Murmuring

"And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp." (Numbers 11: 1)

"So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, 'If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?'" (Num. 14: 1-3)

What a disgusting sin is murmuring. It is a characteristic and defining sin. To murmur is to complain of one's lot, to express discontent with God and life. Sinners habitually complain of their circumstances. We see this sin acted out daily and regularly by sinners, even by Christians. It is the practice of rebellious and sinful man, springing from the depraved nature, to bellyache, to gripe, to be grouchy, to whine, to grumble, to fault-find, etc.

"Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters...Neither let us commit fornication...Neither let us tempt Christ...Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." (I Corinthians 10: 6-11)

Paul says to the early Christians - "look at the examples we have in the history of God's dealings with Israel and note the evil of the sin of murmuring." It is no mean sin. Sadly, murmuring is not only an occasional sin with many, but a manner of thinking and a way of life. It is an habitual sin with our fallen race. No wonder then the numerous warnings in the Bible against this destructive sin.

"Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world." (Philippians 2: 14, 15)

A person who regularly grumbles about life and his circumstances is someone who is not "blameless" and "harmless," nor someone who is one of the "sons of God," nor "without rebuke."

To see a soul who rarely complains, no matter how great the suffering and deprivation, is truly an amazing and astonishing thing! Someone like that just "stands out" in a crowd, like a light shining in darkness. It shows that the person has a spirit and an understanding that only few possess. It is truly a divine and godly spirit. In fact, we are told that those who do not know God and who do not possess his Spirit, "are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts..." (Jude 16)

There are several examples of the sin of murmuring in the New Testament. The parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Matt. 20:1-16) is a good case study. Some of the hired workers murmured because of perceived inequalities in the dealings of the landlord. They had worked an entire day while others had worked only for a much shorter period, yet all received the same wages. They had received their just pay, what they had contracted to accept as payment, but they still murmured against the goodness of the landlord/employer, who had graciously given them a job. Though they had been unemployed, and desperately needed a job, yet were they not thankful that the good man had given them work. Instead of being thankful and contented, they griped, complained, and accused the goodman of doing them a disservice by hiring them and paying them what they had agreed to accept! What employer would want to invite those kinds of employees back to work? I think he would be looking for workers who were thankful for employment.

God is the employer of all men, especially of those who believe. All are his servants, but especially are believers the servants of God. What kind of employees are we? We know what kind of employer is God. He is the best boss ever!

"Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?" (Lamentations 3: 39)

That is the great question! Man really has no just reason to gripe. He is alive. He still has hope for better days. Others are dead and their days of complaining are gone from the earth. All human suffering is the direct result of sin, be it the sin of Adam, the sin of the race, or our own personal sin. So, we really have no just cause for complaint. But, it takes grace to realize this and to live life with contentment and without murmuring. Jesus is our great example in all this. Look at his great sufferings! Yet, he never complained nor murmured.