And You Grumbled in Your Tents

July, 2004

by: Edward Wilde

Preparing the Israelites for the Promised Land, Moses reminds them, “And you grumbled in your tents.”Deut.1:27. The Israelites, freed from Pharaoh, delivered by miracles, fed by “food from heaven”, grumbled again and again. They complained about water, food, and unconquerable cities. They wanted to give–up going to the Promised Land and return to Egypt.

Before you pass judgment on their complaints, consider the seriousness of their problems: water and food in the desert are matters of life and death. (Have you ever complained about being stuck in traffic? Spilling coffee?)

Despite the seriousness of the problems that led to their complaints, God punished them with fire from heaven, fiery serpents, plagues, and death in the wilderness. God punished grumbling with death. That should get your attention. Perhaps you will ask, “What is so bad about grumbling?”

To answer that question, we must ask, “How does God describe the sin of complaining?” He calls it a lack of faith. As Moses tells the Israelites, “You did not believe the Lord your God.”Deut. 1:32. Their sin was lack of faith. God will not be pleased without faith. (Heb. ll:6). The one who does not have faith stands condemned (John 3:18).

Grumbling and complaining reveals the heart that does not trust. In complaining, we say, “God does not see; He does not care. God is making a mistake!” One who complains lives like an atheist.

Doctrine

“Do all things without grumbling or disputing” Phil 2:14 . This is not a matter of mere silence, because the sin of complaining is not a matter of words: it is a matter of faith. The command requires trust in the wisdom of God.Therefore, we must, “Rejoice in the Lord always”Phil. 4:4.

In delivering this command from the Lord, Paul did not preach what he would not practice. Consider his example in Philippi: Having exorcised a demon from a slave girl, Paul and his companion Silas were arrested, stripped, beaten with rods, then chained in prison Acts 16:16-24.

Paul certainly had “reason” to complain. Yet what did he do? He rejoiced! He proclaimed God trom the depth of his cell, “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them”Acts 16:25.

Application

We find cause to complain, because we expect the world to confonn to our wishes. If God enters into our thoughts when we complain, we conclude that either God does not know our needs or is not paying attention. When we complain, we complain ultimately about God.

To remedy this fault, we must first give God the rightful place in our thoughts. We must recognize as a practical matter that our Father knows when the sparrow falls and knows what is best for us. We must give up our practical atheism and put on a practical faith that extends to every part of our life. We must not grumble but rather rejoice.