The people’s complaining displeased God; Moses’ complaining didn’t. What made the difference? Moses presented his complaints to God.
We don’t usually think of complaining when we think of consuming-fire-worthy sin, but let’s understand why it is so offensive to God. The Israelites’ complaining scorned God’s powerful and glorious rescue from Egypt and His miraculous provision of manna, and expressed lack of trust in Him to provide. It called into question His claims about who He is and disdained the privilege of their special relationship with Him. God had made it clear that their complaining displeased Him and that He took it personally, and yet they persisted; their complaining was rebellion and demonstrated a lack of respect and love for Him.
Moses, on the other hand took his issues to God. He didn’t actually request anything, simply laid out the situation before God, entrusting all to Him. That speaks to me about how I pray. Often I offer the solution to the problem as I pray, instead of laying the situation out before God and trusting in His higher ways and thoughts to work out a solution that is greater than I could even think of asking. Moses entrusted the situation to God and received “abundantly above all he could ask or think.”
We heard a powerful sermon Sunday about Israel’s complaining. Since they are an object lesson to us of our own human weaknesses, we need to realize that we as God’s New Covenant people share their same tendencies if we don’t let Jesus transform us and if we are not on our guards. The correction and preventative for our complaining problem is found in Philippians 4:4-7: rejoice, be gentle, and present our requests to God.
Their constant complaints became a habit until they rejected the Promised Land because of their complaints. That was a serious consequence for sure, for those who rejected it never saw the Promised Land, to their sorrow.
That Promised Land is an object lesson to us of Heaven. Can you imagine being refused Heaven because of a habit and character of complaining, being told “I never knew you” because you refuse to trust Him by taking your concerns to Him and instead grumble in a way He dislikes? If that frightens you, please make it right with God and ask Him to help you substitute rejoicing, gentleness and prayer for complaining.