What does it say?
This chapter begins with the Lord’s anger burning against the people for complaining and ends with a plague for their greed. The people complained that all they had to eat was manna, which the made into cakes. They complained that they had such good things to eat in Egypt. The people wanted meat to eat. Moses went to the Lord and told him that the people were to much of a burden for him; therefore, the Lord put his Spirit on seventy others to assist Moses in leading the people. The Lord gave the people qual, which the greedily gathered and ate. It was reported to Moses that two of the seventy were prophesying in the camp. Moses was not jealous because he desired for the Lord to put his Spirit on all the people.
What does it mean?
The Lord is compassionate, gracious and slow to anger; however, he will not keep his anger forever because he will not leave the guilty unpunished. Whenever we complain, we are complaining against the Lord. Whenever we act greedy, we are demonstrating that we have a selfish heart. The Lord hates complaining and greed, these are outward expressions of a selfish heart. Moses demonstrated the quality of thinking outwardly rather than inwardly. Moses was not jealous because the Lord had put his Spirit on other men who prophesied in the camp. He was glad because he desired that all the people have the Spirit of the Lord.
What shall I do?
I shall be aware of my hearts desire. Am I thinking inwardly our outwardly. Is my concern for self or for the other. I confess that I am very often selfish. I even do things for others because it will benefit self. I am a professional nurse who takes care of the sick. Am I caring for them because I am compensated for my work, or is it because I am compassionate and gracious as is the Lord? I would like to say, “I shall not complain and I shall not be greedy.” I have been given the Spirit of the Lord but my flesh retains the sin nature that I inherited from Adam. It is a daily battle between these two natures.
