Murmuring against God Comunicación y Gerencia February 26 th,2006 Grades 4-5 Click to add Text

Introduction The rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram had raised many doubts in the minds of the Israelites. They began to doubt the promises God had made to them, therefore, began to rebel against Moses and Aaron.

The deaths of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram raised feelings of anger and doubt that people began to rebel, although they saw how severely punished the men were, they didn’t care. The entire congregation began to murmur against God and His promises.

The people of Israel began to murmur against Aaron and Moses, accusing them of killing the people of the Lord in the wilderness. They thought they were the killers of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram instead of God. They were confused. The congregation had gathered against Moses and Aaron towards the Tabernacle of meetings.

Suddenly, while in the tabernacle of meeting, a cloud had filled the room. This represented God’s presence. God spoke to Moses and Aaron, telling them to separate themselves from the congregation so He can destroy them because they had murmured against them, their leader and their priest. Moses and Aaron were chosen and guided by God.

BUT… Moses and Aaron fell on their faces to the ground and asked God to forgive the people of Israel, despite all they had said against the Lord.

What does this show? This shows great forgiveness and care of both Moses and Aaron for the people of Israel although they were rebelling and murmuring against them. Chosen people by GOD.

Moses told Aaron to take a censor and fill it with incense and run in the midst of the people. Moses himself did not take the role of the priest because that was delegated to Aaron, not Moses. He respected his role.

Aaron was to help Moses as the leader and the communicator with God. Never did Moses try to take over as a priest or do what Aaron was delegated to do by God. They respected each of their roles and helped each other with them rather than take it over.

Aaron listened to Moses, took the censor, and ran in the midst of the congregation. However, the plague from God had already started and people were dying. However, the plague stopped and there was a sharp separation between the dead and the living exactly between the sides that Aaron took between the people. The plague had Killed 14,700 people instantly!

What have we learned? As God defended Moses and Aaron against the rebellion and envy of the Israelites, God also defends and fights for His children We have to learn to believe and trust in God’s promises to us and do not murmur against Him if He takes a while to fulfill them. He has a plan for us and we always have to remember God’s previous works for us and be Thankful.

Everyone of us has a role to do in life. We should always respect each other’s roles and try not to take over. As we saw with Aaron in his role as a priest, his prayers and incense in stopping the plague and standing between the living and the dead, teaches us to respect the strength of the prayers of the priests on our behalf.

Conclusion Murmuring against God is a sin. God can punish us harshly for it if He wills. Instead God fulfills His promises to us; we just have to always be patient.

Questions? What were the names of the 3 men that God punished? Why did the Israelites start Murmuring against God? What did God do to the people that murmured against Him? What did Moses and Aaron do? What was Moses’ role? What was Aaron’s role? What did Aaron do to the congregation? How many people died?

Memory Verse “I will rid Myself of the murmuring of the children of Israel” (Numbers 17:5)