Grumblings

Before them stood the promised land… behind them was a life of slavery. God had delivered the Israelites and brought them to the edge of the promise… They were SO CLOSE… yet as we will see in a moment, they remained so far away.

Out of the wilderness continues tonight with a look at probably the most well-known wilderness story out of the Bible. And as we prepare to pray this evening, I want us to look at something very important regarding our willingness to follow the Lord no matter what.

In our story, God’s hand was at work! Yet the Israelites still had some learning to do. Even though they found themselves on the edge of the promised land, they would end up spending time in the wilderness in response to something very dangerous and very powerful: grumblings.

Grumblings, murmuring, muttering in discontent, or complaining. Whatever you want to call it, The Israelites had a problem with grumbling.

12 spies are sent in to scope out the land ahead. Moses instructs them in Numbers 13:17-18

Numbers 13:17–18 NIV

When Moses sent them to explore Canaan, he said, “Go up through the Negev and on into the hill country. See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many.

When the spies return 40 days later, they come back with an amazing report! The fruit they displayed before him was truly remarkable. They brought back figs and pomegranates and a cluster of grapes so large it had to be draped over poles for two men to carry! This was truly a blessed land.

But then the spies began to change their tune. They begin to speak of those who inhabit the land. They report in Numbers 13:28-29

Numbers 13:28–29 NIV

But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.”

But one man would stand up and remind the people of the promise. One man, who was also one of the spies, would silence the crowd and declare Numbers 13:30

Numbers 13:30 NIV

Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

And we know… the rest of the story. The people could not look past the present situation to see the promise made by God. They continued to grumble, they complained. And their grumbling was heard by the Lord. And we see in Numbers 14 the consequence of their grumbling.

God declared to Moses none of the people who witnessed the miracles in Egypt and in their escape would see the land He had promised to them. Only two, Caleb and Joshua, would get to see the promised land. Joshua stood with Caleb in his report saying we can do this!

Here’s the deal: The grumbling of the people had cost them dearly. Their grumbling caused them to miss out on the promise and blessing of God! And today that is the lesson to be learned: The true cost of grumbling.

Grumbling begets grumbling. It is contagious Word spread quickly through the camp. The grumbling overwhelmed the hearts of the people and they soon forgot the amazing evidence of the fruitfulness of the land before them.

Grumbling turns people away from the promises of God. Not only do the grumblers miss out, but they risk causing others to miss out because of their negative words.

The grumbling of the people led them straight to… the wilderness. There they would spend the next 40 years wondering in the wilderness.

They were no longer slaves to the Egyptians but missing out on the land promised to them by God all because they could not stop their grumbling.

I want us to understand something important tonight: The Israelites were not able to enter the promised land from an external force standing against them, they missed out because of internal doubt and grumblings spreading amongst them.

Grumbling may seem like a trivial issue, but make no mistake about it, grumbling can create quite a mess. As mentioned before, it stems from a very dangerous mentality that is truly a spiritual matter. Entitlement.

Entitlement says I’m owed something. Entitlement says I can have it my way. God’s way in this case was for the Israelites to go up and take the country… but the people… didn’t prefer this method of advancement. Their preference cost them dearly.

Growing Beyond the Grumbling

Now this message is NOT in response to anything in particular taking place within the church. However, it is important we guard ourselves against becoming grumblers.

We have been saying and believing that God has big things in store! These big things will require that we trust God in all things! And as challenges arise, will we have faith like Caleb and Joseph… or will we sit back and grumble and miss out on what the Lord has in store?

For the Israelites, they didn’t want to have to deal with the inhabitants. Instead, they would rather go back and be slaves! We see in Numbers 14 where the people suggested they choose a leader and go back to Egypt.

In other words, they would have rather died a slave in Egypt then fight for what God had promised. And all this coming from the people who walked where the Red Sea once resided!

It was time to pick up a sword. It was time to trust in God’s promise and trust in His guidance, but the people instead… grumbled. “I don’t want to do that.” I’m entitled to something else. Thus the issue is revealed.

Do you believe tonight that God still leads His people to what He has promised? Do you believe tonight that God, through the work of His church, has a redemptive plan for the heartland? Do we understand this evening that such belief will come with obstacles and even change?

Then my prayer is this: Lord help us not to be a grumbling people, but rather help us to be a people led of your presence instead of our preference!

Never in scripture do we see people grow in the Lord OR God’s Kingdom expand as a result of grumbling. In fact, we typically see a reverse effect.

And I want to offer another observation this evening… grumbling rarely comes from those on the front line… and most often originates from those on the sideline.

Take football for instance… the players on the field are working hard to get the game won… and the folks on the sideline (not the coach) seem to think they know how to get it done - and they let the players know their opinion.

It’s easy to sit and critique. It’s easy to pick apart and complain from a distance. But it’s a whole different story to roll up your sleeves and offer to help - to pick up the sword and help advance the kingdom of God.

Church, we need spiritual warriors who will trust in God’s guidance and promises to take to the battle field. We need faith that says we can go up and take what the Lord has promised! We need resolve that no matter how big the challenge might appear to be, our God will help us overcome!

Most importantly, we must realize none of it is possible without the help of our God. Looking to God is the key to moving beyond what we prefer to what God had promised.

Paul gives us one of the greatest teachings on how not to grumble. This guy had been through a lot, but no matter what came his way, he learned to be content with God. He says in Philippians 4:12-13

Philippians 4:12–13 NIV

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Trust in God’s promises, trust in God’s guidance! He will give us the strength we need to see it through! AND STOP GRUMBLING!

Application

There is something very important to remember: When God makes a promise, He will always deliver. The land the Israelites had just spied upon was as good as theirs. Yet their spirit, their entitled, grumbling, rebellious spirit kept them out of God’s promise.

Caleb understood this. Something was different about this guy. In fact, God identifies the difference as a spiritual difference in Numbers 14:24. His spirit is unlike the others. Caleb was willing to trust in God’s promise and trust in God’s guidance. Caleb’s words were encouraging. Caleb’s words were words based off God’s promises. Caleb saw the threat level just like the other spies did, but Caleb knew that with God’s help, they would overcome the obstacles. Caleb knew that if God was in it… it was already done!

Hear me tonight: Grumbling will not only send a person to a spiritual wilderness, but it will also keep a person in a spiritual wilderness.

Grumbling can cause a person to miss out on what God has in store. Even when that person is standing on the very threshold of what God has promised! They were there! They were so close, yet so very far away BECAUSE OF THEIR GRUMBLING SPIRIT.

This wasn’t a giant issue. This wasn’t an inhabitant issue. THIS WAS A HEART ISSUE! And this issue was fully exposed through the grumbling of the people.

So what lesson can be learned? Not to complain? Not to grumble? No, it goes deeper than that. It goes so deep to the spirit that is found within our hearts. Caleb’s spirit was different and because of this he was positioned differently in the issue. He knew a fight was ahead, but God’s presence was with them.

Grumbling only makes the ground more rocky, more rough, more dry, and more difficult to cultivate new life. We distract from what God is wanting to do when we grumble instead of honor God with our words. Not only will it have ill effect on us personally, but also to those we grumble to. Grumbling is contagious.

How many desire to walk in the promises God has for us? How many understand that means we have to be willing to follow His presence instead of our preference?

Then this evening, I want us to pray for God to guard our hearts against grumbling.

Prayer Points

God, help me to look ahead to what you have in store as Your promises are yes and amen. (2 Corinthians 1:20)

God, help me to be involved on the front line and not critical from the sideline.

God, help me to not entertain grumblings of others and to always stand on faith.

God, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalms 19:14)