Saturday, February 26, 2011

Complains + Grumblings = Plague

By Mary Vee
Numbers16:41-50

Eleazar's Thoughts


I couldn't eat this morning. All the complaining, gossiping, and fussing throughout the night. And what for? The children of Israel blamed Uncle Moses for everything that went wrong or didn't go their way. My stomach hurt. I wished they'd stop.

I hung around the Tabernacle this morning with my dad, Aaron the high priest. After his morning duties, he met with Uncle Moses.  They've invited me to many meetings now to teach me what to do in the Tabernacle and the proper way to worship the Lord.

In the middle of our conversation, Dad pointed toward the camp. "Moses, looks like the entire camp is marching this way."

Uncle Moses rolled his eyes. "I doubt  they're coming to worship. Listen. I can hear them complaining this far away."

Sure enough, all the children of Israel stomped close to us. No one stepped forward to lead the group or speak for them. Instead they all raised their fists over their heads and shouted, "You've killed the people of the Lord."

Uncle Moses gently shook his head and sighed. He closed his eyes and whispered something.  The Lord's cloud slipped down over the Tabernacle covering the whole thing. The crowd froze. Then I saw His glory in the cloud. The magnificent glory of God. I fell to the ground before Him.

The people turned toward the Tabernacle and gasped. Some of them fell back in fear. Not a single sound could be heard.

The Lord spoke to Uncle Moses, "Move away from the people. I will destroy them for not obeying me."

Both Uncle Moses and my dad fell on their faces before the Lord.  Some of the people from the crowd fell down, others jumped to the side. They screamed and wept. I couldn't see what had happened. Uncle Moses turned his head to Dad and said, "Quick, take a censer and put fire in it from the altar. Set incense on top. The plague has begun. Hurry to people that God might forgive them."

Dad jumped up and grabbed a censer. He ran to the altar to get fire then sprinkled incense on top as he hurried to the crowd. His breath ran in and out of his body. He pushed to the center of the group holding the censer above their heads. He stopped sharp between the dead and the living and raised the censer in offering to God for their atonement. 

The plague stopped.

Over fourteen thousand people died in the plague. 

I wonder, will the living obey God now?


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1.  Why were the people angry?

2.  What did the people want?  (if you need, check the last story for answers)
3.  What punishment did God give the people?
4.  What did Moses tell Aaron to do to stop the plague?
5.  What did you learn from today's story?


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