The Murmuring Spirit
Num 14:2-4
2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!
3 And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.
(The murmuring spirit caused discouragement, discontentment, Moses and Aaron to fall on their faces, and came against the Lord’s anointed.)
What Caused Murmuring?
Exod 15:24
24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
(Discontent arises from adverse conditions in the natural.)
Exod 16:2-3
2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:
3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
(Accusations against the Lord; also a lying spirit came in.)
Exod 17:3
3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?
Num 16:41
41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD.
Punishment For Murmuring
I Cor 10:10
10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
Num 14:27-29
27 How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.
28 Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:
29 Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me,
Num 14:37
37 Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD.
I Tim 6:6-8
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
Phil 4:11-12
11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
(Paul had the answer for the murmuring spirit – Be content regardless of the circumstances.)
Murmuring Accompanied By Other Spirits
Exod 16:3
3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
(Accusing Spirit and Envy Spirit.)
Num 16:41
41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD.
(Lying Spirit.)
Num 14:2-3
2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!
3 And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
(Discouragement Spirit.)
Jude 1:16
16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.
(Lust of the Flesh Spirit and Talking Demon Spirit.)
Num 14:10
10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.
(Murder Spirit.)
Num 16:13
13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?
(Mocking Spirit.)
(Always with the children of Israel, the murmuring spirit overtook the whole congregation. It spread like wild fire once it entered the camp. In each case, the blame was placed on the leaders, Moses and Aaron.)
Additional Murmuring Spirit Scriptures
Deut 1:12
12 How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife?
Josh 9:18
18 And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.
Ps 106:25
25 But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD.
Isa 29:24
24 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.
Matt 20:11
11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
Mark 14:5
5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
Luke 5:30
30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
Luke 15:2
2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
Luke 19:7
7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.
Phil 2:14
14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
Definitions
Murmur
Dictionary: A low, indistinct, continuous sound, a mumbled or muttered complaint. Murmur implies a continuous flow of words or sounds in a low, indistinct voice and may apply to utterances of satisfaction or dissatisfaction.
Strong’s Concordance, Hebrew: To be obstinate, to complain.
Strong’s Concordance, Greek: To grumble, to murmur.