THE LORD SENDS QUAIL

Numbers 11:4-14, 31-34

Bible Story 48

Re-cap:

The Exodus: Exodus 12:31-51

Crossing the Red Sea Exodus 14

Bread From Heaven Exodus 16:4-35

Water From the Rock Exodus 17:1-6

The Ten Commandments Exodus 19:20-20:17

The Golden Calf Exodus 32

Moses Talks with God Exodus 33:7-34:35

The Tabernacle Exodus 36:8-40:38

The Cloud and the Fire Numbers 9:15-23

TODAY

The LORD Sends Quail Numbers 11:1-15, 31-34

Numbers 11:4-14 The People Complain to Moses

1 Soon the people began to complain about their hardship, and the LORD heard everything they said. Then the LORD’s anger blazed against them, and he sent a fire to rage among them, and he destroyed some of the people in the outskirts of the camp. 2 Then the people screamed to Moses for help, and when he prayed to the LORD, the fire stopped. 3 After that, the area was known as Taberah (which means “the place of burning”), because fire from the LORD had burned among them there. 4 Then the foreign rabble who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt. And the people of Israel also began to complain. “Oh, for some meat!” they exclaimed. 5 “We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic we wanted. 6 But now our appetites are gone. All we ever see is this manna!” 7 The manna looked like small coriander seeds, and it was pale yellow like gum resin. 8 The people would go out and gather it from the ground. They made flour by grinding it with hand mills or pounding it in mortars. Then they boiled it in a pot and made it into flat cakes. These cakes tasted like pastries baked with olive oil. 9 The manna came down on the camp with the dew during the night. 10 Moses heard all the families standing in the doorways of their tents whining, and the LORD became extremely angry. Moses was also very aggravated. 11 And Moses said to the LORD, “Why are you treating me, your servant, so harshly? Have mercy on me! What did I do to deserve the burden of all these people? 12 Did I give birth to them? Did I bring them into the world? Why did you tell me to carry them in my arms like a mother carries a nursing baby? How can I carry them to the land you swore to give their ancestors? 13 Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? They keep whining to me, saying, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! 15 If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!”

Numbers 11:32-34 The LORD Sends Quail

31 Now the LORD sent a wind that brought quail from the sea and let them fall all around the camp. For miles in every direction, there were quail flying about three feet above the ground. 32 So the people went out and caught quail all that day and throughout the night and all the next day, too. No one gathered less than fifty bushels! They spread the quail all around the camp to dry. 33 But while they were gorging themselves on the meat—while it was still in their mouths—the anger of the LORD blazed against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. 34 So that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah (which means “graves of gluttony”) because there they buried the people who had craved meat from Egypt. 35 From Kibroth-hattaavah the Israelites traveled to Hazeroth, where they stayed for some time.

MEMORY VERSE

PROVERBS 23:21 “For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.”

Lesson Time

God provides for us! One thing we should remember is to thank God for everything. We should be happy with everything that God provides for us.

What are some ways to be thankful to God?

God is so good to us! Part of how He is good to us is how He takes such wonderful care of us.

The Lord always provides for the needs of His children.

Our God is a good and loving Father who knows and does what is best for us.

The children of Israel were in God’s hand as they traveled in the wilderness. He was always faithful to them as He blessed them and provided for their needs.

Out of His love for them, God gave them sweet manna from heaven to eat and pure water to drink.

But even though God was always providing for His people, they began to complain about what God gave to them.

They started to think that maybe it was better back in Egypt.

Only one problem, they forgot that in Egypt they were slaves.

We need to be thankful for what God has provided for us because He knows what is best for us and gives us everything that we need.

4 Then the foreign rabble who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt. And the people of Israel also began to complain. “Oh, for some meat!” they exclaimed. 5 “We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic we wanted. 6 But now our appetites are gone. All we ever see is this manna!”

The children of Israel were not happy with what they had.

They were kind of like us, sometimes, when we begin to complain about everything that we do the things we do not have instead of being thankful for the blessings that we do have.

They looked back at their old lives and remembered the delicious food in Egypt.

They forgot what it was really like in Egypt.

They were slaves to Pharaoh and wanted nothing more than to be freed.

Forgetting all they should be thankful for; they began to complain against God.

Who do we complain against?

God because He is the One that provides for us.

I know what you thinking, your thinking God doesn’t provide my dad or mom or whoever you live with does.

I remember growing up my dad had two jobs and my mom worked too. When we went out to a store or on vacation dad and mom paid for it.

It is really important for us to be thankful and remember all that God has done for us.

What has God done for us?

7 The manna looked like small coriander seeds, and it was pale yellow like gum resin. 8 The people would go out and gather it from the ground. They made flour by grinding it with hand mills or pounding it in mortars. Then they boiled it in a pot and made it into flat cakes. These cakes tasted like pastries baked with olive oil. 9 The manna came down on the camp with the dew during the night.

Manna was an amazing gift of God. God even made the manna a sweet taste for the people to enjoy.

The Bible even says that manna was angel’s food (Psalm 78:25).

The things that God provides for us are good for us.

Let’s remember that everything we have is a gift from God.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above.” James 1:17

10 Moses heard all the families standing in the doorways of their tents whining, and the LORD became extremely angry. Moses was also very aggravated. 11 And Moses said to the LORD, “Why are you treating me, your servant, so harshly? Have mercy on me! What did I do to deserve the burden of all these people? 12 Did I give birth to them? Did I bring them into the world? Why did you tell me to carry them in my arms like a mother carries a nursing baby? How can I carry them to the land you swore to give their ancestors? 13 Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? They keep whining to me, saying, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! 15 If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!”

The people were being disobedient to God as they pouted over a lack of meat.

What were they being?

Moses did not know what to do and was very troubled.

However, Moses knew whom to turn to when he was in an impossible situation.

Moses took this great burden to the Lord because he knew that God was totally in control of every situation.

We cannot do anything on our own. It is so important for us to cast all our cares whether small or great on the Lord.

When you have something bothering you what do you do?

God loves us so much and wants to work all things out for good in our lives.

We need to call on Him and let Him rule our lives just as Moses did.

31 Now the LORD sent a wind that brought quail from the sea and let them fall all around the camp. For miles in every direction, there were quail flying about three feet above the ground. 32 So the people went out and caught quail all that day and throughout the night and all the next day, too. No one gathered less than fifty bushels! They spread the quail all around the camp to dry.

God sent quail to these complaining people.

He sent them a miracle.

What are some other miracles in the bible?

The children of Israel were so obsessed with their sin that they greedily gathered a tremendous amount of meat.

They would never enjoy it because they were in sin.

How did they sin?

God is good and always wants what is best for us.

We need to follow His way and not complain against Him because He always blesses His children with a better way of life.

Jer. 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

33 But while they were stuffing themselves on the meat—while it was still in their mouths—the anger of the LORD blazed against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. 34 So that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah (which means “graves of gluttony”) because there they buried the people who had craved meat from Egypt. 35 From Kibroth-hattaavah the Israelites traveled to Hazeroth, where they stayed for some time.

The Children of Israel were punished by God.

They had cried out against God and had complained against His providing for them.

God hates sin and must punish sin because He is so holy.

The people suffered the consequences of their sins.

Is God always faithful to do what is best for us?

He knew quail was not best for the children of Israel, and He knows what is not best for us.

We need to listen to God and follow His Word in order to be protected from evil.

Who is evil in the bible?

So, what are some things we can be thankful for?

PRAYER of THANKS

Lead the children into prayer for thanks for _________

SNACK TIME