Murmurs from the Multitude

They were probably impressed with the wonder-working God of Israel, and they, too, wanted to escape. So this “mixed multitude” or “foreign rabble” joined the Israelites as they left Egypt. But though they left Egypt, apparently Egypt never left them.

And they were a bad influence on God’s people.

They started to complain, and then the Israelites began to complain too. They said, “Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!” (Numbers 11:4–6 NKJV).

Interestingly, this foreign rabble hated the manna. They basically said, “We detest it. We don’t want that manna in our lives.” Yet it was bread from Heaven, sent from God.

Likewise, non-Christians don’t get why Christians love the Bible. In fact, a real test of your spiritual life is whether you look forward to Bible study. Do you dread it and can’t wait until it’s over? That’s an indication of where you are spiritually.

A hungry believer is a healthy believer. If you’re strong spiritually, if you’re healthy spiritually, then you’ll be constantly hungry for more of God’s Word. But if you’re unhealthy spiritually, you won’t.

Ungodly people were a bad influence on the Israelites. The apostle Paul warned, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14 NKJV).

Think about who influences you. Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future. If as a Christian you hang around people who do not believe as you, they can influence you and bring you down. So be very careful.