Old Testament

Numbers 11:1-15
Moses’ Heavy Burden

I knew I was in trouble at 8:45 on Monday, 15 October. I did my morning devotional work in the book of Hebrews and got that posted, and then around 5:15 to 5:30 I started typing this sermon. I left for about 45 minutes to clean the mall and 7-11 and then came back home. By 8:45, I thought that I had finally finished the first verse. That was about 2 or 2 ½ hours of typing. Once I got into verse 2, I realized that verse 1 was incomplete.

If I was to get 15 verses done at that pace, it would be well into Tuesday morning, without any more breaks, before I got them finished. Fortunately, not all were as complicated as verse 1. But it seemed like it was more than I could bear. Now imagine Moses. He didn’t just have his duties as the leader of the people who were all in one accord. Rather, as the account today shows, they were not only not in one accord, they were all over the place.

People were inciting the multitude into rebellion, and there was – literally – nothing that Moses could do to appease them over what had them riled up. If you’ve ever supervised a group of people, you know how difficult it can be. Every person is an individual who possesses his own biases, pet peeves, neuroses, desires, hopes, faults, failings, and shortcomings. Toss that one in with 10 or 20 of the same, and it is a recipe for difficulty. Now imagine what Moses had to deal with!

Text Verse: “And the Lord said to Moses, “Has the Lord’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not.” Numbers 11:23

Our text verse comes from the same chapter in which we are looking at, but it’s not cheating. Rather, we won’t get to that verse until next week. However, it is a good reminder to us now as we begin these almost mournful verses today. Moses has one victory with the Lord which is followed by – quite possibly – the lowest spot of his entire life. He will be found wanting elsewhere, and will be punished for that, but it is probably a more difficult thing to deal with his shortcomings here than it is with his failings later. His obvious care both for the people and for the glory of the Lord’s name is a point which will weigh heavily on him. His inability to correct the situation will bring him almost to ruin.

If you are facing, or if you come to face, any situation which seems to be absolutely overwhelming, this passage is a great place to come to in order to see that you are not alone. It is also a great place to come to know that the Lord has it all figured out, in advance. All we have to do is remain faithful and place the really complicated stuff in His capable hands. He will tend to it because He cares for you. This is a marvelous lesson we can learn from His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Taberah (verse 1-3)

Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; 

This seems like a simple set of words to open up the chapter, but it is actually hard to be dogmatic about what is being said. The Hebrew reads v’hi ha’am kemitonemim ra b’azene Yehovah – “and it happened the people complainings evil in ears of Yehovah.”

The Hebrew can say either as the NKJV, “Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord. Or it can say, “Now when the people complained of their hardship in the hearing of the Lord.” Or it can say, “And it happened the people sinfully complained in the ears of the Lord.” Or, it can even be, “And it happened that the people were evil complainers in the ears of the Lord.”

The word ra, or “evil,” can be attributed to the bad things which happened to the people, causing them to complain. It can be ascribed to the evil attitude of the people. It can be that the people were evil because of their complaints. Or, it can be attributed to how it is negatively received by the Lord. Sergio looked at it and ascribed the evil to the people. He said, “And it happened that the people were as evil complainers before the Lord” (SLT).

Young’s Literal Translation may give the most precise rendering. He says, “And the people is evil, as those sighing habitually in the ears of Jehovah.” First, the word “when” is not in the Hebrew. Next, the verb “complain” is plural, it says “complainings.” Third, it says, “in the ears of Yehovah.” It is as if a constant whining from an evil people is coming into His ears, deafening out anything else. Adding to this is a new and extremely rare word which is translated as “complain,” anan. It signifies to complain or murmur. It is used only here and in Lamentations 3:39, and nowhere else –

“Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass,
When the Lord has not commanded it?
³⁸ Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
That woe and well-being proceed?
³⁹ Why should a living man complain,
A man for the punishment of his sins?”

Like in Lamentations, the Lord determines the path and the outcome, and yet there is complaint against what He has determined. We don’t need to be told why the people complained, we are simply told that they did, and that their attitude is evil in that they did so. If for no other reason, the context of the passage’s placement shows this. The people have been brought out of Egypt, they were brought to Sinai and the Lord made a covenant with them, they have been taken care of for over a year as the tabernacle was being built, they have received a priesthood, they have been given the Lord’s laws, and they have been divided up into their individual armies. After these many wonders have been brought about, the very last thing recorded was the departure of the people on their way to Sinai as they are led by the pillar of cloud. Nothing has been recorded concerning any hardships. They are still receiving manna, and they are simply on the march to the Land of Promise. And yet, the very first recorded thing after their departure is that the people have sighed habitually in the Lord’s ears. Literally, in the turning of the page, it is the very first recorded thing to happen – they are found to be evil complainers. It becomes more certain that it is the people’s complaints which are being described as evil with the next words…

^1 (con’t) for the Lord heard it, 

v’yishma Yehovah – “and heard Yehovah.” There is no “for” in the words as if it is explaining something. It only says that the complainings of the people were evil in the ears of the Lord, and the Lord heard it. All we need to do is think of the disobedient child in the grocery store. Everything he needs or wants has been, or will be provided, and yet the little whiner just keeps on whining.

He had breakfast, he is assured of food in the hours ahead, he has a great home awaiting him, and he will be taken there when the trip to the store is done, he has mom to care for him, and so on. There is literally nothing else that could be given him to satisfy him any more than he is right at that moment, and yet he whines through the entire time they are there, he whines through the entire trip back, and he whines about everything that happens in the process. Mom may be able to block this out, but dad just happens to be out with them today, and he is hearing what he cannot believe…

^1 (con’t) and His anger was aroused.

v’yikhar appow – “and burned His nostrils.” It is as if fire shot out of His nose over the whining which was going on. “Ooh, it’s too rocky.” “Oh me, it’s so hot.” “Waaa, all this dust.” The whining was unending as if dealing with spoiled democrats, and the Father simply fumed at their attitude.

^1 (con’t) So the fire of the Lord burned among them,

v’tivar bam esh Yehovah – “and burned among them the fire of Yehovah.” We are not told what the “fire of the Lord” is. In fact, John Lange says, “The punishment is as obscurely expressed as is the charge of fault.” In other words, just as obscure as the first few words of the verse were, so is the vagueness of the punishment levied upon the camp. We can only speculate what it means. The same idea, however, is found in 2 Kings and in Job. In Job, it may refer to lightning. No matter what it is, it is a directed fire which is destructive and it is ascribed directly to the working of the Lord.

^1 (con’t) and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp.

The word akal means “to eat,” and thus it seems likely that people were consumed. Rather than just tents, it seems to be saying that there is loss of life. And the fire is directed to the qatseh, or extremities of the camp. A few things must be considered here. The first is that of the severity of the judgment which came upon them. Time and time again during the Exodus and on the way to Sinai, the people murmured against the Lord and against Moses. And yet, there was not an outburst of this sort from the Lord. However, now the fire of the Lord has gone out and destroyed them. This is similar to what occurred with Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, and uses the same general terminology. The law has now been given, and in the giving of the law, there is the imputation of sin, and then expected judgment. In Hebrews it says –

“For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, ³ how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation.” Hebrews 2:2, 3 

The word of law was spoken, and now every trespass and disobedience will receive its just reward. The people can no longer expect the same treatment that they had received before they agreed to the terms of the law. This is reflected again in Hebrews where the author there must have been thinking of this very account in Numbers –

“For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.” Hebrews 10:26, 27

And again in Hebrews 12, after telling the people, “For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven…,” He goes on to say, “For our God is a consuming fire.” The people of Israel learned this for the first of many times in their history, and it is just a moment after their departure from Sinai.

The second point about these words begs the question, “Why the outskirts of the camp?” Some people say it is because this is where the “mixed multitude” was, as if Israel was pious and noble, and that it was the mixed multitude who were the only ones complaining. There is nothing to substantiate this in either regard. Others have their own explanations concerning it, but the answer falls in the fact that the camp is marching as a military procession.

When an enemy attacks an army, he will start at the outskirts and work his way in. By attacking there, the people will move away from the danger and cluster together. What is obvious here is that the fire coming upon the outskirts then bears a two-fold significance. First, the Lord is acting as an enemy would, working as the author of Hebrews says, in fiery indignation. However, He is also working as a leader of the people He has redeemed, urging them to cluster more closely around Him. In this, it is as if He is saying, “Close to me is safety, but as you depart further from Me, there is danger.” The events of this account are recorded for us by Paul in 1 Corinthians in order to teach us the lessons of the past –

“Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. ⁷ And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.’ ⁸ Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; ⁹ nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; ¹⁰ nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. ¹¹ Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” 1 Corinthians 10:6-11

The complaining of the people is a sign of distrust in the provision of the Lord. It is an offense to Him, and it demonstrates a lack of faith in His goodness towards those whom He has redeemed. As Paul uses the wilderness account as typology for us, let us take the lesson to heart, and not provoke the Lord through our distrust of His goodness. He has made His promises, and we shall benefit from each and every one of them in due time. What happens in the interim is simply life. It is what we are expected to endure, be it rocky, hot, dusty, or otherwise. But even in our times of forgetfulness and complaining, there is mercy to be found…

² Then the people cried out to Moses, and when Moses prayed to the Lord, the fire was quenched.

We’re just now getting to verse 2. Maybe you can see why that particular Monday sermon typing was so difficult! It is remarkable that the people cry out to Moses. There is a definite understanding that they must go through a mediator. And in this, they find Moses, not Aaron, as the appropriate one to mediate. Though the law has been instituted, and though Aaron is designated to mediate, they still defer to Moses. Moses is loved and trusted by the people, and they know that he is loved and trusted by the Lord. Aaron is the one to handle the technical aspects of the law, such as sacrifices. However, Moses is the one who speaks to God, and he is the one through whom the law came. He is thus filling the type of Christ to come in this regard. It is Jesus who speaks directly to the Father, and it is He through whom the New Covenant has come. Jesus will also handle all of the technical aspects of the priestly duties set before Him. But in this case, it is Moses who more accurately reflects Christ for us in such a time of need.

In this verse is another new word in Scripture, shaqa, which means “to sink down.” It is rather rare, being seen just six times. The fire which came was from the Lord, and the quenching, or sinking down, of it is also from Him. At the petition of Moses, the Lord responds accordingly.

³ So he called the name of the place Taberah, because the fire of the Lord had burned among them.

The name Taberah means “Burning.” It comes from the word ba’ar or “burn” which was used in verse 1 and then again here in this verse. At times, the word is used in regards to purging evil from among the people. That is the intent here. It is a lesson that the people have been evil, and the Lord’s intent is to purify them through this fire.

An important point about this location is that Taberah is not the name of a place of encampment. In Numbers 33, where the stops on the way from Egypt to Canaan are recorded, no such place as Taberah is named. Therefore, the location of this encampment is what is given in verse 34 of this chapter, Kibroth Hataavah, or Graves of Craving. The name Taberah is the place within the encampment where the burning took place. It is representative of hell itself, the place of burning in the graves of craving.

The flesh which God has sent, it is food indeed
It is sufficient to fill us and give us life anew
And when we have partaken, we will then follow at the lead
Of our Lord, who has given Himself for me and you

The dew of heaven has left behind a gift for us
There is bread enough for all to eat
And this only pictures the coming Messiah, Jesus
Oh my! How delicious is this Bread… so very sweet

Thank You, O God, for filling our souls in such a way
You have granted us life through Your Son
And so we will exalt You through Him, each and every day
Until when at last this earthly life is done

Then we shall praise You forevermore O God
As in the heavenly Jerusalem we shall forever trod

II. The Manna (verses 4-9)

⁴ Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving;

Here is a word found only once in the Bible, asaphsuph. It is a reduplication of the word asaph which signifies to gather together, or take away. Translating this as “the mixed multitude” is misleading. The “mixed multitude,” who came out of Egypt and who are mentioned in Exodus, is a completely different pair of words. It is obvious that the different word is intended not to speak of that group, but of a gathering together of miscreants. One could think of any modern gathering of democrats and socialists who do nothing but incite violence and stir up rage and anger. This is the idea that is being relayed here.

Another new word is given, avah, or desire. It is an intense desire, and even a craving. It can be good or bad. In Isaiah 26, the prophet says the people desire after the Lord. It is as if they had an intense craving for Him. Here in Numbers, it is not for the Lord, but for something else. Here, there is a group of people who crave after what they do not have, and they will incite the rest of the people to a state of agitation as well…

^4 (con’t) so the children of Israel also wept again and said: “Who will give us meat to eat?

The rabble led the entire congregation, referred to here as “the children of Israel,” to also join them in their cravings. The words, wept again, don’t make any sense. The last time that any weeping was recorded was in Leviticus 10 at the time of the deaths of Nadab and Abihu. The word is shuv, and it indicates to return or turn back.

What is happening here isn’t that they are weeping again, as if connected to the account in verses 1-3. Instead, they “turned back and wept.” In other words, the coming words of verse 5 explain the “turning back.” It is in memory of what they once had in Egypt. In their weeping, they ask for basar, or flesh, to eat. It is any type of meat, not specifically what they will ask for next…

⁵ We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic;

The people’s craving is for what they once had, but which they no longer can obtain. They first say that the fish came freely. They were so abundant and cheap that it was as if they were free. They also mention five types of plant which they remembered with passion. All five of these are new to Scripture, and only one, leeks, will be seen again. The other four are mentioned only once in the Bible.

To understand the connection to us, the symbolism of Egypt needs to be reconsidered. That was a picture of life in sin. Israel was redeemed out of that. It pictures what Christ did for us when He redeemed us from a life of sin. Their desiring flesh to eat, and the delicacies of Egypt, is a picture of us when we are tempted back into sin. Paul refers to this in Ephesians 2 –

“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, ² in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, ³ among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.”

However, in this instance, the people had been redeemed out of sin to life under law. It led to constant failure, because by the law is the knowledge of sin. Our redemption is far greater, because we are not under law, but under grace. As we are under grace, we are not to remember and long for those things which we have left behind, but we should want to live out our lives, not desiring the lusts of the flesh and those things which tempt us. Rather, we are to desire Christ, and be content in Him alone. The opposite of that, however, is seen in the next verse…

⁶ but now our whole being is dried up; 

The words are hyperbole. The things they have described – flesh, fish, and tasty fruits and vegetables – would be juicy and refreshing. They have been in the desert where there is nothing either juicy or refreshing in that regard, as will be explained. Again, think of life before Christ and what your soul lusted after. Those things were tempting, and they satisfied, but only for a moment.

As soon as the melon is eaten, you are hungry again. That is why the people left Egypt. They were never fully satisfied. If they were, there would have been no need to leave. But leave they did. Now they have forgotten. Let us never forget. We now have that which fills forever, and which will forever satisfy…

^6 (con’t) there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!”

Of these words, the supposed scholars at Cambridge say, “No account has been given in this chapter of the sending of the manna; and it is possible that the writer means to describe not a miraculous food from heaven but a natural phenomenon of the district.” It is as if they purposefully want to destroy the narrative and pick apart Scripture. First, the fact that the manna is mentioned here is exactly an account of the sending of the manna. Secondly, if they had read their Bible in full even just once, they could not help to remember these two passages –

“And the children of Israel ate manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited land; they ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan.” Exodus 16:35

“Then the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land; and the children of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year.” Joshua 5:12

It is as if they took Hebrew lessons, learned the language, and then were told to write a commentary on the Bible – not because they are Bible scholars, but because they knew Hebrew. The manna was given for the entire time Israel was in their wanderings. Will one person call out what the manna pictured, please? The explanation is found in John 6 –

“I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹ Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. ⁵⁰ This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” John 6:48-51

The manna is a type of Christ to come. The picture, then, is that Israel fed upon that which never ceases, Christ. It is as He said, His flesh. They wanted the flesh of Egypt, but God offered Himself to them. And yet, they found Him bland, unfulfilling, and tedious. No wonder the reaction of the Lord later in this chapter is what it is. He has provided for them from Himself, and they have rejected His gracious offering.

The manna which came for forty years is only mentioned in Numbers in these two verses, and so as we continue through the rest of the book, let us remember that everything that occurs does so while the manna continues to be provided. Every evil that Israel will face is a self-inflicted wound based on their rejection of the Lord. And every day of every account which is given is to be considered one more jab in the eyeballs of the unscholarly folks at the University of Cambridge.

Now, to show that what the Lord provided was not an unfair allowance, but one which demonstrates the ungrateful, perverse nature of the people, a description of the manna is once again provided in the narrative. It was first described in Exodus 16, but because we are as slow to learn and as quick to forget as Israel, we are given our own review of it…

⁷ Now the manna was like coriander seed,

v’haman kizra gad – “and the manna was like seed coriander.” The word for coriander seed, gad, is only used twice in the Bible and both times it is used to describe manna. All translations agree that it is coriander, but some scholars don’t. However, it still is sufficient to describe the size of it, which is small and round. We can now wave goodbye to the word gad, or coriander.

^{7 (con’t)} and its color like the color of bdellium.

Bdellium is a whitish transparent wax-like resin. Along with these two descriptions, Exodus 16 gave a little more information on the manna. First, it said –

“…in the morning the dew lay all around the camp. ¹⁴ And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground.” Exodus 16:13, 14.

There, the word translated as “lay” was shekavah, which means “an emission.” It seems like a risque word to be used to describe the food of the people, but nothing sexual should be inferred. It is defined by scholars as the “(seed of) copulation” (HAW). It then would imply “that which gives life.” And that, in turn, perfectly fits with Jesus’ words of John 6 –

“Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³ For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” John 6:32, 33

The term “a small round substance” gives us clues into the manna. The word for “small,” daq, literally means “thin.” The word for “round” is khaspas, and it means round, but not round like a ball. Rather it is round like a scale. And so we get the idea of a round thing which is very thin.

Also, the word for “frost,” kphowr, indicates “to cover” as in the frost covering the ground. That word comes from kaphar, which means to appease, atone, forgive, be merciful, etc. It is again a picture of Christ who covers our sins in His mercy. The daily receiving of the bread by Israel looked forward to our atonement and the sustaining of our salvation as we walk in this fallen world. As long as we are here, we can and must continue to rely on the true Bread from heaven to sustain us until we enter the Land of Promise, which is also exactly when Israel’s manna ended.

As the Manna only became visible when the dew had lifted each day, it explains the enigmatic expression used by Jesus in Revelation 2:17 where He promises those who overcome “some of the hidden Manna to eat.” Until the dew lifts, it remains hidden. Finally, in the same chapter of Exodus, it said –

“…and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.” Exodus 16:31

It was described as having the taam, or taste, of wafers with honey. But if you think of it, if someone didn’t know what wafers and honey tasted like, they would be in the dark about the taste of manna. However, honey is a food that is found pretty much everywhere throughout the entire world. This is because honey bees have been domesticated in all places. Further, honey doesn’t spoil and so it can be transported anywhere. This probably isn’t coincidence. The taste of the very substance which is described as “bread from heaven,” and which pictures Jesus Christ, is pretty much universally known.

And therefore, we have another revelation from God’s word. The word is used to describe Jesus and it is said to be “sweeter than honey” to the mouth. Jesus is the Subject of the word and is described in picture through the manna as having the taste of honey. It is like a beautifully wrapped package which has been given to the people of the world.

And so, with all of these images given both here and in Exodus, we can have a pretty good idea of what it looked like. As coriander seed is small and unnoticeable, it forms a picture of Christ – small in the eyes of the world and yet the only Source of true nourishment for the world. The color white would signify His purity, without any defilement at all.

⁸ The people went about and gathered it, 

A new word is used here, shuwt, or “go about.” It signifies roaming from place to place. The gathering of the manna would have been like going out for blueberries. You’d start picking it up here, see a bigger pile there and go to get that. It would be a process of work, but not in the sense of labor. It would be something to anticipate and enjoy, like looking for Christ in the many passages of Scripture, which is exactly the idea that seems to be conveyed here. The gathering itself is explained in Exodus 16 –

“‘“And Moses said to them, “This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat. ¹⁶ This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: ‘Let every man gather it according to each one’s need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent.’”

¹⁷ Then the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some less. ¹⁸ So when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one’s need. ¹⁹ And Moses said, “Let no one leave any of it till morning.” ²⁰ Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. ²¹ So they gathered it every morning, every man according to his need. And when the sun became hot, it melted.”’” Exodus 16:15-21

^8 (con’t) ground it on millstones or beat it in the mortar,

This was never mentioned in Exodus, and it is giving us new insights into the manna. It was hard enough, meaning not sticky, so that it could be ground on a millstone, thus powderizing it so that it could be made into various things – from bread to soup stock, to whatever else cooks use powderized stuff for.

The odd thing is that though it melted as the sun rose and became hot, that was only if it wasn’t gathered. When it was gathered in the morning, it apparently became hard like some type of grains so that it could be ground.

If not ground, it could be beaten in a mortar. The word is duk, and it is only found here. One can get the sense of beating in a mortar by the sound of the word – duk, duk, duk. This would make the manna so that it would be soft and malleable for rolling up into taco shells, although they probably didn’t call them taco shells. They probably called them shawarma as they do today. It could be beaten into anything else that a mortar is used for as well.

^8 (con’t) cooked it in pans,

The word translated as “cooked” signifies, “to boil.” The word for “pans” means something deeper than a flat pan. This is probably referring to how we make donuts, buy putting them in oil and letting them boil until both tasty and delicious.

^8 (con’t) and made cakes of it;

These would be bread that would be round like a disk, or heaped up into a loaf, and cooked like a cake on a hearth or a fire.

^8 (con’t) and its taste was like the taste of pastry prepared with oil.

In Exodus, it said it tasted like wafers made with honey. Here it says it is like pastry prepared with oil. There is no contradiction in this. One is speaking of it in its raw state, and the other when it was baked into cakes.

Here though, we have another new word, lashad, translated as pastry. It’s an important addition to what the manna was like when prepared. The word signifies juicy, or with moisture. In a person, it would be his vitality. It is only used here and in Psalm 32:4 where David said his vitality was turned into the drought of summer.

One might wonder why all of the detail concerning the different ways to prepare the manna, but if the reason for complaining is considered, it becomes obvious. The manna could be eaten plain, cooked, baked, boiled, and so on. As these are all of the ways of preparing any type of food one would eat, it shows that it was a universal basic staple to which anything could be added. If boiled, it could be boiled with spices. If baked, it could be baked with whatever stuffing could be dreamed up. And so on.

When prepared in a certain way, it would be juicy and bring vitality. Every want and need could be met with the manna, but the only true obstacle to overcome would be the thought of eating the same substance each day. Once one simply thought through the obvious though, it would not seem so burdensome. They got it for free, it was always available, it met every need, it came with a guarantee that it would outlast the trip to the Promised Land, and so on. In other words, it was, in its truest sense picturing Christ.

We can go roaming about in a thousand different directions, but wherever we go, He will be there. He offers Himself freely, He is always available for us, He meets every need, and He comes with a guarantee that He will outlast our trip to the Promised Land. He will never fail to appear, and He sustains us completely, wholly, and forever. And yet, how often do we turn our hearts back to Egypt, and turn our desires to that which can never satisfy.

The interesting thing is that no matter what is done to the manna, it always reflects Christ. If in its natural state, it tasted like wafers and honey. He is the word which is sweeter than honey to our taste. In its prepared state, it was like pastry prepared with oil. He is the suffering servant who was beaten and bruised, and yet He came forth with vitality and the full measure of the Spirit. In Him, there is never any lack, but only increasing delight and wonder.

⁹ And when the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna fell on it.

The wording here shows that the dew came down, and the manna then came down on the dew. It says that the dew lifted in the morning in Exodus 16, and so there is a layering of the dew, hiding it and protecting it from any defilement. As I said earlier, that looks to Christ who gives the hidden manna of Revelation 2:17.

A heavy burden has been placed on me
It is greater than I can bear
Take this burden Lord, or kill me
To the land of the dead, please send me there

I cannot stand in the gap to handle all these things
I am overwhelmed and cannot do it, my Lord
I am ready to snap and my head rings
Here my petition, O God, hear my word

I know Your grace is sufficient for me, this I know
But that is enough for only me
How can I carry the load of others, how can it be so?
I am overwhelmed with my burden, O God can’t You see?

III. Moses’ Displeasure (verses 10-15)

¹⁰ Then Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent;

The picture we are to get here is that the rabble who got the people stirred up caused the entire camp to start grumbling, maybe over their manna as it was being prepared. From there, instead of just grumbling in their homes, they start going to the doors of their tents and moaning, “Hey Moses, we are sick – utterly sick – of this manna!” And then more people come out, and they go into a tizzy, casting dust up in the air, moaning, and weeping at their misery. And to think that none of this would have been the case if people simply stopped and considered. But being a society of infants, they collectively whined so much that the noise reached to heaven itself.

^{10 (con’t)} and the anger of the Lord was greatly aroused;

At the rejection of His provision, the Lord saw it as a rejection of Him. The two are united as one thought in the Lord’s mind. One cannot reject the word of God without also rejecting the God who gave His word. Such is true with the manna as well.

^{10 (con’t)} Moses also was displeased.

This is a connecting thought which stems from the people’s attitude toward him, and the Lord’s placement of the responsibility for the people on him. He is venting in two directions at once with seemingly nowhere to go to find relief.

¹¹ So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have You afflicted Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all these people on me?

Here we have the first of several instances where the prophet of God is utterly defeated in his spirit. It will happen with Elijah after he defeats the prophets of Baal. It will happen again with Jonah after he prophesies to Nineveh and they repent at his preaching. The same attitude of despair shows forth, and the same final request for relief is seen in each of them.

Moses has come to the point of utter frustration, and he cannot find it in himself to go on. The burden has become too heavy. It is actually reflective of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane who cried out, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me.” The burden was so great that only relief is sought.

¹² Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a guardian carries a nursing child,’ to the land which You swore to their fathers?

When Moses says, “I,” it is emphatic. “Did I conceive?” “Did I beget?” He has been appointed over a people who are unruly, childish, and they are not even his own children. If they were, he could handle them as a parent, but he cannot. They are not his, and yet he has the burden of caring for them. Keil notes, however, that “This is the language of the discontent of despair, which differs from the murmuring of unbelief.” He is looking for deliverance, not questioning God’s plans or purposes.

One cannot help but see Christ in these questions of his. Did I conceive? “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: ¹³ who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12, 13). Did I beget? “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him” (1 John 5:1) Carry them … to the land which You swore to their fathers… “because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel” (Colossians 1:5).

Moses felt the burden and required help to do what was not his responsibility. Jesus felt the burden, but did alone what was required, because it is His responsibility. The promise has been made, and He will see it through to the end. This shows us the weakness of the law, both in its mediator and in its ability to accomplish what it was destined to do. It then highlights the infinitely greater New Covenant which accomplishes all that the law could never do.

¹³ Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? For they weep all over me, saying, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’

Moses is chided by some for caving into the people’s desire for meat, as if he agrees that they have a valid case in that the manna is insufficient for the health, well-being, and happiness of the people. This is surely not the case. What Moses is concerned about is a riot and his own possible demise.

How do you quell the anger and distrust of several million people who are upset about their lot? Telling them to be satisfied with their manna may be true, but it will not improve his lot one bit. This is a rhetorical question in the same vein as those of the previous verse, nothing more. He is asking how he wound up in the position he finds himself, and he desperately needs relief because…

¹⁴ I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me.

In Exodus 18, Jethro had recommended that Moses divide the people into leaders of thousands, hundreds, and tens in order to take the burden off of him in his administrative and judicial duties. That is not a consideration here. This is something that cannot be delegated or decided upon in that type of capacity. It is an infectious growth of discontent which is probably agreed to by most of those leaders. And even if not, those leaders could do nothing about the matter.

Moses is not asking that his job be terminated. Instead, he is a man who is dealing with a matter which required more than a man could handle. Only God could resolve the matter which lays before him. The burden was too great, and the means of relief was not attainable through his abilities.

¹⁵ If You treat me like this, please kill me here and now—

v’im kakah ath oseh li haregeni na harog – “and if like this You are doing to me, kill me, I pray, kill.” The repetition of “kill” with the word na, or I pray, along with the form in which the second word kill is in, shows the impassioned nature of his request. His death would be welcomed in comparison to going on a moment longer. You can almost imagine him curled up on his knees before the ark, unable to lift his eyes, and simply crying out in agony. Again, the parallel to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane is striking.

This is what Elijah asked for, “Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” And it is what Jonah asked for, “Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!” The burden of the office crushed these men, but they each were carried through it for another day of the battle they were called to.

^{15 (con’t)} if I have found favor in Your sight—

The thought here is that death would be a grace in comparison to being left alive. And so as a grace, he begs for it.

*^{15 (fin)} and do not let me see my wretchedness!”

The final words today indicate experiencing the matter. “To see my wretchedness” means to live through it. Moses had come to his end, and he wanted no more than to be ended. It shows the truly caring nature of the man. He wanted the best for his people, and he wanted to do the best for the Lord, but in this, he could do neither. To do less than his best would be failure, and indeed in the eyes of the people, he would fail. Their desires could not be met by him.

We leave on this sad note, and it is a good place to do so. The Jews look to Moses as their great lawgiver, and he indeed is. But if they truly looked at the law, including Moses’ role in it, they would see that there is no hope in it, no hope in him, and only futility in pursuing either. The only place where satisfaction can come from is the Lord. The only place where contentment can come from is the Lord, and the only place where hope can come from is the Lord. Trusting in Moses, trusting in the law, or trusting in one’s own accomplishments under the Law of Moses will only lead to futility and dissatisfaction. And ultimately, it will lead to death.

The joy of life, and the joy found in eternal life, can only be experienced through the One whom Moses petitioned to take the burden from Him. That burden, in the ultimate sense, is the yoke of the law itself. And the one whom Moses petitioned is the One who also carried that burden up to the cross of Calvary and who at that place cast it far away. In its place is something better, something light and easy, and something glorious.

Closing Verse: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Next Week: Micah 5:1-5 Of the coming King the Bible does tell… (The One to Be Ruler in Israel) (Christmas sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. It may seem at times as if you are lost in a desert, wandering aimlessly. But the Lord is there, carefully leading you to the Land of Promise. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

Moses’ Heavy Burden

Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord
For the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused
———-so it did become
So the fire of the Lord burned among them
And in the outskirts of the camp consumed some  

Then the people cried out to Moses
And when Moses prayed to the Lord
The fire was quenched
According to his prayed word 

So he called the name of the place Taberah, as we have learned
Because the fire of the Lord had among them burned

Now the mixed multitude who were among them
Yielded to intense craving; they were in a state of defeat
o the children of Israel also wept again and said:
“Who will give us meat to eat? 

We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt
The cucumbers, the melons, the leeks
———–the onions, and the garlic; each meal was a prize
But now our whole being is dried up
There is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!”

Now the manna was like coriander seed, have you ever seen some?
And its color like the color of bdellium

The people went about and gathered it
Ground it on millstones or beat it in the mortar also
Cooked it in pans, and made cakes of it
And its taste was like the taste of pastry prepared with oil
———-as we now know 

And when the dew fell on the camp in the night
The manna fell on it; what an amazing sight!

Then Moses heard the people weeping
Throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent
And the anger of the Lord was greatly aroused
Moses also was displeased, and so he had to vent 

So Moses said to the Lord
“Why have You afflicted Your servant? How did this come to be?
And why have I not found favor in Your sight
That You have laid the burden of all these people on me? 

Did I conceive all these people?
Did I beget them, that You should to me say
‘Carry them in your bosom, as a guardian carries a nursing child
To the land which You swore to their fathers? Tell me, I pray

Where am I to get meat to give to all these people?
For they weep all over me, saying
‘Give us meat, that we may eat
Give me relief from this, to You I am praying 

I am not able to bear all these people alone, You see
Because the burden is too heavy for me 

If You treat me like this
Please kill me here and now and end this mess
If I have found favor in Your sight—
And do not let me see my wretchedness!”

Lord God, we are even now in a wilderness
And we are wanting to be led by You
Without You to direct, our lives would be a mess
And so be our guide, O God; You who are faithful and true

We long for the water in this barren land
May it flow forth from the Rock, our souls to satisfy
Give us this refreshing, spiritual hand
And may we take it, and to our lives daily it apply

And we shall be content and satisfied in You alone
We will follow You as we sing our songs of praise
Hallelujah to You; to us Your path You have shown
Hallelujah we shall sing to you for all of our days

Hallelujah and Amen…

Numbers 9:15-23
Keeping the Charge of the Lord

There is seemingly a lot of repetition in today’s verses, but each thought complements the previous thought, building upon it and providing a bit more insight into what the life of Israel in the wilderness was like. When you come to repetitive passages like this, you can almost bet they form a chiastic structure.

About halfway through the sermon, I was convinced this was so, and though I didn’t want to take the time out to look for a chiasm, I also thought it would be the best time to do so. I may never take the time again. And so I laid it out as I normally would, and sure enough, there is a chiasm there. Before we look at it, I will tell you that I then copied it to my regular folder where I keep them and, surprisingly, someone named Vince already found one in these same verses.

Vince has to be a friend of mine, because 1) it is in my folder and 2) I simply said, “found by Vince.” For the life of me, I cannot remember who Vince is or when he sent it to me. However, though the chiasm he found is in the same verses, and though it is laid out in basically the same manner as the one we’ll now look at, he cut his off shorter than it actually should be. So I don’t feel bad about both giving him credit for the chiasm, and for now presenting it as one I found on 17 September as well. All that does, is confirm that it was meant to be found twice.

I only wish I’d checked the folder before spending the time to look for it. It would have made my day a bit easier. But I also may not have noticed the full scope of it. So nothing is lost and something is gained.

Text Verse: “When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning, ⁵ then the Lord will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a covering. ⁶ And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain.” Isaiah 4:4-6

Israel had a tabernacle in their midst. They encamped around it, and they moved at the command of the Lord to their next appointed stop on their journey towards Canaan. Above the tabernacle, there was a cloud visible by day, and within it, fire visible by night. In the future, not just a tabernacle, but all of Jerusalem will be covered with a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. And there too will be a tabernacle.

The difference is that this one will not move. There will be no speculation as to when the Lord will pick up stakes and move on. What Israel in the wilderness hoped for, meaning attaining the promised rest of the Lord, Israel of the future will have realized. Each step of Scripture leads us a little further along the path to final glory. Along the way, the glory of the Lord is revealed, but it is also concealed. Until the coming of Christ, the reason for all of these things was completely unclear. But in Christ, every picture finds its fulfillment, and every shadow finds its substance. This is what is so wonderful about studying the Old Testament in Sunday sermons. When we come to our weekly Bible study where we are in the New Testament, which you all surely come to or listen to later, those things we talk about there make so much more sense. The two halves make a complete whole.

For now, let’s once again get into the first half. Great treasures are to be found in it. Yes, it’s all to be found in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Moving as the Lord Moves (verses 15-19)

¹⁵ Now on the day that the tabernacle was raised up,

These words now take us all the way back to Exodus 40. Right at the end of the book, we read the following words –

“Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁵ And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁶ Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would go onward in all their journeys. ³⁷ But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till the day that it was taken up. ³⁸ For the cloud of the Lord was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.” Exodus 40:34-38

This thought will be restated and expanded upon in our few short verses today. However, it is showing that the presence of the Lord is what remained with Israel, and it is what directed them throughout their journeys.

The account here is not chronological, but it expressive of what occurred from the time when the tabernacle was erected, through the departure from Sinai, which happened after the Second Passover, and which will continue all the way through the time in the wilderness. As Israel has been given the instructions on the Second Passover, and as they will depart shortly after that, this is the logical place to put this section. This presence was first noted in Exodus 13 at the time of Israel’s departure from Egypt –

“So they took their journey from Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the wilderness. ²¹ And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. ²² He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people.” Exodus 13:20-22

Upon arrival at Sinai, the cloud rested upon the mountain. However, it would move to Moses’ tent at times in order to summon him –

“So it was, whenever Moses went out to the tabernacle, that all the people rose, and each man stood at his tent door and watched Moses until he had gone into the tabernacle. ⁹ And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses. ¹⁰ All the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the tabernacle door, and all the people rose and worshiped, each man in his tent door. ¹¹ So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.” Exodus 33:8-11

At various other times, this visible manifestation of the Lord has been, or will be mentioned again. This is especially so to call attention to the importance of the events which are occurring. And, the last time that this pillar will be seen is towards the end of Deuteronomy. It will be when the Lord commissions Joshua to assume leadership of Israel –

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Behold, the days approach when you must die; call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of meeting, that I may inaugurate him.’

So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tabernacle of meeting. ¹⁵ Now the Lord appeared at the tabernacle in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood above the door of the tabernacle.” Deuteronomy 31:14, 15

That is immediately before the death of Moses, and just prior to entrance into Canaan. And so it can be seen that the presence of the Lord was truly with Israel from the exodus to the entrance; from Egypt to Canaan; from that which pictures leaving our life of bondage to sin, to that which pictures our entrance into the true Land of Promise where God’s rest is assured.

Before going on, and for the sake of clarity, two different things are spoken of in these verses. The first is ohel moed, or “the tent of meeting,” and the second is the mishkan, or “tabernacle.” It is rare to find a good translation which makes a distinction between the two, and because of this, there is inevitably a false sense of what is being relayed.

The tabernacle is an edifice which is inside of the tent of meeting. To correct the translation every time the tent of meeting is noted would be futile. However, when they are spoken of in the same verse, or in the same paragraph, it really is necessary to define which is being referred to. Otherwise, one would think they were the same thing. This becomes evident in the next words…

^{15 (con’t)} the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony; 

kisah he’anan eth ha’mishkan le’ohel ha’edut – “covered the cloud the tabernacle of the tent the testimony.” Most translations make the two appear synonymous, as if the tabernacle is the tent of the Testimony, elsewhere known as the tent of meeting. They are not synonymous though. This is evident from the verse we already cited from Exodus 40:34 –

“And covered the cloud tent of meeting, and the glory of Yehovah filled the tabernacle.” (Charlie’s translation)

And so now in Numbers, we have no reason to assume that the cloud only covered the area of the tent of meeting where the Ten Commandments were kept. This is more evident because in Exodus 40, it then went on to say that Moses couldn’t enter the tent of meeting because the cloud rested upon it. The entire structure is being spoken of here when the term “tent” is used. The cloud covers the entire tent of meeting which covers the tabernacle.

This might seem like a frivolous thing to spend so much time on, but the Lord is the One who has, time and again, purposefully made a distinction between the two. One should ask, “Why the specificity?” The answer must be that one is referring to the deity of Christ, and the other is referring to His humanity. The tabernacle is kept from the sight of the people, whereas the tent is in view of all. The visible manifestation of the cloud and fire shows the people that the Lord is, in fact, residing in the tabernacle, and it is thus He who leads the people when the cloud moves.

The cloud is that which reveals, and it is also that which hides. The Lord’s glory was revealed on the Mount of Transfiguration, but it was also hidden by the cloud. Likewise, the ascension of the Lord on the Mount of Olives was evident in the cloud which also obscured Him from their presence. At the rapture, the saints will be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord. There is a revealing, and there is a concealing. Precision of terminology here in the events in the wilderness set the stage for concepts which continue on throughout Scripture.

And there is yet more detail to consider. The tent here is called the “tent of the Testimony” rather than its more common term, “the tent of meeting.” Instead of now referring to it as the place where Moses went in to meet with the Lord, it is referring to it as the tent where the tablets of the Ten Commandments were rested in the ark of the covenant. What the people saw from the outside, and which was covered by the cloud and the fire, was to be a constant reminder to them of the glory which they saw on Sinai when they were given the Ten Commandments. At that time, because of the grandeur of what their eyes beheld, this was the next thing the Bible records –

“Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. ¹⁹ Then they said to Moses, ‘You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.’” Exodus 20:18, 19

By saying, “tent of the Testimony” here, it is given in relation not to Moses, but to the people. It is a witness and a reminder to them of what they had seen and been so fearful of. Understanding this, the cloud represents safety, as in a covering – such as from heat; protection – both for and from; God’s omnipotence and man’s ignorance; and so on. The presence of the cloud was the daily sign to the people that the Lord was there with them, but that Moses was the one who spoke to them. For them, it is the “tent of the Testimony.” For Moses, it is the “tent of meeting.” For both, it is where the word of the Lord issues from. For us, it is Christ Jesus, the embodiment of the law and the Word of God.

^{15 (con’t)} from evening until morning it was above the tabernacle like the appearance of fire.

Whereas the Lord’s presence was visible as a cloud during the day, it would be as fire at night. Fire has multiple meanings in the Bible, but the fact that it is associated with the Lord, it would be emblematic of His glory, holiness, protection, judgment, purification, and so on. In both the cloud and the fire, there is the thought of a welcoming presence, and yet the need to stand in awed reverence and fear at the same time. The people were to be comforted that they were cared for by the Lord, and yet they were to remember that they were to honor the Lord as their God, and not tread upon, nor question, His sovereignty.

¹⁶ So it was always: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.

The word tamid, or “always,” is the reason for these words now. The cloud was there on the day the edifice was erected, and throughout that night, it had the appearance of fire, but this wasn’t a temporary display. Rather, it was there from that time on. The words, “by day” are inserted here, which is fine. It says as much in Exodus 40:38. However, the idea is that it is the same cloud at all times. The appearance changes only because of the surrounding circumstances in relation to the people’s eyes. The Lord made Himself manifest in such a way that the people would always know He was there with them.

The amazing thing to ponder at this point, is that despite this cloud and fire being perfectly evident to the people, twenty-four hours a day and every day of the year, they still found reason to grumble, complain, and doubt the Lord. They literally saw an outward manifestation of His presence, and they lacked faith in Him nonetheless. It sounds like Israel at the time of Christ’s first advent, doesn’t it?

¹⁷ Whenever the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle,

The Hebrew says, ohel, “tent,” not “tabernacle.” It is in reference to instruction for the people as a whole. In other words, the cloud rested upon the tent of the Testimony, but when it was time to move, it would rise on high. When this happened, it could be seen by all people, even to the extremities of the camp. When this occurred, it would be a sign to all. Then…

^{17 (con’t)} after that the children of Israel would journey;

The rising of the cloud indicated that it was time to move. In obedience to that, the people would break camp, the priests would prepare the most holy objects, the Levites would perform their duties, and then the signal would blast, and the camps would depart, beginning with Judah. From that moment, they would continue on until the spot which the Lord would direct them to…

^{17 (con’t)} and in the place where the cloud settled,

This should not be taken to mean that the cloud itself directed the people. Rather, when the people, according to the word of the Lord, had arrived at the spot where He had directed them to, the cloud would come down from its lofty height. It is the ark, carried by the Levites of Kohath, that would lead the entire procession. Above them would be the cloud on high for all in the ranks behind to see. This is certain because of Numbers 10:33, 34 –

“So they departed from the mountain of the Lord on a journey of three days; and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them for the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them. ³⁴ And the cloud of the Lord was above them by day when they went out from the camp.”

The ark set out with the cloud above it. Where the ark rested, so the cloud dwelt, and this is where the tent of the Testimony would again be erected, and also it was…

^{17 (con’t)} there the children of Israel would pitch their tents.

The ark would be set down, the tent would be erected over it, and then the priests would uncover it. At the same time, the children of Israel would be arriving according to their placement around the sanctuary, and they would there pitch their tents.

¹⁸ At the command of the Lord the children of Israel would journey,

Here it says, al pi Yehovah – “according to the mouth of Yehovah.” Most scholars treat the rising, movement, and stopping of the cloud as “the command of the Lord.” However, this seems unlikely. What appears to be the case is that the command of the Lord is given to Moses, signifying they were to move out. In confirmation of this, the sign to the people is the rising of the cloud. From there, Israel would journey to where they were told to go. While going, the cloud remained above the ark wherever it was carried by the Levites who had been told where to go. From there…

^{18 (con’t)} and at the command of the Lord they would camp; 

Again it says, “according to the mouth of the Lord.” The Lord directed when and where to go, and the sign to them was His presence above the ark as it traveled. From there, they would stay until directed to break camp once again. This was what was expected, and it was for…

^{18 (con’t)} as long as the cloud stayed above the tabernacle they remained encamped.

As Matthew Henry says of their movement, “There is no time lost, while we are waiting God’s time.” The people were to do as instructed, and to remain where the presence of the Lord was. To depart from that would mean disobedience. These things are certain, because in Numbers 14, after a rebellion by the people in refusing to go into Canaan, the Lord told them that they were to remain in the wilderness until they died. Some of them, however, decided to go forward and right the wrong of their refusal by entering the land. However, that meant only more disaster –

“Then Moses told these words to all the children of Israel, and the people mourned greatly. ⁴⁰ And they rose early in the morning and went up to the top of the mountain, saying, “Here we are, and we will go up to the place which the Lord has promised, for we have sinned!”
⁴¹ And Moses said, “Now why do you transgress the command of the Lord? For this will not succeed. ⁴² Do not go up, lest you be defeated by your enemies, for the Lord is not among you. ⁴³ For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you shall fall by the sword; because you have turned away from the Lord, the Lord will not be with you.”
⁴⁴ But they presumed to go up to the mountaintop. Nevertheless, neither the ark of the covenant of the Lord nor Moses departed from the camp. ⁴⁵ Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in that mountain came down and attacked them, and drove them back as far as Hormah.” Numbers 14:39-45

The people lacked the ark, and thus they lacked the presence of the Lord that moved with the ark. The details are coming soon to a disaster sermon near you.

¹⁹ Even when the cloud continued long, many days above the tabernacle,

The term yamim rabim, or “days in abundance” can mean “years.” It is an indefinite amount of time, and it was left solely up to the word of the Lord to determine when the camp would again be broken down and moved. While not moving, it says that “Israel kept the charge of the Lord.”

One might wonder why this is expressed. But it becomes obvious when we think of what it might have been like. Was it a horrible spot that lacked any excitement or beauty? Were the tents laid out over rocky, uncomfortable patches of land? Was there nothing but briers and thorns all around? That didn’t matter. The people were to look to the Lord and not the dull, barren, and bitter landscape. He provided them water, manna came six days a week, and He was to be their hope and confidence, not a lust for the world in which they lived.

^{19 (con’t)} the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and did not journey.

The word mishmeret, or “charge” signifies that which is to be kept or watched. The people posted sentinels; the people kept the commands of the Lord, living out their lives in accord with His commands and precepts; the people obeyed the law to stay until directed; the priests obeyed the daily rituals and sacrifices of the sanctuary. All of this, and surely more, is included in keeping the charge of the Lord. But mostly, according to the verse itself, it speaks of not journeying as long as the cloud continued above the tabernacle. The people stayed put and kept His charge in doing so.

The spot where we are now is so beautiful and nice
There is a stream of cool water running through it
We can relax and eat dates, and have a meal filled with spice
But to this place, our hopes we surely won’t commit

When the call is made, on we shall go
And maybe the next spot won’t be so grand
But we will be content there; certainly it is so
Even if we spend a year in that barren, wasted land

Our joy isn’t found in a temporary oasis
Nor are we despondent in a rough and ruined land
Such temporary things for our joy are not the basis
Instead, our hope and joy comes from the Lord’s gracious hand

Thank You for Your presence that fills our souls with delight
Thank You, O Lord, our hope, our joy, our ever-shining light

II. At the Command of the Lord (verses 20-23)

²⁰ So it was, when the cloud was above the tabernacle a few days: according to the command of the Lord they would remain encamped, and according to the command of the Lord they would journey.

The opening words, v’yesh asher, or “and sometimes…” are given now to show obedience to what was stated in the previous verses. In other words, one might say, “When Charlie ran the wastewater plant, and whenever he changed the shift schedule, the employees would work their new shifts. He might change them every month, or once every year. But whenever he changed the schedule the employees obeyed the directive. And sometimes he changed the schedule after two weeks, according to his change, the employees would show up to work. And sometimes he changed the schedule once a year, according to that, so they would show up to work.”

For now in Numbers, one might wonder how many different ways the idea of staying put and picking up and moving out can be expressed. Already, the idea has been spoken out three times in three different ways. The last was “many days.” Now it speaks of yamim mispar, or “days of a number,” meaning “a few days.”

Whereas verse 19 spoke of being obedient and staying put, even if the scene was one which was boring, ugly, and deprived of comfort, the spot they next arrived at may have been a beautiful oasis in the middle of the desert where the children could play and the people could smell the fragrant beauty of flowers. Where the tents were set up, the ground might have been soft and cushy. Surely in such a place, the Lord would allow them to hang around for a while and enjoy the comfortable life. But no! This didn’t matter. When it was time to go, they would have to acknowledge the Lord’s call and depart to wherever He next led, not knowing if it would have dates and grass, or rocks and snakes. The Lord’s word was their call to depart.

²¹ So it was, when the cloud remained only from evening until morning:

Again is says, v’yesh asher, or “And sometimes.” Now the thought is expressed again, but in another new way. The people picked up and moved, arriving in the evening. Their bodies were tired, their minds were racing at the anticipation of sleep and then exploring their surroundings, and the children were intent on finding their friends and playing in a new environment. But no! They set up camp in the evening, sat down to eat, went to bed unable to sleep because of the day’s events and the events of the anticipated day to come. And yet, no sooner had they gone out to collect the day’s manna, then they were alerted to the rise of the cloud and the call to move.

The beautiful date palms were filled with ripe fruit. The junipers smelled of delight, the wild ibis covered the hillside, waiting to be shot with an arrow, roasted over a fire, and mixed in with curry and spice kept from the departure from Egypt. But no! The cloud had arisen, the call to move was made, and the laborious job of breaking down camp, the tedium of waiting for the signal to move, and the tiring trudge in the heat commenced once again. All of this because…

^{21 (con’t)} when the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they would journey;

He is the Lord; we are His people. We are to keep His watch, including the call to move. So we shall do. He is the Lord; we are His people.

^{21 (con’t)} whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud was taken up, they would journey.

Many days or few, or even after a single night. But now, now we are to pick up and move by night! The word went out, and the fiery cloud has risen. There would be no chance to go out and pick a few dates for the trip, and there would be no chance to watch the sun set over the two v-shaped rocks one more time. No. The ark is setting out and so too shall we.

At least walking in the night would be cooler than during the day. That is a plus, unless it was winter time. Even in the desert, the temperatures would get uncomfortably cold at night. And more, traveling at night would mean uncertainty about where to step, if there were snakes or scorpions, and the like. For every positive about traveling by night, there were also two negatives. But the Lord is on the move, and we are His people. We too shall move.

The notion that the Lord first spoke the word of when to go and where to go, and that it wasn’t just following the cloud as he led, is confirmed by the words of Moses to his father-in-law Hobab. In Numbers 10, where we will read –

“So Moses said, ‘Please do not leave, inasmuch as you know how we are to camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes. ³² And it shall be, if you go with us—indeed it shall be—that whatever good the Lord will do to us, the same we will do to you.’” Numbers 10:31, 32

If it were merely a matter of following the pillar of cloud and fire, Moses would never have said this to him. Moses did not shun acknowledging a sound guide could both lead the way to where they were next instructed to go, but one who would lead them on a path that was conducive to such a trek. Going left around the next mountain might take an extra two hours, but it would be flat earth and not paths of rocks. The Lord gave the word, the pillar was the sign of it, and the people responded in accord with the word given and the sign provided, even at night.

²² Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would remain encamped and not journey;

And again, the thought is expressed in another entirely new way by stating words which encompass several thoughts already expressed. First, it says yomayim, a way of expressing a two-day period, such as when the manna was given on the sixth day for a day and another day. It would be long enough to wash the clothes and relax, or have a sabbath if they arrived on a Friday. There would be time to see what was around them, but not enough time to get up and really explore. As soon as they were ready to call the place home, they would be told it was time to go.

Next, it says, a month. The Lord might give them time to gather up what was usable in the land around them, make some bows and arrows or spears, enjoy a feast period, or whatever. A month would be long enough to tell them if they didn’t like the place. If so, they would be happy to leave. Or, it would be long enough to tell them they loved the place and wished they could have stayed longer.

And finally, it says, “or a year.” The term is yamim; days. It generally gives the sense of a fullness of time. It may mean a year, and based on the previous two time-frames, that is not unlikely. It is simply an indeterminate amount of time. The thing about it being two days, one month, or one year, is that it didn’t really matter.

Because the Lord could move at any time, there was no time that the people could say, “Well, we can settle down here and relax.” And there was no time that the people could say, “It will be great to leave here soon.” They had no idea. The time period to us is one of looking back on a known. The time period to them was looking forward to an unknown. They were wholly dependent on the Lord’s decision, and there was nothing that could change that, whether they were content in a spot or not they would stop and wait…

^{22 (con’t)} but when it was taken up, they would journey.

Apart from the Lord, there could be no long-term planning, but because of His presence with them, there was no excuse for only short-term planning. The two thoughts are both beautifully summed up elsewhere in the Bible. First from James –

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; ¹⁴ whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. ¹⁵ Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.’ ¹⁶ But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.” James 4:13-16

The second thought is expressed in the proverbs –

“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.” Proverbs 13:22

The people were to occupy, but not assume. They were to be diligent in their daily life, but ready to depart from it on a moment’s notice. In essence, they were to trust in the Lord, be obedient to His call, and willing to accept His decision in whatever occurred in their lives.

²³ At the command of the Lord they remained encamped, and at the command of the Lord they journeyed;

Letter for letter, the words are identical to the final clause of verse 9:20. The repetition is given as a sign of obedience to the word. Preceding it in verse 9:20, it went from many days to a few days. Here it goes from two days to a year. The idea is one of voluntary, complete, and absolute submission to the call of the Lord, and to that alone. The words of this section had to have been recorded at the end of the wilderness wanderings, and were probably penned by Moses just prior to his being called up to the heights of Mount Nebo to see the Land of Promise before he died. However, they are logically inserted here, just prior to their departure, to highlight the words now before the times of trouble, leading to punishment, come about. Despite those failings, the people remained under the care of the Lord, moving at His command and direction, in order to eventually find their way to the place where they would enter into their allotted inheritance.

^{23 (con’t)} they kept the charge of the Lord,

This is a general repeat of verse 19 which said, “the children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord. They followed His commands, they spent their lives in obedience to the law, they moved when He directed, the priests tended to their sacred duties, the Levites broke down and re-erected the sanctuary, and they waited… they waited upon the Lord and upon His word to continue on the path He set before them. As it says, they kept this charge…

*^23 (fin) at the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

The Lord spoke to Moses, and Moses relayed the words to the people for their hearing. Again, as before, we can see that the movement of the cloud was a sign in confirmation of the word of the Lord. If the charge of the Lord includes obedience to the movement of the people, as it surely does, then that movement was spoken out first to Moses and then relayed to the people. When they moved, it was in ranks behind the ark. And where the ark moved, so the cloud moved with it.

In this, the word of the Lord is confirmed by the Lord. It was not Moses’ word to the people, but the Lord’s word through Moses. This is why a challenge to Moses was implicitly a challenge to the Lord Himself. Such will be the case in the chapters ahead, and so terrible will be the downfall of those who so challenge him. In the end, when the Lord speaks, it is the duty of man to pay heed to the Lord’s word, and to accept it in the context of the day in which it is received. The Lord spoke to and through Moses, and His words were found binding upon the people who heard them. The Lord continued to speak through His prophets until the time of John the Baptist, proclaiming the word of the Lord, but also proclaiming a greater Word to come.

Moses himself testified to the coming of Christ. Philip confirms that in John 1 when speaking to Nathanael. He said, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph” (1:45). Jesus Himself says the same. In John 5:46, speaking to the Jews, He said, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me.”

Think it through… if the Lord spoke through Moses, and if Moses wrote about Jesus, then the Lord was speaking through Moses’ hand about Himself, when He would come as a Man. As this is so, then Jesus’ words are the word of the Lord and are binding on those who hear it. We cannot escape judgment if we reject Jesus, and that means Jesus in the context of the day in which He is proclaimed.

Christ came under the law, He lived out the law, and He died in fulfillment of the law. There is no other place to go than to the New Covenant which supersedes the Old. We study Moses in this church because we love Jesus. We are obedient in this church by being obedient to Moses… What! Yes, not to the Law of Moses, but to what the Law of Moses says to us about Jesus. It is He who said, “I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. ¹⁹ And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him” (Deuteronomy 18:18, 19).

Yes, Moses foresaw Jesus and said, “If you want to be obedient to the Lord, then you will hear the word of the Lord through this Prophet to come.” The Old is not an end in and of itself, and the trek to Canaan was not the end of the story. It was merely a step on the way to the coming of true glory. What the cloud and fire only anticipated was the coming of Christ.

Let us not be found deficient in our theology by assuming that tents, boxes of wood and gold, and tablets secreted away from sight, to be carried on the shoulders of men, is the end of our faith. No, the Lord whose blood was shed and sprinkled on the true Mercy Seat, and whose Spirit we carry in ourselves when we call on Christ – it is He who is the Author and the Finisher and the end goal of our faith. It is He who is only pictured in these temporary manifestations of the future glory found in Christ Jesus.

Each step of the book of Numbers is another step leading us to that glory. Without this law, we cannot actually appreciate what it took to get us to Him. Every step in the barren wilderness is a step towards the coming of the Lord. In this land where snakes bit at the heels of those who complained, but on whose feet were shoes that didn’t wear out for forty years, miracle upon miracle heaped up as a way of bringing this group of people to a unity that would last beyond all possibility. It is this foundation which united them, and it is in their remaining united that Christ was able to come. And it is in their continued unity for which Christ will come again.

But in the meantime, he is building a church. Someday, before He returns to His people Israel, in the land of Israel, He will first come for that church. It is hoped that you will be ready for that day by calling on Him now. When the call is made, you need to be ready to move.

Closing Verse: “Moreover You led them by day with a cloudy pillar,
And by night with a pillar of fire,
To give them light on the road
Which they should travel.” Nehemiah 9:12

Next Week: Numbers 10:1-10 Tastier than tea and crumpets… (Two Silver Trumpets) (18^th Numbers Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. It may seem at times as if you are lost in a desert, wandering aimlessly. But the Lord is there, carefully leading you to the Land of Promise. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

Keeping the Charge of the Lord

Now on the day that the tabernacle was raised up
The cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony
———-this did transpire
From evening until morning
It was above the tabernacle like the appearance of fire 

So it was always:
The cloud covered it by day
And the appearance of fire by night
Such was this marvelous display 

Whenever the cloud was taken up
From above the tabernacle, at the time of these events
After that the children of Israel would journey
And in the place where the cloud settled
———-there the children of Israel would pitch their tents 

At the command of the Lord the children of Israel would journey
And they would camp at the command of the Lord
As long as the cloud stayed above the tabernacle
They remained encamped, according to His word 

Even when the cloud continued long
Many days above the tabernacle; however long it would be
The children of Israel kept the charge of the Lord
And did not journey 

So it was, when the cloud was above the tabernacle a few days
According to the command of the Lord, so would it be
They would remain encamped
And according to the command of the Lord they would journey

So it was, when the cloud remained
Only from evening until morning; this amazing sight
When the cloud was taken up in the morning
Then they would journey; whether by day or by night

Whenever the cloud was taken up, then so would it be
Then at this time they would journey

Whether it was two days, a month, or a year
That the cloud remained above the tabernacle, so would it be
The children of Israel would not journey
———-but would remain encamped
But when it was taken up, they would journey

At the command of the Lord they remained encamped
And at the command of the Lord they journeyed
———-so we understand
They kept the charge of the Lord
At the command of the Lord by Moses’ hand

Lord God, we are even now in a wilderness
And we are wanting to be led by You
Without You to direct, our lives would be a mess
And so be our guide, O God; You who are faithful and true

We long for the water in this barren land
May it flow forth from the Rock, our souls to satisfy
|Give us this refreshing, spiritual hand
And may we take it, and to our lives daily it apply

And we shall be content and satisfied in You alone
We will follow You as we sing our songs of praise
Hallelujah to You; to us Your path You have shown
Hallelujah we shall sing to you for all of our days

Hallelujah and Amen…