Do Not Murmur!

Do Not Murmur!

“Nor murmur, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come.”

Murmuring is a terrible sin. It is, first of all, unbelief. One doesn’t believe that all things are for one’s good, but then one doesn’t love God either. Rom. 8:28.

Paul takes the example of the fathers who had murmured. If we consider what they were murmuring about we will see that they murmured about the means by which God intended to glorify them. God wanted to show His power and glory through what was impossible. When the enemies were so great that they thought it was impossible to conquer the land, they murmured. God regarded it as if they despised Him.

“These men who . . . have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who despised Me see it.” Num. 14:22-23.

If we think of the holy men who spoke in the Lord’s name, they often had reason to murmur— humanly speaking—but they suffered afflictions and thus could speak in the name of the Lord. James writes that we shall take them as an example. Ch. 5:10-11.

“For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without murmuring and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” Phil. 2:13-15.

We would like to be God’s blameless children, but how are we going to be that? We don’t understand it, but God is working. It does not happen according to our human reasoning. Therefore we must believe and not murmur. Through the “patience of Job” God could make him known as the most righteous man on earth throughout all generations. He treated Joseph in the same way, and likewise all those who spoke in the name of the Lord.

Jesus Himself, as God’s Son, had to learn obedience by the things He suffered. Heb. 2:10, 5:8. We want to be glorified together with Him, but do we want to suffer with Him? By murmuring we indicate that the sufferings are pointless. Yet Peter writes that we shall not think it strange as though some strange thing happened to us, “but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.” 1 Pet. 4:12-13.

Murmuring is arrogance, which is despising God who is working. It is not something innocent. A person who murmurs is being destroyed by the destroyer. However, if we humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand—He who is working—He who does not forget the five sparrows who are sold for two copper coins and has even counted the very hairs on our head, He can also exalt us in His time and present us as lights in this world. It is He who says, “Fear not!” 1 Pet. 5:6-7; Luke 12:6-7.