Complaining at Tav’erah
11: 1-3
Complaining at Tav’erah DIG: Why are the Israelites complaining here such a shock? How had it become a pattern of destruction? What was the spark that lit the fire? Who were the mixed-multitude? What did they have to complain about? What does the B’rit Chadashah have to say about complaining? What six things does the LORD hate?
REFLECT: What struggles have you had to face in your life since you were saved? What was your response to those struggles? How does complaining show your lack of trust in God and His purposes for your life? Do you think that your complaining stumbles unbelievers who know about your faith? Why? Why not? Who puts out your fires today?
The first rebellion became a pattern of destruction.
There is a cyclical nature to Isra’el’s rebellions against God – stubborn people tend to repeat the sins of the past. The first rebellion of the redeemed people came on the third day of the march from Egypt to Mount Sinai after their miraculous crossing of the Sea of Reeds (see the commentary on Exodus, to see link click Cn – When They Came to Marah the Water was Bitter). Now, three days out on their triumphal march to Canaan from Mount Sinai, they fell back into their complaining behavior. Nothing in the first ten chapters of Numbers has prepared us for this verse; rather, those chapters have emphasized over and over again the complete obedience of Moses and the people to the dictates of YHVH. Moses, the narrator of Numbers, has arranged his materials so carefully that this sudden outbreak of renewed pettiness against God seems unprecedented, unexpected – unbelievable. How, we wonder, with all the preparation for a holy walk, could there come such stumbling so soon?174
Now the people became like those who complain of adversity (Hebrew: ra, meaning evil, distress, misery or calamity) in the hearing of ADONAI (11:1a). Here we have the first act of rebellion on the journey from Mount Sinai. God’s Word tells us that there was a group of complainers on the outskirts of the camp, and this revolt took little to reveal itself. And the complainers, Egyptians who left with the Israelites, were mixed in among the people. Complaining was, and is, contagious and the Israelites fell into that trap. Only a spark is needed to start a fire, you need only a few people to start complaining to start a rebellion.
God’s people had lost sight of what He had done for them already. He had set them free from the bondage of Egypt and the cruelties of that nation toward them. He had opened the hearts and hands of the people of Egypt to bless them with much wealth as they left, so they could build the Tabernacle at Sinai. He had given them victory over Pharaoh’s army. He had opened the Sea of Reeds for them so they could walk across on dry ground. He had placed His Presence among them and led them personally, step-by-step, through the desert. He provided them with food to eat every day so that they were not hungry. But now, Isra’el was complaining about ADONAI. They had failed to appreciate what He had already done for them.175
The B’rit Chadashah has much to say about this problem for it never disappeared. The heart of mankind has not changed since the time of Adam (see the commentary on Romans Bm – The Consequences of Adam). For this reason, Paul urges us not to complain, as some did, and they were destroyed by the Destroying Angel. Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come (First Corinthians 10:10-11). Paul learned to find contentment and joy in the Lord rather than in his external circumstances. I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am (Philippians 4:11). That is why, for Messiah’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong (Second Corinthians 12:10). To Timothy, he confided that godliness with contentment is great gain (First Timothy 6:6). As the people of God, we must learn from the mistakes of the generation in the wilderness and commit ourselves not to repeat them. We must put aside our complaining spirits and learn the art of gratitude.176
Based upon the stories of the book of Numbers, it would appear that few things irritate Ha’Shem more than a negative attitude. There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict among brothers (Proverbs 6:16-19). Thus, when ADONAI heard it, His anger flared up, so that fire from ADONAI broke out against them and consumed the outskirts of the camp (11:1b). In God’s mercy, it did not affect Moses, Aaron, the priests, the Levites, nor the Tabernacle. Now the exact nature of the judgment is unclear, but it obviously caused a severe burning of some kind.
In the midst of His wrath YHVH remembered His mercy. Then the people cried out to Moshe, Moshe prayed to ADONAI, and the fire stopped (11:2). This is one of the ongoing themes of Scripture and thus emphasized in Numbers. The people truly deserved God’s considerable wrath. But the survivors of this outburst of His anger cried out to Moses for help on their behalf before the LORD. Moshe prayed and the fire subsequently subsided.177 If Moshe had not been there, the fire would not have stopped. And Moshe is not here today, so how are our fires stopped? This is the type of question this chapter will ask of us, and it will point to the One Mediator who speaks to God on our behalf: Yeshua Messiah.
Because of the raging fire of Ha’Shem, the people named that place of awful memory Tav‘erah [burning, like hell] because ADONAI’s fire broke out against them (11:3). Two similar stories immediately follow this parashah (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Af – Parashah). The rejection of the Promised Land (see By – The Report of the Spies), and Korah’s rebellion (see Co – Korah’s Rebellion) are also based upon the same pattern as we see here.178
Therefore, the unspecified complaint in Numbers 11:1-3 becomes a basic outline for the complaint stories that follow: The people complain; God’s anger is kindled; Moses intercedes; and the punishment is stopped. Ha’Shem’s anger here is hot, and the punishment was in the form of fire that broke out against them (11:1). But the fire only consumed the outskirts of the camp. Moshe prayed to ADONAI on behalf of the people and the fire stopped. The name of the place was then called Tav’erah, which in Hebrew means burning. At this point in the narrative the reader may wonder if this is only a minor, temporary, setback, since the fire only torches the fringes of the camp. Perhaps there will be a return to the blissful obedience that was the theme in Numbers 1-10. Well, we do not have to wait long to find out that such an optimistic scenario is not in the works; we quickly arrive on the heels of another story of rebellion (see Br – Quail and Manna from ADONAI).179
Even when life seems all messed up and not going the way we had hoped, You are still the wise and loving Almighty Sovereign of the world who holds the keys to eternal life in heaven. We need to remember that our time on this earth is actually only for a blink of time compared to eternity. When we leave earth, all will have an eternal existence, because of our faith in You. We praise You for opening heaven’s door to those who love You by Your gift of Messiah’s righteousness (Second Corinthians 5:21). There are never any complaints in heaven; and on earth, we choose to praise You – even when it is hard for You are worthy. This life will be over soon and then heaven will be for all eternity! I will love You forever in Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection. Amen
Leave A Comment