Murmuring

46Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer and put incense in it, along with burning coals from the altar, and hurry to the assembly to make atonement for them. Wrath has come out from the Lord; the plague has started.” 47So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had already started among the people, but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them. 48He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped. 49But 14,700 people died from the plague, in addition to those who had died because of Korah. 50Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the tent of meeting, for the plague had stopped.  Numbers 16:46-50.
In reading in the book of numbers we find the Israelites began murmuring. We read where they sent the 12 spies into the promised land to see what was there. It was a good productive land. Joshua and Caleb both gave a good report. The other ten gave a bad report and convinced the people they would be destroyed. They did not want to continue. They had come all the way from Egypt to the promised land that God had led them the whole way. Provided manna and quail, water for them and their animals and here they are and because of the ten that gave a bad report they did not want to continue. In these beginning chapters there are several uprisings against Moses and Aaron. First the ten that gave a bad report died. Then there was another uprising of the Levites and 250 were destroyed , Three of the rebellious leaders and their tens and everything they had were swallowed up when the earth opened and consumed them.  The Israelites continued to murmur. At one point God was angry and started to destroy them and Moses and Aaron went with a censer with coals and ran among the Israelites and stopped the plague but not before 14,700 had died. After they saw their error the Israelites sent some men to conquer the land but Moses said don't  do it the Lord is not in this. The Lord had already spoken all those above 20 years old would die off in the wilderness because of their rebellion. Only Caleb and Joshua would live to enter the promised land. God did not like the rebellion and many were destroyed because of it. The ones sent out were defeated. So begins the long journey of 40 years in the wilderness. God want us to trust him and to follow his direction. These Israelites had seen so many miracles, the Red Sea parting, manna from heaven and God providing for them over and over again but they would not trust God. They rebelled against Moses and Aaron and God showed them again and again. God showed them Aarons rod came out of the tent not only budding but with leaves and actual almonds on the branch. God works through his leaders. We don't get to decide above God word. God is God and he alone is in authority. The leaders God gives us are also to follow God's direction. When they go astray, God also deals with them as he did with Aaron and Miriam when they rebelled against Moses. God is a God of order. He sets the parameters, when we go against God we will face his discipline. I can't help but think much trouble we face today is because of our disobedience to God. 
For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king.”1 Samuel 15:23
In reading these books of Moses, it is hard to always know what God is saying to us. The Bible is for our learning, but what are these old records for, what are we to learn. One is to trust God and it seems God keeps a record of our lives. God knows everyone of our days before one of them happens. Towards the end of Numbers, Moses listed the stages of the Israelites travel. Where they camped and traveled to next. The version I was reading in called it stages. What are the stages of our lives. In my life I could divide it up as my childhood years in South and North Dakota.  It was there in North Dakota that I have a memory of a prayer I prayed at possibly 5 years of age. I remember discouraging years in my teenage years when I despaired of life at that young age, but God brought me through it. Prayers of a discouraged young man, that I remember from the time I lived in Everett. then I became an adult and set out on my own. I had $25 in my pocket when I left my fathers house for good. In this stage of a young adult I stayed with a young family that befriended me and it was just a few more years until I had my own apartment. God brought me through. It wasn't many years and I had my own family. I remember taking walks along Hiway Place and talking to God. I moved and got my first home that I purchased. It wasn't many years until I moved into the country and I remember going into the woods and sitting on a stump and praying to God. God blessed me with a good job and I strayed away, allowed a root of bitterness to grow in my heart. It was in that stage of my life I returned to the Lord again when I was living in the woods. I once again prayed to my God in those woods. I went through good times and hard times, and then for a little over the next ten years I went through a stage of much difficulty as I went through divorce after divorce. Much trouble was of my own making as I did not learn to wait on God. Perhaps I murmured myself in those troublesome times, but I got through them. I really think God want us to learn to trust him in life. These different stages of life passed so quickly, It seemed a long time in raising children and yet that time is long passed and I have now lived after my children have been gone a long time. I think how much we are like these Israelites and see God's miracles and still murmur and complain. God is aware of our trials and tribulations and tries to use them to develop us into his children, his followers. May we remember that many things God brought us through. Good times and bad, lean times and prosperity. Mountains and valleys and God goes with us through them all. May I learn to not murmur but to remember all that God has done. May I remember all the hard times he brought me through. Now I am in the last stage of life, I don't know how long it will be. I see people that live into their 90's still trusting God, walking with canes and needing support. They have lived long lives blessed of God. Others leave so soon, younger than I am. One day in good health and tomorrow they are gone. Our days are known by God, may he be a part of everyone of them. May I remember his goodness and all the things he has brought me through. May I learn from the children of Israel and not follow them into murmuring, but with a thankful heart live a life honoring God and trusting him through the remainder of my days. This stage of my life with a woman that loves me has been longer now than that stage of life when I went through divorce after divorce God brought me through it all and I am indeed blessed. May I trust God in the days ahead and thank him for his many blessings. When I have trusted God have been my best years. Hind sight is 20/20. I have been blessed above what I deserve. God does not remember our sins, they are removed from us as far as the east is from the west. I remember things that God's word says God has forgotten. I am forgiven and that is a good way to live. God bless, LVZ.