Unbelief – Murmuring and Complaining

Unbelief manifests its self in three ways murmuring, complaining and lack of contentment. For those who have been called to live by promise this is a great sin and unless addressed eventually will cost them the Promise. This is the story of the first generation of the children of Israel who left Egypt, the bible teaches us that they lost sight of two things the power of God (the signs he performed in Egypt) and the council of God to guide them through hard situations.

Testing God

.. not one of those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times— not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it. Numbers 14:22-24

When I was a young boy, my friend Irungu used to pick fights with older boys by doing small annoying things like subtle insults, bumping into them and even bullying their younger siblings. After a certain number of ‘tries’ Irungu’s target would get the message and respond in swahili “mbona una nijaribu”?  i.e. why are you testing me, then a fight would erupt. God uses the same language, when describing the 10 times the children of Israel tried Him, in God’s mind every time they complained and murmured when confronted with a difficult situation, it was like they were trying to pick a fight with God. In the exodus story when they grumbled they were questioning God’s word/promise “is he able to deliver them into the promise”, the number of tries that pushed God to the edge are 10. The bible from Genesis to Revelations states that questioning God’s word is the same as questioning His character because God and his word are one, the psalmist would put it this way

They tested God again and again and provoked the Holy One of Israel.  They did not remember his power or the day when he redeemed them from the foe, when he performed his signs in Egypt. Psalm 78:41-42

Disappointment and Impatience

The first reason the children of Israel complained is because they forgot what God had done for them, this article explores the other reasons. The children of Israel were led day and night by the presence of God that manifested itself as a cloud by day and fire by night. The presence led them into places where they experienced the opposite of what they had been promised i.e. no water no food, to test them. The bible records that the children of Israel lamented

They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!” Numbers 21:4-5

This conditions are the opposite of the promise of milk and honey, the impatience that grew in them because of not seeing the promise drove them to rebellion. The rebellion started as whispers and murmurs within themselves, they did so in the hearing of the lord

And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled..Numbers 11:1

The weight of the promise as compared with what they experienced created a sense of disappointment, the new testament writers would reflect on this and conclude that they lived by sight and not by faith. They had set their mind on the things of the flesh i.e. food, comfort and water as opposed to the things of the spirit i.e. the promise/word of God and the character of God who is all powerful.

The Fear of the Lord

They also had lost their reverence of God that was first demonstrated after the crossing of the red sea..

And when Israel saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant. Exodus 14:31

In exodus Exodus 15 the default response to believe was to praise and worship e.g

“The Lord is my strength and my defense  he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him,  my father’s God, and I will exalt him. Exodus 15:2

This is the attitude that God wanted them to maintain, they had not drawn that right conclusion about God and from the exodus narrative we learn that the opposite of (believe) praise and worship is murmuring and complaining (un-beliefe). When events did not play out as they had expected, their true estimate of who they believed God was came out, this is in contrast to Caleb.

Is God with us?

And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” Exodus 17:7

Israel questioned if God was with them, when faced with the biggest battle of their lives, to face the Giants that lived in the promised land the spies described their challenge as follows

We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit.  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.” Numbers 13:27 -29

Caleb made a conclusion that was lost to the other 10 spies…

If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.” Numbers 14:8-9

He understood that all he need to be victorious in life is the favor and presence of God. Caleb had drawn the right conclusion about who God was, based on the previous encounters in Egypt

David when faced with a Giant of his own, possibly a descendant of Goliath instead responded

 The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.” 1 Samuel 17:13