Grumbling, Complaint & Dissent
Pastor Leslie Chua
“And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
“Your grumbling is not against us but against the LORD.”
Grumbling, complaint, and dissent were prominent features of the Israelites in the Exodus generation. Amid a sea of drastic changes in their lives, they vented their frustration by complaining incessantly against Moses.
When Pharoah and his armies closed in on them at the banks of the Red Sea, the Israelites complained, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness?” (Exodus 14:11)
After crossing the Red Sea, they went for three days in the wilderness without finding any water. When they finally found water at Marah, they could not drink it because it was bitter. Again, they grumbled against Moses (Exodus 15:24).
After that, they grumbled again when they ran out of food. They lamented that they always had enough bread and meat back in the good old days in Egypt (Exodus 16:2-3).
The Israelites’ grumblings were laced with bitterness and sarcasm. While I can understand their plight, I find their attitude appalling.
Grumbling, complaint, and dissent are a favourite pastime of many people, including Christians. These behavioural patterns are more than just expressions of discontent in our hearts. They reflect a lack of self-control in managing our frustration. Worse, they might be an indication of a deeper issue in our hearts. They reveal the hidden fault lines concerning our view of God.
Every Christian should know two things about grumbling, complaint, and dissent.
Grumbling is a Sin
First, grumbling is a sin.
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Grumbling is a sin because it betrays a lack of trust in God.
You do not have faith that God will provide.
You do not believe in God’s providence.
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That sounds serious. Probably, not many Christians would think of it in this way. They would look at grumbling as not the best way to handle their discontent and frustration. But sin? That seems like a stretch.
Grumbling is a sin because it betrays a lack of trust in God. You do not have faith that God will provide. You do not believe in God’s providence. According to the Scripture, whatever does not proceed from faith is sin (Romans 14:23).
The Israelites in the Exodus generation had the wonderful privilege to witness the mighty power of God. They saw first-hand how the LORD used the Ten Plagues to force Pharaoh to release them from slavery. The gods of Egypt were judged, and the will of Pharoah was broken.
They saw God’s majestic pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night leading them out of Egypt and on their journey.
Yet, they grumbled.
They grumbled at the prospect of certain death when Pharoah cornered them at the Red Sea. But in what must be one of the most stunning miracles ever performed, God parted the waters for them to pass through on the dry ground.
They grumbled again at Marah because the water was bitter. God healed the water, making it drinkable.
They complained yet again when they ran out of food in the Wilderness of Sin. God responded graciously by providing them with manna from heaven and flooding the desert floor with quails.
They grumbled against Moses again at Massah and Meribah when they could not find water. God brought water out of the hard rock to quench their thirst.
You would have thought that all these signs and wonders should be more than enough to convince them of God’s love, mercy, and care for them. That these powerful miracles would be more than sufficient for them to put their trust in the LORD and buttress their faith in Him.
Unfortunately, that is not the case. Either they were forgetful, or they did not have faith. Clearly, it was a case of unbelief. Despite the benefit of their amazing experiences, they did not believe.
Grumbling Displeases God
Second, grumbling displeases God.
Nothing displeases God more than unbelief. That is the reason God was displeased with their constant grumbling and complaining.
God was patient with the Israelites, bearing with their dissent initially. But He responded differently a year later at Taberah. Once again, they complained about their misfortunes. The same pattern repeated itself. God was not so kind this time around. His anger kindled against them and “the fire of the LORD burned among them” destroying some outlying parts of their camp. They cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to God. The LORD relented (Numbers 11:1-3).
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Nothing displeases God more than unbelief. That is the reason God was displeased with their constant grumbling and complaining.
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But the rabble among them did not learn the lesson. They continued to test the LORD with their dissent. Growing tired of eating manna day after day, they complained, “There is nothing at all but this manna to look at” (Numbers 11:6b). They recalled with fondness their days in Egypt when they enjoyed a wide selection of meat, fish, and vegetables (numbers 11:4-6).
How ironic it is that freedom suddenly meaned so little to them when they had it.
God’s anger “blazed hotly” against His people (Number 11:10). While He acceded to their request, He sent a devastating plague along with the quails. This is the account according to the Scripture – “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” (Numbers 11:33). Many Israelites died on that day. That place was aptly named Kibroth-hattaavah, which means “the graves of cravings.”
Grumbling and constant complaining are a sign of unbelief. They also reveal the underlying attitude of ungratefulness. If the Israelites had been grateful to the LORD for His mercy and grace, they would be more than willing to bear some inconveniences.
In a world that places a premium on convenience and instant gratification, gratefulness has become a lost virtue.
Grumbling displeases God. So, stop grumbling.
Strawman
If you read these passages of the Israelites’ grumbling in the books of Exodus and Numbers, you would have noticed that it was always directed at Moses. However, Moses knew that he was merely the strawman. Their gripe was essentially against the LORD. But they dared not point their fingers at God. So, they vented their frustration at Moses. They used him as their punching bag.
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Moses’ own siblings used the strawman tactic against him. Miriam and Aaron were jealous of Moses’ close relationship with God and the power that the LORD had vested upon Moses. They wanted for themselves a share of the power.
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Everybody knew. Moses knew and they knew. God obviously knew. Moses warned them to stop their charade - “Your grumbling is not against us, but against the LORD” (Exodus 16:8).
Moses’ own siblings used the strawman tactic against him. Miriam and Aaron were jealous of Moses’ close relationship with God and the power that the LORD had vested upon Moses. They wanted for themselves a share of the power.
But they dared not broach the subject until they had found an excuse when Moses married a Cushite woman. Perhaps, Moses should have married an Israelite woman instead. Maybe he had permission from the LORD to marry the Cushite woman. We do not know.
What we know and what is obvious is that Miriam and Aaron took advantage of Moses’ “questionable” marriage as an occasion to dissent against their brother – “Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” (Numbers 12:2)
This is the real issue. This is the underlying motivation for their dissent. The Cushite woman is merely a strawman.
Reasons People Grumble
My dear friends, there are many reasons why people grumble, complain, and dissent. Besides a lack of trust in God and His providence, another common reason is they do not get what they want.
It could arise out of a desperate and genuine need, or fear and anxiety. Or, it could be motivated by jealousy and selfish ambition, which is the case for Miriam and Aaron.
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There are many reasons why people grumble, complain, and dissent. Besides a lack of trust in God and His providence, another common reason is they do not get what they want.
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I want to end this reflection with two practical thoughts regarding grumbling and dissent.
First, how do we stop grumbling and complaining?
We must learn to trust God for His provision and providence. Read the Bible to build your faith in Christ. Pray. The act of praying strengthens your faith in the Lord. When you pray, God’s Spirit works in you to assure you that He will take care of you.
Why grumble when you can pray? Why complain when you can talk to the most powerful Person in existence? Tell Him your problems. He loves you more than you could ever imagine, and He has the power to answer all your prayers. Take your burdens to Jesus in prayer. There is no need for you to grumble and complain.
Second, how do you respond when someone keeps complaining to you about another person?
Be careful not to believe and agree with everything you hear no matter how convincing it is. You are hearing only one side of the story. Usually, the facts are presented in a slanted manner. If the dissenter is crafty, he would attempt to draw you into the fray. If you want to know the truth, speak to the other person who has been accused. Otherwise, do not make any conclusion and assume that the one being accused is guilty.
Do not let a grumbler or dissenter deceive and defile you. That was how the rabble got many Israelites to dissent against Moses and into trouble with the LORD.
God hates grumblers and dissenters. Always remember that.