Lesson: 222 Lesson Name: Israel Murmurs and God Answers
Theme: Sin's Danger and Consequences

Reading: Numbers 11:1-35

Memory Verse: Heb. 12:29
Memory Verse Text: Our God is a consuming fire.

Attention Getter: It happened again! (See Lesson 133A)  The fire of the Lord reached beyond the sons of Aaron to the uttermost of the people!

Point 1: Complaining doesn't seem too bad, does it?  No, it doesn't until you see it from God's point of view.  God had continued to manifest Himself amongst His people and they seemed to completely take His goodness for granted.  As a result, God was about to make them reconsider how great His goodness was!
Point 2: The Israelites could never have journeyed through the desert without God having had provided for them.  Pride and selfishness were/are extremely dangerous.  The mixed multitude (a group who accompanied the children of Israel from Egypt) lusted after the (nearly imaginary) flesh pots of Egypt.  While slaves in Egypt, they probably ate very little of what they now hungered for.
Point 3: Manna, the sustaining and healthy food that God faithfully provided morning by morning, was the focus of the Israelites' complaining.  As a result, God was angry.  Application: We should be careful of arousing God's righteous displeasure.
Point 4: God sent wind that brought the Israelites quail and greedily, they took far more than they could ever eat.  Even though God gave them what they had desired, He also sent a great plague along with it, resulting in the death of many.  Had the Israelites' complaining and the fulfillment of their desire been worth it after all?

Notes: Manna is a picture of Christ.

Summary: Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death (James 1:15).  Be careful in case you get what you want, and more besides!

See also: Old Testament History - 2.08 - Wandering in the Wilderness

This Sunday School Curriculum guide is part of a 254 Sunday School Lesson Book available at www.gospelhall.org.  See the Downloads Section of the site for a complete copy.

The Sunday School Teacher's Survival Guide http://gospelhall.org/teaching--preaching/sunday-school-helper.html also provides advice on developing lessons for Bible classes.