(9) Leaving Mount Sinai

(Numbers 10:33–34, NIV) So they set out from the mountain of the Lord and traveled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lordwent before them during those three days to find them a place to rest. 34 The cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.

1. Leaving Mt. Sinai should have been a time of jubilation and excitement for the Israelites; instead, it was a time of complaining.

2. After all the LORD had done for them they should have been transformed! (Redeemer, Healer, Life, Identity, Relationship)

3. Despite all that the LORD had done for them and taught them the Israelites had failed to learn the three most important lessons they would need in order to be God’s Kingdom people: we need Jesus, we need the Spirit, we need the Body.

I. We Need Jesus (Numbers 11:6) ... we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!

A. Moses And The People Of Israel Were About To Set Themselves Up For Failure

1. Moses was about to lean on the guidance of man instead of the guidance of the LORD.

(Numbers 10:29–31, NIV) Now Moses said to Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place about which the Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things to Israel.” 30 He answered, “No, I will not go; I am going back to my own land and my own people.” 31 But Moses said, “Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.

Since leaving Egypt the LORD had led the Israelites.

(Exodus 40:36–38) In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; 37 but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. 38 So the cloud of the Lordwas over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.

Scripture gives no indication that the LORD wanted to use Hobab to guide the Israelites; that was Moses’ idea!

Moses was looking to man to supplement the cloud. (Thankfully Hobab turned Moses down!)

2. The Israelites desired meat instead of manna.

(Numbers 11:4–6, NIV) The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. 6 But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!”

Watch out what you pray for! The Israelites didn’t want manna so the LORD gave them what they wanted ... flesh!

(Numbers 11:18–20, NIV) ... The Lord heard you when you wailed, “If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!” Now the Lord will give you meat, and you will eat it. 19 You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, 20 but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it—because you have rejected the Lord, who is among you, ...

The LORD said that by rejecting the manna the Israelites were rejecting Him!

3. It is most probable that the Israelites ceased eating the manna when they had flesh to eat!

This is exactly what the enemy wants us to do: replace Jesus with something else!

They feasted on flesh for a whole month until they got sick!

The LORD had gotten the Israelites out of Egypt, but they were still in bondage to their sinful desires!

B. Don’t Let Anything Or Anyone Replace Jesus In Your Life!

1. Your sinful nature is deceitful and will never cease trying to get you to crave that which will replace Jesus in your life.

It never starts out that way: Jesus ... Jesus and ... and Jesus ... and

2. (Ephesians 4:22, NIV) ... put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires

3. (Luke 9:25, NIV) What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?

C. Daily Feed On Jesus For He Alone Can Truly Satisfy The Longing Of Your Soul And Give You Life!

(John 6:57, NIV) ... so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.

Prophetic Dream: A large gathering of people of all ages, races, denominations ... full of life! Life, life, life!

II. We Need The Spirit (Numbers 11:17) I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them.

A. As Long As We Live On This Earth We Will Battle Temptations; We Need The Spirit To Overcome

The LAW let the Israelites know what to do, but it gave them no power to do it; to change we need the Spirit!

(Galatians 5:16–18, NIV84) So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

B. The Anointing Of The Spirit Was An Important Part Of The Tabernacle/Temple Ministry

(Leviticus 8:10–12, NIV) Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, and so consecrated them. 11 He sprinkled some of the oil on the altar seven times, anointing the altar and all its utensils and the basin with its stand, to consecrate them. 12 He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him to consecrate him.

The LORD was constantly putting before the Israelites the importance of the anointing of the Holy Spirit!

C. To Do The Work Of Jesus We Need His Spirit

1. Moses was effective because of the Spirit!

(Isaiah 63:11–12, NIV) Then his people recalled the days of old, the days of Moses and his people— where is he who brought them through the sea, with the shepherd of his flock? Where is he who set his Holy Spirit among them, 12 who sent his glorious arm of power to be at Moses’ right hand, who divided the waters before them, to gain for himself everlasting renown,

The LORD referred to His Spirit as “his glorious arm of power”

2. Jesus came in the power and anointing of the Spirit

(Luke 4:14, NIV) Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, ...

(Luke 4:18, NIV) “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me ...

3. We all need the power and anointing of the Spirit!

D. As A Principle The LORD’s Spirit Works With And Through People

Therefore, we need people: Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, Spirit-empowered people to help us!

III. We Need The Body (Numbers 11:16) Bring me 70 of Israel’s elders who are know to you as leaders and officials among the people.

A. Moses Needed Help

1. Moses was at a breaking point.

(Numbers 11:10–11, 13-14 NIV) ... Moses was troubled. 11 He asked the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? ... 13 Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me.

2. As anointed as Moses was ... he needed help.

B. The LORD Instructed Moses To Gather Seventy Of Israel’s Elders To The Tabernacle

1. Even in Egypt the Israelites had a group of men whom they looked to as elder/leaders.

The elders were the first group of men Moses and Aaron spoke to when they went to Egypt.

(Exodus 3:18, NIV) “The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt ...

The seventy elders became known as Israel’s great Tribunal, later called the Sanhedrin.

2. The gathering of 70 elders was very significant.

The number 70 is a combination of two of the perfect numbers, 7 and 10.

7 = spiritual perfection (7 speaks of the divine; in this case the Spirit)

10 = spiritual order (nothing is lacking)

Perfect spiritual order carried out by the Spirit through God’s chosen vessels.

C. As Great As The Elders Were, They Needed The Power And Anointing Of The Spirit To Be Effective!

1. In order to be effective we too need the anointing and power of the Spirit.

2. Notice: the Spirit flows from the Body to the Body! (Do you want more of the Spirit; stay attached to the Body!)