ONE FAMILY PLAN
Complain
“A noisy bird builds a bad nest.” - Kanufi Proverb, Nigeria
Complaining is the antithesis of trusting God. It is the denial of His Sovereignty.
“DO ALL THINGS WITHOUT COMPLAINING AND DISPUTING...” (Philippians 2:14, NKJV)
“BE HOSPITABLE TO ONE ANOTHER WITHOUT GRUMBLING.” (1 Peter 4:9)
“DO NOT COMPLAIN, BRETHREN, AGAINST ONE ANOTHER, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.” -James 5:9 (NASB)
“WHY SHOULD THE LIVING COMPLAIN WHEN PUNISHED FOR THEIR SINS? Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.”-Lamentations 3:39-40 (NIV)
“AND DO NOT GRUMBLE, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.”
-1 Corinthians 10:10 (NIV)
“DO NOT LET ANY UNWHOLESOME TALK COME OUT OF YOUR MOUTHS, BUT ONLY WHAT IS HELPFUL FOR BUILDING OTHERS UP ACCORDING TO THEIR NEEDS, THAT IT MAY BENEFIT THOSE WHO LISTEN.” -Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)
“A person is born with an axe in his mouth. He whose speech is unwholesome cuts himself with his axe…” (Buddhism, Sutta Nipata 657-60)
Adam-- "the woman that you gave me."
“The man said, ‘THE WOMAN YOU PUT HERE WITH ME—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.’” (Gen 3:12, NIV)
Cain…
“Cain said to the Lord, ‘MY PUNISHMENT IS TOO GREAT TO BEAR!’” -Genesis 4:13 (NASB)
Moses...
“Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, ‘O Lord, why have You brought harm to this people? WHY DID YOU EVER SEND ME? Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people, and YOU HAVE NOT DELIVERED YOUR PEOPLE AT ALL.’”
-Exodus 5:22-23 (NASB)
Aaron and Miriam...
“and they said, ‘Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us as well?’ And the Lord heard it.” -Numbers 12:2 (NASB)
Elijah…
“…he requested for himself that he might die, and said, ‘IT IS ENOUGH; NOW, O LORD, TAKE MY LIFE...’” -1 Kings 19:4 (NASB)
Jeremiah…
“O Lord, You have deceived me and I was deceived; You have overcome me and prevailed. I HAVE BECOME A LAUGHINGSTOCK ALL DAY LONG; EVERYONE MOCKS ME.”-Jeremiah 20:7
Jonah...
“So he prayed to the LORD, and said, ‘AH, LORD, WAS NOT THIS WHAT I SAID when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.’” (Jonah 4:2, NKJV)
“…BUT GOD SAID TO JONAH, ‘IS IT RIGHT FOR YOU TO BE ANGRY ABOUT THE PLANT?’ ‘IT IS,’ HE SAID. ‘AND I’M SO ANGRY I WISH I WERE DEAD.’” (Jonah 4:6-9)
“But indeed, O man, WHO ARE YOU TO REPLY AGAINST GOD?” (Romans 9:20)
The Children of Israel… It is happening NOW
Having just left the bondage of Egypt and carrying with them Egypt's wealth…
“…FOR IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER FOR US TO SERVE THE EGYPTIANS THAN THAT WE SHOULD DIE IN THE WILDERNESS.” (Ex 14:10-12)
In spite of their complaints…
“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; AND THE LORD CAUSED THE SEA TO GO BACK BY A STRONG EAST WIND ALL THAT NIGHT, AND MADE THE SEA INTO DRY LAND, and the waters were divided. So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.” (Ex 14:21-22)
Despite their griping, complaining attitude, God delivers…
“And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and when the morning appeared, the sea returned to its full depth, while the Egyptians were fleeing into it. SO THE LORD OVERTHREW THE EGYPTIANS IN THE MIDST OF THE SEA.” (Ex 14:27)
Praising Him…
“Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and spoke, saying: ‘I WILL SING TO THE LORD, FOR HE HAS TRIUMPHED GLORIOUSLY…’” (Ex 15:1-2)
Complaining again…
“…AND THE PEOPLE COMPLAINED AGAINST MOSES, SAYING, ‘WHAT SHALL WE DRINK?’” (Ex 15:22-24)
God provides…
“Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; SO THEY CAMPED THERE BY THE WATERS.” (Ex 15:27)
Complaining again…
“…YOU HAVE BROUGHT US OUT INTO THIS WILDERNESS TO KILL THIS WHOLE ASSEMBLY WITH HUNGER.’” (Ex 16:2-3)
The extreme suffering – Egyptian slavery had been forgotten. It’s NEVER enough! The parting of the sea, the giving of water… providing everything they/we need… It is NEVER enough!!
God responds…
“Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘BEHOLD, I WILL RAIN BREAD FROM HEAVEN FOR YOU. And the people shall go out and gather A CERTAIN QUOTA EVERY DAY, THAT I MAY TEST THEM, whether they will walk in My law or not.’” (Ex 16:4)
Christ is the true bread that came down from heaven… a physical picture of God's spiritual provision…
“I am the bread of life.” (John 6:48)
More complaining…
“…MOSES SAID TO THEM, ‘WHY DO YOU CONTEND WITH ME? WHY DO YOU TEMPT THE LORD?’ And the people thirsted there for water, AND THE PEOPLE COMPLAINED AGAINST MOSES, AND SAID, ‘WHY IS IT YOU HAVE BROUGHT US UP OUT OF EGYPT, TO KILL US AND OUR CHILDREN AND OUR LIVESTOCK WITH THIRST?’” (Ex 17:1-3)
They/We never stop complaining!
It is God who leads! – Cloud by day, Fire by night… ordering EVERY circumstance! We question the sovereignty of God when we complain. He is either in charge/in control or He is not.
Moses smites the rock… Christ crucified.
“And the LORD said to Moses, ‘Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; AND YOU SHALL STRIKE THE ROCK, AND WATER WILL COME OUT OF IT, THAT THE PEOPLE MAY DRINK.’ And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because THEY TEMPTED THE LORD, SAYING, ‘IS THE LORD AMONG US OR NOT?’” (EX 17:5-7)
From Sinai…
“NOW WHEN THE PEOPLE COMPLAINED, IT DISPLEASED THE LORD; FOR THE LORD HEARD IT, AND HIS ANGER WAS AROUSED. SO THE FIRE OF THE LORD BURNED AMONG THEM, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. Then the people cried out to Moses, and when Moses prayed to the LORD, the fire was quenched. So he called the name of the place Taberah, because the fire of the LORD had burned among them.” (Num 11:1-3)
Yet they keep on COMPLAINING…
“Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: ‘WHO WILL GIVE US MEAT TO EAT? WE REMEMBER THE FISH WHICH WE ATE FREELY IN EGYPT, THE CUCUMBERS, THE MELONS, THE LEEKS, THE ONIONS, AND THE GARLIC; BUT NOW OUR WHOLE BEING IS DRIED UP; THERE IS NOTHING AT ALL EXCEPT THIS MANNA BEFORE OUR EYES!’” (Num 11:4-6)
One month we eat… until it comes out of our nostrils!!
"Then you shall say to the people, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept in the hearing of the LORD, saying, ‘Who will give us meat to eat? For it was well with us in Egypt.’ THEREFORE THE LORD WILL GIVE YOU MEAT, AND YOU SHALL EAT. 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?”’” (Num 11:18-20)
Plagues…
“BUT WHILE THE MEAT WAS STILL BETWEEN THEIR TEETH, BEFORE IT WAS CHEWED, THE WRATH OF THE LORD WAS AROUSED AGAINST THE PEOPLE, AND THE LORD STRUCK THE PEOPLE WITH A VERY GREAT PLAGUE.” (Num 11:33)
“The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, AND NO ONE WAS ABLE TO ENTER THE TEMPLE TILL THE SEVEN PLAGUES OF THE SEVEN ANGELS WERE COMPLETED.” (Rev 15:18)
“And men were scorched with great heat, and THEY BLASPHEMED THE NAME OF GOD WHO HAS POWER OVER THESE PLAGUES; and they did not repent and give Him glory.” (Rev 16:9)
“And I heard another voice from heaven saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and LEST YOU RECEIVE OF HER PLAGUES.’” (Rev 18:4)
Finally, upon the near taking of the Promised Land, the spies, save Caleb and Joshua, return with COMPLAINTS!!
“…WE ARE NOT ABLE TO GO UP AGAINST THE PEOPLE, FOR THEY ARE STRONGER… WE WERE LIKE GRASSHOPPERS IN OUR OWN SIGHT, AND SO WE WERE IN THEIR SIGHT.” (Num 13:30-33)
Apparently, they were unable to do what God had told them. It is simply too hard. Consider…
“IT IS HE WHO SITS ABOVE THE CIRCLE OF THE EARTH, AND ITS INHABITANTS ARE LIKE GRASSHOPPERS, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.” (Isaiah 40:22)
More COMPLAINTS!
“…IF ONLY WE HAD DIED IN THE LAND OF EGYPT! OR IF ONLY WE HAD DIED IN THIS WILDERNESS!” (Num 14:1-2)
And made ALL complain...
“Now the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned AND MADE ALL THE CONGREGATION COMPLAIN against him by bringing a bad report of the land…” (Num 14:36)
God grants them their wish…
“…JUST AS YOU HAVE SPOKEN IN MY HEARING, SO I WILL DO TO YOU: THE CARCASSES OF YOU WHO HAVE COMPLAINED AGAINST ME SHALL FALL IN THIS WILDERNESS…” (Num 14:27-29)
They ALL die because of their COMPLAINING!!!!
“THEN THEY DESPISED THE PLEASANT LAND; THEY DID NOT BELIEVE HIS WORD, BUT COMPLAINED IN THEIR TENTS, AND DID NOT HEED THE VOICE OF THE LORD. THEREFORE HE RAISED UP HIS HAND IN AN OATH AGAINST THEM, TO OVERTHROW THEM IN THE WILDERNESS…” (Psalms 106:24-26)
“nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. NOW ALL THESE THINGS HAPPENED TO THEM AS EXAMPLES, AND THEY WERE WRITTEN FOR OUR ADMONITION, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” (1 Cor 10:10-11)
All complaints are directed toward God…
“…AND WHAT ARE WE? YOUR COMPLAINTS ARE NOT AGAINST US BUT AGAINST THE LORD.” Exodus 16:7-8 (NKJV)
BE THANKFUL!!
“Therefore, SINCE WE ARE RECEIVING A KINGDOM THAT CANNOT BE SHAKEN, LET US BE THANKFUL, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire.’” -Hebrews 12:28-29 (NIV)
“REJOICE ALWAYS; PRAY WITHOUT CEASING; IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS; FOR THIS IS GOD’S WILL FOR YOU IN CHRIST JESUS.” -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NASB)
“I WILL GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD WITH ALL MY HEART; I WILL TELL OF ALL YOUR WONDERS.”
-Psalms 9:1 (NASB)
Prisoners set free!
“There were those who dwelt IN DARKNESS AND IN THE SHADOW OF DEATH, PRISONERS IN MISERY AND CHAINS…” -Psalms 107:10 (NASB)
“HE BROUGHT THEM OUT OF DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH AND BROKE THEIR BANDS APART. LET THEM GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD FOR HIS LOVINGKINDNESS, AND FOR HIS WONDERS TO THE SONS OF MEN! FOR HE HAS SHATTERED GATES OF BRONZE AND CUT BARS OF IRON ASUNDER.” -Psalms 107:14-16 (NASB)
“…GREAT ARE THE WORKS OF THE LORD; They are studied by all who delight in them.” -Psalms 111:1-2 (NASB)
“…Those who are wayward in spirit will gain understanding; THOSE WHO COMPLAIN WILL ACCEPT INSTRUCTION.” -Isaiah 29:23-24 (NIV)
