good

The Lord ultimently provided for them but that wasn’t enough for them

it is a slap in the face to God

I know you are providing for me

but i want what I had in Egypt

they are saying that Egypt is good and God is Bad

and not just a couple but family after family did

that can be overwhelming

I feel like that is us sometimes

the Lord provides for us yet we compare to others

we look at what others have

and focus on what we don’t have and then we end up like the Israelites

rebelling against God and not being happy with what we have

Maybe seeing people who aren’t christians doing better than you

comparison is a dangerous game and we see that first hand with the Israelites

Moses is dramatic V11-12

We see that Moses is a very dramatic person He has a lot of attitude

why do you burden me

why is it my job to take care of them

i’ve done enough

Did i conceive all of these people

I am not their mother

so why do they come to me like I am

We get a look into Moses mind

Moses doubts V 13-14

We see that the people doubt Gods plan

but now we see Moses doubt

Moses starts thinking that God can’t provide

when we surround ourselves with people who aren’t christians our morels change

we start to second guess God

hesitate to follow our intended plan

to fully lean on the Lord

If Moses doubts when people around him start to

I bet we will as well

we aren’t alone V17

it can be tough to stay positive

to fully trust God

I’m not acting like it’s a super simple thing because it’s not

but just like Moses the Lord sent us a helper

the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is here to help with remembering who the Lord is

the Holy Spirits Job is to guide us in the right direction

so we don’t do things on our own

and fellow Christians

The shop we have D groups

those are a great example

help with accountability

help understand scripture

confess sins

confess temptations to give in

confess tough times

We don’t have to bear the temptation by ourselves

we have people around us that care for us and want to help

even if you aren’t in a D group

Moses doubting again V 21-23

again we see Moses doubt

he doesn’t think God can truly provide for him

He does have around 2 million people he’s in charge of

Moses forgot that God was in charge not Moses

we need to remember that

what seems impossible is possible with God

when it seemed impossible to Moses God was able to do

Is the Lords Arm Weak

The Lord had to remind Moses that He is in charge

when has the Lord ever not kept a promise

He is a promise keeper that is who He is and what He does

we have no reason to doubt God

V 25 spirit comes on them

we see the Lord give 70 people the spirit which gives them the ability to teach

we have that Spirit

that’s the person that God sent us when Jesus ascended into heaven

So we have everything we need to go out and teach the Bible if you are saved

Great Commission V27-29

we see a couple of men come to Moses complaining

they were upset others were doing Moses job

started begging for Moses to put an end to it

But look at Moses response

he says are you jealous for me if only all the Lord’s people were prophets and the Lord wold place his Spirit on them f

Saying why are you Jealous

Moses dream was for everyone to be able to preach (prophesy) on the Lords behalf

which we see come true

that is the great commission

Great Commission Matt 28 and Acts 2 17

Matthew 28:16–20 “The eleven disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but some doubted. Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Jesus tells us to do exactly what Moses told Joshua he hopes will happen

this has been the plan for us since Moses’s time

Moses’s desire is for us to share the Gospel

Moses’s desire comes true through Christ Jesus

Jesus tells us there that He is with us to the end of the age

we are never alone when we are teaching and following the Lords plan

Closing

so as I end tonight maybe wrestle through some of these things as the band plays this last song

maybe you need to pray on how to have a true fear for the Lord

maybe pray for who you surround yourself with

to make that group a group that builds you toward who God calls you to be

maybe wrestle through how you can be a teacher at your work or your collage

Gospel

we see Moses dream was all of the Lord would have the spirit and teach the commands of the Lord

that only happens because of Jesus and what he did on the Cross

John 3:16 “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

If you are here and this is your first time of hearing of this or that is something you are battling through please come talk to me tanner jason or someone you trust here

That is the Biggest and best decision you can make

WILL YOU PRAY WITH ME