The Peril of Murmuring

And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! Num 14:2 

The Face of Unbelief

The children of Israel could attest to the powerful hand of God in securing their release from the Egyptian servitude. The miracles which God performed were still fresh in their minds: the parting of the Red Sea, the drawing of water from a rock, and the ten plagues of frogs, lice, flies, and the death of the firstborns.

They saw that and believed God.

Yet it would seem something was also plaguing their minds. Their nerves continually swayed between belief and despair. They chafed easily. Just a little discomfort and their anger burst forth in a torrent. And their language was acerbic.    

And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Exo 14:11  

Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. Exo 14:12  

Nothing accounts for our fallen nature more clearly than this wilderness experience. The theologian John Calvin said we are totally depraved, meaning we are not able to do anything good by ourselves except by the grace of God.

There is a murmuring which is explicit, and another implicit, one breaking forth by way of the mouth, and another breaking inside the heart. On a daily basis I believe we murmur a thousand times. “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do” (Rom 7:18-19). 

The work of leadership is not easy, and especially that of leading people. Except God had been with Moses he should never have accomplished it.

Time and time again Moses rebuked the people that their murmuring was not against him but against God, but that did not improve their temper. It only made them livid.

And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? Exo 15:24  

And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. Exo 16:2  

And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger. Exo 16:3  

And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? Exo 17:3  

And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? 

And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt. Num 14:3-4  

Murmuring is like the Rain which does not Stop

Murmuring is ugly, whether it is coming from a child or an adult. It disfigures not only the face but also the soul. And it displeases God.

Paul in the New Testament recalls this scene to the believers of the Corinthian church.

Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 

And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 

And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 

And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 

But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 

Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 

Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 

Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 

Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 

Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. 

Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 1Co 10:1-11  

To Demonstrate or to Believe?

I was aroused to this topic by the events which are occurring in our country. Before the present leader that we have we had another one, but even in the leadership of the former people were still grumbling. Life was getting harder and the result was discontentment. Also, the dawn of the prosperity gospel made matters worse. It filled people with false hope. But where is the preaching of the cross? Where is the suffering church?

The present leader came through a populist mantra which left people convinced he would uplift their lives. He is now in his third year but the discontentment in the country is palpable. Life is still hard, perhaps harder than before, and the result has been our people taking to the streets to demonstrate.

However, chaos always breaks out, sometimes leading to deaths. What is even more exacerbating is watching the police carry these operations with the aid of goons, and by extension state operatives.

Now our leader is ostensibly a godly man. I will not judge him, but God will. We shall all come before him on the judgment day.

But isn't there Someone for a Time like This?

But my thoughts are on how should believers view these things, and how we should react. Should believers also take to the streets in demonstrating against the government?

Yes, I believe we too have a civic and God ordained duty to call out the failings in our leaders, albeit doing so reverently, and in the fear of God.

As believers we have a better way than that of demonstrating in the streets. We have the word of God, we have his power, and we have prayer.

In Ezekiel we see God admonishing him thus:

Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. 

When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. 

Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. 

Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. 

Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul. Eze 3:17-21 

So, believers are called not only to pray for our leaders but also to warn them. A godly leader does not make his people murmur. He should lead them to prosperity and not to ruin. On the other hand, the people being led are also not to murmur, but to make all their requests known to God; having told their leader what they feel about his leadership. And then they are to leave matters to God.

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 

And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. 2Ti 2:24-26  

Yes, there comes a time too for believers to be as bold as Esther was, after her uncle Mordecai had warned her. As it is written:

Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. 

For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Est 4:13-14  

And the reply which Esther gave remains a powerful motto even to this day.

Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. Est 4:16  

So, the question which we should ask is where are our church leaders as all this is happening? Where are our leader’s pastors? What do they tell him?

Remember God has placed you where you are today for a time like this. And so you are either a true prophet of God or a false one.

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 

Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. Mat 7:15-17  

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 

And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 

And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. 2Pe 2:1-3  

So fellow believers, we are to pray, and we are to fast. Let’s remember this country before God. God hears, and God acts. But at his time.

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Eph 6:11-13  

When the children of Israel cried to him in Egypt God heard and came and delivered them through Moses. Though they soon forgot, and murmured more!

Perhaps the mistake is our own? Perhaps we are impatient? Perhaps we want change too fast? Yes, we have prayed, but have we waited? Are we going to rush God, or find fault with his slowness? God forbid!

Nevertheless, we are to respect our leaders, without maligning them, as they are ruling by God’s will.

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 

Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 

For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. 

Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. 

For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. 

Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Rom 13:1-6  

Scripture has much comfort for a suffering church. Let’s take comfort in it always. “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished” ( 2Pe 2:9). 

The Just Shall Live by Faith

We shall pray, and we shall believe.

Let’s keep on without ceasing.

Let’s climb on the tower daily and watch. 

The promise is for a time but it will come.

I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. 

And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. 

For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. 

Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. Hab 2:1-4 

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.  Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Rom 12:19-21 

Avoid Anger, It is Your Enemy

There’s nothing that shall separate us from the love of God. Let’s take shelter in the promises of God. “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (Joh 16:33).  

There’s nothing like a cheerful spirit which knows no bounds. I believe such is the faith which glorifies God. Let us be filled with the fruits of the spirit at all times.

Anger will not solve anything. It makes things worse, and eventually leads to death. But we are not called to perdition but to victory. As Paul rightly says, we are more than conquers. And nothing will separate us from the love of God, not anything present, nor anything to come (Rom 8:31-39). No matter what the circumstances let’s remain cheerful. Let us give praise to God at all times. For that is the will of God and an antidote to murmuring. Check how Habakkuk was valiant even in suffering!

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 

The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments. Hab 3:17-19  

Such is the believers’ enduring spirit. “Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies” (Psa 60:12).  

Let’s thank God for the air we breathe, for the sun, and the stars over our heads at night. Let’s thank him for the gift of life, and for the privilege of being called his children. Let’s thank him for this far he has brought us. Let’s thank him for the dreams which flutter in the mind at night, and also for the ones which have died, and that he might revive us again, for he has promised that he will never leave us nor forsake us.

Let us count our blessings more than the things we have missed. For after this leader there will come another, and another… Let us learn to temper our expectations, for even angels fail.

Let us always be imbued with an eternal perspective. For we have no continuing city here, but we are pilgrims and sojourners. Our dwelling place is in heaven. And we believe God that what he is preparing for us is the best, forever without tears, without sorrow, and without death. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.