Day 62, Chronological Bible Study Timeline. Map. Go to today’s Bible reading (use your browser arrow to return): Numbers 11, 12
Enduring Hardship
Life's an adventure, but our trek isn't always easy. The trail may be lengthy, rocky, and winding, filled with weeds and sticker burrs or stumps to trip over. Sometimes our problems look like an enormous mountain we must climb over, and we don't know if we have the strength. Other times, we feel burdened down with our troubles, like we each have a heavy pack on our backs. How can we endure hardships and make it through life?
The Israelites were on a trek through the desert on the way to Canaan, their Promised Land. The conditions weren't easy to bear, and they complained. What happens when things aren't going well in a family or other organization? There is discontent, complaining, rebellion, and even desertion.
Why did God bring hardships to his people? Aren't they called his chosen people, his children? Aren't they the ones he delivered from Egypt?
Those of us who believe that the LORD will only give us blessings and never allow hardships may wonder the same thing. If God has brought us into a new relationship with him by his Son Jesus Christ, why do we experience trouble?
The purpose of trials
Hard trials test our character—they can make us better servants of Jesus Christ if we learn to trust God and endure them. Greater reliance on the LORD and endurance are often God's purposes for allowing hardships.
The secret of endurance
As Israel journeys into the wilderness, she faces physical challenges. The desert is hot, dry, windy, dusty in the daytime, and cold at night. Besides a bread-like substance (manna), which daily appears on the ground, there is rarely food or water in sight. There are over two million people and multiple millions of animals to feed. Venomous snakes inhabit the desert. The people are open to attack by enemies with no natural protection. Will God be faithful to them, or will they die here? Will he be with us when we are facing severe adversity?
The secret of enduring our present situation is to meditate on how God has already been faithful. Then we can trust him to be there for us in our current struggles. God forces the Israelites to trust the LORD for their very lives, but they have already witnessed that he is faithful.
• Their Almighty God delivered them from Egyptian bondage through ten miraculous plagues.
• He parted the Red Sea so they might pass through on dry ground and then drowned their Egyptian pursuers.
• The LORD supplied water to drink and bread to eat in the desert wilderness.
• He provided moral, civil, and ceremonial laws for them to obey and prosper.
• God gave them a tabernacle for worshipping him. He also provided a sacrificial system to help them make amends for their guilt and sin.
• The LORD instituted feasts so they could rehearse and remember all the good things he has done for them.
• The Almighty organized them for battle. He promised he would be with them and fight for them if they obey him.
Complaining is discouraging and destructive
It seems the Israelites would be thankful and ready to fight the battles to gain victory. However, there is trouble in their ranks—there are complaints and dissensions.
First, the Israelites whine about the camp food. They want meat! They want variety! This makes God angry, for daily, he miraculously provides manna. It tastes good and is nutritious. The LORD wants them to be content with what he supplies.
The constant complaining of the people directed to Moses causes him deep distress. He begs God to kill him if he asks him to do any more.
Then God gives Moses help. The LORD chooses seventy elders to share the burden of the ministry. Afterward, he causes a gale-force wind to bring a massive flock of quail so the people will have meat. As they begin to eat, God plagues the people for complaining.
How satisfied are we with what the LORD has already provided? Do we always grumble about what we don't have? This makes God angry. We need to develop an attitude of gratitude for all that he has supplied. This is essential, not only for ourselves but for those around us— an attitude of complaining is infectious and hinders people's trust in the LORD. We need to be grateful for God's past and present provisions. This will help us endure hardships and lead us to contentment and faith.
Dissension and defense
Not only are there grumblings about the food, but there are also dissensions about Moses' leadership. Miriam and Aaron oppose Moses because he is married to a Cushite wife (we don't know what happened to his first wife, Zipporah; perhaps she died). Maybe Aaron and Miriam don't like her or think she threatens their leadership standing in Israel. Possibly, the Israelites accused Moses' Cushite wife of being of being unclean (not being a true Israelite). Perhaps, it is for this reason that God makes Miriam unclean with leprosy for a week—to teach her a lesson about opposing his anointed leader. It is dangerous to fight against God’s chosen leaders because it offends him, and he will come to their defense.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary of the O.T., by Walvoord & Zuck, © 1985, p. 228
Discussion
If we have a relationship with God through Jesus, why do we face trials?
What is the secret of enduring our present situation?
How is complaining discouraging and destructive?
Focus Verse
2Timothy 2:3 (NIV) “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.”
Write a private prayer response to today’s Bible study:
Please send your comments to me, Rod, the author
Looking Ahead: When we face great challenges, how will we respond—with faith or fear? How can we keep from giving into anxiety? We will get encouragement to trust God in our next lesson.
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