Meditate on these verses to commence the study:
"O God, listen to my complaint" (Psalm 64:1a NLT).
"Those in error will then believe the truth, and those who constantly complain will accept instruction [i.e., doctrine or teaching]" (Isaiah 29:24).
If you read the book of Numbers you will realize the main theme is the "murmuring" or grumbling of Israel and how they were not content--they wanted to go back to Egypt (representing the old way of life) and eat onions and garlic and eat fish, to boot! They had become connoisseurs all of a sudden and critics. And so God gave them their request and then sent leanness into their souls (cf. Psalm 106:15). We may actually get what we want and suffer the consequences because we don't know what is best for us. Getting our way is not the best way; that is why we pray for God's will to be done. We are incapable of running the universe, or even our own lives.
The issue with complaining is to whom you do it and it is not evil in itself. Habakkuk complained to God and Job never once attributed wrongdoing to God no matter what. God wants to hear our complaints in the right spirit, but it can be contagious if we tell others and try to leave God out of the equation.
Paul said that he had learned the secret of being content in Philippians 4, but don't confuse this with complacency! There's always room for improvement and we are never to entertain ideas of perfectionism or having "arrived." The bad thing about Israel's complaint was that they had become rebels and refused to listen to Moses and God. They listened to each other and not the leadership that God had appointed over them. This showed sheer lack of faith and insulted God after all He had done for them. Only Joshua and Caleb "believed" God and were granted the privilege of entering the Promised Land of Canaan.
The spiritual significance of Moses not being allowed to enter because of his one act of disobedience in striking the rock (representing Christ) twice instead of once was that we know that He didn't arrive as he wanted to and didn't make it to the goal but had to allow Joshua to lead the people to the Promised Land as a type of Christ. Moses wanted to be like Christ to the people and saw the significance of this role and opportunity. Moses complained to but he had faith and never wavered in it--though he certainly had a temper which God chose not to restrain.
Tell the Lord how you feel and He will surely listen with sympathy to your plight or dilemma. We must get in the habit of directing our peeves to God because He is the only one who can solve them. God does complaints as one would say nowadays! He is saying: I'm all ears just speak up, and I'll listen to your case. Soli Deo Gloria!
"O God, listen to my complaint" (Psalm 64:1a NLT).
"Those in error will then believe the truth, and those who constantly complain will accept instruction [i.e., doctrine or teaching]" (Isaiah 29:24).
If you read the book of Numbers you will realize the main theme is the "murmuring" or grumbling of Israel and how they were not content--they wanted to go back to Egypt (representing the old way of life) and eat onions and garlic and eat fish, to boot! They had become connoisseurs all of a sudden and critics. And so God gave them their request and then sent leanness into their souls (cf. Psalm 106:15). We may actually get what we want and suffer the consequences because we don't know what is best for us. Getting our way is not the best way; that is why we pray for God's will to be done. We are incapable of running the universe, or even our own lives.
The issue with complaining is to whom you do it and it is not evil in itself. Habakkuk complained to God and Job never once attributed wrongdoing to God no matter what. God wants to hear our complaints in the right spirit, but it can be contagious if we tell others and try to leave God out of the equation.
Paul said that he had learned the secret of being content in Philippians 4, but don't confuse this with complacency! There's always room for improvement and we are never to entertain ideas of perfectionism or having "arrived." The bad thing about Israel's complaint was that they had become rebels and refused to listen to Moses and God. They listened to each other and not the leadership that God had appointed over them. This showed sheer lack of faith and insulted God after all He had done for them. Only Joshua and Caleb "believed" God and were granted the privilege of entering the Promised Land of Canaan.
The spiritual significance of Moses not being allowed to enter because of his one act of disobedience in striking the rock (representing Christ) twice instead of once was that we know that He didn't arrive as he wanted to and didn't make it to the goal but had to allow Joshua to lead the people to the Promised Land as a type of Christ. Moses wanted to be like Christ to the people and saw the significance of this role and opportunity. Moses complained to but he had faith and never wavered in it--though he certainly had a temper which God chose not to restrain.
Tell the Lord how you feel and He will surely listen with sympathy to your plight or dilemma. We must get in the habit of directing our peeves to God because He is the only one who can solve them. God does complaints as one would say nowadays! He is saying: I'm all ears just speak up, and I'll listen to your case. Soli Deo Gloria!