May 11, 2023

God takes care of our needs. Are you grateful?

Numbers 10 - 11

Jacy Witt
Thursday's Devo

May 11, 2023

Thursday's Devo

May 11, 2023

Thursday's Devo

May 11, 2023

Thursday's Devo

May 11, 2023

Big Idea

God reveals the way and His will through His Word.


 

Key Verse | Numbers 11:19-20

"You shall not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, but a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the LORD who is among you and have wept before him, saying, 'Why did we come out of Egypt?'"

Numbers 10 - 11

The Silver Trumpets

1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Make two silver trumpets. Of hammered work you shall make them, and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for breaking camp. 3 And when both are blown, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 4 But if they blow only one, then the chiefs, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall gather themselves to you. 5 When you blow an alarm, the camps that are on the east side shall set out. 6 And when you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that are on the south side shall set out. An alarm is to be blown whenever they are to set out. 7 But when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow a long blast, but you shall not sound an alarm. 8 And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. The trumpets shall be to you for a perpetual statute throughout your generations. 9 And when you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the LORD your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies. 10 On the day of your gladness also, and at your appointed feasts and at the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings. They shall be a reminder of you before your God: I am the LORD your God.”

Israel Leaves Sinai

11 In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony, 12 and the people of Israel set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran. 13 They set out for the first time at the command of the LORD by Moses. 14 The standard of the camp of the people of Judah set out first by their companies, and over their company was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 15 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Issachar was Nethanel the son of Zuar. 16 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.

17 And when the tabernacle was taken down, the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who carried the tabernacle, set out. 18 And the standard of the camp of Reuben set out by their companies, and over their company was Elizur the son of Shedeur. 19 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 20 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

21 Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy things, and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival. 22 And the standard of the camp of the people of Ephraim set out by their companies, and over their company was Elishama the son of Ammihud. 23 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.

25 Then the standard of the camp of the people of Dan, acting as the rear guard of all the camps, set out by their companies, and over their company was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ochran. 27 And over the company of the tribe of the people of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan. 28 This was the order of march of the people of Israel by their companies, when they set out.

29 And Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which the LORD said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will do good to you, for the LORD has promised good to Israel.” 30 But he said to him, “I will not go. I will depart to my own land and to my kindred.” 31 And he said, “Please do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us. 32 And if you do go with us, whatever good the LORD will do to us, the same will we do to you.”

33 So they set out from the mount of the LORD three days' journey. And the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them three days' journey, to seek out a resting place for them. 34 And the cloud of the LORD was over them by day, whenever they set out from the camp.

35 And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, “Arise, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.” 36 And when it rested, he said, “Return, O LORD, to the ten thousand thousands of Israel.”

The People Complain

1 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. 2 Then the people cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the LORD, and the fire died down. 3 So the name of that place was called Taberah, 1 11:3 Taberah means burning because the fire of the LORD burned among them.

4 Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. 6 But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”

7 Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium. 8 The people went about and gathered it and ground it in handmills or beat it in mortars and boiled it in pots and made cakes of it. And the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil. 9 When the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell with it.

10 Moses heard the people weeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent. And the anger of the LORD blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased. 11 Moses said to the LORD, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? 12 Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing child,’ to the land that you swore to give their fathers? 13 Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me and say, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ 14 I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.”

Elders Appointed to Aid Moses

16 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. 17 And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone. 18 And say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat, for you have wept in the hearing of the LORD, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was better for us in Egypt.” Therefore the LORD will give you meat, and you shall eat. 19 You shall not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, 20 but a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the LORD who is among you and have wept before him, saying, “Why did we come out of Egypt?”’” 21 But Moses said, “The people among whom I am number six hundred thousand on foot, and you have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat a whole month!’ 22 Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, and be enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, and be enough for them?” 23 And the LORD said to Moses, “Is the LORD's hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.”

24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD. And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent. 25 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it.

26 Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27 And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them.” 29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD's people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!” 30 And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

Quail and a Plague

31 Then a wind from the LORD sprang up, and it brought quail from the sea and let them fall beside the camp, about a day's journey on this side and a day's journey on the other side, around the camp, and about two cubits 2 11:31 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters above the ground. 32 And the people rose all that day and all night and all the next day, and gathered the quail. Those who gathered least gathered ten homers. 3 11:32 A homer was about 6 bushels or 220 liters And they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. 33 While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD struck down the people with a very great plague. 34 Therefore the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, 4 11:34 Kibroth-hattaavah means graves of craving because there they buried the people who had the craving. 35 From Kibroth-hattaavah the people journeyed to Hazeroth, and they remained at Hazeroth.

Footnotes

[1] 11:3 Taberah means burning
[2] 11:31 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
[3] 11:32 A homer was about 6 bushels or 220 liters
[4] 11:34 Kibroth-hattaavah means graves of craving

S2:089 Numbers 10 - 11

Listen Now

Dive Deeper | Numbers 10 - 11

I quickly forget God's goodness. Like the Israelites, I look at circumstances around me and grow discontent. I desire another story and believe God's provision to be insufficient. As the Israelites began their journey in the wilderness, they started to romanticize the "abundance" Egypt offered and longed to return—that is, to return to a life of slavery. The Lord had redeemed His people and brought them from slavery to freedom, yet the Israelites acted like this deliverance was one huge disappointment. Rather than a heart of gratitude, they allowed their discontentment to saturate their hearts and minds, and therefore, doubted God's provision.

So God responded. In Numbers 11:19-20, He granted them the desires of their heart, but He also taught them a lesson. He highlighted the folly of their hearts' desires (Jeremiah 17:9) and reminded them that He is a God of perfect provision (Matthew 6:26).

In today's world, we quickly fall into grumbling. When life doesn't go the way we planned or when a not-ideal season seems to be never-ending, our natural default can be to complain. We doubt that what God has given us is far better than our own desires. We think we know better. Rather than thanking God for our realities, we barter with Him, begging Him to give us the desires of our heart. But in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, we see that we are called to "give thanks in all circumstances." We are called to live a life of gratitude. 

Megan Hill writes in her devotional book Contentment, "Biblical thanksgiving is not a false cheer slapped on the surface of otherwise bad circumstances. Biblical thanksgiving is our acknowledgment that God is accomplishing His eternal purposes, even when we cannot clearly see what He is doing. We 'give thanks in all circumstances' because we trust that those very circumstances come from the powerful and gracious hand of our covenant-making and covenant-keeping God."

God, the creator of all, the sustainer of life, and the One from whom every good and perfect gift comes, knows what is best. He is worthy of our trust, gratitude, and praise. Are you thankful today?

This month's memory verse

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

– Philippians 2:3-4

Discussion Questions

1. Do you believe our God is a God of perfect provision? 

2. James 1:17a says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above." When looking at your life, do you see all you have—your relationships, job, salary, spiritual gifts, home, health—as a gift from God or of your own doing? 

3. What in your life is keeping you from being grateful?

4. What are three things you can thank God for today?

As we gear up to release even more features for Join The Journey in 2025, our staff team, unfortunately, no longer has the margin to continue to support the comment functionality. We have big things in store for Join The Journey 2025. Stay tuned!

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Hugh Stephenson

Good morning, Jacy. Thanks for a great devo and questions. I love this quotation- “Biblical thanksgiving is our acknowledgment that God is accomplishing His eternal purposes, even when we cannot clearly see what He is doing.” Q1. Coming in, my number one hang up was the sovereignty, supremacy, and sufficiency of God. Once I got there, I had no more questions. Q2. I see everything I have, whether material or spiritual, as a gift from God. I earn nothing. He has favored me without any merit on my part. Q3. For me, it’s not a question of being grateful. But more of consistent lapses in focus. It’s just way too easy for temptations and comparisons to draw me off mission. Q4. My justification, his patience, and my sobriety.
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Hugh Stephenson

For a long time I’d hear about people who wished they could win the lottery. I don’t hear a lot about that anymore. My guess is that’s because of what happens to lottery winners. I’m guessing most have read these stories of wrecked lives, broken relationships, and eventual bankruptcy. A favorite saying- “Money makes you funny.” This is true in both ways. I also like this saying. “A rich man’s joke is always funny.” What’s also true is that it is nearly certain it will warp your perspective. In the investment world we deal mostly with entrepreneurs. Almost always 1st generation money. When the 2nd generation inherits it, we almost always end up terminating the relationship. This is because their perspective almost always has been warped by the huge windfall. Combine that with their sense of entitlement and you have a toxic formula for catastrophic failure.
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Hugh Stephenson

A huge part of the breakthrough for me was neither a burning bush nor a cracked door. It was learning that my primary focus should not be on “What does God want me to do?”. It should be on knowing Him more fully, (John 14:20). As many messages said, “Seek to know the nature and character of God, His goodness, kindness, and justice. If He is truly good, kind, and just then all He does will be good, kind, and just.” In chapter 9 I see how God is communicating with the Israelites and teaching them more and more of who He is SO THAT He can dwell in their presence. He is so serious about the Passover that if they don’t observe it, (with the noted exceptions), they will be executed. He is certainly as clear with them as he has been with me/us. So why is it hard to be grateful? Because I didn’t earn it. But that’s the exact point.
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Michael Sisson

Re: Num 10:29 Num 10:29 (NASB) Then Moses said to >>>Hobab<<< the son of >>>Reuel<<< the Midianite, Moses’father-in-law, “We are setting out to the place of which the LORD said, ‘I will give it to you’; come with us and we will do you good, for the LORD has promised good concerning Israel.” Hobab (a.k.a. Jethro [Ex 3:1], a.k.a. Reuel [Ex 2:18]?) There is considerable debate whether all three names refer to Moses’ father-in-law, or if one might refer to Moses’ brother-in-law, or one was simply a title held by Moses’ father-in-law. Each theory struggles to neatly resolve ALL the minor textual difficulties arising over the names elsewhere in Scripture. There wouldn’t seem to be a clear consensus among scholars how best to resolve the matter at this time. Re: Num 10:35 Num 10:35 (NASB) Then it came about when the ark set out that Moses said, >>>“Rise up, O LORD! And let Your enemies be scattered, And let those who hate You flee *before You.” <<< See Ps 68:1 Re: Num 11:1-6 Num 11:4 (NASB) The >>>rabble<<< who were among them had greedy desires; and also the sons of Israel wept again and said, “Who will give us meat to eat? “rabble” = “mixed multitude” (gentiles who joined Israel’s exodus from Egypt; see Ex 12:38) Num 11:6 (NASB) but now our appetite is gone. >>>There is nothing at all to look at except this manna.”<<< In their ingratitude, the people despised the L-rd’s provision of manna… manna which was a type of Yeshua (Jesus) the Despised Messiah. More than 1500 years later, the people grumbled again when confronted by the Bread of Heaven, Yeshua. (Jesus; See Jn 6:41-58) Re: Num 11:17 Num 11:17 (NASB) “Then I will come down and speak with you there, and >>>I will take of the Spirit who is upon you, and will put Him upon them;<<< and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you will not bear it all alone. Re: Num 11:20 Num 11:20 (NASB) but a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you; because >>>you have rejected the LORD who is among you and have wept before Him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?””’<<< Re: Num 11:25 Num 11:25 (NASB) Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him; and >>>He took of the Spirit who was upon him and placed Him upon the seventy elders. And when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied.<<< But they did not do it again. To best equip the reader for evangelism, it’s worth noting Traditional Judaism doesn’t believe in the Holy Spirit as the third person in the triune G-dhead; rather the Spirit is believed to be the spirit of prophecy. Re: Num 11:28 Num 11:28 (NASB) Then Joshua the son of Nun, the attendant of Moses from his youth, said, “Moses, my lord, >>>restrain them.”<<< In asking Moses to put a stop to "restrain them," Joshua rejects those who were prophesying. Re: Num 11:29 Num 11:29 (NASB) But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? >>>Would that all the LORD'S people were prophets, that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!”<<< See Joel 2:28-32, Acts 2:17-18 Then all the L-RD's people would be despised. Re: Num 11:31-35 Quail falling beside the camp https://instagram.com/p/CqFXV2RuKk1/ Num 11:34 (NASB) So the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had been greedy. (See Num 11:1-6)
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Sue Bohlin

Super devo, Jacy! Loved the Megan Hill quote, and especially this: "Rather than a heart of gratitude, they allowed their discontentment to saturate their hearts and minds, and therefore, doubted God's provision." Whoa. Discontentment saturating hearts and minds? What a picture! It makes me wince. And appreciate more how nauseating ungratefulness is to God. It is a very serious character flaw. And it's contagious! It is certainly important to God. He repeats the warning in the New Testament; Philippians 2:14 instructs us to do everything without complaining or arguing. (I well remember the frustrating, anger-sparking days when my children were small and they complained and argued Every. Single. Day.) How do we DO that, though? How do we go through life in a fallen world without complaining or arguing? How do we keep ourselves from giving into discontentment and the temptation to crave things God has not provided? By cultivating the "attitude of gratitude." By obeying the scriptural command to give thanks IN all things (1 Thess 5:18), FOR all things (Ephesians 5:20). It has nothing to do with *feeling* grateful and everything to do with the choice to give thanks as a sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15). God is pleased with this . . . unlike what we read today in Numbers 11.
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Amy Lowther

1. I believe God loves each of us and gives his best efforts for each of us to succeed everyday. 2. I see them as gifts of God. 3. Nothing in my life keeps me from being grateful. 4. Three things I can thank God for today are for His love, His words, and His son Jesus.
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Michael Scaman

"And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, 'Arise, O LORD, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.' ” is the start of Psalm 68 which helps us see that Psalm is significantly about the ark. Interesting that the first move of the tabernacle on a 3 day journey is described a trump blows for the left tribes to move out. A second trumpet blows for the right side tribes to move out. And there are tribes in the north and south with ark in-between. They all line up and march out? Interesting the 2 men of the 70 leaders did not come to the tent and the Spirit rested on them in the camp and they still prophesied despite being absent. And a lesson for the complainers. God can send a vast amount of quail but don't ask complaining or you might get 'burnt' Be grateful and Askwith thanksgiving.