Numbers 11:1-25
THAT'S IT, I QUIT!
Intro: A small monument made from a few stones marks the spot on Mount
Washington where a young girl died on bitterly cold night. Yet, her death was
something that did not have to occur. It seems that she and her father had decided
to climb that great mountain without hiring a guide. As darkness fell and the biting cold
sapped the last of their strength, they became discouraged and sat down on the trail.
During the night the girl died from exposure and heart failure due to the cold. When
the morning light dawned on that wind ravaged mountainside, her distraught father
soon discovered that if they had walked just a few more feet they would have seen the
lights of a place called "Tiptop Cabin". A place where a crackling fire would have
warmed their bodies. A place where they would have been safe and protected from
the cold and from the icy fingers of death. What prevented them from reaching that
place of safety? In a word: discouragement!
In our text, we see discouragement in the life of one of the greatest men who ever
walked on this planet; a man named Moses. As Moses climbed the mountain of
leading God's people, he became discouraged because of the burdens he had been
called upon to bear. As a result, he came to the place where he just wanted to thrown
in the towel and quit.
Have you ever been there yourself? Are you there this evening? This passage
gives us some insights into why this event occurred in the life of Moses. Hopefully, it
also teaches us some truths we need when we fight the battles of discouragement day
by day. I want to preach for a while on the thought "That's It, I Quit!" You may feel
like saying that tonight, but before you do, let me show you what God has to say about
this matter. I believe there is help for the hurting heart in the word of God this evening.
I. V. 1-10 THE PROBLEMS MOSES PONDERED
(Ill. The discouragement faced by Moses had its roots in all the burdens he was
trying to bear as he led the children of Israel to Canaan. As those problems
added up, he allowed himself to become discouraged in the midst of the journey.
It may help us to look at what Moses was dealing with.)
A. V. 1-3 Moses Faced A People Problem - The children of Israel were nothing
but complainers! They were never satisfied by anything! After a while, this
would have driven anyone over the edge! (Note: We all have "people
problems" from time to time! Anytime there is a relationship between any two
people there will always be the potential for problems! As one writer said, "To
live above with saints we love, oh won't that be glory! But to love below
with saints we know, well that's another story!" Let me encourage you in
this matter of dealing with others. A three step plan will guarantee you that
you can overcome a problem with any other person. 1.) Love them like
Jesus loves them, Matt. 22:39. 2.) Forgive them of anything and everything
you think they have done to you, Eph. 4:32. 3.) Pray for them everyday! It
is impossible to carry a prayer for someone in your heart and hate them at the
same time!)
B. V. 4-9 Moses Faced A Provision Problem - These verses remind us that
Moses was leading 2 million people through the wilderness and that they had
nothing to eat but Manna. Of course, they did not like the Manna and they
complained bitterly about it too! They tried everything they could to make the
Manna taste like the food of Egypt, but it never worked and they griped,
whined and complained about it every day! (Ill. Remember when your kids
didn't want to eat something and all the faces they made? Imagine 2 million
people making a face every day when they awoke to the Manna once again!)
(Note: Sometimes we face provisional problems. In our situation, it may be
some unexpected tragedy that befalls us and takes our funds. It may be
medical bills, or job cut backs. It may be that there is just more month than
there is money. Either way, I will remind you of something that we forget.
Moses forgot it too! God did not call Moses to feed the children of Israel! He
called Moses to lead the children of Israel. It is God's responsibility to feed
His children! If you are facing a provisional problem this evening, let me
remind you that if you are His and He is directing your life, then your
provisional problems are His problems to solve and not your own! I remind
you that He is Jehovah-jireh! I remind you that when He does the leading, He
also does the feeding, Matt. 6:25-33; Phil. 4:6-7; 19! It may not be what you
want all the time, but it will get you through the wilderness just like the Manna
did Israel. They may not have always liked what the Lord gave them, but I
never read where any of them starved to death!)
C. V. 10 Moses Faced A Personal Problem - Because of the weight of the load
he was bearing, Moses allowed himself to become utterly discouraged. The
word "displeased" means to be "broken to pieces, to be utterly
destroyed". Moses had a breakdown! If we are not careful, the problems we
face in life can produce this attitude in our hearts! It happened to Moses! It
happened to Elijah, 1 Kings 19. It happened to Jonah, Jonah 4. It can
happen to us too! (Note: What was the problem here? Moses had allowed
the problems he faced to become larger than the God he served!
Anytime that we allow that to happen in our lives, we are in danger of a major
breakdown! We need to come to the place where we remember that every
problem we face has the potential to be greater than our ability to handle that
problem! Since that is true, we need to keep our eyes on the Lord as we face
our problems. We must remember that He, not us, is the One Who fights the
battles of life. He fights and we just get to enjoy the victory! (Ill. David and
Goliath!)
II. V. 11-15 THE PRAYER MOSES PRAYED
(Ill. As Moses begins to talk to God about his problem, he talks to God is a way
that reveals to us the condition of his heart! He takes a tone with God that is
angry and irreverent! He shows us how not to pray in the time of a crisis!)
A. V. 11-12a Moses Prayed A Prayer Of Confusion - Moses seems to be
asking God "Why?" He seems to be saying to the Lord, "These are Your
people! I didn't give birth to them! They are your problem and not
mine! Why then am I having to bear them and their burdens?" Moses
couldn't grasp the "why" of the situation. Moses failed to remember that the
details were God's responsibility and not his! God had called Moses to lead
the people, not feed them! (Note: We have problems in this area too. I hear
people pray and I hear them ask God "Why me?" They will come to me and
say "Preacher, why is this happening to me?" There is no good answer to
our why questions! However, I would propose that we need to adopt a
different mind set concerning the troubles we face. I would suggest that
instead of asking "Why?", we need to learn to ask two different questions:
1. Ask "Why not me?" - Jesus said that we could expect trouble in this life, John 16:33. Job said that we could expect trouble in this life, Job 14:1.
Why then should we expect to live lives free from troubles and trials?
When trouble comes to you, don't ask "Why?", instead learn to give
thanks in the midst of trouble, 1 Thes. 5:18.
2. Ask "What?" - When the Lord sends trouble into your life, remember that
it must be part of His plan for you, Rom. 8:28. He is merely growing you
and showing you a new and more marvelous side of Himself! His
purpose in the valleys He sends us through is to change us so that we
become for like Him! (Ill. Thomas Watson said, "Affliction is the
furnace in which God tries His gold!") Therefore, let us ask God,
"Lord, what is the lesson that I have been sent here to learn? What new
view of you am I going to get from this vantage point?" The question
"What?" will produce far more favorable answers that the question
"Why?"!
B. V. 12b-14 Moses Prayed A Prayer Of Confession - Moses came to the place
to which we all need to come! He came to the place where he saw, felt and
confessed his weaknesses. He knew that he was insufficient to the task at
hand. He described himself as a father attempting to nurse a child! He
had no ability to provide anything for those 2 million people! (Ill. This
must have been how Paul felt as he felt the pain of that "thorn in the flesh".
Yet, when he received God's great promise of grace, Paul was able to rejoice
in his difficulty because he knew that his weakness merely opened the door
for God's power to walk in, 2 Cor. 12:7-10.) (Note: It is difficult to come to the
place of total weakness and dependence before the Lord. But until we do, we
will never know Him and His power in our problems! Friends, the sooner we
come to the place where we know for sure that we can't, that is the sooner will
arrive at the place where we will know that He can!) (Note: I am acutely
aware of the fact that I do not possess the ability within my self to do the
things God has called me to do! If the messages are prepared and preached;
if the souls are saved; if the sick are comforted; if the needs of people's hearts
are met, then it will be the Lord that must do it! I am like Moses, sometimes
I am overwhelmed by all the burdens of life and ministry, but I serve a God
Who is ever able to do "exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or
think, according to the power that worketh in us!") (Note: I will finish my
course, but not through my own strength. I will do it through His and His
alone!)
C. V. 15 Moses Prayed A Prayer Of Capitulation - In this verse, Moses is
giving God an ultimatum! He says, "Either get me out of this mess or kill
me!" Moses also confesses the fact that he cannot bear the thought of facing
total failure of his hopes, plans and dreams. Moses has come to the place
where he is ready to offer up his resignation. He is quitting! (Note: How many
of us have walked in these shoes? The problems of life have become so
overwhelming and the burdens so great that we begin to ask to be delivered
from them, even by death. Can I suggest to you that it is not a good idea to
give God ultimatums? It's all right to reach the end of your rope, but it is
never all right to just quit on God! My friends, there is no place to get off!
Many are trying, but God is not pleased! Make up your minds that you will
remain faithful to Him regardless of what others do, 1 Cor. 15:58!)
III. V. 16-25 THE PRICE MOSES PAID
(Ill. Whenever we come to the place that we allow the problems of life to eclipse
the face of God, there will always be a price to pay. Moses paid that price and so
will we if we allow things to become larger than God.)
A. V. 16-17 Moses Paid A Price In The Realm Of Authority - Instead of being
the sole leader, Moses now had to share leadership with 70 other men. Of
course, this means that the responsibility for the people was spread thinner.
(Note: The best of all worlds is one where leadership is shared. In the
church, there should be no little dictators or authoritative rulers. Leadership
should be shared. However, we need to remember that when the time comes
that we can not carry out the responsibilities given to us by the Lord, He will
find others to do His work. This was the great fear of the Apostle Paul, 1 Cor.
9:27. Moses had been called to be the leader of the people, but he gave up
that lone leadership position and had to share his place with others.)
B. V. 25 Moses Paid A Price In The Realm Of Ability - Verses 17 and 25 tell
us that God also anointed these 70 elders for the task to which He was
assigning them. Did you notice where God got the anointing that He gave
them? He took from the spirit He had given to Moses and gave it to others!
Moses became no less than he had ever been, but it is my opinion that his
potential to be greater had become less than it had ever been. You see, what
Moses had failed to recognize, and what the actions of the Lord pointed out,
was the fact that Moses already possessed all he needed to get the job done
for the Lord! (Note: When we come to the place where we are ready to quit
on God, we have better be ready for God to remove His hand of blessing from
our lives! You may think that you cannot make it, but if you are saved, then
God has already equipped you with all you need to fight the battle you face.
Ill. David and Goliath - Saul tried to give David his armor. David knew that
what he already had, his sling, a few smooth stones and the presence of God
was enough to win the day! If God has placed you in it, He has prepared you
to handle it! If you quit, He will give the honor and the blessing to one who will
stand and do His perfect will. He did it with Moses and He will do it with you
and me!)
Conc: What will you do when you hit the end of your rope? If you are like Moses, you
will try to find a place to get off and let someone else take the heat. If you do what is
right, you will submit to that which the Lord is doing in your life and you will trust Him
to meet all the needs, answer all the questions and solve all the problems! There was
one thing Moses did right in this whole affair: he turned to the Lord in a moment of
crisis. Is that what you need to do this evening? If so, the way is open. Come to Him,
tell Him all about it and trust Him to take care of it! People used to say that when you
reached the end of your rope, you should just tie a knot in it and hang on. A far better
piece of advice is for you to let go of the rope altogether and rest in the arms of a God
Who is able to hold you while He solves the problems in your life.
