*Numbers 14:1-10
"Then all the people began weeping aloud, and they cried all night. 2 Their voices rose in a great chorus of complaint against Moses and Aaron. "We wish we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!" they wailed. 3 "Why is the Lord taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and little ones will be carried off as slaves! Let's get out of here and return to Egypt!" 4 Then they plotted among themselves, "Let's choose a leader and go back to Egypt!"
5
Then Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground before the people of Israel. 6 Two of the men who had explored the land, Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, tore their clothing. 7 They said to the community of Israel, "The land we explored is a wonderful land! 8 And if the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey, and he will give it to us! 9 Do not rebel against the Lord, and don't be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don't be afraid of them!"10
But the whole community began to talk about stoning Joshua and Caleb. Then the glorious presence of the Lord appeared to all the Israelites from above the Tabernacle.**Eph.4:29-31
29"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice".
*Phil. 2:14-15
" Do all things without murmurings and disputing: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
To murmur is to have a critical and negative spirit towards a person, an institution, or its rules.
-When people murmur everyone around them is in danger..
-When people murmur they show with their actions how much they care about the people they are speaking against
- If you love me, you will pray for me and let me know if something is troubling you. Not everyone else.
- Murmuring is destructive to the Church and individuals. It's like poison.
1.People that murmur arrive at the wrong conclusions.
Numbers 14:3 Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?"
2. Murmuring causes people to make wrong decisions.
Numbers 14:2-4 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, "If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! 3Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?" 4And they said to each other, "We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt."
3. Murmuring people to feel sorry for themselves.
Numbers 14:2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, "If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert!
- They were having a pity party.
-They were only thinking about themselves.
4. Murmuring causes rebellion.
-Numbers 14:4 And they said to each other, "We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt."
-It infects others.
-It causes others to get out of God's will.
*Numbers 14:10 the whole assembly talked about stoning them.
-The Lord delivered them from Egypt, they wanted to go back.
-They wanted ti kill God's leaders Moses and Aaron.
5. Murmuring makes us miss the blessings of God.
-It makes people forget all the good from the past.
-It makes them abandon God's direction.
Numbers 14:22-24 not one of the men who saw my glory and the miraculous signs I performed in Egypt and in the desert but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times-- 23not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. 24But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.
7. Murmuring turns our hearts away from God.
-God is love and everything we say has to be filtered thru love.
*1 corint.13:1-8,
"If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth* but didn't love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future and knew everything about everything, but didn't love others, what good would I be? And if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, without love I would be no good to anybody. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it;* but if I didn't love others, I would be of no value whatsoever.
4
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. 6 It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.8
Love will last forever, but prophecy and speaking in unknown languages* and special knowledge will all disappear".