Crave Freedom

Then a wind from the Lord sprang up, and it brought quail from the sea and let them fall beside the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and a day’s journey on the other side, around the camp, and about two cubits above the ground. And the people rose all that day and all night and all the next day, and gathered the quail. Those who gathered least gathered ten homers. And they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck down the people with a very great plague. Therefore the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had the craving. (Numbers 11:31–34)

The people wanted meat like they had before He rescued them from bondage in Egypt. So God gave them meat, but with it came His anger at their desire for that which represented sin. In their consumption, this ‘meat’ meant judgment and death. The place where they died was called Kibroth-hattaavah, meaning graves of craving.

This event points to what happens if I let my sinful desires become so important that I cry out to God to do for me what I want rather than be thankful for all that He provides. My spiritual life is damaged. In their case, it was a physical death. In mine, it is a separation from God and just as deadly. I cannot function when filled with sinful selfishness.

Yesterday I talked with someone who professes faith in Christ but is off on a tangent over worldly matters. Some of it reminded me of this NT warning:

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. (1 Timothy 6:10)

It was not that person who was caught up in a love of money, but he is listening to several people who seem to be and they have clouded his judgment. This reminds me of another truth:

Let God be true though every one were a liar. . . .  (Romans 3:4)

How do we know that our human sources are telling truth? The Lord calls Satan a liar and the father of lies, and says he can disguise himself as an angel of light. That means we need to listen to the One who says “I am the truth” lest we are deceived.

Going back to that event in Numbers, the root of their sin was a craving for the perks of their old life. They seemed to forget the bondage and focused only on what they were missing, at least for a time. As I listened to the views of the person I talked with yesterday, it came out that his views were rooted in wanting a prosperity rather than seeing the dangers of craving and the consequences of insisting his views were truth. (Long story for this short space.)

For me, the bottom line is: How do I know if something is truth? Jesus said if I know the truth, it will set me free, free to trust Him, free from anxiety about events and the way other humans behave, free from trying to figure out the ‘whys’ of life and free to let God take care of those who live contrary to His will. Truth is found in Christ and in His Word. People who are duped need prayer and His light because they cannot see it without the Holy Spirit opening their eyes. 

By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error. (1 John 4:2–6)

Jesus, I know I can fall for lies too. That is why I run to You every day. You never lie to me. I might get it wrong, but eventually You sort it out and keep me listening to You. The main truth is Your incredible faithfulness to keep Your people from being overpowered by that Liar.