A Complaining Church

A common problem in ancient Israel was complaining. Times haven’t really changed.

“Soon the people began to complain about their hardship, and the Lord heard everything they said. Then the Lord’s anger blazed against them, and he sent a fire to rage among them, and he destroyed some of the people in the outskirts of the camp.” (Numbers 11:1 NLT)

Beware of ingratitude. Israel’s desire for meat instead of manna, revealed that they had actually rejected God.

“You shall eat, not one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days, but for a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have despised the Lord who is among you, and have wept before Him, saying, ‘Why did we ever come up out of Egypt?’ ” (Numbers 11:19-20 NKJV)

Sometimes the greatest critics can be family members like Miriam and Aaron, who criticized their brother Moses.

“Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman. So they said, ‘Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?’ And the Lord heard it… So the anger of the Lord was aroused against them ...” (Numbers 12:1-2, 9 NKJV)

Some Christians still criticize interracial marriages today. There is no such thing. We are all members of the human race. The only thing the Bible bans is interfaith marriage and business partnerships.

“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14 NIV)

God punished Miriam perhaps because she was the instigator and Aaron just followed along like Adam with the forbidden fruit. Paul had learned a lesson that the Israelites had not.

“I am not complaining about having too little. I have learned to be satisfied with whatever I have.” (Philippians 4:11 CEV)

What’s wrong with a little complaining? God described Israel’s grumbling as wickedness with serious consequences.

“How long shall this wicked congregation grumble against me? I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against me. Say to them, ‘As I live, declares the Lord, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you: your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness, and of all your number, listed in the census from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against me, not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.’ ” (Numbers 14:27-30 ESV)

Fault finders will eventually also criticize church leadership.

“All the Israelites criticized Moses and Aaron. The entire community said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt or if only we had died in this desert!” (Numbers 14:2 CEB)

If God’s reign on earth were a democracy, they would have probably voted Moses out at this point, but it was not. Ten out of twelve scouts were grumblers who chose to undermine God’s vision for the future with negative reports. This can happen in Christian churches.

“So the men Moses sent to scout out the land, and who returned and incited the entire community to complain about him by spreading a negative report about the land—those men who spread the negative report about the land were struck down by the Lord.” (Numbers 14:36-37 HCSB)

Israel tested God ten times, disrespected Him and refused to listen. So, what was God’s decision about most of that generation?

“none of the men who saw my glory and the signs I did in Egypt and in the desert, but tested me these ten times and haven’t listened to my voice, will see the land I promised to their ancestors. All who disrespected me won’t see it. But I’ll bring my servant Caleb into the land that he explored, and his descendants will possess it because he has a different spirit, and he has remained true to me.” (Numbers 14:22-24 CEB)

When people criticize leaders that God put in charge, they may not be aware that they are also acting against God. Congregational decisions are sometimes helpful, when a public reputation is needed.

“And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility.” (Acts 6:3 NLT)

Or those with a reputation for honesty must handle finances.

“When I arrive, whomever you approve, I will send them with letters to take your gift to Jerusalem” (1 Corinthians 16:3 NASB)

Congregational church polity in every decision often fails in other areas.

“For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the Lord: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?” (Numbers 16:11 KJV)