The Graves of Lusters
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 9/19/2010 PM |
Text: | Numbers 11:4-6, 18-23, 31-34 |
Psalters: | 306, 299, 213, 213 |
- They desired flesh (fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic) after almost a year of having manna.
- It is not sinful in itself to desire, nor to want meat.
- It is sinful when forget what Egypt was really like: “it was well with us in Egypt” (18); “we did eat freely” (5)
- Thus this is sinful because this longing robbed them of their gratitude for what God had given to them (6b).
- It is sinful to want something God has shown He would not give (this many in a wilderness).
- They demanded that which they could not have on the way to Canaan.
- But the desert was the God-ordained best (necessary, only) way to the promised land (Deut. 8:3).
- As a result they grossly exaggerate.
- They provoked the Most High (Ps. 78:17), tempted God: “Who shall give us flesh to eat” (4; Ps. 78:18).
- In anger God fulfilled their lustful desires, giving them what they wanted (Psalm 78:21,29,30).
- Their great desires were matched with millions of quail.
- But it came in and with God’s anger (Ps. 78:21,29). He fulfilled their desires (Psalm 106:15a).
- Even with such abundance they “were not estranged (deprived) from their lust” (Ps. 78:30).
- They were blinded to their own deceit, never satisfied, always wanting more of that which perishes!
- God is not mocked, for a horrible plague came while gorging on the quail.
- Instead of banqueting, they mourned and the location was forever memorialized with the: “graves of lusters”.
- This is recorded for our “examples” and “admonition” (I Cor. 10:6-12).
- The earthly material and physical are only the way God has chosen for us to take to heavenly glory.
- In the way of self-denial and being satisfied with what God has given to us, our need is always met.