Murmuring In The Tents

Deuteronomy 1:26-27

“Notwithstanding ye would not go up, but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God: And ye murmured in your tents, and said, Because the LORD hated us, he hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.”

God brought the children of Israel to the doorstep of the promised land. At the persuasion of the people, Moses sent in twelve men to spy out the land. These twelve men brought back a good report of the land, but they also described obstacles that seemed insurmountable to the people. Therefore, the Bible tells us that the people rebelled against the commandments of God and would not go into the land. They failed to trust the Lord as they should have. However, I find it interesting that as they rebelled the Bible specifically says that they murmured in their tents. The men literally brought their feelings about God’s commands home and discussed it in their tents. They believed that the Lord hated them, and thus had brought them out of the land of Egypt to deliver them to another enemy, the Amorites. This is what they discussed in their tents while they murmured against the Lord.

Dear Christian, we must remember that God hears what we say in private as well as in public. He knows when we go to our homes with a spirit of rebellion and murmur against what He is doing in our life. The Scriptures say, “Do all things without murmurings and disputings:” (Philippians 2:14) I believe that God intended this both inside and outside of our homes. The word murmuring means to utter complaints in a low voice or sullen manner. When we bring this home it will affect the spirit of our home.

The children of Israel were a murmuring people. They murmured against God. They murmured against God’s provision. They murmured against God’s leadership. We as children of God need to be careful not to become a murmuring people. 

MURMURING IN THE HOME AFFECTS THE FAITH OF THE HOME

Murmuring against the Lord and his provision will cause the members of our household to doubt the Lord’s ability to care for us. We are commanded to “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5) However our murmuring shows our complete leaning on what we perceive to understand and projects a failure to trust in the Lord with all our heart. This lack of faith spreads through the household and will cause especially our young ones to lack the faith in God that they need to have. 

MURMURING IN THE HOME AFFECTS THE FUTURE OF THE HOME

If murmuring in the home affects the faith of the household then it will certainly affect the future of the household. Children who grow up in a lack of faith in God will undoubtedly seek to put their faith in something else. They will look for a relationship to put their trust in. They will look for a career to put their trust in. They will seek the lusts of the flesh to put their trust in. When we allow murmuring against the things of God to go on in our home we could very well be driving our children away from the very thing they need in their future; their trust in God!

MURMURING IN THE HOME AFFECTS RESPECT FOR GOD’S AUTHORITIES

When murmuring against authorities is allowed in the home, it discounts the respect that the members of the household have for the authorities God has given them. This often reveals itself through the children in the home. Parents know how to mask their lack of respect for authorities, but children often subconsciously show the families feelings towards their authorities. As parents we need to be on guard against murmuring against employers, pastors and teachers that God has given us. For our children, there may come a time when they need to draw off the resources or wisdom of these authorities but if the respect and confidence in them had been destroyed by murmuring they will not draw from the sound sources of truth. 

MURMURING IN THE HOME AFFECTS SERVICE IN GOD’S WORK

The Scriptures tell us of a family involved in the work of God. “I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)” (I Corinthians 16:15) It is a good thing for families to involved in the work of God, but it will not be easy to be involved with God’s work if the authorities and the ministries in the church have been assaulted with murmuring in the home. The motivation to serve God will be eliminated and the members of our household will seek their own causes for their energy rather than the cause of Christ. 

The children of Israel murmured in their tents and expressed their rebellion against God and His commands. This murmuring hindered their progress in getting to where God wanted them to be. Even so, when we allow murmuring to have a place in our home we will hinder our spiritual progress for God.