Destroyed by the Destroyer.

Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 1 Corinthians 10:10 NASB

     The apostle Paul is here speaking of the sin and unbelief of ancient Israel, as a warning to us in this present day (1 Cor 10:1-12). This verse in particular is dealing with grumbling, and bitter complaining. From the day they left the hardships of Egypt, by God's own intervention on their behalf, they found occasion to complain. Time after time they grumbled that there was no food, there was no water, they were afraid of the people of the land, and so forth. They cried out bitterly, desiring to return to Egypt, rather than face death in the wilderness.

     At the root of their grumbling lay unbelief. They had quickly forgotten the God who had delivered them with awesome power. They forgot the ten plagues in Egypt. They forgot how God led them through the Red Sea on dry ground. They seemed not to understand that He was in their midst as a pillar of fire by night, and a cloud by day. They were not content with His provision; they were not satisfied with God, and how He chose to lead them. They could only look back and see in their own minds that the harsh slavery in Egypt was much better for them. 

     The breaking point came at Kadesh, when the ten spies returned from scouting the promised land. (See Numbers 13:25-14:36) Eight of the spies gave a bad report. "The land is good, but we are like grasshoppers in their eyes. We can never take this land." Joshua and Caleb urged the people to go forward in faith. God would be with them. It was He who gave them this land, and He would go before them. They could take the land if they would only go forward and do it. The response of the people was to cry and weep all night long. They lamented, once again, that God led out here to die; They longed to return to the "good life" they enjoyed in Egypt. In His anger, God swore that that generation would not enter the promised land. They were doomed to wander in the wilderness for forty years until they all died.

     This is a lesson for us. It is so easy to grumble and complain about the way we are treated; about our jobs; about our paychecks; about our neighbors; and numerous other things that don't go the way we expect them to. I wonder how many of us seem to live "cursed" lives, all the while wondering why things never seem to work out for us? Could it be that we are reaping the consequences of our complaining? Are we being "destroyed by the destroyer;" wandering around the desert of our own unbelief? 

     While complaining is a sign of unbelief, thanksgiving is born out of a heart of faith and trust in God. This is why Paul is able to instruct us to be thankful in every circumstance in life (Eph 5:20). When we have that confidence in God, that trust that knows He is working all things out for our good (Romans 8:28), we can go through life's hardships and valleys with joy and thanksgiving in our hearts. 

     Take a lesson from Israel's tragic decision not to believe God. Instead of unbelief, confidently trust in God who cannot lie (Hebrews 6:17-18). Instead of complaining, give thanks to God, who is for us, and not against us. God gave up His own beloved son for us. How much more will he freely give us all things (Romans 8:31-32).