Cloudy with a Chance of Quail
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Cloudy with a Chance of Quail
Cloudy with a Chance of Quail
How would you define a miracle?
What we consider a miracle is not a miracle to God. He spoke the world into existence, He created us the first time, and He can do anything and everything. The miracle comes when we learn to trust He will meet the need and answer the prayer His way and in His time.
If we do not take the risk, we forfeit the miracle. We have to be willing to risk our reputation and pride to trust God to do the impossible.
Background
Background
Overview of the five first books of the Old Testament, also called the Pentateuch.
Genesis- the story of creation and the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.
Exodus- the story of Moses and how he lead the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery.
Leviticus- the story of God giving Moses the Law.
Numbers- the details thirty-nine to forty years in the wilderness, filled with their complaints and problems.
Deuteronomy- the instructions Moses gave to the generation of Israelites who would enter the promised land.
4 Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: “Who will give us meat to eat? 5 We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; 6 but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!”
How would you have dealt with the complaints?
Moses complained to God.
10 Then Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and the anger of the Lord was greatly aroused; Moses also was displeased. 11 So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have You afflicted Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all these people on me? 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a guardian carries a nursing child,’ to the land which You swore to their fathers? 13 Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? For they weep all over me, saying, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ 14 I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If You treat me like this, please kill me here and now—if I have found favor in Your sight—and do not let me see my wretchedness!”
Numbers 11:
There are miracles all around us, yet it is so easy to find something to complain about in the midst of those miracles.
Can you name some everyday miracles?
We cannot afford to take the everyday miracles for granted.
1. Mental Math
1. Mental Math
21 And Moses said, “The people whom I am among are six hundred thousand men on foot; yet You have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month.’ 22 Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to provide enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to provide enough for them?”
Can we think of an example where God wants/ed us to do something that doesn’t add up or make sense?
Moses’ story is an Old Testament example of God provisions. Jesus provides a New Testament example to show us that God will meet our needs in ways we do not expect and in the time we do not expect.
4 Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. 5 Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” 6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.
God’s ways do not always make sense to us. His mathematics and economics do not equal our standards. To the disciples 5+2=7 but to Jesus 5+2=5000. When we put our trust in God, it won’t just add up, God will make it multiply.
What steps of faith do people have to take in pursuing big dreams?
2. Quailmeggedon
2. Quailmeggedon
31 Now a wind went out from the Lord, and it brought quail from the sea and left them fluttering near the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and about a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp, and about two cubits above the surface of the ground. 32 And the people stayed up all that day, all night, and all the next day, and gathered the quail (he who gathered least gathered ten homers); and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp.
The Israelites were in the wilderness of Paran, a region fifty miles from the Mediterranean Sea and fifty miles southwest from the Dead Sea. The significance of this is quail tend to live by the water and do not fly long distances.
God sent a southwest wind that blew in 105 million quail in an area that was almost 700 square miles. The quail were then piled three feet deep.
Each Israelite gathered ten homers. A homer is equal to 150 liters. Ten homers is equal to 150 liters, 8 barrels of oil, or 330 gallons of milk.
When we circle the promise and trust God, we never know how God will provide.
Is there a promise you need to circle?
3. Sizing up God
3. Sizing up God
23 And the Lord said to Moses, “Has the Lord’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not.”
23 The Lord said to Moses, “Is the Lord’s power limited? Now you shall see whether My word will come true for you or not.”
21 But Moses said, “The people, among whom I am, are 600,000 on foot; yet You have said, ‘I will give them meat, so that they may eat for a whole month.’
Is there any limit to God’s power? The obvious answer is no. Yet many of us pray as if our problems are bigger than God. However, God is infinitely bigger than our biggest problem or biggest dream.
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How do people’s actions or prayers limit God’s power?
God is bigger than fill in the blank.
The size of our prayers depends on the size of our God. And if God knows no limits, then neither should our prayers.
What steps of faith do we need to take?
What decision do we need to make?
On what promises do we need to put down a stake?