MURMURING

MURMURING

“Murmuring” means to grumble and complain! It is not an innocent mistake, it is a serious sin! The Scriptures command: “Do everything without murmurings and disputing.” (Phil. 2:14)

Please consider:

• The people of God murmured and complained about being slaves in Egypt (Ex. 3:7).
• When God delivered them from slavery, they still murmured and complained!
• “And the people murmured against Moses.” (Ex. 15:24)
• “And the whole congregation murmured against Moses and Aaron.” (Ex. 16:2)
• “And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the Lord; for that he heareth your murmurings against the Lord: and what are we that ye murmur against us.” (Ex. 16:7)
• “And Moses said, This shall be, when the Lord shall give you in the evenings flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the Lord heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.” (Ex. 16:8)
• “And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?” (Ex. 17:3)

GOD PUNISHED THEM FOR MURMURING

• Before entering the land that God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob the Israelites sent our 12 men to spy out the land.
• God had promised them victory! He said: “Ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. And five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.” (Lev. 26:7-8).
• When the spies returned, Caleb, one of the 12 spies, said: “Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.” (Nu. 13:30).
• 10 of the 12 spies, however, gave an evil report and said: “We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.” (Nu. 13:31)
• The 10 faithless spies continued: “And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and we we were in their sight.” (Nu. 13:33)
• “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 that we had died in the wilderness! (Nu. 14:2)
• “And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me, doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, which ye said should be
• a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised. But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness. And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness. After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise. I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.” (Nu. 14:26-35)
• The total number of fighting men above 20 years of age was 603,550 (Nu. 1:46). All of them but Caleb and Joshua died in the wilderness!
• Murmuring against God has consequences!
• Not only did these 10 complainers cause the death of their fellow Israelites, they also turned a journey of 40 days into 40 years. Remember these words of God: “After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.”
• Israel could have easily gone from Egypt to the Promised Land in a very short time. Because of their murmuring and complaining, however, God doomed them to wander for 40 years in the wilderness. During this time 603,548 soldiers died because they joined in murmuring and complaining with the 10 faithless spies.

WHAT HAPPENED TO ISRAEL IS AN EXAMPLE TO US

“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 examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” (1 Cor. 10:1- 11)

The cynic said: “One thing we learn from history is that people do not learn from history.”

Murmuring and complaining against God is a sin! Don’t do it!

PAUL AND THE PHILIPPIANS

Paul came to Philippi on his second missionary journey. He went there in response to a vision which he received in Troas of a man from Macedonia pleading for help (Acts 16:9-10). Paul chose to preach in Philippi as it was a Roman colony and the leading city in that district of Macedonia (Acts 16:12).

While preaching in Philippi, Paul and Silas were unjustly beaten and imprisoned. With their feet fastened in the stocks in the inner cell of the prison they were not murmuring and complaining, they were singing and praying (Acts 16:24-25). God honored their praise and prayers and sent an earthquake that opened all the prison doors and caused the jailer and his entire family to become Christians on that very night. Murmuring and complaining have never saved a soul or brought blessings on a child of God! Singing and praying are important weapons in spiritual warfare. Paul wrote: “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” (2 Cor. 10:3-4) Singing helped King Jehoshaphat defeat his enemies (2 Chron. 20:21- 23). When Paul and Silas sang and prayed God sent an earthquake that demolished the entire prison that held them captive!

Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians from a prison in Rome, yet this letter is filled with references to joy and rejoicing! Murmuring and complaining is not the key to victory!

• Paul thanked God for them, prayed for them with joy, and was confident that God would complete his work in them (1:3-6).
• Paul’s chains actually advanced the gospel and he was making converts in Caesar’s household (1:12-14).
• Paul rejoiced how the gospel was being preached in Philippi (1:18).
• Both Paul and the Philippian Christians experienced the overflowing joy of Christ (1:25-26).
• Their love and unity would Paul’s joy complete (2:2).
• There are 4 references to rejoicing in Philippians 2:17-18).
• Seeing Epaphroditus would cause them to rejoice (2:28).
• They were to welcome Epaphroditus with joy (2:29).
• Paul wanted them to rejoice in the Lord (3:1).
• The Philippians were Paul’s joy and crown (4:1).
• Paul said: “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say rejoice.” (4:1)
• Paul rejoiced that they renewed their concern for him (4:10).
• There are 16 references to joy and rejoicing in this letter.
• Paul didn’t worry because: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Rom. 8;28)
• The letter to the Philippians is a very short letter with only 4 chapters. Please take time to read the whole thing and believe that you too can do all things through Christ (Phil. 4:13)!
• The way we think, is the way we are (Prov. 23:7). So Paul wrote: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

THE FIERY SERPENT

As we pointed out, when the Israelites murmured against Moses and Aaron and refused to enter into the Promised Land, God condemned the whole nation to wander in the wilderness for 40 years. Further, every man above 20 years of age died in the wilderness for their murmuring and disobedience.

Yet, instead of learning their lesson, they continued to complain: “And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.” (Nu. 21:4-9)

Jesus reminded Nicodemus of this story and applied it to himself. He said: “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (Jn. 3:14-15)

IF WE WANT TO BE SAVED WE MUST KEEP OUR EYES ON JESUS!

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.” (Heb. 12:1-4)

It is hard to murmur and complain when your eyes are on Jesus! What little suffering we experience is nothing compared to the suffering of Christ. When we keep our eyes on Jesus we will not grow weary or faint in our minds!

When Peter kept his eyes on Jesus he could walk on the water. When he took his eyes off of Jesus he sank (Matt. 14:25-33).

Please prayerfully consider these words of Paul: “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowingChrist Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do:

Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:7-14)

Yes! Paul was keeping his eyes on Jesus too! He wanted to know Christ and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffering, becoming like him in his death.

Then Paul used an unusual word which is not used anywhere else in the Scriptures. Somehow Paul wanted to “attain to the resurrection from the dead.” The Greek word used here is “exanasatasis.” The normal word for resurrection is “anastasis.” It comes from “ana” (again) and “stasis” (to stand). In other words when a dead person “stands up again” it is a “resurrection.” The special word used in Phil. 3:11 put the word “ek” (out of) in front of “anastasis”;

As you know, everyone will be resurrected from the dead whether they want to be resurrected or not. Jesus said: “For a time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil to be condemned.” Paul did not have to “attain” to this resurrection. Everyone will have this kind of resurrection.

The book of Hebrews does not use the word “exanastasis” but perhaps refers to it as a “better resurrection.” “Women received back their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so they might gain a better resurrection.” (Heb. 12:35)

The word translated as “attain” is “katantao” which refers to a diligent effort to achieve something.

• It is used in Acts 26:7 to refer the efforts the Israelites made to receive the promise of God.
• It is used in Eph. 4:13 with reference to the strong effort we must make to attain the unity of the faith, the knowledge of the Son of God, and attain to maturity and the whole measure of the fulness of Christ.
• This is the same word used in Phil. 3:11 to describe Paul’s effort to be like Jesus in his death and to “attain” to the “better resurrection” reserved for those who die as martyrs!
• “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” (Heb. 6:10-12)
• God will faithfully reward you for everything you have done. Even a cup of cold water will not be forgotten. “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.” (Matt. 10:42)

WORDS COME OUT OF OUR HEART

When Jesus healed a man who was blind and mute the Pharisees accused Jesus of doing this by Beelzebub, the prince of demons (Matt. 12:22-24). Their words came out of their hearts! Jesus said: “You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matt 12:34) Just as you can tell the nature of a tree by the fruit it

produces, you can tell what is in a person’s heart by the words that come out of his mouth. Jesus said: “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every carless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matt. 12:36-37)

When you murmur and complain you are revealing what is in your heart! The parable of the ten minas involves a man who was condemned by his words. The parable involves 10 servants who were each given a mina (Lk. 19:11-27). (A mina is a weight of money equivalent to 60 shekels or about 3 months wages) Each man was to invest the money and “put it to work.” One man invested his mina and made 10 minas more. The king gave him authority over 10 cities. Another invested his mina and made 5 minas more. He was given authority over 5 cities. One lazy fellow, however, did nothing with his mina. He said to the king: “Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.” (Lk. 19:20-21)

Please note that this man was murmuring against his master!

“His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew did you, that I am a hard man, taking what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? When then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’ Then he said to those standing by, ‘take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’” (Lk. 19:22-24)

MURMURING AGAINST GOD IS A RECIPE FOR DISASTER!

Just as you cannot serve God and money (Matt. 6:24), you cannot bless God and murmur against God at the same time. “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.” (James 3:9-12)

THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH OUR HEART WHEN WE MURMUR AGAINST GOD!

GOOD NEWS FROM DAVID

David, as you know, was a man after God’s own heart! (1 Sam. 13:14; Acts 13:22) When David sinned against God he prayed for cleansing and a pure heart. Please consider these words of David:

“Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.” (Ps. 51:7-13)

When God purifies your heart, then you will be able to “Do everything without murmurings and disputing.”