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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
NUMBERS 11 –continued
LESSON #13
THE INFECTIOUS CONSEQUENCES OF COMPLAINING
v MEMORY VERSE: 1COR 10:10
v IN CHAPTER 11 WE BEGAN TO SEE SOME OF THE OTHER LEVELS OF FAITH AMONG THEPEOPLE. REMEMBER THE FOLLOWING GROUPS OF PEOPLE:
Ø THE MOVE-ERS
§ PEOPLE LIKE JOSHUA, AND CALEB WHO HAD FAITH TO TRUST GOD AND MOVE TOWARD THEPROMISE LAND.
Ø THE TAG-ERS
§ THE MAJORITY OF ISRAELITES WHO FOLLOWED ALONG BUT HAD NO PERSONAL DIRECTIONFROM GOD. IN FACT, THEY HAD BROUGHT THEIR IDOLS FROM EGYPT ALONG WITH THEM. THEY WERE NOTTOTALLY COMMITTED TO GOD. (ACT 7:43)
Ø THE FRINGE-ERS
§ THE MIXED MULTITUDE THAT FOLLOWED ALONG AFTER THE ISRAELITES. THEY HAD NORELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
· BEING ON THE EDGE OF THE CAMP IS DANGEROUS. GOD SENT FIRE IN THEIR MIDST.
Ø THE GRUMBLE-ERS
§ THOSE WHO CONSTANTLY COMPLAINED AND LOOKED BACK TO EGYPT WITH LONGING. FORTHE CHRISTIAN, EGYPT REPRESENTS WORLDLINESS.
· THE COMPLAINTS BEGAN AMIDST THE MIXED MULTITUDE (THE FRINGE-ERS), PROMOTEDBY THE GRUMBLE-ERS, AND SPREAD TO THE TAG-ERS.
v LAST WEEK WE LEARNED THAT COMPLAINING INFECTS OTHER PEOPLE. IN TODAYSLESSON WE WILL SEE THAT COMPLAINING CAN EVEN AFFECT THE MOVE-ERS, THOSE WHOARE FAITHFUL TO GOD.
v READ NUM 11:10-15
Ø MOSES COMPLAINT
§ NOTICE THAT EVEN MOSES BEGINS COMPLAINING.
· GRUMBLE-ERS ARE INFECTIVE. EVEN THE FAITHFUL ARE VULNERABLE!
§ MOSES COMPLAINED THAT GOD HAD BEEN HARD ON HIM (11)
§ MOSES COMPLAINED THAT HE HAD LOST FAVOR WITH GOD (11). IN OTHER WORDS, HEWAS DISCOURAGED.
· THEREFORE, WE CAN SAY THAT COMPLAINING DISCOURAGES OUR LEADERS.
§ MOSES WAS AFRAID GOD WOULD LEAVE HIM, AND THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THEPEOPLE TO THE PROMISE LAND WITHOUT GODS GUIDANCE. (12)
· WHAT WAS MOSES MISTAKE?
· HE THOUGHT HE WAS CARRYING THEBURDEN OF THE PEOPLE (11). HE FORGOT THAT IT WAS GOD WHO CARRIED THE BURDEN OF THE PEOPLE.GOD WAS RESPONSIBLE, NOT MOSES. WHEN LEADERS GET DISCOURAGED, ITS BECAUSE THEY THINKTHEY ARE CARRYING THE BURDEN. A LEADERS RESPONSIBILITY IS SIMPLY TO FOLLOW GOD.
¨ SOME TRUTHS ABOUT DISCOURAGEMENT ANDDEPRESSION:
Ø MOSES FORGOT GODS PROMISES (EXO 33:14)
§ GOD HAD TOLD HIM, MYPRESENCE SHALL GO WITH YOU.
Ø MOSES FORGOT GODS POWER (NUM 11:13)
§ GOD ENCOURAGES HIM: ISMY ARM TOO SHORT? (11:23)
Ø MOSES FORGOT GODS PAST MIRACLES ANDPROVISION.
Ø MOSES LOST THE PERSPECTIVE OF GODSOVERALL PLAN (NUM 11:14)
¨ DEPRESSION IS A COMMON PROBLEM: A CHECK LIST FOR YOU:
Ø IS THERE SIN INVOLVED?
§ DO I FEEL GUILTY?
· REAL OR FALSE GUILT
Ø IS THERE A PHYSICAL REASON?
§ CHEMICAL OR HORMONALIMBALANCE
Ø IS IT BECAUSE OF YOUR LIFE SITUATION?
§ LOST A SPOUSE, ETC
Ø IS IT BECAUSE OF WORK DEMANDS?
§ IF YOU ARE OVER-WORKED(STRESSED OUT), IT IS BECAUSE YOU ARE TRYING TO DO MORE THAN GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO DO. GODDOES NOT EXPECT US TO BE STRESSED BECAUSE OF HIS WORK.
· READ MAT 11:30
¨ IF WE PUT GOD FIRST, HE WILL EASE THE WAY FOREVERYTHING ELSE IN OUR LIVES.
Ø IS IT BECAUSE OF LACK OF COMMON SENSE?
§ NOT ENOUGH SLEEP, TOO MUCHSUGAR, ETC.
Ø DO I FEEL CONDEMNED?
§ SELF-CONDEMNATION MAKES ITWORSE.
· THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MOSESCOMPLAINT AND THE COMPLAINTS OF THE PEOPLE:
¨ MOSES COMPLAINT WAS BECAUSE OF STRESS(11)
¨ THE PEOPLES COMPLAINT WAS BECAUSE OFLUST (4)
v READ NUM 11:16-23
Ø GODS REMEDIES:
§ BECAUSE GOD LOVED HISPEOPLE, HE SENT REMEDIES FOR MOSES COMPLAINT AND FOR THE COMPLAINT OF THE PEOPLE.
§ GOD SENT HELP TO MOSESTHROUGH THE APPOINTMENT OF 70 ELDERS. THIS OFFICE OF 70 ELDERS EXISTED DOWN THROUGHHISTORY. WHEN JESUS CAME, THEY WERE CALLED THE SANHEDRIN. IT WAS THE SANHEDRIN THAT HELPEDTO PUT JESUS ON THE CROSS. THEREFORE, THIS REMEDY FOR MOSES WAS GODS PERMISSIVEWILL, NOT HIS PERFECT WILL. IF IT HAD BEEN GODS PERFECT WILL, GOD WOULD HAVEINITIATED THE APPOINTMENT OF THE 70 ELDERS AT MOUNT SINAI.
· READ PSA 106:15
§ GOD SENT JUDGEMENT ON THEPEOPLE FOR THEIR LUST.
· LUST PRODUCES MORE LUST. GODGIVES A PERSON OVER TO HIS LUST, IF THAT IS THE PERSONS DESIRE.
¨ READ ROM 1:24,26,32
Ø THEIR LUST PRODUCED A PLAGUE AMONG THEPEOPLE. (NUM 11:33)
§ BECAUSE THE PEOPLE DID NOTJUDGE THEIR OWN SIN OF LUST, GOD JUDGED THEM.
· WE WILL DO BETTER IF WE JUDGE OUROWN SIN AND REPENT BEFORE GOD BRINGS JUDGMENT. (1COR 11:31-32)
¨ THE PLACE WHERE THEY BURIED THE DEAD, KIBROTH-HATTAAVAHMEANS = THE GRAVES OF GREEDINESS.
v READ NUM 11:24-35
Ø THE HOLY SPIRIT ANOINTS THE 70 ELDERS
§ NOTICE THAT THERE IS NOINCREASE IN THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT–NO MORE POWER THEN THERE WAS BEFORE. (25)
· GOD GRACIOUSLY PUT THE ANOINTINGOF THE HOLY SPIRIT ON THESE FIRST 70 ELDERS, 2 OF WHICH PROPHESIED IN THE CAMP.
¨ THE WORD PROPHESIED HERE MEANSECSTATIC BEHAVIOR LIKE ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST.
Ø HOWEVER, JOSHUA WANTED MOSES TO STOP THESE 2MEN. WHY?
§ PERHAPS BECAUSE OFTRADITION.
§ PERHAPS BECAUSE OFJEALOUSY.
· MOSES DID NOT STOP THEM, BECAUSEPROPHECY FROM GOD IS DESIRABLE IN THE CONGREGATION OF BELIEVERS.
¨ READ 1COR 14:1,3,39
Ø MOSES PRAYER FOR ALL TO PROPHESY ISFULFILLED ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST.
v APPLICATION: LESSONS FOR US TODAY
Ø WE HAVE SEEN INFECTIOUS NATURE ANDCONSEQUENCES OF A COMPLAINING PEOPLE.
Ø STEP #9 IN BECOMING A MOVE-ER INTHE KINGDOM OF GOD:
§ DONT BE SATISFIEDWITH GODS PERMISSIVE WILL BUT STRIVE FOR HIS PERFECT WILL.
· A MOVE-ER IN THE KINGDOM OF GODWILL AVOID COMPLAINING AND NOT BE SWAYED BY COMPLAINING PEOPLE. HE WILL, THEREFORE, BEFREE FROM DISCOURAGEMENT THAT COMES FROM GRUMBLE-ERS. IF HE IS FREE OF DISCOURAGEMENT, HEWILL NEVER BE SATISFIED WITH GODS PERMISSIVE WILL, BUT ALWAYS STRIVE FOR GODSPERFECT WILL.
v HOMEWORK
v NUMBERS12
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY.PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER.
v APPLICATION OF NUMBERS 11
Ø HOW MUCH OF YOUR CONVERSATION IS NEGATIVE?
Ø LISTEN TO YOURSELF THIS WEEK AND COUNT THENUMBER OF TIMES WHEN YOU COMPLAIN.
Ø REPENT OF YOUR NEGATIVE WORDS AND ATTITUDESAND ASK GOD TO FORGIVE YOU. ASK HIM TO HELP YOU REPLACE THE NEGATIVE WITH WORDS OF FAITHAND ENCOURAGEMENT.
v PREPARATION FOR NUMBERS 12
Ø READ NUMBERS 12
§ WHAT WAS MIRIAMS ANDAARONS SIN?
§ WHY WAS MIRIAM JUDGED BUTAARON WAS NOT?
§ EVALUATE MOSESATTITUDE:
v MEMORY VERSE: MATTHEW 5:11
