The Fourth Book of the Bible
The Book of Numbers, like
Leviticus, is not the easier section of Sacred Scripture to read through from
the first to the last chapter. But this fourth book of the Bible is actually
more like Exodus, because the Book of Numbers combines a register of Jewish
laws with a narrative of history, recounting the wandering Israelites' trek
through the desert from Mt. Sinai to the edge of the Promised Land, over a
period of about 38 years!
This book of 36 chapters can
be divided into three sections. The first part, 1:1-10:10, begins with the
census of the Israelites (this "numbering," in fact, accounts for the
book's rather drab title) and includes the other final activities in the Sinai
region. The second part, 10:11-22:1, relates the departure from Sinai and some
of the major subsequent events during the wanderings through the wilderness. Finally,
the third part, 22:2-36:13, recounts what took place on the plains of Moab as
the Israelites finally approached the border of the Promised Land.
The complaints of the
Israelites mentioned in today's first reading probably sound a bit familiar
(cf. readings and reflection for July 22). The Israelites moaned about their
slavery in Egypt, and God rescued them from their bondage. Then they moaned about
their hunger, and God gave them manna. They grumbled about their thirst, and
God gave them water from the rock. They murmured about the monotony of their
diet of manna, and God gave them more meat than they could stomach (cf. 11:20).
Now clearly, in all these
cases, the Israelites were saddled with very real hardships and sufferings, and
so it was justifiable for them to turn to God for help and relief, but that's
not what they did! Read the texts again, and note that the Israelites were not
praying to God about their needs, they were just complaining bitterly among
themselves! It was Moses who re-voiced their complaints in prayer - often, his
prayer was peppered with his own complaints, but at least it was prayer,
turning to God for mercy, instead of just festering in self-pity.
When you and I are faced with
hardships and sufferings, we can either complain, bemoan, begrudge, and wallow
in our woes, or we can turn to God in prayer, asking Him for what we truly
need: strength to bear our crosses, friends to share our crosses, and most of
all, our Lord to take care of our crosses....