The Peril of Strong Cravings: Grumblings, Part 1 (Num. 11)

Cravings will get you into trouble. For Israel in the wilderness, it was their craving for meat. What do you crave? Maybe it’s food. Maybe it’s sex. Maybe it’s alcohol.

Psalm 78:29-30 uses the word twice in singing about this episode in Numbers 11. God gave them what they craved, but he used it to destroy them.

This is a reminder to us to discipline our desires. Food is a good thing – when used rightly. Sex is a good thing – when used rightly. Alcohol is a good thing – when used rightly.

To put it simply, if you cannot control your bodily desires, then you are not using them rightly.

Israel is called to march through the wilderness – subsisting on manna and water – until they reach the Promised Land, when they will go into the Land and receive the Inheritance. In other words, they need to discipline their bodily desires for a short time, in order to receive a great abundance.

Before you mock them for their failure of self-control and self-discipline, I would ask you, How are you doing at self-control and self-discipline?

Moses wished that all God’s people would be prophets – that the LORD would put his Spirit on all of them!

That’s what God has done in Jesus Christ....