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"And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much DISCOURAGED BECAUSE OF THE WAY.And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and OUR SOUL LOATHETH THIS LIGHT BREAD."(Numbers 21:4-5) (caps mine)When we read the first 3 verses of this chapter, we can't help but wonder what in the world was going on in the minds of these children of Israel, but when we come to the next 2 verses which I posted above, we wonder no more. Following that great victory they had experienced, why oh why do we hear all this discouragement and complaining as they journeyed around Edom speaking out against God and Moses? Did they actually think that God didn't care anymore and was going to leave His people, bag and baggage, alone there in the wilderness to die?When we go back to verse 1, we read about king Arad there in the southern part of Canaan who got wind one day that the Israelites were spying out the land. We discover he ended up fighting with them and took some as prisoners. Now that didn't sit well with the people of Israel, so a bunch of them got together and went to God about it and vowed a vow. I can almost hear them crying out that day in verse 2,"...If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities."Did the Lord come to their rescue? Verse 3 gives us the answer, "And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and he called the name of the place Hormah." This victory was entirely of the Lord's doing! So there we have it. Done and won! Another answer to prayer and another victory!Now, you'd think someone would have stood up right about then and started singing a song of deliverance like Miriam did when they safely crossed the Red Sea. But wait a minute, Miriam is no longer with them. She and Aaron have passed on as well as many of the other older folks who had left Egypt nearly 40 years ago. The majority of Israel here is that new generation, but they could still complain with the best of them just like their Mommy's and Daddy's used to.Following their great deliverance, instead of hearing this new band of Israelites composing songs of happiness, we hear them complaining with sighs of hatred. Hear them again murmuring about the manna that God had sent from Heaven,"...our soul loatheth this light bread." This manna, a type of the Lord Jesus and His Word, was to be their nourishment and sustenance as they journeyed along, but they LOATHED it! Oh my, it's a dangerous thing to loathe and complain about the Power of the Word of God that was sent from Heaven. It is our very Nourishment and Sustenance while we travel along the way here.Well, God had had enough, and instant punishment followed in verse 6, "And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died." Be on your guard folks, because soon after some great victory has been won in our lives by the Power of God, like it was for the Israelites that day, there will always be another battle lurking around the corner, and around that corner comes that old liar. Yes, that lying devil is well armed and he's waiting and watching just down the road for an opportunity to whisper his nasty doubts in our ears. That old serpent's bite is a deadly one and many a sad soul have found that to be true the hard way! Right then and there is when we need to keep our eyes looking unto Jesus and studying His Word. Look and Live! Look and Live, as alluded to in verses 8-9, has always been our Lord's command.Friends, let's just keep looking unto Jesus as we gather and feed upon that Heaven-sent Manna every day so that we can lay down at night and rest our weary heads on His pillow of promises bringing the peace that our Saviour provides.