FBCWest 693 | Slavery for Cucumbers
Recorded On: 01/04/2026
Bulletin
Hymn # 35 “How Great Thou Art”
SCRIPTURE READING – Psalm 8
Giving of Selves and Our Offerings
OFFERTORY PRAYER
OFFERTORY MUSIC – Pru Hungate
Praise and Worship
“In the House”
“Raise a Hallelujah”
“Praise You Anywhere”
Proclamation of the Word
Message by Pastor Joe
“Slavery for Cucumbers”
“Egypt”
Sermon Notes
Numbers 11:1 The people complain of adversity and the Lord consumed some of them with fire
Numbers 11:2 & 3 Moses prayed and the fire stopped
Numbers 11:4 – 6 People complained that in Egypt they could eat fish, cucumbers and other things
Numbers 11:7 – 9 Manna described and how it was harvested
Numbers 11:10 – 15 Moses wants to die because of the people and the burden he is carrying
Numbers11:16 & 17 To lift the burden God initiates the Sanhedrin
Numbers 11:18 – 20 The Lord says that the people are to consecrate themselves and they will be given meat to eat
Numbers11:21 & 22 Moses doubts God’s power
Numbers 11:23 The Lord says “Is His power limited?”
Numbers 11:24 – 30 God places His Spirit upon the elders
Numbers 11:31 –33 The Lord gives them meat, but while they are chewing it the Lord struck them with a plague
Galatians 5:1 Christ set us free, do not becomes slaves again
Scritpures
Transcript of Service
For generations, the descendants of Israel were in slavery and cried out to God. God delivered them in about one year we find that they were complaining about freedom and about the things that they had in Egypt. They were willing to trade freedom for minimal things. The question we need to ask ourselves is, what are we willing to trade our freedom for? And how cheaply do we trade that freedom?
Many, many years ago, more than I'd like to remember, our church did a program called Walk to the Bible. It was kind of done over a short period of time and went through the Bible. It gave you kind of an overview of the Bible, kind of the Cliff Notes version. They would do things to help lock in the thoughts and the ideas. For instance, to get you to remember Joseph, the speaker would say, Joseph, and he would do that to kind of the code of many colors. And so, after that, I had an opportunity to speak and I said, well, if this is Joseph, what is this? And no one knew, if this is Joseph, this is Joe.
Well, that was brought up a few weeks ago. When I was considering what to do after we've finished the Advent season after going through the Gospel of Mark. And that reminded me of Walk to the Bible. And during the New Year's time, and a lot of people make resolutions and they're going to go on a diet, they're going to do these things and exercise and do whatever. And many Christians will say, they're going to read through the Bible.
And they have good intentions and sometimes they fall off just because we tend not to install new habits. And so, we just kind of forget. And the other is because you intend to, and you start out in Genesis and it's great. There's great stories and it's interesting.
And there's some theology there. And then you go through Exodus and you go, that's cool. And there's again some great stories and some understanding.
And then you hit Leviticus. And it's about sacrifices and laws and whatever. And you go, I'm not a Levitical priest and who cares. So you kind of struggle through it. And some people fall away and others kind of get through it. And then they get to the book of numbers. And the first 10 chapters of numbers is numbers. They're taking a census and they're kind of organizing.
And many people just stop there to go, I give up. Or they jump over to the New Testament because they can't do it. And so, what I'm going to do is kind of a version of walking through the Bible and numbers. I'm going to know the first 10 chapters.
And I'm going to miss certain aspects of numbers that I don't necessarily think is right. I don't necessarily think is relevant. But I'm, I want us to go because there are some great teaching and events and warnings that we should know about that we miss because it starts out with a census and numbers and just seems boring. And so we're going to start in chapter 11. So if you have your Bibles and you should turn to numbers chapter 11 and numbers as you got Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and then numbers. It's the fourth book and then turn to the 10th chapter. Now the context of this is this is that the children of Israel left Egypt under the power of God.
They went to Mount Sinai where the law was given to them and they stayed. And now we're about one year after they're leaving Egypt and that bondage. And the previous chapter at the end says that they decided that God tells them to go on a three day journey. So this like this a one year and three days into this and this is the context and this is where we're at. And so it says this. Now the people became like those who complain of adversity in their hearing of the Lord.
And when the Lord heard it, his anchor was kindled and the fire of the Lord burned them among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. And so if you've been listening to me, especially in the last message, maybe we should when we talk, we should talk like God hears. Because guess what God hears. And he said these people are gripping and complaining and God's hearing it.
And basically their gripes and complaints are as result of what God has done. And so God is angry with them and a fire and on the outside of this camp, there are those who are burned up because of that. Now this kind of shows if you will, some people say, oh God is angry and whatever. I see God is merciful.
Because if I were God, everybody is gripping and complaining against me. You'd be burned up. And so he just kind of gives a warning.
Don't mess with me. We have a kind of an acronym and it's the FOF. I'm not going to I'll do the PG version. It's full around and find out. Well, they pulled around and they found out that God is to be taken seriously.
And so should we. And so there are their gripping and complaining and we're going to see why they're gripping and complaining. And the people therefore cried out to Moses and Moses prayed to the Lord and the fire died out. So the people see Moses is intervention and Moses intervenes and God then stops the fire. So we again see that there's this this pecking order that the people see that it's Moses who has influence with God.
Therefore, we'll get Moses to be on our side. Would it be better if the people walked like Moses walked and had a relationship with God where they could cry out to God and say, God, we're sorry. We repent. We'll stop. But they seek Moses's intervention.
And fortunately for them, Moses does. So it says. And so the name of that place was called Tebarah, which means burning because of the fire of the Lord burned among them. And so this place has a particular name because of it. And the rabble who were among them had greedy desires. And also the sons of visual wept again and said, who will give us meat to eat?
They want meaty. They want something different in their diet than they're getting. And then they go, we remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt and the cucumbers and the melons and the leaks and the onions and the garlic to go, we had all this food. And we were slaves. Wasn't it wonderful? Notice they don't mention the fact that they had to make bricks and find their own straw. Notice that they don't talk about the way they were beaten and mistreated and they cried out for generation upon generation for redemption and freedom.
And because they don't like their diet, they're willing to exchange it for cucumbers. And I'm not giving myself, I don't like cucumbers. So I don't much care.
I could probably do it and leaks and who cares. Onion is a nice seasoning garlic slicing fish. Okay. But it can't be that great a fish because they were not ocean.
They were probably in the canals and in the Nile and whatever. So it's catfish and most people, they go, oh catfish is disgusting. It's a four man fish, but they're, they're driving and complaining because what God has been providing. He says, but now our appetite is gone.
Now for one who needs to lose weight, that's probably a good thing. People are taking medicine now to eliminate their appetite, but these people are complaining that their appetite is gone because they're not getting cucumbers. And there is nothing to look out except this man. The bread of heaven, that which God is providing, they're tired of looking at it.
Now the scripture is going to tell us what the man was like. It said, the man was like coriander seed and his parents was like Bidilium. Bidilium is kind of a resin type of thing. So it's, it's kind of a sticky time thing. And this Bidilium is also, if you will, a, for those of you who are involved with essential oils, is an essential oil. And it helps in as the medicine, which means that not only was God giving them healthy food, he was providing medicine at the same time. He was providing them a complete diet that also made sure that they wouldn't get sick, but they're gripping and complaining because they don't get cucumbers. And the people would go about and gather it and grind it between two millstones or beat it in a mortar and boil it in the pot and make cakes with it.
And the taste as it was like the taste of cakes, cakes, cakes, cakes with oil. So it's giving us an example of what it's like, how it looks and how it tastes. Now, that sounds pretty good to me, like taste of cakes. I mean, one of my problems is is I'm tempted with dessert after a meal when I shouldn't eat the dessert and cake is one of those things that is tempting. They're going, so not only they're complaining about the food, but they're complaining about the food that tastes good and is good for them. Again, they would rather have cucumbers in slavery than tasty, nutritious food provided for them by God himself. All they had to do is go out and collect it and if they didn't have to plan it, they didn't have to water it, they just had to go out and pick it up, but that's too hard. And when the dew fell on the camp that night, the man would fall with it.
Again, no planning, no agricultural experience, just pick it up. Now, Moses, God loved Moses because we're going to see how tolerant he was. So now Moses heard the people weeping throughout the families and each man at the doorway of his tent and the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly and Moses was displeased. He's unhappy that this is happening and as many people do, Samuel and other people of God take it personal and Moses is displeased because it's not going well. And so Moses said to the Lord, why have you been so hard on your servant? Notice it's all about me.
They're gripping that the food is bad, but it's now about Moses, not about the people and not about God. It's all about me. Why have you, why are you treating me this way, God? And why have you not found, why have not found favor in your sight that you have laid the burden of all this people on me? Again, he's honest, but notice he's saying it's all my responsibility. Moses tried to free the people. It didn't work out so well.
He ended up for 40 years and midian. When he came back, when God told him to, God performed 10 wonders. Moses didn't perform 10 wonders. God performed 10 wonders.
When Pharaoh finally allowed the people to go and when they got to the red scene, not the sea of reeds, God separated the waters and they walked on dry land. Moses did into it. When they walked through the wilderness and all this other time, God led them by a cloud at day and a cloud of fire by night. When Moses was doing, it was God's leading.
When God gave them the law, Moses wasn't the law giver. He was simply the one who took it down. God has been doing all of these things.
He had now Moses saying, all this all about me. Then he goes, was it I who conceived all this people? No. Was it I who brought them forth that you should say to me, carry them in your bosom as a nurse carries a nursing infant to the land which you have sworn to their fathers? No, he never did.
God always said, they're my people. This is my promises. This is what I'm going to do. Moses is taking on burdens. God never asked him to do. God simply said, I'm going to talk to you.
You're going to tell the people and we're going to go. God has always been responsible for his people, not Moses. When God gives us a ministry of tasks to do, it's because God has given us something to do that he will perform and that he wants to get glory by the fact that we're doing it. Not that we're great at it, but that he is and he gets the glory because I can't believe what Pastor Joe is doing because of how awesome God is.
Because if I could get the glory, then it would be nothing spectacular. So Moses again is taking on a burden that God never asked him to. If any again takes it on personal, where am I to get meat to give to all this people? Or they weep before me saying, give us meat that we may eat. So again, he said, where am I going to find this food?
Again, he's taking on the responsibility that God is not asked him to do. He goes, I alone am not able to carry all this people because it is to burn some for me and he's right. It is. And it's not God who's ever asked him to carry the burden. God has simply asked him to be the man God has asked him to be. So if you're going to deal with me, please kill me at once. Notice everybody goes, just kill me.
Okay. So what's the result of God kills him that he's in heaven with God? But where is he now on earth with God, depending on God, what we be doing in heaven, depending on God. So for the believer, what's a really good advantage of being dead when God has called you to do something? So he goes, again, it's just coming. Well, maybe you should have said that before you ever started.
And do not let me see my richness. Don't let me see the fact that I can't do it. Well, guess what, Moses? You can't. No one could.
That's why God called you so that he would get the glory of what he is going to do. So when God has called us to do something, let's not take on the burden of what God has called us to do. God called us that we may do it so that he may get glory. The Lord's, therefore, said to Moses, and I just said, you're right. You're done. I'm putting in the beach because the 18, obviously, can't do it. But God is merciful.
Everybody said, how angry God is. Notice, gather for me 70 men from the elders of Israel whom you know to be the elders of the people and their officers and bring them to the tent of the meeting and let them take their stand there with you. God said, I want to give you help. You're talking about your all by yourself.
So God says, I'm going to give you 70. Now, the sad thing is it's going to talk more about it. This 70 people become what we call the Sanhedrin. This 70 people were there to help a man of God who ultimately will condemn the son of God. Because it is the Sanhedrin who brings Jesus before trial to condemn him of blasphemy and other things when he was the son of God. And so this helpers ultimately became anything other than helpers instead of helping God.
They became enemies of God. Then I will come down and speak with you there and I will take of the spirit who is upon you and will put it on him on them and they shall bear the burden of the people with you so that you will not bear it all alone. Again, I just said Moses, you think too highly of yourself. You're not bearing alone. It's God's responsibility, not yours.
But God is being merciful. It's okay. If you think you need help, I'll give you help. I'll give you 70 people and say to the people, consecrate yourselves for tomorrow and you shall eat meat for you shall weep in the ears of the Lord saying, oh, that someone would give us meat to eat for we were well off in Egypt. Therefore, the Lord will give you meat and you shall eat. So you're going to give you the 70 people to help you out because you can't take anymore. You want to die. So I'm going to give you help and I'm going to answer the people's problem.
I'm going to give them meat to eat because they would rather have fish and cucumbers than to be in my presence and have freedom. How cheaply they were willing to exchange their freedom. Food wasn't like they were starving.
They just didn't like the diet. But then God being God says this. And you shall not you shall eat not one day nor two days nor five days nor 10 days nor 20 days. God said, I'm going to give you meat to eat like you've never seen before. But a whole month until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you because you have rejected the Lord who is among you and have wept before him saying, why did we ever leave Egypt? You don't like to die.
You're sick of the man. I want to make you sick of meat. You're going to be it's going to be in your nostrils because you have rejected me and my presence. See again Moses has taken it personal. Always all about him. No God says it's not about you Moses. They're not rejecting you. They're rejecting me.
They would rather be in slavery than in my presence. They would rather be eating cucumbers than eating the manas from heaven that I have given them. But then Moses again takes it all on himself.
But Moses said the people among whom I am are 600,000 on foot. And yet you have said I will give them meat so that they may eat for a whole month. Should Fox and herds be slaughtered for them to be sufficient for them or should all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them to be sufficient for them? He's going, I don't know where to get it. Even if we wiped out all the cattle and all the walks and everything and we're in the middle of the desert, we find a fishing hole and we're able. There wouldn't be enough because there's 600,000 of them. Where am I going to find it? Notice what God said.
God didn't say Moses. We're going to feed them. You go find a month of meat. God never said that to Moses.
And yet Moses makes these just where am I going to find it? The Lord said to Moses is the Lord's power limited or to say another thing. Is there anything impossible for God? The man who speaks for God is short-sighted. The man who was at that burning bush who said, well, what do I call you when they ask me?
And this says, I am who I am and sees those ten wonders and sees the seas partying and sees the fire and the cloud and sees that they made a tabernacle. Not that God might resign in it, but that they might be able to meet God there. And that God has done all these things and God has spoken him and God has dealt with Moses like very few others ever. God spoke to Moses face to face. If there was ever a man who didn't need to doubt if there was a God was Moses, because Moses saw the power in glory of God. Even when Moses said, can I see you? He goes, well, I'll let you see my backside because you can't see him. He allowed him to do it.
And yet Moses who knew God and seed God's power and see God's capacity doubts that God can do it. But then again, aren't we like Moses? We've seen God's actions. We've seen God's actions in other people's lives. We've seen God's actions in the scriptures. We've seen God's actions even in our own lives. Then we wonder, well, can God do it this time?
Is God's power limited? So then God says, now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not. Again, I see a compassionate God because if I were God, I'd say, Moses, I have eternity on my time. I'm going to take you out. I'm going to take everybody but one person out because I've made a promise to Abraham. And I'm going to start over because I got eternity on my side. You don't.
So I'm just going to start over. But God is merciful to the people who thrive and complain. And God is merciful to man of God who should know who God is and be his representative and hell has gone before God on behalf of the people's time after time after time. And we seek God, re-linting and being merciful and forgiving. So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. Also he gathered 70 men of the elders of the people and stationed them around the tent. Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to them. I looked on the Spirit and placed him on 70 elders.
And when the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied but they did not do it again. God says, I'm going to show you that my spirit rests on them. So I'm going to give them prophecy. But I'm going to give it to them one time because I'm speaking through Moses not to 70.
But two men had remained and a camp. The name of one was Eldad and the other was me dad. And the Spirit rested on them. Now they were among those who had been registered but had not gone out to the tent and they prophesied into the tent. Now saying, my power is now limited by the fact that you're there. These two didn't show up when they were supposed to. They were still in the tent.
God sent you a door. Decided on 70 and these 70. They're going to be prophesying as well. So a young man ran and told Moses and said, Eldad and me dad are prophesying in the camp.
Then Joshua the son of none, the attendant of Moses from his youth said, Moses, my Lord, restrain them. He's going, wait a minute. These guys are prophesying, you're supposed to be the one who does it. But Moses said to him, are you jealous from my sake? With that all of the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit on them.
Fast forwarding a few thousand years after Jesus's death and resurrection. It's not his spirit placed in all who believe in Christ. Moses is prayer in essence, he's answered because his spirit rests upon us. Then Moses returned to the camp both he and the elders of Israel. Now there went forth a wind from the Lord and it brought quail from the sea and let them fall beside the camp about a day's journey on this side and a day's journey on the other side all around the camp and about two kibbutts on the surface of the ground. There's a bunch of quails two feet thick all over the place. They don't even have to use shotguns to get them. They're just there on the ground.
All they got to do is pick them up, kind of like the manna all they had to do is just pick it up. And the people spent all day and all night and all the next day and gathered the quail and he gathered at least gathered ten homers. Even the ones who were kind of not that effective at doing it picked up a lot of quail. And they spread them out for themselves all around the camp and while the meat was still between their teeth before it was chewed the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people and the Lord struck the people with a severe plague. You want meat I'll give you meat and you'll be sick as you chew it. Maybe when we ask God to do something maybe we should ask be a little more complete. God give us meat to eat that we might enjoy. Can I have prime rib as opposed to hamburger?
But God says you want it, you're going to get it but you're not going to like it. God provided manna and they were sick of it. So God provided them meat and they became sick of it.
Today Christ has given us freedom. For those of us who believe in Him we have been given forgiveness and mercy and redemption. We're not just excused, we are justified, we are not just non-sinners, we are children of God, we have eternal life, we are free to not have to follow rules to beat salvation. We do what God is asked us to do out of response of love not to get salvation. We are free through our faith in Him. And yet all too often people want to take that freedom and put us back into slavery. You have to do these things, you can't play cards or go to movies or do this or do that or don't do the things that I don't like or do the things that I like. We make rules and regulations so how Christians are supposed to act.
And you want to know how Christians are supposed to act? Ask a non-believer. They will tell you how Christians are supposed to act. The problem is that non-believers don't understand what we believe are supposed to be doing. And so in Galatians chapter 6 verse 5 verse 1 says this, Just like those children of Israel who cried out to God for redemption and God demonstrated His power by sending ten signs and wonders and separating the sea and doing all of these things in the power of God. God sent His Son to walk among us and to minister to us and then to die on a cross to be buried and rise again on the third day. And we want to take that and make it subject to rules and regulations when God has said no, I set you free from that. Faith is what I'm looking for.
Moses as awesome and great as he was was weak in faith, which means God raised it on a curve. You and I have been weak in faith, but God doesn't give up on us. God still continues to deal with us. God still allows the spirit to dwell in us and to teach us and to remind us.
And so we should remember that God has set us free. Therefore, keep standing firm and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery. You're no longer subject of slavery of sin. But I do sin.
That's an excuse. Christ has set us free from the slavery of sin. So when we sin, we sin because we choose to. Because we think God's power is limited. God has set us that we might not live in the flesh, but in the spirit. That we might have the fruits of the spirit. Not the fruits of I do this right or I do this wrong.
The fruits of joy and peace. And if you notice, these people are griping complaining.
And all God's people say