"Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." I Cor.10:10-11
"Neither murmur ye…" That is a specific command issued by the Holy Spirit, targeting another problem in the troubled Corinthian assembly. It is important to trace the example to its roots, found in the history of Israel in the wilderness. "And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!" (Numbers 14:2; Cf Exodus 15:24 ) It was a complaint against the divinely appointed leadership.
Murmuring. In the Navy we used to call it "griping," and it was pretty much taken for granted. But God does not take it for granted in the body of Christ!
Consider the context. Murmuring is equated with idolatry (v.7), fornication (v.8) and "tempting Christ" (v.9.) Sadly, tragically, in fact, many who would readily recognize idolatry or fornication as capital sins fail to recognize a complaining, bitter spirit as falling into the same category. Yet that is what the scripture clearly teaches.
Then, consider the cost. "Some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer." Two things emerge here, the first implied, the other clearly stated.
The implication is that murmuring is a contagious disease. When individuals complain in a congregation, airing their discontent, others are tempted to take sides, and the body of Christ is divided. Like a deadly cancer, a complaining spirit can paralyze a church until it can no longer function to the glory of God.
The clear statement is, in our text and the context, that when God wearies of this ungodly behavior, judgment will inevitably follow. The chronic complainers, undermining the leadership of Moses, were "destroyed of the destroyer." The Old Testament context declares, "The Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against Me?" (cf. Num. 14:26-32) (Note that murmuring against the leadership is regarded as murmuring against God!) And to the offenders He said, "But as for you, your carcasses, they shall fall in this wilderness." The complainers were denied entrance into the promised land and died short of the goal of God's grace. Had not Moses interceded, the entire congregation would have perished there. God defines murmuring as sin, and He does not take sin lightly!
In the New Testament context troublesome believers do not necessarily die, in the literal sense, under the heavy hand of the Almighty. But, the joy of the Lord leaves the fellowship of the saints, congregations are divided and the testimony of the Lord is disgraced. Many a church building in our land today has been turned into a sail loft or a community club because a once vibrant testimony has withered under the hand of God in judgment upon a bitter and complaining spirit.
Now consider the corrective. The Holy Spirit tells us, by way of the apostle Paul, "Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." The correction for every error we may be guilty of is found in the same word that exposes it. We must hear that word, heed it and hide it in our hearts as preventive medicine against a recurrence of the "sin which doth so easily beset us." The word of God comes to us for instruction and warning. As respects the believer's relation to leadership in the church, we are instructed clearly, "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly (Heb. 13:17-18)."
That is the word of God regarding those God has put in authority. "Obey…submit…pray." If the leader fails, it is God's responsibility to reprove him, not ours to publicly or privately castigate him. Those who heed this word will not be murmurers; those who murmur, complain and spread discontent and division are not obeying scripture and become guilty of tempting Christ, for in the end it is His leadership (Lordship!) that is being resisted, as was the case with Israel's discontent with Moses, and Paul's with his detractors. The cost of a complaining spirit is too high a price to pay for the little carnal satisfaction it may bring!
With HIS word and HIS will in mind,
"Pastor" Frasier
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