Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

The people (whole group) complained openly before the Lord – this was after their first journey of three days. Fire broke out from the Lord. The fire that broke out came from within the cloud over the tabernacle, and it reached to the outskirts of the camp. It was un-clouded Glory and the un-holy people didn’t react well to it (this points directly to our NEED for Jesus in order to stand before God. NEVER forget that). The very outskirts of the camp were consumed and the people cried out. Moses heard them and prayed for them and the fire receded. This kind of thing is what God wanted to avoid by making a buffer of the Levites between His tabernacle and the camp.

After this – an unspecified time – the mixed multitude grew discontent and the Israelites picked that up. The spiritual malady of discontent with the things of God (cause), leads to all kinds of physical disorders and issues (effect). The first sin was complaining or grumbling. The second sin was the longing (or lusting) for an easier life. We’re not to run away from our problems and trials in life, but to embrace God’s viewpoint and mindset on them. It’s only when we FACE them that we can – in Jesus – be OVERCOMERS. Obstacles aren’t pleasant, but they are an opportunity for greater light. This is the refiners fire: intentful putting Light on the unclean to burn it out/purify to cleanness that which leads to holiness (1 Peter 1:15-17).

They were lusting after the things of death. The original diet of humanity was all about LIFE (fruit, green plants and herbs, nuts and seeds). Meat is a type of death – it was cleared (allowed) for us both in the Old Covenant (Genesis 9) and the New Covenant (Acts 10), but it doesn’t represent God’s best or original plan. It was a stimulant they were lusting over. They were acting like they didn’t have a God who could provide for them – Jehovah Nissi, I Will Provide. They were being given GOOD, PERFECT food; but they were looking back to what they had before as if it was superior – as if the provision of humanity had something over the provision and timing of God.

It says they came and wailed/whined about it, each at the entrance of his tent. The Hebrew seems to imply Moses as ‘he’. They were coming and whining to Moses at the entrance of Moses’ tent, which led to his cry to God about Moses having to put up with it. He felt that the entire burden of the people was on him as if he was their father. He was so miserable that if the burden couldn’t be lifted, Moses would prefer to die. God responded by requesting seventy upright men, followers of God, dedicated and willing to rely on God’s wisdom. God was going to put some of the spirit that was on Moses and put it on these men. This wasn’t God’s best. God’s best would have been Moses completely relying on God for strength, patience, and fortitude. But Moses wasn’t seeing it or wasn’t willing and God met him where he was. This was the origin of the Sanhedrin (and caused some issues down the road, instead of relying on the one man – which would have been the picture of Jesus).

God didn’t take new anointing for Himself. He took what was on Moses and put it on SEVENTY others. BUT, it didn’t diminish what was on Moses. It was multiplication, not division or subtraction. When we are in harmony with God and choosing to let Him flow through us, there is an inexhaustible supply (John 4:14; Revelation 21:6; Isaiah 44:3). When we get exhausted, we’re taking from the wrong source. We’re relying on OUR efforts and strength, NOT this. We’re busy NOT being in harmony. When we’re blessed and bless others, it will NEVER reduce what we have. We won’t get burned out when we walk in His spirit, ONLY when we’re walking in the flesh.

Then God told the Israelites to consecrate themselves. If they were so desperate for meat, He’d give it to them until they were so sick of it they HATED it. He told them they were questioning whether He could provide and He would show them He could. Moses questioned the HOW, but God said not to worry. God could provide, and God would provide. The people had distressed God and God was about to prove He could ALWAYS provide – and then some.

Moses told the people and gathered the seventy elders. God’s spirit descended on them and they started prophesying (like Acts 2:1-13). But only sixty-eight were at the tent. Two were still in the camp. They had not answered the summons. But the spirit still descended on them and they prophesied in the camp. Joshua was upset about this, but Moses wasn’t. Moses longed for the spirit to be on ALL the people (Malachi 4:5; Joel 2:28-29).

God sent wind that night which blew quail from the Sinai Peninsula over the Gulf of Aqaba, over into Arabia (Midian) where they were camped at Padan. The quail covered the ground three feet deep all around the camp. The people were so lusting for them that they spent all day, all night, and all the next day (without us) gathering them, killing them, and spreading them out all around the camp. Those who gathered the LEAST collected 10 homers – a grain measurement (approximately 2-3 kiloliters, which is 2000-3000 kilograms).

While the meat was in their mouth, they (no numbers given) were struck down – the place was named Graves of Lust/Greed. Why wait until they were eating before God killed the lustful? Rabbis teach that if God had struck them first, they could have claimed that He couldn’t provide for the whole group so He culled them. Also, this way God gave them plenty of opportunity to repent. They were told to prepare themselves THEN the seventy prophesied and praised THEN more than enough showed up THEN two full days of collection and THEN they set themselves to gorge and give into their list. This is the principle James talks about (James 1:15). First we have desire, THEN it becomes a lust, THEN we act (sin), THEN the effect of sin comes (death) – which is exactly what happened here.

Then the people travelled again (just imagine the stank of that quail spot) and stopped at Hazeroth. Here, Miriam is discontent – all the words are in feminine form which shows she was the ringleader or originating source. Aaron picks it up and joins her (echoes of Genesis 3) in her speaking of slander toward Moses. There were looking at the humanness of Moses, seeing his mistakes, and asking what made HIM so special. God had also spoken to/through Miriam (Exodus 15:20-27) and Aaron (Exodus 4:27-31), so why weren’t THEY as revered or looked to as leaders of the same level?

It states directly that Moses was the meekest, the humblest of men. He did NOT defend himself. So God defended him. God called all three of them to the tabernacle and said that He spoke to everyone through dreams and visions, but Moses He spoke to face to face (audible voice). The Hebrew for face to face refers to different types of faces, as in Moses’ sad face, happy face, angry face, etc. It speaks to intimacy and closeness. God said only Moses was faithful of all His children. Verse 8 is a type and shadow of Messiah Jesus. At this point, God’s anger flared and the cloud ascended. In its wake, Miriam was all white (spiritual leprosy – Leviticus 13). When you die, you turn white. When you speak negatively (evil tongue), you turned white like a corpse to teach that negativity brings death on MANY levels.

Aaron cried out for Miriam, interceding for her without excusing himself from responsibility, with Moses. Aaron was not struck at that time because it seems that the office of High Priest brought some protection (the minute he removed his robes of office he died – Numbers 20:28). Moses in turn cried out to God. God responds by quoting Leviticus 15:8 – the law of uncleanness if discharge got on you. God was pointing out that a much more minor infraction would result in seven days seclusion to think about what had happened, your responsibility in it, and the way forward. God asks if He should instantly heal Miriam who had had no opportunity to reflect on her actions or come to a place of repentance?

Miriam was put out of the camp for seven days, but they waited there and didn’t travel until she had rejoined the community. She was still a part of God’s family. She was still valued by the people. She would not travel without their companionship.

It appears at the start of Chapter 13 that God told Moses to send out spies into the Land of Canaan, but Deuteronomy 1:21-23 tells a different story. It reveals that it was the PEOPLE who wanted to spy out the Land, Moses felt it was a reasonable request, and God permitted it – specifying how it should be done if they really were choosing that path. God’s best – and all that was needed (Joshua 2:11) – was for the Israelites to trust Him and follow Moses’ direction that God gave him: go up and take the Land (Deuteronomy 1:21; Numbers 13:30).

“And Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “Surely, let us go up and let us take possession of it because surely we will be able to prevail over it.”” (Numbers 13:30)

Israel was camped in the southern portion of Saudi Arabia (Midian), so the twelve spies (none from Levi, but one each from Joseph’s sons) had to go up to the Negev (southern Canaan). One of the spies was Joshua (Hebrew: Yahoshua, Son of Nun meaning ‘Yah’s Salvation, Son of Life’). Another was Caleb (Hebrew: Kalev, meaning ‘heart to be like the king’). Moses’ instructions to them were: Go through the land, what is it like (fertile or not, wood or not), where are the people (in what type of land), how many people are they, what is the strength of the people, what kind of cities do the people have (open or fortified), and bring back food. Two commands about the actual land, four about the people, and one about returning with produce. This was all happening in the fourth month of Tammuz (around the 13th).

The first place they came to was Hebron where the cave of the patriarchs was (Abram, Sarai, Issac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Leah were buried there). This was the region where giants were (Anak’s children, descendents of Ham whose wife is said by Rabbis to have had mixed – Nephilim – blood. Giants were only found post-flood where Ham’s descendents settled: Canaan, Egypt, and Cush).

Next they went to the Valley of Eshcol (or All Men) where they got grapes, pomegranates, and figs. The single cluster of grapes was so big it had to be carried between two men on a pole (some translations say a double-pole with 8 men). It specifically states the valley was named Eshcol because of the grapes, but the Hebrew word doesn’t mean cluster OR grapes. It’s a composite word from ALL and MEN. However, in John’s Revelation (19:15) it says Jesus will tread the winepress of His fury – likening grapes to PEOPLE, so this might be a clue to the name.

After forty (40) days, the twelve men returned to the Israelite camp on the 9th of Av. They’re asked how was it? They all confirmed the land was good and the produce excellent. But the ten spies (enter doubt, riding fear. This is the OPPOSITE of trusting in God) they reported fierce people and fortified cities. They specified the descendents of Anak, the Amalekites (also sons of Ham and the first people who persecuted the Israelites after Egypt – Exodus 17:8; Deuteronomy 25:17-18), the Hittites (from Heth, son of Canaan, son of Ham), the Jebusites (from Canaan, son of Ham), the Amorites (from Emer, son of Canaan, son of Ham), and the Canaanites (from Canaan, son of Ham). I’m seeing a pattern in their heritage. Genesis 9:24-25 details Noah’s curse on Canaan, dooming his descendants to be servants of servants to the descendants of other sons. The Israelites taking the land would have been a fulfillment of that promise, but here the ten spies are giving into fear and looking only with their flesh. It was a no-go as far as the ten spies were concerned.

Caleb stood forward and silenced the negativity. He shut it down. His stance? Let’s go and IMMEDIATELY take the land. He was living his trust in God.

The ten spies shouted him down and ADDED to their original negative report. Now they claimed the giants in the land devoured the inhabitants. That they had seen the Nephilim and claimed the Nephilim (which was a lie as they had all died out in the flood BUT it was a name guaranteed to spread fear) had seen them as grasshoppers AND the spies ALSO saw themselves that way.

Here we have two groups and both were operating by faith or TRUST. Caleb and Joshua trusted in God by SPIRIT and said we can enter. The ten spies trusted in their FLESH and said we cannot enter. Every word is a seed. Life and death is in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:20-21). BOTH groups ate of EXACTLY what they planted that day.

Summary

Key Players: Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Elders, Spies, Caleb

Key Themes: Anointing, Lust, Trust, Negativity

Key Verse(s): Numbers 11:1, 4-6, 11,16-17, 19-20, 31-33; 12:1, 6-10, 15; 13:2-3, 17-20, 27-33