Complainers
The following article is presented as a reply to those who abandon New Testament assemblies of God's people and join denominational churches, citing a variety of reasons that usually include some form of complaint.
Complainers (Numbers 11:1)
CLARK McCLELLAND, WESTBROOK
"All sorts of excuses are given for turning from God’s order"
The experiences of Israel during the testing times in the wilderness brought out much that was displeasing to God, (1 Cor. 10:3). The same chapter brings out the fact that Israel's failures are recorded for our admonition and our profit. We are warned against repeating the same sins.
Numbers is the wilderness book. A careful consideration of chapters 1-10 will reveal that God gave explicit instructions for the gathering and journeying of His redeemed people. Nothing was left to man's arrangements. All was ordered by God. Surely all would agree that such instructions, coming from a God of perfect love and wisdom, must have been perfect. All that was necessary for Israel, as for us today, is to be yielded and obedient. This tests our faith. Are we really confident and satisfied that God's ways are always best? Do we really have our eye confidently turned to Him for direction?
If the eye of the heart is turned away from God, then the flesh will manifest itself in one way or another. It could be with us as it was with Aaron's sons, undertaking priestly service apart from the Divine order (Lev. 10). In Israel, this led to disaster. Like Israel also, we may go out to do battle with the enemy without Divine authority or guidance and be sadly defeated (Num. 14).
In Numbers chapter 11, verse 1, they complained. I believe this verse is in the middle of a paragraph which began in verse 33 of chapter 10. So the complaining was against God's order in the arrangement of the camp. They were not content with God's pattern. They were not pleased nor satisfied. They said by their attitude, that they surely could arrange things better themselves. They believed that their own way was superior to God's.
We see in Israel a spirit of discontent. How early in the Church's history this same spirit became evident. The spirit of discontent with God's order.
Very soon carnal arrangements were substituted for God's. Such a condition widely prevails today, and are accepted without question, even though unscriptural. All sorts of excuses are given for turning from God's order to set up our own. Can the Lord's attitude to such departure from His Word be any different than in Israel? It displeased the Lord, his anger was kindled and judgment fell. Nor should we feel that the absence of judgment today is an indication the Lord is indifferent or less displeased. In Israel it was the mighty intercession of God's appointed mediator, Moses, that resulted in the fire being quenched. It may well be that we are presently preserved because of the prevailing intercession of our Mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ. Surely it is time to walk most carefully and obediently, remembering the Lord's words to Saul, "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams" (1 Sam. 15:22).
