“Standing in the Doorway of a New Promise” (Part Five)

Learning to Overcome the Need for Recognition (Num. 11:26-29)

Step by step, God used various situations to train Joshua while Moses was yet alive, until he eventually took on the leadership of the children of Israel. In the course of his leadership training, Joshua learned three great external qualities of Godly leadership: the "well-worn knees" of intercession; the "locked arms" of teamwork and the "trained ear" of perception. Yet, he could not lead the people of God until he experienced and mastered three great internal lessons that were firmly rooted in his heart. In our last study, we saw the inner need to recognize the close presence of God, and not quench the internal thirst for God in true worship encounters.

Another great lesson Joshua mastered was the conscious discipline of curbing his appetite for affirmation and recognition by his followers in order to feel more significant. It was the lesson of learning to find "true north" on the compass of direction, not falling into the trap of walking according to the compass of applause. Just as nothing can substitute for the intimate communion with God in worship encounters, nothing can cause a leader to stray more quickly than "believing his own press" and hungering for more self-praise.

The setting for this lesson is found in Numbers 11, part of the section that recalls the march from Kadesh Barnea to the "great and terrible" wilderness of Paran (10:11-12:16). During the journey God showed Himself faithful again to Moses in the request for Divine direction as they began the march. Moses asked God: "Do not leave us, I beg you. You comprehend exactly our problem of sojourning through this wilderness. Be our eyes for us!" (10:31) God answered with a cloud that led them each day they moved the camp (10:34). Moses was careful to acknowledge his need of Divine guidance with each move. Every time the camp was moved, the Holy Ark was moved ahead of the people. As it was taken up, Moses exclaimed, "Rise up, Lord, and let your enemies be scattered!" When the new camp was begun, the Ark was placed at rest to the sound of the words, "Return O Lord to the camp of Israel!" Moses graphically reminded the people of his daily dependence on God for direction, a wise move for any leader.

Despite Moses' dedication, the people were easily drawn into complaining. The murmuring was a pain to the Lord's ears, and no doubt caused pain and heartache for the leaders of the people as well. Moses was not untouched by the constant whining. The days were hot, the land was dry and the nights were often very cool. Nothing was ever clean. Nothing was ever convenient. Nothing was ever easy. It was a miserable place to fight for survival, and Moses was taking the people on a trek to their new home. Goals are not the stuff of the desert. Desert people quickly learn to expend as little energy as possible to survive. Yet, Moses pushed on.

The first group to squeal and crack under the pressure of the sun was the "rabble," called in the King James Version "the mixed multitude" (Numbers 11:4; see also Exodus 12:38; the Hebrew term is transliterated As-pes-oof': meaning "multitude"; from the agricultural term in Hebrew "Aw-saf"- something that is gathered and stored as in a harvest.) This group included other Semites not part of the children of Israel. In fact, it was for this group God included the special condition that the Law given to Moses was to be carefully observed by the stranger in the midst of Israel, as it was observed by Israel itself (Ex. 12:49). This group began to clamor for a change of menu, complaining that the God of Abraham forced them onto a vegetarian diet! What was worse, they began to cry out to the children of Israel and remind them of the diet of Egypt, including the rather pronounced tastes of onions, garlic and leeks. Compared to the "Moshe Crocker Cookbook: 1,000 ways to serve manna" (see Num. 11:8 for great ways to serve it!), the Egyptian fish restaurant menus began to sound incredible (Numbers 11:5). The heat of the desert was thinly veiled in their complaint, "We are dried up! There is nothing but this manna!" (Num. 11:6)

Moses heard the complaints, and the weeping at night. It grieved him to the point that he wanted to quit. He turned to God and (swept by the complaining spirit that inhabited the camp) whined: "Why have I not found favor in your sight? Why did you place the burden of these people on me? Are these MY children that you should tell me to provide for them all … I cannot take more of this alone! If this is the way it must be, take me and kill me, this is too much! (Num. 11:10-15, my paraphrase).

God patiently answered Moses, and told him to get ready for God to answer the requests of the people. First, God told Moses to get the seventy elders of the people and gather with them at the Tabernacle, where God distributed the Spirit given to Moses upon the other leaders. This was an answer to the lonely feeling Moses had. Second, God told Moses to get the children of Israel prepared for a feast of meat that He was about to send upon them. God promised to send an abundance of meat that would overwhelm them until they were sick of it, a month long special of quail by the ton. When Moses heard that claim, he doubted saying, "Have you forgotten how many people are here?" (Num 11:21). God reminded Moses, "Are you saying this is too hard for Me?" Moses got the point and told the people to get ready.

Always true to His Word, God swept over the leadership council at the Tabernacle (Num. 11:25) and they began to openly proclaim God's truths from their mouths. Even the two leaders that were not at the gathering (for reasons that are not given) - Eldad and Medad began to prophesy from the Lord in the midst of the camp. God's spirit rested on them, and people took notice! A young man saw what was happening and ran to report to Moses at the Tabernacle. When the group heard the report, Joshua stepped forth and bid Moses, "Stop them, tell them to be quiet!"

Moses looked into the eyes of his young leader in training. He knew what was bothering him. He said to Joshua, "Are you envious of them for my sake? Josh, I wish all of Israel experienced the move of God's Spirit in these prophesies!" (Num. 11:28-29, paraphrased).

Then quail came down like a flood on the plain, and the people scooped them up. Day and night for two days the people caught and cooked fowl. They were as overcome with quail as a mom on free shopping spree at the local grocery! There was no limit to how tightly the shopping cart was stuffed! Yet, their hard hearts did not melt with their full stomachs. God knew a lesson was in order, and He sent a sickness to draw the people back to Him (11:33).

What of the lesson to Joshua? Certainly he was loyal to Moses, and that was obvious from this account. He possessed the desire to protect Moses and to ensure his leadership. His motives were good. Yet, Moses possessed a quality that Joshua needed to understand and learn. Numbers 12:3 recalls, "Moses was a humble man, the most humble of his day!" When criticized by his own family, Moses did not feel the need to respond in kind. Joshua needed to understand this critical feature of a Godly leader. The truth that he needed to grasp: When we walk with God and truly care about what is on His heart, we need not defend ourselves. He is our refuge - His powerful arms shield us! When we thrash about to prove ourselves right under attack, we lose our God-ward focus.

The lesson revolved around the understanding of one word - "humility". The Hebrew term, transliterated "aw-nawv", was used twenty-four times in the Hebrew Bible, and was translated "meek" in the majority of them. The true meaning of humility can easily be obscured by our proud culture, however. Humility is not thinking poorly of one's self - that is a poor self-image (and is a sin)! Humility is placing the needs and desires of others above one's self! It is that quality that inspired great men and women of the Bible to go beyond measure for another. It was the quality that Paul recalled in the Messiah, who considered Heaven's throne something that He could let go of, to put on the skin of a servant (see Phil. 2:1ff). It was the lesson of "other person centeredness".

Akin to humility was the byproduct of other person centered thinking - security. Moses was not insecure in his leadership, for he knew in his heart it was bestowed and maintained by the Most High God. He did not feel the people made him their leader! He felt that God put him in the place of leadership, and God alone maintained his place. He was not intimidated by another's giftedness, nor was he moved by self-protection. Moses had an abundant supply of God-given security, and the recognition of men was a distant second on his mind. How much Joshua needed this lesson to help transform his natural abilities into a Godly leader!

When the leader feeds his ego from the followers, he loses the strong sense that he serves God and not the followers. When they complain, he loses heart. Conversely, when the leader remembers that God placed him in the position, complaints by the flock drive the leader back to his Master, and strengthen his grip on the hand of God. Joshua needed to learn from one who was marked by the grip of a Powerful and Loving God!