Series: Questions
Title: Is the LORD’s Hand Waxed Short?
Text: Numbers 11: 23
Date: November 17, 2013
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
There
were some in the congregation in Israel that simply did not believe God. As
they complained in their unbelief, unbelief began to sweep through the whole
congregation.
·
Verse 4: the mixt multitude that was among
them fell a lusting:
·
Verse 4: and the children of Israel also wept
again,
·
Verse 10: Then Moses heard the people weep
throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent:
·
And Moses also fell into unbelief
Unbelief
had taken the whole congregation. And the murmuring of those unbelievers
greatly kindled the anger of the LORD: one, because by their unbelief they
despised the LORD—they wanted flesh rather than the manna from heaven; two, because
by their murmuring they sowed discord among brethren—and God hates that. (Pro
6: 19)
One
thing Moses did which was far better than what the congregation did—Moses
expressed his displeasure to God rather than men. Unbelief is best taken to our
Savior in prayer. “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. (Mk 9: 24) Otherwise, it will feed the unbelief of our
fellow brethren and cause much discord.
So Moses
made his complaint to the LORD. His two chief complaints were these:
1) Numbers 11: 13: Whence should I have flesh
to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh,
that we may eat.
2) Numbers 11: 14: I am not able to bear all
this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.
So the
LORD promised Moses help with his two chief complaints. Now notice, Moses asked
first for flesh to appease the people and secondly for help to relieve his
burden. That shows Moses concern was more for his brethren than for himself.
But the LORD would provide for Moses in order of importance:
First,
the LORD told Moses—Numbers 11: 16: Gather
unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders
of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of
the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. 17: And I will come down
and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and
will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee,
that thou bear it not thyself alone. He was not taking the Holy Spirit from
Moses. He was simply adding the Spirit to those men as well.
Secondly,
the LORD said, Numbers 11: 18: And say
thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat
flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us
flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give
you flesh, and ye shall eat. 19: Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor
five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; 20: But even a whole month, until
it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye
have despised the LORD which is among you, and have wept before him, saying,
Why came we forth out of Egypt?
The
LORD promised Moses he would perform a spiritual miracle and a temporal
miracle. Moses did not doubt that God could do the spiritual. But, his unbelief,
made him doubt God’s ability to do the temporal—Numbers 11: 21 And Moses said,
The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast
said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month. 22: Shall the
flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish
of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?
So the
LORD asked Moses this question, Numbers
11: 23: And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD’S hand waxed short?
Try to
picture God’s hand stretched out. But it is not quite long enough to reach his
people. God asks Moses, “Is the LORD’s hand waxed short?” Note the word “waxed.” It signifies that Moses, once thought the
LORD’s hand was mighty to save but that it had now shrunk.
That is the question we will answer from this
passage: Is the LORD’S hand waxed short?
Proposition: We will see through this whole passage what Isaiah 59: 1
declares, “Behold, the LORD’S hand
is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot
hear.”
I. GOD’S HAND IS NOT WAXED SHORT TO RESERVE
MERCY FOR HIS CHILD OF GRACE.
The
LORD said the ungrateful, unbelievers were saying verse 20: “ye have despised
the LORD which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we
forth out of Egypt?” Verse 10 says, “and the anger of the LORD was kindled
greatly;”
Sin & Grace
It is
easy to understand Moses great burden—he is leading 600,000 people. But were
Moses’ words less full of sin and unbelief or worthy of anything less than
God’s anger? Moses accused God of
afflicting him and of not showing him favor—Verse 11: And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted
thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou
layest the burden of all this people upon me? Moses was so overcome he even
went so far as to say this—Numbers 11:
15: And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have
found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.
Brethren,
Moses did the same thing as the unbelieving rebels did. Those whom God was
angry with are an example of what Moses, and me and you, and every sinner is—an
example of what we will do if left to ourselves. And the judgment God pours out
on them is the justice that you and I, believer, deserve from God.
Yet,
listen to God’s answer to Moses--Numbers
11: 16: And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders
of Israel…18: And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to
morrow, and ye shall eat flesh. There
is not a single mention of the sinful, unbelieving things Moses just sai God
answered in a most kind and tender manner declaring he would give Moses the two
things he needed to relieve him of his burden. Even when Moses doubted God’s
ability to give them flesh for a month, God simply asked him this question, verse 23: Is the LORD’S hand waxed short?
God
provided a blessing for Moses but judged the others. Why? It was not because
Moses deserved better—far from it! The
only difference between Moses and those unbelieving rebels is that God chose to
be gracious to Moses before the foundation of the world.
Christ our Surety
Christ
stood as Moses Surety. While Moses was
saying to God, verse 12: Have I
conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto
me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child,
unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?
While
Moses said that, Christ stood between Moses and God the Father, saying, “Father,
I have conceived this child, I have begotten Moses. I am carrying him in my
bosom, as a nursing father; this is my sucking child. I will bring him unto the
land that you sware to his father Abraham.
I’ll take all his sins, not only these in this event, but all of his
sins throughout his whole life, I’ll bear all the wrath of divine justice that
he owes Father. Pour out your fury on me and let him go free.” Therefore, the LORD said, “What a loving
prayer my child has prayed to me. I will be gracious to Moses because of my
Son.”
The
same is true of you and I to whom he has been gracious. Brethren, praise Christ Jesus for God’s unchanging,
indestructible grace! Despite our
unbelief, despite the murmurings in our hearts against God—still His ear is not
too heavy to hear Christ intercede for us and his arm is not too short to reserve
mercy for his child of grace for Christ’s sake.
Lamentations 3:22: It is of the LORD’S mercies that we
are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
Malachi 3:6: For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore
ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
II. GOD’S HAND IS NOT SHORT TO OVERCOME OUR
UNBELIEF AND TURN IT INTO FAITH.
We have
seen time and again that God’s question to sinners is to convict us of our sin.
Numbers 11: 23: And the LORD said unto Moses,
Is the LORD’S hand waxed short?
Mighty to Grant Repentance
Moses
must have heard, “Moses, when I slew a
lamb in place of all the firstborn in Egypt, passed over you, when I saw the
blood, then you thought my hand was mighty to save.” Brethren, when God revealed Christ in you,
when he made you see that he had carried all your sin away, when you saw him
bear divine justice, when you saw him satisfy himself and redeem you, then you
thought his hand was mighty to save. “Is the LORD’s hand waxed short?”
“Moses,
when I divided the Red Sea, delivered you over, drowned Pharaoh and his army then
you thought my hand was mighty to save.”
Brethren, when you beheld Christ triumphing over sin, death and hell for
you then you thought his hand was mighty to save. “Is the LORD’s hand waxed
short?”
“Moses,
when I turned the waters of Marah from bitterness to sweet so you could drink then
you thought my hand was mighty to save.”
Brethren, all the times the LORD has turned us from our bitter sin and
made us drink sweetly of his Spirit then we thought his hand was mighty to
save. “Is the LORD’s hand waxed short?”
“Moses
just yesterday when I was consuming the rebels in fire and you prayed to me so
that I withheld my wrath then you thought my hand was mighty to save.” Brethren,
just last night we thought his hand was mighty to save. “Is the LORD’s hand waxed short by this
morning.”
Oh, the
power of unbelief! After beholding God
perform many mighty works, unbelief made Moses forgot all God’s works. Quickly! Unbelief is a great power that you and I have
no way of overcoming.
Mighty to Give Faith
But
thankfully, God’s hand is mighty to turn our dead unbelief into living faith
once again.
Numbers 11: 23:…thou shalt see now whether my
word shall come to pass unto thee or not.
When
God says “thou shalt see now”—immediately thou shalt see! His word turned Moses
from unbelief to faith. How do we know that?
Numbers 11: 24: And Moses went out, and told
the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of
the people, and set them round about the tabernacle.
We saw
the same thing with Joshua last week.
God makes his servant believe God so that he declares the words of the
LORD to God’s people. That is what Moses did because God made him believe his
word.
Ephesians 2:8: For by grace are ye saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God
Now,
brethren, beholding this miracle of grace—God able to speak and turn Moses to
believe him—do you think the LORD’s hand will be able to bring to pass what he
promised? Sure he will.
III. GOD’S HAND IS MIGHTY TO PROVIDE PASTORS
AFTER HIS OWN HEART—Numbers 11: 25: And the LORD came down in a cloud, and
spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the
seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them,
they prophesied, and did not cease.
God Promised It
The
LORD promises to provide his people pastors and the Lord’s hand is not waxed short,
he is still able to do so.
Jeremiah 3:15: And I will give you pastors according to
mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding….23:4 And I will set up shepherds over them which
shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall
they be lacking, saith the LORD.
Isaiah 30:20: And though the Lord give you the bread of
adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed
into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers:
Christ Does It
Christ
as the Man who is God, as Head over his church, gives us pastors. Ephesians 4:
10-11 says that.
Ephesians 4: 11: And he gave some, apostles; and some,
prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Christ
shall continue to provide faithful pastors.
Ephesians 4: 13: Till we all [all God’s elect] come in
the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect
man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: [until every
member of Christ’s body is called and his body is full.]
Irresistible Grace
If God
has written a man’s name down to be his pastor, God will find him and separate him
for this work no matter where the man is.
Numbers 11: 26: But there remained two of the
men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other
Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were
written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.
“They
were of them that were written.” Therefore, God called them to the work. Nothing hinders the Holy Spirit from
finding his child and arresting them by resting on them.
Another
Example is Saul of Tarsus—the apostle Paul—He was on his way to Damascus to
arrest believers. Instead, Christ arrested him.
Galatians 6: 13: For ye have heard of my conversation in
time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the
church of God, and wasted it: 14: And profited in the Jews’ religion above many
my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions
of my fathers. 15 But when it pleased
God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,
16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might
preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
Pray for Laborers
When it
was reported to Moses about these two men preaching in the camp, Joshua said to
Moses, “forbid them.”
Numbers 11: 29: And Moses said unto him,
Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD’S people were prophets,
and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!
The
Lord’s hand is not short that he cannot provide pastors after his own heart. That
is such good news for congregations who are praying for a pastor. God is able to provide and shall wherever it
pleases him to do so. Let’s rejoice with
Moses and join those congregations in asking our Lord as Christ said, Matthews
9:38: Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth
labourers into his harvest.
IV. THE LORD’S HAND IS ABLE TO PROVIDE HIS
PEOPLE TEMPORAL BLESSINGS IN THIS EARTH—Numbers 11: 31: And there went forth a
wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the
camp, as it were a day’s journey on this side, and as it were a day’s journey
on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon
the face of the earth.
Temporal Blessings
This
was what Moses had more trouble believing than the spiritual blessings. Believer, why do we have trouble believing
God can do temporal things? God is the power of every law of the universe—from
gravity to weightlessness. God is the
power of every force and element—from the slightest wind to the power of the
sun. God is the power in every creature—God is the health of the healthy, the power
of nourishment so food nourishes our bodies, God turns the minds and hearts of
men whithersoever HE WILL.
But greater
than all of those things combined, is God’s power to forgive sin by the blood
and righteousness of Christ Jesus, greater than temporal miracles is God’s
power to create spiritual life within a dead sinner, greater than temporal
miracles is God’s power to raise the dead and make our vile bodies like unto
his glorious body—by the power whereby he is able to subdue all things. If the
LORD can do these greater spiritual miracles he can most certainly do the
lesser temporal miracles. Christ
declared that when he absolved the sins of the lame man then made him to walk.
Matthew 9: 5: For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be
forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? 6: But that ye may know that the Son
of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the
palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. 7: And he arose, and
departed to his house.
To
forgive sins takes far greater work and power than to heal bodily disease. Therefore,
since Christ is able to forgive us our sins is able to provide us whatever
temporal thing he pleases.
Brethren,
do you believe God took human flesh and lived a sinless life? Do you trust that he fulfilled the law and put
away the sins of all his elect by the sacrifice of himself? Are you resting in Christ believing that he
arose triumphant from the grave to his throne of dominion? Do you believe he was able to send the gospel
to you? Was he powerful enough to put a living new man in your dead flesh? Do
you believe he remembers your sins no more?
I know
you do. I see you delight to hear it
preached to you. Then let this be settled right here and now for every elect, redeemed,
born-again child in this place:
Romans 8:32 He
that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not
with him also freely give us all things?
God is
even able to use our enemies—who cause us grief—to provide temporal things for
us.
Numbers 11: 32: And the people stood up all
that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the
quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all
abroad for themselves round about the camp.
But
most who did that work, left the quails for others in the camp. God is even able
to use our enemies to provide for us.
V. GOD’S HAND IS NOT SHORT TO POUR OUT
JUDGMENT ON HIS ENEMIES AND RESTORE PEACE IN HIS CONGREGATION—Numbers 11: 33:
And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath
of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with
a very great plague. 34: And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah:
because there they buried the people that lusted.
Just Reprobation
God
gave them what they lusted for not for their profit, but as reprobate men,
turned over to their lusts. (Ps 106: 15; 78: 18-33) They despised the presence
of the LORD, they complained about having to follow and wait on the LORD, they
lusted after Egypt’s fruits and hated angels food sent down from God and they
murmured against the power of his hand to furnish a table in the wilderness for
their bellies. Due to their own
rebellion, God justly removed that very hand they murmured against removed his
restraints, gave them over to their lusts. Then after they gathered it all up
for Moses and Joshua and Caleb, he slew the fattest of them in judgment and
buried them out of sight.
Settled His People
After doing
so, he moved his people on to a better place.
Numbers 11: 35: And the people journeyed from
the [graves of lust] unto Hazeroth [meaning settlement] and abode [settled.]
As Paul
Harvey used to say, Now you know the rest of the story. “His hand is not short
that is cannot save, neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear!” But his hand is mighty to deliver all his
people from the “the graves of lust” to abide settled by his grace in
faith.
Amen!