WHAT IT MEANS TO DESPISE GOD
18 Then you shall 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 well with us in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat.
19 You shall eat, not one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days,
20 but for a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, BECAUSE YOU HAVE DESPISED THE LORD WHO IS AMONG YOU, and have wept before Him, saying, “Why did we ever come up out of Egypt?” ’ ”
31 Now a wind went out from the Lord, and it brought quail from the sea and left them fluttering near the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and about a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp, and about two cubits above the surface of the ground.
32 And the people stayed up all that day, all night, and all the next day, and gathered the quail (he who gathered least gathered ten homers); and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp.
33 But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was aroused against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very great plague.
34 So he called the name of that place Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had yielded to craving.
Numbers 11:18-20,31-34 (NKJV)
Whatever you are asking from God should be asked in a proper manner. Asking for meat to eat should not have made God angry with the Israelites, but the way and manner it was asked or how they presented it to God was the issue—it was annoying.
Their request presentation to God was wrapped in despise to God. They made a statement that amounted to a despise to God, that was why God was unhappy or angry with them: " . . . BECAUSE YOU HAVE DESPISED THE LORD WHO IS AMONG YOU, AND HAVE WEPT BEFORE HIM, SAYING, "WHY DID WE EVER COME OUT OF EGYPT?" ' "
They regretted and lamented why they ever left Egypt. In other words, they were indirectly blaming God for bringing them out of Egypt. But they had forgotten that whatever they said they were enjoying in Egypt, it was under oppression and groaning. It was their oppression, groaning and sighing, that made God send Moses to go and rescue them and bring them out of Egypt (Exodus 3:6-10).
If God did a thing for you and you seemed not to be content or pleased with it and you started murmuring about it, It means you are despising Him, blaming Him that why did He do it for you. You might not say it directly like that but your actions, murmuring and complaining, suggested it. When you murmur or complain about what God has done or given you, you are indirectly blaming Him that why did He do what He did for you in the first place?
Murmuring and complaining about the doings of God are grievous in His sight:
10 NOR COMPLAIN, AS SOME OF THEM ALSO COMPLAINED, AND WERE DESTROYED BY THE DESTROYER. 11 NOW ALL THESE HAPPENED TO THEM AS EXAMPLES, AND THEY WERE WRITTEN FOR OUR ADMONITION, UPON WHOM THE END OF THE AGES HAVE COME. 12 THEREFORE LET HIM WHO THINKS HE STANDS TAKE HEED LEST HE FALL" (1 Corinthians 10:10,11,12 NKJV).
The Israelites were given what they craved for but with a grievous consequence:
32 AND THE PEOPLE STAYED UP ALL THAT DAY, ALL NIGHT, AND ALL THE NEXT DAY, AND GATHERED THE QUAIL (he who gathered least gathered ten homers); AND THEY SPREAD THEM OUT FOR THEMSELVES ALL AROUND THE CAMP. 33 BUT WHILE THE MEAT WAS STILL BETWEEN THEIR TEETH, BEFORE IT WAS CHEWED, THE WRATH OF GOD WAS AROUSED AGAINST THE PEOPLE, AND THE LORD STRUCK THE PEOPLE WITH A VERY GREAT PLAGUE" (Numbers 11:32,33 NKJV)
This shows us that If you pestered God so much on what you wanted, It might be given to you, but It would not be without a negative consequence. Asking for meat was not wrong, It is part of basic needs, food, but they did ask for it in an irritating manner. The way and manner it was asked was annoying to God. They insulted His integrity. If God could deliver them from slavery, granted them favour in the sight of the Egyptians to give them articles of gold, silver, and clothing and parted the Red Sea for them to pass, Would He not be able to give them meat to eat?: HE WHO DID NOT SPARE HIS OWN SON, BUT DELIVERED HIM UP FOR US ALL, HOW SHALL HE NOT WITH HIM ALSO FREELY GIVE US ALL THINGS?" (Romans 8:32 NKJV).
What they did looks childish and annoying to God. How would the whole assembly of people be crying for meat (Numbers 11:10), even after they had seen the greatness of God, His mighty moves, both in Egypt and at the Red Sea, how He delivered them from Pharaoh and his armies and drowned them in the Sea (Exodus 40:30,31).
If God has been faithful to you in certain areas of your life, but subsequently had issues in other areas that needed His help, you should always remember what He, God, has done for you in the past. Humans are quick to forget the past goodnesses of God, especially when they are in distress, under a pressing need. You should always remember what God has done in the past, reiterating It—stating it over and over again, repeatedly in His ears.
You should always come before God, telling Him what and what He had done in the past, then, you can now present the new request, what you wanted Him to do now. Let your request be wrapped up with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6). You should not come to God asking for a new thing without acknowledging and thanking Him for what He has done in the past. Tell God those good things He has done in the past, you can then present the new request to Him:
4 ENTER INTO HIS GATES WITH THANKSGIVING, AND INTO HIS COURTS WITH PRAISE. BE THANKFUL TO HIM, AND BLESS HIS NAME. 5 FOR THE LORD IS GOOD; HIS MERCY IS EVERLASTING, AND HIS TRUTH ENDURES TO ALL GENERATIONS" (Psalm 100:4,5 NKJV).
Peace.
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