01.01.2026
NEW YEAR SERMON
Numbers 11:18-23 - Is the Lord's hand shortened?
Greetings: The Lord is good; and His Love endures forever!
Happy New Year 2026!
Introduction: Tonight I would like to start with a question? Is the Lord's hand shortened? This is the question of God to Moses by the Almighty God, by Covenant Keeping God, by promise fulfilling God. Why God had to tell Moses about His Character, about His Power, about His Omnipotence. Moses was not an ordinary person, not an unbeliever, not atraditional Servant of God. Moses was a Holy Man, an Honest Man, Humble man, and a Meek Man throughout the earth while he was on the earth. He was a Prophet of God, a Man of God, and a Servant of God who had enjoyed inexpressible intimacy, closeness with YHWH.
YHWH told Aaron and Miriam: “Listen to my words:“When there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams. But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid tospeak against my servant Moses?” (Numbers 12:6-8). Then why this question to MOSES?
Let me bring out briefly the larger and immediate context of this Question of God. The larger context is that the Children of Israel were the children of Abraham, Children promise of God, and they were in slavery for about 420 years in Egypt. They were redeemed by YHWH with His an outreached arm and wonders through ten plagues. They had crossed the Red sea, had seen miracles after miracles. They had the grace to witness the presence of God (Numbers 11:35-36). But now, on the 20th day of the 2nd month of the 2nd year of Exodus, within two years of redemption, the sojourners complained, cried, cursed, and yelled at Moses and at God.
The immediate context is Moses was facing problems in the family circle, among the relatives and Jealousy colloquies. Before the question of the Lord, the initial general complaints of Israel (Numbers 11:1–3), the complaints about food (vv. 4–9), Moses’ own complaint to the LORD (vv. 10–15), After the question, the zealous of Eldadand Medad (Numbers 11:26–29), and the quail (vv. 30–35)., and the rain of Quails.
Tonight, let us think about God and our present situation, but Trust in the Lord and not grieve Him - Numbers 11:1-9; Trust in the Lord and not Question Him (Numbers 11:11-17); Trust in the Lord and not Underestimate Him(Numbers 11:18-23).
1. Trust in the Lord and not grieve Him - Numbers 11:1-9
‘The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!”’ (Numbers 11:4-6). “Why did we ever leave Egypt?” (Numbers 11:20). Moses heard the people of every family wailing at the entrance to their tents (Numbers 11:10). The Lord was sad, displeased and grieved.
In Exodus 12:38 we read that there a Mixed multitude joined the Israelites when they left Egypt. The Hebrew word for multitude is rab meaning "great," "many," or "large." In the Targum the phrase is vaguely rendered "many foreigners," and as "a medley of outlandish people", as 'strangers' and 'proselytes.' They are varied groups of forced labourers, people of different origins, seized the moment and left Egypt with the Israelites. According to Ibn Ezra, these were the people from the bottom of Egypt's social strata who took the opportunity to escape from their fate. After seeing the series of miracles that God performed in Egypt, many locals, Egyptians, and others, decided to leave with the Israelites and joined them. (Exodus 12:37, Numbers 1:46) showing that Israel obviously consisted of many non-biological Jews who had joined. Moses married a Midianite (Exodus 2:16-21). Rahab was a Canaanite (Joshua 2:1, 2).
They remembered the onions, garlic, cucumbers, melons, and leeks of the Egypt, they have forgotten the beatings by the Taskmasters and the cruelty they experienced under the hands of Pharaoh. 6 Lakhs men rejected God. They Wailed, yelled, complained, ungrateful, and stiff-necked. Regretted for freedom longed for slavery. Unholy people (Numbers 11: 18-20). David Guzik says that they were affected by “False Memory Syndrome.” The Talmud Yoma divides the Wilderness Israelites into three groups: The righteous, the average, and the wicked.
The Discontent was their condition. They came in response to miracles, signs, and wonderswithout born-again. They are not for God but to achieve the desires of their flesh. They are full of murmurings and complaints. Their eyes and desires are still in the world. They attend church out of attraction by the entertainment of some. They do not walk by the Spirit but in the flesh (Romans 8:7). The unsaved are the source of most of the complaining and bickering within the congregation. Blessings in disguise is good, blessings with disguise is unwarranted (Numbers 11:10-15). Matthew Henry: “A few factious, discontented, ill-natured people, may do a great deal of mischief in the best societies, if great care be not taken to discountenance it.”
Illustration on Discontentment
There was an ancient Persian farmer, Ali Hafed, who owned a very large farm that had orchards, grain fields, and gardens. One day a stranger told Ali Hafed, all about diamonds and its worth and a wealthy life.
Ali Hafed had desire to own a diamond mine and would like to become a wealthiest person on the earth. Craving a mine of diamonds, he sold his entire Agro-farm, with the money he was roaming around the world to search for the rare stones. He finally became a poor. He was broken, defeated, finally committed suicide.
One day the man who purchased Ali Hafed's farm led his camel into the garden to drink. As his camel put its nose into the brook, the man saw a flash of light from the sands of the stream. He pulled out a stone that reflected all the hues of the rainbow. The man had discovered the diamond mine of Golconda, the most magnificent mine in all history. Had Ali Hafed remained at home and dug in his own garden, he would have had acres of diamonds instead of death in a strange land (Adopted).
Be content with what you have dig into Bible, spend time in prayer you will see wonders of satisfaction and contentment. Enjoy the compassion of God, no more complaints of the life situations. The grieved the heart of God with their ungrateful attitude. The key to overcoming discouragement is to remember God’s promises and apply them. Go to the Lord who can satisfy you. “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things” (Psalm 81:10). God’s best for us is always ahead, never behind us! (David Guzik).
2. Trust in the Lord and not Question Him (Numbers 11:10-17)
Moses - Moses was tempted and provoked by the mixed multitudes (Numbers 11:3). So, He felt very bad about his calling. He was burdensome, frustrated, and heavy in heart. He had the feelings of inability, misery, and would like to die, and give up. Moses’s sin was discouragement. The sin of discouragement followed the sin of impatience. Moses was discouraged. Moses committed the sin of the moment, a failure under extreme provocation. “Crises do not produce heroes nor do emergencies make cowards however extraordinary circumstances reveal our strengths and weakness that have long been dormant. We are not what we are because of what we do; we do what we do because of what we are. Character determines the deed. The deed only reveals the character.” (Charles H Stevens).
The mountain seems too steep, the valley too dark, or the battle too fierce, and we lose the courage to continue is a sign of discouragement. Discouragement can be a warning light suggesting to us that we have lost our primary focus.
Therefore, Moses raised Questions. Are there enough flocks and herds to slaughter for them? Are there enough fish in the sea to catch for them? (Numbers 11:22).
The questions of Moses were:
- Why have you treated your servant so badly?
- Why have I not found favour in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? (Numbers 11:11).
- Did I conceive all this people?
- Did I give birth to them?
- Where I am to get meat to give to all this people? (Numbers 11:1-13).
- Are there enough flocks and herds to slaughter for them?
- Are there enough fish in the sea to catch for them? (Numbers 11:22).
- Are you jealous for my sake? (Numbers 11:29).
Share with others and not carry Alone:
ESV: Numbers 11:16 - Then the LORD said to Moses, "Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you.
Numbers 11:16-18: The number ‘seventy’ is often used of such a group of elders (Exodus 24:9), and it is a symbolic number that reflects totality and completeness. Joint venture, sharing, delegate, you will not bear it all by yourself.
70 chosen leaders - a team of prayer warriors, a team of burden shares, a team to stand in the presence of God. Share with the others. That is, men of mature age, of grave and exemplary deportment, of ripened wisdom, who would know how best to use the authority committed to them. The elders were there to help Moses carry the spiritual load—to help him care for and minister to the people, and to be a support for him in the ministry. God’s help was going to come to Moses through the support of godly men.
I will separate, set apart, keep, reserve, of the spirit which is upon thee, etc. That is, he would endow them with the same spirit of government, or with those gifts of wisdom, judgment, counsel, courage, etc., which were bestowed upon Moses, though not to the same degree. They were to be partners, but not equals, in the divine donation. This is a customary way for God to meet our needs. The Holy Spirit works: 1) regeneration, 2) indwelling (or filling), 3) restraint, and 4) empowerment for service. Evidence of these areas of the Holy Spirit’s work is just as present in the Old Testament as it is in the New Testament.
The Jewish writers illustrate the matter by saying that “Moses in that hour was like unto the lamp that was left burning on the candlestick (in the sanctuary); from which all the other lamps were lighted, yet the light thereof was not lessened a whit.”
Cast upon the Lord, Come and rest with Him.
3. Trust in the Lord and not Underestimate Him(Numbers 11:18-23)
NKJV: And the Lord said to Moses, “Has the Lord’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not.”
ESV: And the Lord said to Moses, “Is the Lord's hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.”
AMP: The Lord said to Moses, “Is the Lord’s hand (ability, power) limited (short, inadequate)?
CSB: The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm weak?
ERV: But the Lord said to Moses, “Don’t limit my power! You will see that I can do what I say I can do.”
GNT: “Is there a limit to my power?” the Lord answered. “You will soon see whether what I have said will happen or not!”
MSG: God answered Moses, “So, do you think I can’t take care of you? You’ll see soon enough whether what I say happens for you or not.”
Is the Lord’s hand too short? (Numbers 11:23)
- To bless your business
- To bless you with a child
- To give you good health
- To place you highly, and honourably
- To find a partner for your daughter and/or Son
- To solve your problem in the office
- To give you a good job
- To create a better atmosphere
- To buy an own house, or a car
- To give sound health, or healing from diseases and sickness
- To redeem you from debts, from sufferings, from shortcomings, from sins
The great man of God who had spent forty days and nights, a man who had seen the Lord face to Face, a man who was known as the man of Meekness had caught into the danger of discouragement (Number 11:11-14). Discouragement is associated with men’s and women of actions. The other leaders are Elijah (1 Kings 19:5-6), and Jonah (Jonah 4) who were affected by the sin of Discouragement. The spirit of discouragement leads a person to an extreme end. But the grace of God sustained three of them. Their common prayers were: ‘They wanted to die.’ (Numbers 11:15, 1 King 19:4, Jonah 4:3). John Piper says that discouragement leads us to doubt God’s goodness, wisdom, and power.
Conclusion:
Is the Lord's hand shortened?
1. Trust in the Lord and not Question Him - Numbers 11:1-9
2. Share with others and not carry Alone (Numbers 11:11-17)
3. Understand God not Underestimate Him (Numbers 11:23)
