Well, it sure has been a while since I wrote on this blog. I find myself not even remembering that it even exists. I remembered today so I decided to write one.
I've been reading through Numbers (something about it interested me, I don't exactly know what!!) and I am finding it quite interesting to hear about the stories of the Israelites in the desert. Today I was reading the story in Numbers 11 when God sent the quail to the Israelites.
When the people of Israel were wailing because they only get manna and no meat, Moses approached the Lord and asked that He lift the burden of all these complaining people off of him and put it on many people. So God did as Moses asked. He put the spirit that was upon Moses on seventy other elders in Israel. Then God told Moses to tell the people that He will send them meat for 30 days, until they were sick of it. Interestingly, Moses questions God on how He is going to do this. Moses says to God, "Here I am among six hundred thousand men on foot, and you say, 'I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!' Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?" (Numbers 11:21-22). To which God responds, "Is the LORD's arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you." (Numbers 11:23). I find it crazy that Moses, who sees the manna fall from heaven everyday and who has been through the many miracles that God has performed to get them to where they are at this point, still has doubts as to what God can do. Anyway, the next day God sends an enormous amount of quail for the Israelites to gather and eat. They were piled three feet high and for as long as they could walk in one day!! WOW, that's a lot of meat! Then God did something that is a bit confusing to me and the reason behind this blog. He sent a severe plague among the people of Israel and killed many because they craved other food.
My confusion is this: Why did God not just say no and tell them to be content with the manna that He sends them everyday. Why did He have to give them what they asked for but then kill some of them because they were greedy. To me, this doesn't really sound like the loving God that I know. It seems kind of cruel if you ask me. It seems like God is saying, "OK, I'll give you what you ask for, but I'll kill you because you asked for it."
As it confuses me as to why God chose to do it this way, it definately teaches a very important lesson on selfishness. It teaches me not to ask for something out of selfish desires, and to always be grateful for what God has given to me. Praise Him who gives us immeasurably more than we will ever deserve!!
Just thought I'd share my thoughts for today with you!!
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It opens up a new realm of who God is and what his whole character is. I think too often in our society today we view God in a very narrow spectrum. What I mean is that we only view God as a lovy dovy God, but there are many chapter in the Bible that depict His wrathful side. Now to some degree the new covenant that came with Jesus, does show us more of God's loving and forgiving side. I think though, that our definition of love is warped. God loved His people, but that sometimes meant wiping out the sinful people, in order to keep his nation worshiping him. Just some thoughts
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