In addition to powerful prophecies, profound psalms and proverbs, and the very laws of God, the Bible also records awesome historic events. We read about the story of creation, the fall of Lucifer, the great flood and Israel’s exodus from Egypt. We read of divine intervention, the rise and fall of kingdoms, great miracles, details about Christ’s life, death and resurrection, original Christianity, the Second Coming and the Kingdom of God.
When considering the vastness of what God has provided for our instruction, have we ever wondered why God inspired so much to be recorded about the national and individual lives of ancient Israel during the Exodus, through their desert wanderings, and specifically up to the time of Samuel? Why was God so careful to give us such insight into the Israelite mindset prior to the kingdom years?
A major reason is that there are very serious lessons God wants us to learn from ancient Israel’s example during those times. And, there was one attitude in particular that they grossly exhibited and never overcame. This problem would be cause for God altering their national destiny multiple times. Eventually, this problem would become a cause for ancient Israel losing their special relationship with God as their direct King!
Thankfully, we as Christians today have tools at our disposal to help us set aside this problem, learn from the Israelites’ mistakes, and go forward with a joy, peace and thankfulness far beyond what ancient Israel ever experienced.
A Problem with Ancient Roots
If someone asked us to list a few of the negative characteristics ancient Israel displayed during the time of Moses, the fact that they continually murmured against God would surely rank toward the top. In ancient times, murmuring was a chronic problem among God’s people, and it remains a problem in God’s Church today.
Sometimes, when brethren hear messages (or read articles) that warn against murmuring, they may take offense, thinking they are being told to “shut up, pray and pay” or to act as “yes men” to the ministry. It is important to understand that having a thoughtful opinion and expressing it respectfully does not constitute murmuring. Scriptural admonitions against murmuring do not require us to “follow blindly” or to have no opinion. The key is our attitude, and how we express ourselves.
Consider Moses’ encounter with God in the burning bush (Exodus 3:4). Moses understood Pharaoh’s power; he was understandably worried about confronting Pharaoh and bringing Israel out of Egypt. Moses’ enemies saw him as an oppressor at best, and as a murderer and a traitor at worst (Exodus 2:11–14), and Moses recognized his own limitations in this regard, asking God: “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11)?
Moses’ initial questions did not anger God, who reassured Moses of His presence and promised to give him powerful signs (Exodus 3:20; 4:2–8). However, instead of being thankful for God’s assurances, Moses disputed God’s words (Exodus 4:10). God then rebuked Moses (vv. 11–14)!
Compare this to the account of Moses’ father-in-law. Jethro advised Moses to select capable men to help him with his responsibilities of judging the people. Jethro’s good and respectful advice was not complaining or murmuring. Moses took Jethro’s advice, and he and the people benefited from it (Exodus 18:12–26).
So, we can see that asking a respectful question or offering a thoughtful opinion is not necessarily murmuring. Murmuring is a matter of motive, attitude and underlying lack of faith. God knows our motives and our attitudes. And God requires us to build faith to trust Him to lead us, provide for us, and to direct His Church (Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:6). God criticizes the Laodiceans for lack of faith (Revelation 3:18). Faith is the “gold” that all of God’s people must “buy” (1 Peter 1:7).
We may put up a façade to fool others. We may justify our complaining… but God knows our hearts (Jeremiah 17:10; Romans 8:27).
No, a true Philadelphian Christian will not be a “yes man” or a “blind follower.” Absolutely not! There is a right way to give input. Instead of complaining, a Philadelphian Christian’s focus will be to zealously and lovingly work within God’s organized Church (John 13:34–35) to support the Work (Mark 16:15; Revelation 3:8). It is the chronic complainers, those who reject authority, and those who cannot work within God’s Church who are not displaying the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Similarly, those who create or preach hatred are showing neither Philadelphian characteristics nor conversion (Jude 19).
A contentious attitude is simply contrary to a converted, or a Philadelphian, spirit. Philadelphia means “brotherly love.” And, as we will illustrate later, a Philadelphian Christian will not condone divisiveness, but rather will show “brotherly love” toward his fellow man, and toward all ofGod’s people (1 Peter 3:8; 1 John 3:14–16). Brotherly love is not reserved only for those we think are worthy of our love (James 5:19–20). And brotherly love does not condone murmuring.
Christ’s Example
Jesus Christ confronted murmuring during His ministry on the earth. He strongly warned that this problem would persist, and that it should be overcome (Matthew 20:11; Luke 5:30; John 6:43). Later Peter, Paul, and the other Apostles continued to fight this same phenomenon (1 Corinthians 10:10; Philippians 2:14; Jude 1:16; 1 Peter 2:1).
Murmur in the Old Testament is usually translated from the Hebrew root luwn, which carries two general meanings; the first being “to lodge” or “to stay” in a place (as in to camp somewhere overnight, or to dwell somewhere), as in Genesis 32:13 where Jacob “lodged” (KJV, NKJV, RSV, RSV and others), “stayed” (NLT, ESV), “spent the night there” (NIV), or “remained” (Moffatt).
The other general meaning of luwn conveys obstinacy, a state of complaint, or grumbling. For example, we see luwn translated as murmur and murmured in Numbers 14:27–29 in the KJV, and as complain and complained where God asks, “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain [murmur] against me? I have heard the complaints [murmurings] which the children of Israel make against me. Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you: The carcasses of you who have complained [murmured] against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above” (NKJV).
Another Hebrew word translated murmur in the KJV, but as complain in the NKJV, or as grumble in the NLT or NIV, etc. is ragan. The Hebrew word ragan (Deuteronomy 1:27; Psalm 106:25; Isaiah 29:24) conveys a similar meaning to luwn but with the additional implication of “whispering in disapproval.”
Murmuring (or “complaining,” to use NKJV English) was so pervasive during ancient Israel’s time in the wilderness, that of the 19 KJV Old Testament uses of murmur, murmured or murmurings, 16 occur in the Pentateuch (Genesis through Deuteronomy) while describing Israel’s attitude toward God, Moses or Aaron!
The 17th account of murmuring in the KJV occurs in Joshua 9:18. The 18th occurs in Psalm 106:25, and simply recounts Israel’s murmuring against Moses as found in the first 16 accounts. And the final, 19th account is a profound warning in Isaiah that we will discuss later. Indeed, ancient Israel had a big problem with murmuring!
In the New Testament, derivatives of the word murmur come from the Greek word goggyzō, and occur in the King James Version 14 times. The term is pejorative, as are its Hebrew counterparts. Very tellingly, one meaning of the phrase Laodicean is that “the people” (laos) will be critical, judgmental and will “take vengeance” (dikē). This attitude is manifest through criticism toward others in general, toward authority specifically, and especially as we approach the end of the age, through inclinations toward democratic church governance where “the people” (laos) “pass judgment” (dikē) through balloting (voting). As we will see, this is not a new problem. Both the attitude and the actions are a rejection of God’s authority and neither please Him.
Different Kinds of Murmuring
Let us now consider two distinct types of murmuring. How often are we guilty of either?
Recalcitrance is a general state of mind. We do not have to necessarily take action or verbally complain to be guilty of recalcitrance. Remember, murmuring is not just about verbally expressing an idea—it is equally about our mental attitude and our thoughts.
Notice that in Numbers 14:27 and Deuteronomy 1:27, no real “action” or forceful rebellion is taking place. We simply find a recalcitrant, ungrateful attitude. “And you complained in your tents, and said, ‘Because the Lord hates us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us’” (Deuteronomy 1:27).
Do we occasionally, “in the privacy of our homes,” complain? What is our attitude about how God is working with us personally? What is our attitude about how long God is allowing certain trials to continue in our lives? What about our attitude toward our spiritual brothers and sisters in our local congregations? Are we thankful for God calling us into His Church, and for Christ being our personal Savior? Or, do we sometimes find excuses to be grumpy, thankless and recalcitrant?
It is appropriate to have a respectful difference of opinion, and to discern what is right or wrong (1 Corinthians 6:2–3). But, do we ever fall into a wrong attitude of criticism and complaint toward God’s Church, toward our spiritual brothers and sisters, or toward His ministry? What is our attitude about the Tomorrow’s World telecasts, or the latest Living Church News and Tomorrow’s World articles? What about Living University? Or Feast site decisions, ministerial transfers and Living Youth Camp administration? What about our spiritual brothers and sisters in our local congregations? Perhaps we attempt to justify that we are only murmuring against human leadership or people. However, we must remember that if we murmur against God’s Church, then we in effect murmur against Christ, Who is the Head of the Church (Ephesians 5:23), and if we murmur against our brothers and sisters whom God has called, then we murmur against those whom God has placed in the body as pleases Him (1 Corinthians 12:18), and whom God considers His special treasures (1 Peter 2:9). Although we are now more technologically advanced than the ancient Israelites who murmured in their tents, the fact remains—if we murmur, whether in person, over the phone, via e-mail, or on Facebook, we are still murmuring!
Sedition is another distinct form of murmuring. It is disobedience with intent. This is what Lucifer was guilty of when he attacked God’s throne (Isaiah 14:12–15). If we ever undermine just and proper authority, in action, in speech, or even if only in our own personal thoughts, then we are nourishing the seeds of sedition.
Korah’s rebellion is one of the most famous examples of sedition. In Numbers 16, we see how Korah, Dathan, Abiram and On gathered leading men to oppose Moses and Aaron. Ultimately, as Numbers 16 shows, Korah was able to assemble 250 princes and leaders in rebellion. Notice, in verse 11, that Moses accurately chastened these rebels for murmuring (complaining) against God’s established human leadership—murmuring that was, in fact, rebelling “against the Lord.” Moses understood Korah’s rebellion for what it was. It was not “constructive input,” but rather was sedition against God.
Amazingly, this sedition was so infectious that, even after God destroyed the rebels and their entire households (vv. 32–33), the congregation still murmured against Moses and Aaron (v. 41). This is truly an amazing lesson for us, which demonstrates the contagiousness of what is fundamentally an attitude of rebellion. Murmuring is indeed infectious!
Korah’s rebellion is a powerful example. But what about us today? We should always be willing to offer constructive criticism and thoughtful advice, in a respectful manner. But when we murmur against God’s work, His ministry, His leadership of the Church, or about our own lives as Christians, in reality we murmur against God.
Years ago, Dr. Roderick C. Meredith wrote a powerful article titled “Whose Opinion Counts?” in which he made some very important points about the perils of murmuring and how we should respect God’s appointed Church government.
“God’s true ministers will be yielded and submissive to God’s will. They will seek His will in diligent study and earnest prayer. They will confer with other true ministers and Bible scholars for, ‘in the multitude of counselors there is safety’ (Proverbs 11:14). In every way, they will seek God’s will and His guidance through the Holy Spirit. But when God’s true servants do make a decision based on His word, it is to be respected, for it is bound in heaven. You are not showing respect to the man and his “opinion,” but to the office in which God has placed His ministers, and by which Christ rules His Church. When the Israelites refused to hearken to God’s servant Samuel, God said, “they have not rejected thee, but have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them” (1 Samuel 8:7). If you take the decisions of God’s ministers lightly, you are disrespecting God Himself!” (Good News, October 1957).
The attitudes of recalcitrance and sedition are sin founded in faithlessness, ingratitude and vanity. They must be overcome with attitudes of joyfulness, peacefulness (Galatians 5:22) and thankfulness (Colossians 4:2; Ephesians 5:20)
Murmuring Separates Us from God
Let us have no doubt about the origins of a contentious attitude. When the Jews accused Jesus of being born of fornication (John 8:41), notice His response. Christ pointed out that if His accusers were of God, they would not attack or slander Him, but rather would love Him (v. 42). Jesus understood that His accusers were speaking from a Satanic perspective (v. 44).
How does the “father of lies” influence us to become contentious and rebellious? We know that Lucifer was originally perfect and beautiful (Ezekiel 28:12–15) until vanity took root. Instead of being grateful for what God gave him, Lucifer became vain, thankless and bitter. Lucifer became Satan and led one-third of the angelic host in war against God (Isaiah 14:13; Revelation 12:4)! We know that this futile insurrection leads to his being cast down in fire and humiliation (Ezekiel 28:15–18)!
In the May-June 2009 Living Church News, Mr. Dibar Apartian wrote about how this same process can turn us against God. “The moment you stop being grateful, you put yourself on Satan’s wavelength and become vulnerable to his attacks. Satan wants you to complain, because that is one sure way of making you turn away from God” (“The Most Common Sin: Are You Guilty?”).
Since Satan’s rebellion, he has continuously been a complainer and an accuser, and he often uses our vanity to create in us attitudes of ingratitude, resentment, complaint and discord. This separates us from God.
Years ago, God ruled ancient Israel as its King, and Samuel was His priest. However, Samuel’s sons “did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice” (1 Samuel 8:3). Clearly Samuel’s sons were evil and corrupt judges over Israel (v. 1). Clearly, something needed to be done! But, did the Israelites act properly?
Sadly, the Israelites did not humbly suggest a corrective action. In their vanity and ingratitude, they demanded a corrective action (1 Samuel 8:5). Instead of being thankful for their personal relationship with God through His loyal priest, instead of trusting in God’s governance, and instead of having faith that God would fix the problem, they trusted themselves. Claiming human wisdom, they displayed a lack of faith. Consequently, they murmured—which led to their rejecting God’s governance (1 Samuel 8:7)! Consequently, from Samuel’s time to our day, the Israelitish nations have lost God as their direct and personal King!
Seven Keys To Overcome Murmuring
The first key to overcome murmuring is faithfully turning to God for help when we are discouraged. God does not promise Christians an “easy life,” but He does know our wants and our needs, and He promises to provide for us if we seek His Kingdom, strive to live righteously, diligently seek Him, and really believe that He is a rewarder of good things (Matthew 6:33–34; Hebrews 11:6).
Regardless of the reasons for our discouragement or our complaints, and whether we complain in person, over the phone, or the Internet, we should remember, when we are tempted to murmur, that Christ is a compassionate and loving High Priest. We should ask God to help us replace ingratitude with thankfulness, vanity with humility, discouragement with joy, discontent with happiness, irritability with patience, and divisiveness with peace (Galatians 5:22).
The second key to overcome murmuring is that we must not attempt to justifyour murmuring. Remember that God did not object to Moses’ initial questions. Jethro gave respectful advice, which God blessed. Our attitude is the key. We are not to become “yes men,” but neither are we to become critics seeking to exalt ourselves or to tear down others to whom God has given responsibilities. No matter how “good” our ideas may be, we are not to offer them in a wrong attitude.
Isaiah 29:24 contains the final, 19th instance of murmuring in the KJV Old Testament. This passage illustrates a profound point worth deep meditation. When we “err” in spirit, we do not have “understanding,” but when we cease murmuring, God can teach us. Do we want God to teach us? Why are we not teachable when we are contentious? Because murmuring is not a fruit of the Holy Spirit; it is a sign of not using—and eventually even of not having—God’s Holy Spirit (Jude 16–19)!
The third key to overcome murmuring is that we must trust Christ to lead His Church—and we must be active members in the Church! We do not please Christ or grow as we should outside of the Church of God! In chapter 9 of The Incredible Human Potential, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong wrote, “‘…Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might present it to himself a glorious church’ (Eph. 5:25–27) in the resurrection… [But] what about the member who goes out of the church, to have his own relationship with Christ—to get his own salvation? He is outside the body of Christ!”
The fourth key to overcome murmuring is that, while we must never be hateful, and while we should practice love toward all, we must love Christ the most. Consequently, Scripture commands that we separate ourselves from people and situations where negativity and murmuring is prevalent. Not only is this biblical; it is spiritually healthy for all involved. Doing so protects us from sin, and decreases the virulence of the problem. If we have become comfortable with our murmuring, this principle can be very difficult to uphold, as it can mean cutting ourselves off from those who have fed our own wrong attitudes.
Do we continually associate with dissentious people, or with those who have left God’s Church in rebellion? Murmuring and discord will persist until the end of the age (Jude 16–19; 1 Corinthians 11:19), and God’s Church has the responsibility to mark and separate from the congregation those whose divisiveness has become incorrigibly severe (Romans 16:17). While we should be kind and loving toward all, we should not be so proud as to think we are above being influenced by divisive enemies of God’s Church. If we deliberately and continually associate with such people, we will also become infected (Galatians 5:9).
Matthew 11:6 contains the fifth key to overcome murmuring. God blesses us if we are not offended by the Gospel, by the Church, or by doctrine. It is vital to remember that we please Christ when we do not murmur.
The sixth key to overcome murmuring is found in Psalm 119:165. If we truly love and meditate on God’s law, we will have great peace. If we love Scripture and internalize it in our very character, we will not be easily offended.
The seventh key to overcome murmuring is total surrender to God’s will. Dr. Meredith brings out this point in his May-June 2012 Tomorrow’s World magazine “Personal.” And we should all re-read his powerful article titled, “What Is Deep Conversion?” in the January-February 2009 Living Church News. Describing how a true Christian will be humble, repentant and not self-willed, Dr. Meredith writes, “This basic attitude of total surrender to God, of being willing to admit it and to repent when one is wrong—this is the key attitude of which I am speaking. Although keeping God’s commandments and showing love to fellow man is the way of life that must be followed—this “key” attitude of self-abnegation and a willingness to take correction is something which ‘separates the men from the boys,’ so to speak, when it comes to truly discerning the depth of a person’s conversion.”
Why did God give us such insight into ancient Israel’s problem with murmuring? He wants us to understand that to be truly close to Him means that we will not be easily offended and that we will not complain and murmur (Psalm 119:165). Murmuring literally cost the Israelites their personal relationship with God as their King. When we fall into attitudes of ingratitude, complaint, murmuring and self-will, we likewise weaken and endanger our relationship with our Father and our King.
The fruit of living the Christian way is joy, peace (Galatians 5:22) and thankfulness (Colossians 4:2; Ephesians 5:20). Through Christ in us, Christians will replace negativity with joy, complaining with peace and murmuring with thankfulness. And, with Christ living in us (Galatians 2:20), we will triumph over the human inclination to sometimes murmur. Let us learn to completely put aside “all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking” (1 Peter 2:1), replacing these attitudes with faith, compassion, peace love and righteousness, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers” (1 Peter 3:8–12).