Session 11: The Craving

Session Overview

Creedal Statement

And God spoke all these words, saying,
I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
You shall have no other gods before me.
You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.

Key Elements

• Key Passage - Numbers 11:1–35
• Scripture Memory - Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh. Romans 13:14
• Catechism Question - Q: Where is the fountain of godly living? A: Heart.

Introduction

But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

He that is down, needs fear no fall; He that is low, no pride; He that is humble, ever shall Have God to be his guide. I am content with what I have, Little be it or much; And, Lord, contentment still I crave, Because Thou savest much. Fulness to such a burden is, That go on pilgrimage; Here little, and hereafter bliss, Is best from age to age.

What we desire in our hearts drives how we live our lives. As human creatures, we are moved by the winds of our inner longings and unspoken passions. Invisible to our sight, our cravings press on us like a bit in a horse’s mouth. Like the rudder on a ship, our passions steer us toward a desired destination. Like a mold pressed upon human life, our inner longings shape our values, conduct, and overall lifestyle. Our inner world of desire is like a central nervous system that controls life choices and human behavior. Ultimately, our inner longings form our character and integrity. In the end, we become what we deeply desire. Because human desire is powerful, we must not assume that every desire and inclination is godly. Dangerously, we can easily deceive ourselves into validating misguided appetites, inordinate cravings, and evil longings that will lead to our eventual destruction.

Indeed, not all desires are created equal. Some desires are convincing evidence that we have been stamped in God’s image. God-given desires are manifest in the appeal for justice, the love of a beautiful sunset, the longing for meaningful work, and the genuine concern for another’s well-being. On the contrary, other desires vividly expose a human nature corrupted by sin. Ungodly passions can rule the human heart as an unforgiving tyrant. Behind substance abuse, lust, marital turmoil, teenage rebellion, violence, and societal conflict are sinful human passions. Sinful desires that wage war in our souls defy God and mistreat others. Believers in Christ need to examine, evaluate, expose, and reform the inner desires and hidden intentions of our hearts. For disciples, our new life in Christ involves a transformation of the heart. In doing so, we grow in godliness of character and conduct as our heart conforms to the heart of God. Gratefully, God’s word is a faithful guide to this process of inner spiritual formation.

The biblical narrative of Numbers 11:1–35 recounts the deadly effects of ungodly desire gone awry. The tragic events of this story took place during Israel’s wilderness journey toward the promised land. In a detailed but brief account, we witness God’s judgment come upon a complaining and ungrateful nation. As a disorderly crowd roused Israel to demand God for meat, the contagious effects of a grumbling spirit were in diametrical contrast to a faith-filled heart of gratitude and contentment. Moses expressed to God the weight and burden of being Israel’s leader, and God responded by multiplying leaders and inundating the nation with meat. The multiplication of leaders stirred competition and jealousy in the community, highlighting the importance of generosity and grace. The overabundance of meat stirred Israel to greed and hoarding, emphasizing the importance of self-restraint and self-control. What this ancient narrative offers us as a guide to the best possible life is both a warning against unrestrained craving and a call to godly zeal.

In their failures and successes, the covenant people of Israel serve as a helpful guide to a life of godly living in all generations. While Israel’s unique circumstances greatly differ from the pressures and challenges of the modern world, the battle to tame human desire remains the same across the ages. As we examine our own hearts in the light of this biblical text, we will notice that the difficulty of heart-level obedience is not that different from Israel’s own spiritual struggle. Humans across cultures and generations are vulnerable to very similar inner passions. Like a surprise attack, the surrounding culture exerts a forceful and deadly influence on humans, launching a relentless assault against the human heart. The stakes are high. Disciples of Christ must develop vigilance to guard the human heart and discipline to fashion godly desires. This journey of heart-level obedience is important for our individual spiritual growth and the maturity of the church. As members of a Christian community, we must remember that our inner desires impact the life and health of the wider fellowship of believers. Toward this end, we study this biblical account and apply its timeless teaching to our inner being.

Biblical Interpretation: Hearing the Word

Study the Text: The Bible is God’s inspired word to his people. Christian disciples mature in the faith when they are grounded in God’s word. In this movement, you will study the basic details of the biblical text.

Observation Questions

Read (or listen to) the whole passage of Scripture. Discuss the questions below for each section of the story. Pay attention to the details of the text to recall what the passage is saying. Use the focus verses to guide your conversation.

Storycraft

Retell the story in your own words, recounting the overall flow of the narrative, the main segments of the story, and the major developments that take place.

Narrative Elements

Story Retell

Theological Dialogue: Discussing the Plot

Explore the Text: God’s word is his trustworthy and sufficient revelation to his people. We grow as Christ’s disciples by rooting our lives in God’s unchanging truth. In this movement, you will explore vital teachings of this biblical passage.

Discussion Questions

Summarize the biblical story. As a community, discuss the following questions. Be attentive to the truths taught in this text. Use the commentary on the next pages to uncover core principles this passage teaches about the Christian faith.

Biblical Commentary

Use this commentary to help you understand the meaning of the text. Refer to the infographic on the next page to think through how narratives work.

Passage Introduction

Key Idea

Guard your heart from evil desire.

Passage Overview

Humans are creatures of desire. Although desire is a God-given dimension of human experience, sin has spoiled our appetites through evil cravings. Israel’s own experience testifies to the destructive nature of evil desires. Israel’s complaining at Taberah, the rabble’s craving at Kibroth-hattaavah, Moses’ lament and doubt on the mountain, Joshua’s jealousy at Eldad and Medad, and the greedy hoarding of meat in the camp all highlight the grave consequences and corrupting effect of disordered desire. When we demand the fulfillment of our desires, God will often let us taste the punitive consequences of getting the things we say we so desperately want. To the extent that our inner cravings rule us, we forfeit God’s plan for the best possible life. In contrast, by practicing gratitude, contentment, patience, faith, generosity, and self-control, we not only restrain our evil desires and curb a covetous heart but also enjoy the freedom and abundance of God’s provision, be it in the wilderness or the promised land. Use the commentary as help to grasp the meaning of the text and deepen your understanding of the importance of taming human desire and passion.

Passage Outline

Guarding Our Hearts

Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul.

Covetousness is a dry drunkenness. The world is such that the more we have the more we crave; it cannot fill the heart of man.

Introduction

In and of itself, desire is not evil. In fact, God has made humans to be creatures of longing, passion, joy, and delight. Instinctively, we all have aspirations and motivations. These inbuilt hopes, fancies, and yearnings shape the way we live our lives. Like the sensations of hunger and thirst, humans experience desire at physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual levels. Inevitably, the character of our inner desires shapes the character and conduct of our lives. People will go to great lengths to find satisfaction and fulfillment in life. Human behavior is a barometer of what a person most loves and cherishes. One cannot escape the reality that humans are creatures of desire. But, by God’s grace, we can tame our desires in order to shape them after God’s character. Even more, we can orient our hearts to love God most of all. God created humans out of the overflow of his own goodness, desiring to share himself with his creation. True to his benevolent and magnanimous character, God offers himself as the summation of all that is good and satisfying in life. All good gifts that God gives are gracious means that lead us to God himself. Human beings consummate their desire—in fact, all their loves—with delight in God.

Unfortunately, humans live in a world of misplaced cravings and disordered loves. More than just a context of living, each person is host to a depraved and indulgent heart. Sin has warped the longings of the human heart. Rather than finding our ultimate joy in God, we allow our desires to transmute into self-indulgent appetites, insatiable lusts, and enslaving greed. In a sinful and fallen world, human desire is self-serving rather than God-honoring, addictive rather than disciplined, licentious rather than moderate, and corrupt rather than pure. Despite the evil inclination of the human heart, the surrounding culture encourages us to follow our impulses. In a society of instant gratification and immediate thrill, our culture decrees that it is our right (and duty) to fulfill our desires. Sadly, when we listen to these worldly dictates and give way to sinful desires, we subject ourselves to bondage and destruction. Many of the battles we fight as Christ-followers—in fact, underlying much of the struggle of obedience and godly conduct—take place on the battleground of human desire. Restraining our desires and purifying our passions is a key step in experiencing the best possible life. Scripture offers repeated teaching on this most important topic.

In Numbers 11:1–35, Israel experienced the deadly effects of ungodly desire. The community of faith complained against the Lord and became the objects of divine wrath. Discontent with God’s wilderness provisions, the Israelite community made brazen demands of God while they longed for life back in Egypt. As a leader, Moses expressed his own burdens to the Lord, confronting the vices of impatience and unbelief. In response, God demonstrated his extravagant grace to Moses and to Israel, multiplying for them human leaders and overflowing meat supply. These provisions from the Lord further exposed Israelite envy, greed, and indulgence. Although this narrative records events that occurred in ancient days, the story is a timeless commentary on the human heart in all generations and cultures.

In this story, we see newly liberated Israel encounter one of its fiercest enemies yet: the adversary of unbridled craving. The failures of Israel serve as a cautionary narrative, warning us to evaluate and expose ungodly desires in our own hearts. This divinely inspired teaching is for the good of both individual believers and the entire faith community. Israel’s failures are also a commendation to godly virtue and God-honoring desire. Predictably, our character and conduct can be traced back to the longings of our hearts. If we hope for the best possible life, we must sanctify our desires to reform our conduct. Godly love is the only sure ballast for righteous behavior. The destructive results of Israel’s unrestrained passion enjoin us to curb covetousness; her tragedy also calls us to cultivate joy in the Lord. As we explore this most ancient and most relevant narrative, may we study to tame our hearts under the loving authority of God’s generous and joy-giving reign.

Something to Complain About: Practicing Gratitude

Biblical Narrative (Numbers 11:1–3)

The account of Israel’s journey in the wilderness is a narrative of spiritual maturity, a chronicle of what it looks like to put one’s trust in the Lord and find abiding contentment in his presence and provision. Before the events of Numbers 11, Israel experienced and witnessed a powerful display of divine power and redemptive grace. God miraculously delivered his people from slavery in Egypt. After crippling the Egyptians, enabling his people to cross the Red Sea, and ushering his people into a newfound freedom, God led them through the wilderness toward the promised land of Canaan. This land was the God-decreed inheritance of his people, a place of blessing and abundance that they were called to inhabit. During Israel’s time in the wilderness, God tested his people, maturing their faith and teaching them that he alone is all-sufficient. This lesson did not come easily or quickly for this newly liberated community of faith.

Despite being the recipients of God’s merciful rescue and tender care, Israel doubted God. Although God repeatedly met the needs of his people in their wilderness journey, challenge and difficulty regularly confronted God’s people, who had not yet discovered God as their ultimate delight and abiding joy. Israel left their camp at Sinai (10:11–36) to seek out the “resting place” that God had given them (10:33). As Israel traveled from Sinai to the promised land of Canaan, “the people began to complain” (11:1). In particular, they grumbled “about their hardship in the hearing of the Lord” (11:1). We are not told the exact nature of these hardships, only that they resulted in a revolt against God. Although God wants his people to express their hardships and difficulties to him in faithful prayer, there is a difference between lamenting to God and complaining against God. While the former is an expression of faith in hardship, the latter is a (misguided) protest that God has treated his people unfairly, an expression of unbelief and distrust.

In response to Israel’s complaints, God’s “anger was kindled” (11:1) against his people. In response to the faithless, ungrateful, and discontent community, “fire from the Lord blazed among them and consumed the outskirts of the camp” (11:1). This heavenly fire was an act of judgment upon his people. As a result, “the people cried out to Moses” (11:2). As the leader of Israel, he was an intermediary between God and the community of faith. Consequently, Moses “prayed to the Lord” (11:2), interceding on behalf of the Israelites. Inasmuch as God “heard” (11:1) the complaints of the people, now God also heard the petitions of Moses. In response to Moses’s prayerful intercession, God relented from his judgment, and “the fire died down” (11:2). This became a crucial event in the spiritual development of Israel such that the place where this event happened was named Taberah because “the fire of the Lord had burned among them” (11:3). It would remind God’s people both of the danger of a complaining spirit and the mercy of a gracious God.

Biblical Principles

Complaining and Protest. The opening of this narrative shows Israel complaining against God because of their hardships in the wilderness (11:1). The fact that this complaining happened “in the hearing of the Lord” (11:1) and the fact that it aroused the wrath of God in righteous anger and consuming fire (11:1–3) highlight that the complaint was evil. In some way, Israel’s grievance was an affront to God. Rather than expressing their difficulty to God with a word of trust and dependence, the grumbling Israelites doubted God as a kind and trustworthy caretaker. Forgetting God’s past acts of benevolence (cf. 9:1–14) and future promises of blessing (cf. 10:29–32) and protection (cf. 10:9–10, 33–36), the Israelites focused on their present hardships. What Israel displayed in the wilderness is resident in each of our hearts. Overwhelmed by our present difficulties, we can easily succumb to complaints and protests. Waves of hardship can quickly afflict us with a “spiritual amnesia,” causing us to forget God’s past displays of salvation and provision. Unfortunate and painful realities in our present moment can overshadow certain promises of God’s future work. When we harbor murmuring, griping, and whining in our hearts, we act like one who accuses God of divine malpractice. What may seem to be a harmless and emotional vent kindles God’s righteous anger. Such complaints are really a sign of spiritual immaturity and weak faith. The poisonous root of a complaining spirit is suspicion of God’s goodness. This underlying reality is what makes such evil complaints egregious, injurious, and forbidden. As disciples of Christ, we must guard our hearts from this deadly practice. Additionally, we must build faith habits that will cultivate and fortify our memory of God’s benevolent care.

Gratitude and Memory. In contrast to Israel’s complaining spirit, God calls his people to gratitude. Had Israel been attentive to God’s past acts and vigilant in recalling his future promises, God’s people could have interpreted their present hardship as an opportunity for God to showcase his power, kindness, and provision. For many, complaint is a natural response to difficult circumstances. Accordingly, we need proactive measures to combat a doubting and grumbling spirit. The flow of a complaint may begin as a mere trickle, but it can quickly cascade into a violent torrent. Confronting ungodly complaints is part of the spiritual battle of the Christian life. Gratitude and thankfulness are intentional means by which to combat a grumbling spirit. Gratitude is one of the great remedies to sorrow, suffering, and temptation. The intentional practice of gratitude builds up our spiritual memory, recounting clear and decisive ways in which God has overcome hardship and difficulty. By remembering God’s goodness, recalling his past provision, celebrating his constant care, and giving thanks for his timely grace, we can guard ourselves against the thanklessness fomented by unmet expectations. Gratitude and thankfulness are each a powerful elixir to a heart riddled with disordered loves and corrupt desires.

A Strong Craving: Learning the Secret of Contentment

Biblical Narrative (Numbers 11:4–9)

Unfortunately, the events at Taberah were not the last instance of Israel’s grumbling and disbelief. Eventually, a group of people started to stir Israel to greater discontentment and persistent griping. There was a group of agitators and troublemakers in the community called “the rabble” (11:4), a label that likely referred to non-Israelite people who left Egypt along with the Israelites (cf. Exodus 12:38). This group of firebrands and instigators “had a strong craving for other food” (11:4). Importantly, the Israelite community did not have a food shortage in their wilderness journey; they simply lacked the food of their choice. God had always provided the needs of his people in a timely and gracious way. After God’s miraculous rescue of Israel from Egyptian slavery, God provided water (cf. Exodus 15:22–27; 17:1–7) and bread (cf. Exodus 16:1–36) to sustain the Israelites on their journey. This bread was called manna. It was like “coriander seed” and “gum resin” (11:7), which Israel ground up to make cakes (11:8). It would miraculously appear each evening with the dew (11:9), and the people would gather it before it melted under the heat of the sun (cf. Exodus 16:13–21).

True to our own spiritual tendencies, the people had become dissatisfied with the manna. Even though the heavenly manna was a direct, miraculous, and sufficient provision from God’s hand, Israel had grown weary of this divine gift. As a “miracle bread,” the manna sustained Israel during her journey and demonstrated God’s faithful care for his people. The manna was a physical testimony that God was both Redeemer and Sustainer of his people. Because of their faith immaturity, God’s people interpreted this gracious gift as a burden. They complained: “Who will feed us meat?” (11:4). Amazingly, they began to long for the days of slavery in Egypt: “We remember the fish we ate freely in Egypt, along with the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic” (11:5). They had become weak and weary of having manna day after day to the extent that they longed to return to slavery in Egypt rather than enjoy freedom in the wilderness. Even more, God’s people claimed that their “appetite is gone” (11:6). Their evil desires had overgrown their taste for God’s goodness. Not only was the manna a daily provision from the Lord (11:9), but it was also palatable: “it tasted like pastry baked with fine oil” (11:8). The loss of appetite was not due to any deficiency in the manna but because of spiritual decay in the Israelite heart. Tragically, the Israelites grew tired of God’s blessings. Rather than seeing the manna as God’s miraculous provision and a testimony of his covenant faithfulness with his people, the Israelite community began to see the divinely supplied bread as an annoyance. They grumbled against this provision: “There is nothing to see but this manna” (11:6). Discontentment had overtaken Israel’s hearts, and they could no longer appreciate God’s provision or enjoy his divine blessings.

Biblical Principles

Craving and Desires. Israel fell prey to “a strong craving” (11:4). Promoted by the rabble and embraced by the community, this craving led Israel to desire other food (11:4–5), to weep over their misfortune (11:4), to look back on the life of bondage with fondness (11:5), and to criticize God for mistreating his people (11:6). The brazen and fallacious nature of their complaint is conspicuous. God had sufficiently fed his people in their desert journey. Certainly, slavery in Egypt could not be better than freedom in the wilderness. Even though Israel described their bondage in Egypt as a time when they “ate freely” (11:5), Egyptian bondage was brutal and oppressive. For the Israelite slaves, there was no freedom in Egypt. The affliction of Egypt was immensely greater than the hardship of the wilderness terrain. Infected by evil desires, Israel was willing to sacrifice true freedom for “free” food back in Egypt. Their cravings had obscured their spiritual vision, corrupted their appetites, and diseased their heart’s desires. They were delusional about Egypt and mistaken about how good their present circumstances actually were. God’s goodness was on constant display for the Israelites. They had a clear record of his faithfulness and goodness. God had provided for his people in ample and extraordinary ways (11:7–9), yet Israel could no longer see this divine goodness. Instead, they were so fixated on their present predicament that their evil cravings deceived, corrupted, and obscured their hearts and minds.

Dangerous is the world in which we live. As followers of Christ, we must guard ourselves from strong cravings. Simple desires for something different from what God has provided—“other food” (11:4)—form the genesis for discontentment. Like the rabble that infected the Israelite community with inordinate cravings and supporting complaints, so surrounding society seeks to infiltrate the ranks of the church and the hearts of Christ’s disciples. The culture around us tempts us at the level of desire. Like Israel struggling in the wilderness, the real battle in life is not one of physical hunger but spiritual desire. When evil cravings infest our inner being, the sinister and superficial draw our appetites, Satan seduces us away from God and blinds us to his beauty, sinful desires metastasize, the smallest inordinate longing can multiply like cancer, and evil cravings mushroom into doubt and displeasure against God. When godly desires reign in a human heart, we experience contentment regardless of surrounding circumstances.

Contentment. Although Israel had an appetite for other food, God had already provided everything that Israel needed (11:7–9). Israel was not going hungry; they simply craved different food. God has daily provided (11:9) good-tasting food to satisfy Israel’s hunger (11:8). True to Israel and to us, discontentment can inflate appetites, exaggerate hunger, and empower selfish desires. A sense of entitlement, feelings of boredom, and comparison with others can distort our understanding of what is best. If we are not careful, our desires get the best of us, rather than allowing us to receive God’s best for us. In contrast, contentment is a great remedy for a coveting and complaining heart. Contentment is a Christian virtue that can transform the worst of human conditions into an expression of gratitude and joy. As we grow to trust the perfect timing of God’s provision, we learn that God knows exactly what we need, and he graciously provides for our needs. Contentment helps to sort out our constant confusion between our wants and our needs. It regulates our expectations and exposes the false promises of evil desires. It restores our faith in the goodness and grace of God. It becomes satisfied with enough and does not demand that God meet our needs on our terms. God is not a cosmic butler, tasked with meeting our every impulse or craving. He is God Most High, able to meet our needs and focused on giving us what is best. When we give ourselves to God, we come to know true satisfaction. To give ourselves to God with full and undivided devotion, we not only need gratitude and contentment, but we also need to learn the highly valuable virtue of patience.

Burden Too Great: Tempering Our Spirits with Patience

Biblical Narrative (Numbers 11:10–15)

Moses had to bear the burden of Israel’s complaining spirit. Grumbling, protest, and discontentment had invaded the Israelite community to the point where “family after family” was “weeping at the entrances to their tents” (11:10). Like a malignant tumor, Israel’s caviling and moaning was contagious and spread infectiously throughout the people. God had become extremely angry, and Moses had grown quite miserable: “the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly, and Moses was also displeased” (11:10). Then, Moses launched into his own complaint toward God. Having to bear the load of this grumbling group, Moses viewed the people of Israel as a “trouble” and “burden” (11:11), wrongly interpreting his own leadership woes as a lack of God’s favor (11:11).

Moses refused to take ultimate responsibility for Israel (11:12). Using parental language, Moses claimed that he did not bring Israel into existence—“Did I conceive all these people” and “Did I give them birth” (11:12). He also denied any obligation to provide ongoing care for the Israelites, rejecting his duty to “carry them in [his] bosom, as a nurse carries an infant” (11:12). Moreover, had he assumed responsibility for the Israelites in this way, Moses decried that he had not the ability to supply what his community members passionately demanded—“Where can I get meat for all these people?” (11:13). Feeling inept and inadequate to “carry all these people by [himself],” Moses told God that the task of leadership was “too burdensome” (11:14). So desperate and wretched did he consider his own situation that he told God, “If this is how You are going to treat me, please kill me right now” (11:15). In this plea, one can hear both subtle suspicion of God’s goodness and overwhelming misery over Moses’ present circumstances. Moses was vexed and concerned. The enormity and difficulty of Moses’ present condition outweighed his confidence in God’s benevolent character. As a result, he too fell prey to complaint and protest.

Biblical Principles

Victimization and Burden. Moses’s complaint to God represents the way evil desires can harm the faith community. Israel’s complaining had spread throughout the camp (11:10). It also drove Moses to feel displeasure (11:10), criticize God (11:12, 15), despair his vocation (11:14), and despise his life (11:15). Evil cravings that give birth to ungodly complaints are troublesome (11:11), burdensome (11:11), and accusatory (11:12). They fracture the community and malign God’s character. Truly, complaining infects God’s people and lays a great burden on its leaders. Covetousness can spread like a contagion throughout the ranks of God’s people. Desires easily turn into demands, longings mutate into lusts, and passions devolve into addictive preoccupations. A covetous heart can never be satisfied. It is a black hole consuming the life energy from its human victims. Complaining of this sort is nurtured by people who consider themselves victims of divine cruelty. Craving and complaining are demanding monsters that shift their improbable demands, claiming that “just one more” will usher in true happiness. However full a covetous heart gets, it always sets itself up for disappointment, creating division and disunity with the people of God.

Patience. On the other hand, patience is a powerful treatment for a covetous and complaining heart. The Israelites had grown impatient with their situation, demanding that Moses get them meat (11:13). The burden on Moses was not only too heavy for the moment, but he counted it unbearable when he considered the ongoing care of such a fickle and inconstant people (11:12, 14). Moses wanted his leadership burden to be removed “right now” (11:15). While a coveting heart demands that its desires be fulfilled in the immediate, patience is willing to postpone one’s longings into the future. Patience involves long-suffering, forbearance, and perseverance. The ever-changing demands for immediate gratification or relief can be curbed by cultivating a patient spirit, a spirit that is willing to suspend one’s present comforts in light of guaranteed future bliss. The faith inherent in godly patience emboldens God’s people to endure hardship because of God’s proven track record of faithfulness throughout the ages. Truly, a spirit that patiently endures hardship has a resilient faith in God.

His Hand is Longer Than We Think: Building a Deep Faith

Biblical Narrative (Numbers 11:16–23)

The weight of Israel’s covetous craving was too heavy for Moses to bear alone. God graciously responded to Moses’ complaint by having him gather seventy elders from the people at the tent of meeting. These elders were known as “leaders and officers of the people” (11:16). God would give these leaders a portion of the Spirit that was on Moses, enabling them to “bear the burden of the people” (11:17) alongside him. The provision of these leaders was a display of God’s patience and kindness to Moses and the Israelites. But God’s dealings with the community also highlighted God’s righteous character and Israel’s rebellious spirit.

God informed Moses that he would give the Israelites what they demanded. The people had “cried out in the hearing of the Lord,” longing for meat and claiming that they were “better off in Egypt” (11:18). God told Israel to consecrate themselves because they would get the very thing for which they grumbled. God gave the Israelites meat, but this meat would come in an overabundance such that the people would eat it for an entire month (11:19–20). God gave the Israelites their request in great supply: “until it comes out of your nostrils and makes you nauseous” (11:20). Different than humbly expressing one’s difficulty to a hearing and gracious God, the Israelites’ complaining was an act of rebellion against God: “you have rejected the Lord, who is among you” (11:20). Succumbing to their cravings, the Israelites doubted God’s goodness, longed to return to slavery, and demanded God provide for them as they saw fit. In essence, their demand for meat amounted to a repudiation of God, the very God who saved them from Egypt and sustained them in the wilderness.

At this time, even Moses doubted how God would provide meat for so many people (11:21; cf. 11:13). Had all Israel’s flocks been slaughtered or all the fish in the sea been caught, Moses could not see how God would provide meat for over six hundred thousand people for a full month (11:21–22). God responded to Moses’ unbelief with a claim of his power and faithfulness. First, God asked Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm too short?” (11:23). Second, he told Moses that he would see for himself whether or not God’s word would “come to pass” (11:23). God would use this challenging situation to bear testimony of his mighty strength, all-sufficient goodness, and faithful word.

Biblical Principles

Rebellion, Rejection, and Unbelief. Israel’s craving and complaining were acts of rebellion against God. Replying to Moses, God explained that Israel’s longing for meat and nostalgia for Egypt meant that they had “rejected the Lord” (11:20). Not only was God for his people in their deliverance and nourishment, but God was also among his people as protector and judge (11:20). Not only did God’s presence sustain the life of the community of faith, but acts of unbelief were a direct affront to God. What Israel considered to be “better off” (11:18) was an expression of doubt and disbelief. At root, Israel’s problem was not that they were in a difficult situation, but that they did not believe God could deliver them from their hardship. Even Moses displayed doubt and unbelief. When God agreed to give Israel her wishes, Moses wondered how God could provide so much meat for such a large community for a lengthy period of time (11:21–22). When we rebel against God in unbelief, God may allow us to experience the consequences of our evil desires by handing us over to the things that we crave, until such things become loathsome to us (11:20). An affair that began in renegade love turns to bitter hate and heartbreaking discord. A brief taste of an illegal substance hollows one’s inner well-being and destroys one’s bodily health. A craving for premarital sensual lovemaking turns out to be a burden of shame. A consuming desire for money and material wealth will only leave us empty once we achieve worldly riches. When we give in to our desires, what we long for deeply festers to become loathsome to us. Our rebellion against God in unbelief—treacherously excited by our sinful appetites—is a recipe for our own destruction.

Faith. The root of sinful rebellion is doubt of God’s good and perfect character. As with Israel and Moses, when we doubt God’s presence (11:18), goodness (11:18), power (11:23), and trustworthiness (11:23), we open ourselves to being ruled by our own desires. Faith is the cure for a coveting heart. To rekindle our belief in God’s sovereignty, goodness, power, and faithfulness, we weaken the appeal of our inner cravings. What is coveting, other than a frustrated pursuit of what we want, thinking that it is what we need, and feeling that God has abandoned us in our moment of hardship? Every premise in this way of thinking is a doubt that discredits and dismisses God. On the other hand, faith is a determined and resolute confidence in God’s character and person. It is trusting God to come through on his promises, sustain his people, meet pressing needs, and overcome surrounding enemies. Faith defies a complaining spirit by its childlike trust in God, taking him at his word and referencing his past actions as a hope for what he will do in our present and future.

Willingness to Share: Cultivating Generosity

Biblical Narrative (Numbers 11:24–30)

Moses gave God’s instructions to the Israelites as he “relayed to the people the words of the Lord” (11:24). Seventy men gathered at the tent of meeting (11:24) and God placed a portion of the Spirit who was on Moses also on these seventy elders (11:25). When this happened, they began to prophesy for that moment (11:25). Back in the camp, two men—Eldad and Medad—who did not come to the tent of meeting also had the Spirit rest on them and they began to prophesy (11:26). A young man raced to tell Moses what was happening, and Joshua, Moses’ assistant, said that they should be stopped from prophesying (11:27–28). Moses confronted this spirit of envy in Joshua. He gave the following response: “Are you jealous on my account? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would place His Spirit on them” (11:29). After confronting the spirit of jealousy and covetousness, Moses went back to the camp with the elders (11:30).

Biblical Principles

Jealousy and Envy. In this narrative, the craving for meat is parallel with the desire for power and authority. When the Spirit is distributed to others (11:16–17, 24–27), Joshua became protective of Moses’ position. Much like the Israelite demand for meat (11:13), Joshua urged Moses to stop Eldad and Medad from prophesying—“Moses, my lord, stop them!” (11:28). Moses confronted Joshua’s jealousy (11:29) and testified that it would be best if all people could prophesy. Competition, comparison, and rivalry threaten God’s people. All divisions and factions in the church ultimately come from the evil desires and passions of the human heart. The craving for honor, attention, applause, or recognition can ruin communities of faith. When we are ruled by such an envious spirit, we view brothers and sisters as our enemies rather than our companions. Rather than sharing our possessions, we see others as a threat to what we own. When envy rules, we protect our positions of leadership rather than using them as a vehicle to bless and empower others. Instead of treasuring our relationships with others as gifts from God, we become acutely aware of what they possess and what we seem to lack. Jealousy, envy, and covetousness are dire threats to the life of faith.

Generosity. In this text, God is incredibly gracious. He multiplied leaders to share Moses’ burden to care for the Israelite community (11:16, 24–25). God placed his Spirit upon others in an act of extreme generosity (11:17, 25–26, 29). Even though the provision of meat would end up being a judgment upon Israel, God still displayed his abundant provision for the people in this act (11:18–19, 31–32). God is open-handed and bountiful toward his people. He invites us to the same. We confront a jealous spirit with generosity and kindness. Truly, all that we possess is a gracious gift from God. We own nothing of our own accord. When we try to hoard God’s gifts for our own benefit without sharing them with others, we betray ourselves and injure the faith community. We combat jealousy by remembering that God is a magnanimous and open-hearted God. He is the first and great Giver of all good things. Such benevolence and charity not only curb envy, they allow us to share life and leadership with unity and harmony. We must be warned. While we can receive God’s abundance with generosity, we can certainly receive it in greed and self-indulgence. God’s gracious and plentiful supply attested in this biblical account is an invitation for us to embrace a life of generosity, requiring us to embody a life of self-sacrifice, self-restraint, and self-control.

Graves of Desire: Mastering the Art of Self-Control

Biblical Narrative (Numbers 11:31–35)

God came through on his word. Mirroring the extraordinary provision of the manna, a wind came and brought quail from the sea and it dropped a day’s journey on all the sides of the camp (11:31). The people spent that day, the whole night, and the entire next day gathering quail (11:32). They gathered so much that those who gathered the least amount gathered around 62 bushels (around 2,200 liters), spreading the meat out around the camp (11:33). The people had been given what they demanded of God, yet they hoarded and stockpiled the quail. As the people started to consume the quail—“while the meat was still between their teeth” (11:33)—God’s anger came over the people and struck them with a “severe plague” (11:33). The immediacy of this judgment transpired such that the people were struck “before [the meat] was chewed” (11:33). Their all-consuming desire for meat had led them to be consumed by God’s righteous judgment. This resulted in a devastating death toll among the Israelites. Marking the significance of this event, the place was called Kibroth-hattaavah. This name meant “graves of craving,” referencing the deadly desires that had overtaken the Israelites at this time (11:34). Eventually, the Israelites moved from this place and continued their journey (11:35), but not before they had learned an important lesson about the desires of the human heart.

Biblical Principles

Greed, Hoarding, and Craving. The Israelites received God’s abundant provision of meat (11:31–32). So great was this provision that it was “two cubits above the surface of the ground” (11:31), “a day’s journey in every direction” (11:31), and eventually “spread … out all around the camp” (11:32). Rather than providing the satisfaction and fulfillment for which they had hoped, the quail became a hateful and deadly burden (11:20, 33–35). Filled with greed, the people hoarded and stockpiled an inordinate amount of meat (11:32). In contrast with the manna that God supplied daily (11:9), Israel tried to stash as much meat as possible. Rather than displaying a daily trust in the Lord’s provision, Israel relied upon their own gathering skills to meet their ongoing needs. As such, the deadly plague was a fitting punishment for such uninhibited avarice (11:34).

Our desires can consume us. Even though the destruction from the plague was great, the epidemic of Israel’s craving had already contaminated God’s covenant people to their effective demise. They did not simply gather enough meat for a meal. They gathered an overabundance of meat that would have surely spoiled without divine preservation. Confronting our unbridled desires and hoarding spirits, this biblical text shows that covetousness relishes overindulgence, excess, and gluttony to its own destruction. An abundance of possessions may seem to be a means of elation and joy, but they can easily create more stress than pleasure. Overeating (“over-treating” our appetites) can lead to health complications and an eventual medical crisis. Seeking the constant stimulus of entertainment and media can negatively impact our interpersonal relationships. These brief examples show that strong cravings and complaining spirits often coexist with indulgence, excess, hoarding, and death.

Self-Control. In opposition to greed, God’s people should display self-control, self-restraint, and self-discipline. An indulgent and gluttonous spirit is in direct contrast to the spiritual virtue of moderation. To be temperate in one’s person is to trust God’s provision so deeply that one need not fear a time of want. Rather than giving in to impulse and urge—desires that often seem and feel demanding—Christians learn to abstain in a show of restraint and discipline. Self-control is sourced in God’s good character and awareness of God’s righteous judgment. Believers who are self-controlled have placed their well-being and desires in God’s safekeeping. They can abstain from destructive desires by willingly refraining from those things that are harmless. To demonstrate self-control is to submit one’s longings to the lordship of Christ, the control of the Spirit, and the glory of God.

Conclusion

Israel’s narrative is as instructive as it is cautionary. While the displays of negative craving serve as a warning, they also serve as a foil to the opposite virtues of godly desire. Israel’s complaint against the Lord at Taberah warns us against grumbling and commends to us a spirit of gratitude. The rabble’s incitement of Israel exposes the danger of demanding and godless cravings and applauds contentment as ever-important. Moses’ complaint to God helps us see our own near-sightedness and encourages us toward patience. God’s response to Moses confronts the underlying poison of unbelief and presses us to cultivate a strong and abiding faith in God’s goodness and strength. The misguided words of Joshua showcase the evil of jealousy, envy, and competition, persuading us to adopt a disposition of grace and generosity. The final display of Israel hoarding quail reminds us of the threat of greed while simultaneously advocating for a heart of self-control.

We cannot (and should not) seek to abandon all desire. God does not want to make us into passionless mannequins. Just as we are destroyed by evil passions, we are enlivened by desires that are good, holy, and pleasing to God. Left unchecked, our desires can gain a grip on our souls, can spread throughout our families and communities, and can lead to our ultimate destruction. God calls us to cultivate a spirit of gratitude, contentment, patience, faith, generosity, and self-control. Rather than allowing our desires to control us, we must learn to restrain and tame our inner longings so that they conform to what is appropriate and God-pleasing. A heart that is free of covetousness is thankful for its freedom from bondage, content with God’s provision in the desert, willing to wait for the divine plan to unfold, ever trusting in the long and sustaining reach of God’s arm, generous with God’s good gifts, and able restrain one’s inner longings with self-control and self-discipline.

Session Synopsis

SESSION 11 SYNOPSIS
Guarding Our Hearts	In this passage, we are called to guard our hearts and tame our desires. Israel complained about their hardships to the Lord and incited God’s judgment on the community. Then, a strong craving overtook the nation of Israel. They were tired of God’s miraculous provision of manna and wanted meat. Moses grew exceedingly angry and complained to God about the people. God not only provided meat for the Israelites, but God also multiplied leaders so that Moses would not share the entire burden of caring for God’s people. The community was threatened by an evil craving for meat and jealousy over other people being empowered by God’s Spirit. God gave Israel an overabundance of meat and judged the people for their ungodly cravings. This passage warns against evil desires and encourages godly desires. A summary of this story’s principles is outlined below.
The Power of Desire	The desires of the human heart are powerful (11:4–6). Human desire shapes a person’s character and conduct (11:20). Our desires affect our relationship with God (11:32–34). God created humans as creatures of desire, longing, and passion. As sinners, our desires have become evil and ungodly. As disciples of Christ, God wants us to guard our hearts and conform our desires to his character and will.
Godly and Ungodly Complaining	Disciples experience hardships (11:1), unmet expectations (11:4–6, 11–12, 18, 20–22), and insecurities (11:13–15). These difficulties reveal the true character of our faith. There is a difference between bringing our hardships to the Lord in faith and expressing our hardships as a complaint against God. Immature faith complains against God in doubt and suspicion (11:1–2, 4–6). A mature faith brings burdens to the Lord in prayerful dependence, asking for his gracious help (11:2, 11).
Ungodly Desires	Some of the ways ungodly desires express themselves are in sinful complaining (11:1), unrighteous grief (11:2, 4, 10, 13, 18, 20), discontentment (11:4–6), controlling desires (11:4, 34), unbelief (11:11–14, 21–23), rejection of God (11:20), jealousy (11:27–30), and hoarding greed (11:31–35).
Godly Virtues	The negative examples in this story call us to opposite ways of living. God wants us to practice contentment with his provision (11:7–9, 22), patience in his timing (11:12–15), faith in his word (11:18, 23), generosity with our resources (11:18–19, 31–32), and moderation in our desires (11:4, 32–34).
The Influence and Effects of Ungodly Desires	Ungodly desires come from the human heart (11:4, 34) and can be influenced by surrounding culture (11:4). Ungodly desires can affect individuals (11:27–29), the community of faith (11:1–2, 4, 10), and community leaders (11:10–15, 17). Ungodly desires grow from a lack of faith in God’s provision (11:6–9), God’s presence (11:20, 25), God’s power (11:23), God’s word (11:23–24), God’s righteous judgment (11:1–3, 10, 33–34), and God’s goodness (11:6, 11).
God’s Generosity and Righteous Judgment	In this story, God multiplied leaders (11:16–17, 24–30) and provided an abundance of meat (11:18–23, 31–33). The abundance of God’s provision encourages contentment and trust. When we do not trust God, God may give us up to our desires as a form of his righteous judgment (11:19–20, 33–34).
Faithful Intercession	Moses prayed to God to intercede for the people (11:2), and he brought his burden to the Lord in dependence (11:10–15). Although Moses was not completely innocent in this story, he does show a heart that exhibits trust in, dependence upon, and devotion to God (11:29).

Personal Reflection: Entering the Story

Apply the Text: The word of God is binding and authoritative, the only reliable guide for faith and godliness. True disciples submit themselves to God’s word. In this movement, you will apply God’s word to your lives.

Reflection Questions

Encourage one person to share a testimony about how this story has impacted them so far. Use the reflection questions to examine your life in light of this biblical passage.

Spiritual Practice

Bless Someone

Having seen the destruction of Israel’s cravings, use the following exercise as a means to practice the principles of the story. We can often covet the possessions, lifestyle, relationships, or jobs that others have. As a practical way to combat coveting, identify another person that you would like to bless this week. Take the time to write out or speak out a blessing over the person. Then, reflect on the question below.

What was your experience like in speaking or writing a blessing over this person?

Ministry Practice: Rehearsing the Script

Minister the Text: God’s word is living and active. Through God’s word, the Christian community is edified. In this movement, you will utilize the biblical passage to minister to other believers and build them up in their faith.

Application Questions

Look at the infographic below. Use the questions to think about how to minister this text to other believers.

Missional Outreach: Publicizing the Truth

Witness the Text: The Bible is a message of God’s gracious salvation to the world. In word and deed, God’s people proclaim the good news of the gospel. In this movement, you will use this biblical passage to reach out to unbelievers.

Strategy Questions

Reflect on the infographic below. Consider how you can use this passage to witness to the surrounding world. Use the suggested ideas to prime your imagination. Then, put together a plan to share this passage with unbelievers, Afterward, reflect on this mission experience.