Why Have You Dealt Ill With Your Servant

“Why have you dealt ill with your servant?” Moses asked God on the wilderness journey when the people craved meat.  Let’s paint a picture before we look at this conversation.  Moses was born into the despised, enslaved Hebrew nation but rescued from death and raised as royalty, while being taught by his own mother.  He fled the country after killing an Egyptian who was attacking an Israelite. Then he worked as a  shepherd in the land of Midian for 40 years (Exodus 1-2). Did he ever wonder why this was his life story?

Maybe his early life became clearer when Jehovah appeared to him in a burning bush, saying, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt…I know their sufferings and I have come down to deliver them…to bring them up out of that land to…a land flowing with milk and honey…Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt”(Ex. 3:7-10).

Though reluctant, Moses returned to Egypt. The Israelites believed Moses and Aaron’s message that God had seen their affliction, and they worshiped Him.  But Pharoah, angered at the request, immediately made the lives of the Israelites even harder by increasing their work load and punishing them when they failed. The Israelites, in turn, railed against  Moses and Aaron.  Moses asked God, “Why have You done evil to this people? Why did You even send me?...You have not delivered your people at all.”  God replied with these words, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh…” God had given Moses and Pharoah enough signs to believe His words, but they had seen nothing like what was to come.

Pharaoh's stubbornness led God to send a series of plagues that gradually decimated the land of Egypt, while leaving the Israelites untouched. On the night of the tenth plague, which took life from every Egyptian household, the Israelites left Egypt forever with gold and silver given them by the Egyptians, as God had promised Abraham 400 years earlier (Gen 15:13-14).

Jehovah was with them on the journey; He led them with a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. Facing the Red Sea in front of them and the Egyptian army behind them, the Israelites immediately gave up hope, declaring it was better to serve in Egypt than to die in the wilderness.  Moses confidently instructed them, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD…” (Ex. 14:11-13). The Red Sea parted in two; the Israelites crossed on dry land, while the entire Egyptian army drowned.

The journey continued. The people grew thirsty, they grumbled to Moses, Moses interceded to the LORD, and He provided water in a barren land.  They grew hungry.  As if nothing good had happened to them before, they grumbled to Moses, and the LORD provided bread from heaven.

When the Israelites reached Mount Sinai, God declared, “If you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you shall be My treasured possession among all peoples…a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex.19:5-6).  Abraham’s family was now a nation and was being given a law of wisdom. They were just miles from what would be a bountiful homeland for them. Yet, as the well-known story goes, within days they had created an idol of gold and worshiped it as the god who delivered them. Moses pleaded with God on their behalf, calling on Him to remember His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

In Exodus 33, we are given insight into a remarkable relationship and intimate conversation  between Moses and God.  Moses pitched a tent outside the camp, and there he would meet with God. There, it says, God spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Moses asked God for reassurance that He would be with them as they continued on toward the promised land.  He asked humbly, but boldly, “Please show me Your glory.”  God assured Moses that he had found favor in His sight saying, “I know you by name.” Then God allowed Moses a glimpse of his glory.  

And now, we are at our conversation in Numbers 11.  The people have received the Law and built the Tabernacle, and the LORD is leading them at last to their homeland.  But yet - maybe you guessed it - they complained about their “misfortunes.” They craved meat and longed for the vegetables of Egypt, which “cost them nothing.” The anger of the Lord was kindled, and He consumed part of the camp in fire. Much of the camp was weeping at the doors of their tents.  Moses was displeased. Look what comes next.

Moses cried out to the LORD, but very differently than that exchange in the Tent of Meeting. He asked, “Why have You dealt ill with Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You lay the burden of all this people on me? Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth…? Where am I going to get meat to give to all this people?...I am not able to carry all this people alone, the burden is too heavy for me.  If You will treat me like this, kill me at once…”

God gently responded to Moses. He told Moses that He would come down and talk with him. He presented His plan calling for elders of the land to receive some of His spirit and prophesy:  “They shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone.”

But Moses wasn’t finished.  He reminded God that there were over 600,000 people and asked where was enough meat or fish to feed them.  This time God responded, “Is the LORD'S hand shortened?” And similar to the words at the burning bush, God said, “Now you will see whether my word will come true for you or not.”

What happened here?  Where is the Moses who has seen the mighty works of God? Where is the trust that God’s promises will be fulfilled? Where is the man who knows he has found favor with God?

Since we have not been told, I won’t presume to say.  But, personally, I can hear exasperation, fatigue, and defeat in his words.  And why not?  Look at the pattern the rebellious Israelites have shown!   

I have heard myself lash out in exasperation, in weariness and fatigue. The part of Moses’ speech that I recognize and that convicts me is the word “alone.” He says, “I am not able to carry all this people alone.” At the burning bush, and in the early days in Egypt, Moses had not yet seen the mighty works and wisdom through which God would lead His people. His mind could not comprehend that he, Moses, could accomplish this task.  But what has crept in now that has blinded him to God’s ever-present help? 

I know there have been times in my life when I have felt the burden of faithful service was too great for me. I’m working hard, I’m trying my best, yet the responsibility of raising a godly family, of working with struggling Christians, or congregations in turmoil, or living in a world that is turning its back on God wears me down until Satan creeps in and tries to deceive me into thinking that I am doing this alone. I elevate my service to be so important that I begin to doubt things can happen without me. I ask how God expects me to make this work. 

Then those words, “Is the LORD’S hand shortened?” cut to my heart and bring me humbly to my knees. I consider all He has done and all He has promised to do. I return to His word, which provides instruction and comfort. Christ intercedes for me as I plea to Him for help. And then I am ready to see HIS plan work in my life.

Moses obeyed God’s plan for the 70 elders to help carry the burden.  He received the support he needed at that moment. If you keep reading through Numbers, the complaining and rebellion of the Israelites just keeps coming. Moses still has much work to do and a large burden to carry. But we have been allowed to see that Moses, a great leader, a man to whom God spoke to face to face, was a real man with human emotions and limitations.  When we feel like we are in this alone, we need to come to this scripture, and refresh our soul.  We need to remember God’s mighty works, give Him the glory, ask for His help, and see what HE will do.