KNOWING GOD – THE GOD OF MIRACLES – Lesson Twenty-seven
TEXT: Psalm 78 (Cont’d.) – V.17-31
[We continue to “consider the marvelous works” listed in this psalm, in keeping with I Samuel 12:24 – But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.
Be sure to fear the LORD – Proverbs 19:23 – The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.]
Verses 17-31 are a summary of Numbers 11. Note the following excerpts:
Numbers 11:4 – The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat!
The rabble – Some versions: A mixed multitude. Exodus 12:37-38 – 37The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. 38Many other people went up with them, as well as large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds.
Numbers 11:5 – We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost–also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.
At no cost – It was certainly at great cost, at hard labor.
Numbers 11:7 – The manna was like coriander seed and looked like resin.
The manna – (a) Additional Description: Exodus 16:14-15 – 14When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. 15When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat.
Exodus 16:31 – The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey.
(b) Also called: Psalm 78:24-25 – 24he rained down manna for the people to eat, he gave them the grain of heaven. 25Men ate the bread of angels; he sent them all the food they could eat.
1 Corinthians 10:3 – They all ate the same spiritual food
(c) It was symbolic of Jesus. See John 6:25-59.
(d) How it was prepared and supplied: Numbers 11:8-9 – 8The people went around gathering it, and then ground it in a handmill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into cakes. And it tasted like something made with olive oil. 9When the dew settled on the camp at night, the manna also came down.
(e) Dissatisfaction with it and the consequence: Numbers 21:4-9 – 4They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”
6Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
8The LORD said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” 9So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.
(f) The Memory of it preserved: Exodus 16:32-34 – 32Moses said, “This is what the LORD has commanded: `Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the desert when I brought you out of Egypt.'”
33So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar and put an omer of manna in it. Then place it before the LORD to be kept for the generations to come.”
34As the LORD commanded Moses, Aaron put the manna in front of the Testimony, that it might be kept.
Hebrews 9:3-4 – 3Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.
Numbers 11:18-20 – 18“Tell the people: `Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. 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. 19You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, 20but 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, and have wailed before him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”‘”
You will not eat it for just one day – Compare Exodus 16:12-13 – 12“I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, `At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.'” 13That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp.
Numbers 11:21-23 – 21But Moses said, “Here I am among six hundred thousand men on foot, and you say, `I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’ 22Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?”
23The LORD answered Moses, “Is the LORD’s arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you.”
Numbers 11:31-34 – 31Now a wind went out from the LORD and drove quail in from the sea. It brought them down all around the camp to about three feet above the ground, as far as a day’s walk in any direction. 32All that day and night and all the next day the people went out and gathered quail. No one gathered less than ten homers. Then they spread them out all around the camp. 33But while the meat was still between their teeth and before it could be consumed, the anger of the LORD burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. 34Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had craved other food.
Application: Let us ask the GOD OF MIRACLES to help us to heed 1 Corinthians 10:9-12 – 9We should not test the Lord, as some of them did–and were killed by snakes. 10And do not grumble, as some of them did–and were killed by the destroying angel.
11These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. 12So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!