Numbers 11:1-35  The Quails from the Lord in Response to Israel’s Quest for Flesh

[Study Aired July 10, 2023]

Num 11:1  And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp. 
Num 11:2  And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched. 
Num 11:3  And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the LORD burnt among them. 
Num 11:4  And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? 
Num 11:5  We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: 
Num 11:6  But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes. 
Num 11:7  And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium. 
Num 11:8  And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil. 
Num 11:9  And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it. 
Num 11:10  Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.
Num 11:11  And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?
Num 11:12  Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? 
Num 11:13  Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat. 
Num 11:14  I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. 
Num 11:15  And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness. 
Num 11:16  And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. 
Num 11:17  And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone. 
Num 11:18  And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. 
Num 11:19  Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;
Num 11:20  But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?
Num 11:21  And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month.
Num 11:22  Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them? 
Num 11:23  And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD’S hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not. 
Num 11:24  And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle. 
Num 11:25  And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease. 
Num 11:26  But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp. 
Num 11:27  And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. 
Num 11:28  And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. 
Num 11:29  And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD’S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!
Num 11:30  And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel. 
Num 11:31  And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day’s journey on this side, and as it were a day’s journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth. 
Num 11:32  And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp.
Num 11:33  And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague. 
Num 11:34  And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted. 
Num 11:35  And the people journeyed from Kibrothhattaavah unto Hazeroth; and abode at Hazeroth. 

Introduction

As we journey through the Book of Numbers, we come to realize that the Book is about the building of the Lord’s army. Apart from not getting entangled in the affairs of this world, as the Lord’s army, we must be prepared to live under harsh circumstances during this time of war which we are raging with the flesh or the beast within us.

2Ti 2:3  Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
2Ti 2:4  No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 
2Ti 2:5  And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

The need to endure hardship calls for discipline on our part. Any sign of insubordination on the part of a soldier must be swiftly dealt with to forestall indiscipline within the army ranks. Chapter 11 deals with indiscipline on the part of the people of Israel, as they were not content with the Lord’s provision in the wilderness. These acts of indiscipline on the part of the Israelites were swiftly dealt with by the Lord. The chapter also focuses on the burden on Moses of leading the people of Israel in the wilderness and the commissioning of the seventy elders of the people of Israel to assist him with his work.

Num 11:1  And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp. 
Num 11:2  And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched. 
Num 11:3  And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the LORD burnt among them. 

As we can see from these verses, the Lord did not show mercy to those who complained. As His elect, we have also complained several times as we walk with Him, yet we are not consumed. The reason for this is because of our election. That is to say that the Lord wants to show His mercy to the whole world through us, His elect. We are therefore the Lord’s gift of mercy to the whole world. For example, David, a symbol of the elect, committed more grievous offenses against the Lord than these complainants, but the Lord spared him. However, this was not the case with Saul when he spared king Agag and the fattened animals, which he used as sacrifice to the Lord when the Lord specifically told him not to let anything that breathed live.

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 
Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 

1Sa 15:18  And the LORD sent thee (Saul) on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. 
1Sa 15:19  Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD? 
1Sa 15:20  And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 
1Sa 15:21  But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal. 
1Sa 15:22  And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 
1Sa 15:23  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. 
1Sa 15:24  And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. 
1Sa 15:25  Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD.

This is not to say that because we are spared by the Lord, we can do as we please. Here is the Lord’s warning to us:

Rom 11:21  For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 
Rom 11:22  Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

Verses 1-3 also show us how the world will be ruled with a rod of iron during the thousand-year reign by Christ and His elect. 

Rev 2:26  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 
Rev 2:27  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Verse 2 says that the people cried unto Moses, and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire was quenched. This is another way of saying that through the mercy of the elect, represented here by Moses, the Lord will show mercy to the whole of humanity symbolized by the people of Israel.

Num 11:4  And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? 
Num 11:5  We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: 
Num 11:6  But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes. 

The mixed multitude signifies Babylon, of which we were part when we started our journey with Christ. As the verses here depict, our lives were characterized by our cravings for things of the flesh, since we were walking in the flesh at that time. The fish, cucumber, melons, leeks, onions and garlic in verse 5 refer to man’s wisdom, tradition and commandments, making the word of God of no effect in our lives. The effect of clinging to man’s tradition is the drying away of our souls as shown in verse 6. We were not ready for the heavenly manna even though it is right there before our eyes, as the Israelites indicated in verse 6.

Mar 7:7  Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 
Mar 7:8  For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 
Mar 7:9  And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. 

Mar 7:13  Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

During our time in Babylon, we were vulnerable as we clung to those who could give us flesh to eat. The current church system of this world is in the same state. In other words, many are looking for something tangible that identifies with the flesh, such as prosperity, no suffering, enjoyment, etc. No wonder we heaped upon ourselves men of God which are of the flesh to tell us what we want to hear.

2Ti 4:3  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 
2Ti 4:4  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 
2Ti 4:5  But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. 

The time mentioned here by Paul has long been with us as we see the effects of desiring the flesh instead of the heavenly manna, which is the truth of the word of the Lord.

2Ti 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 
2Ti 3:2  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 
2Ti 3:3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 
2Ti 3:4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 
2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 
2Ti 3:6  For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 
2Ti 3:7  Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 
2Ti 3:8  Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 
2Ti 3:9  But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. 

Num 11:7  And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium. 
Num 11:8  And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil. 
Num 11:9  And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it. 

These verses show us the positive aspect of the manna the Lord gave with which the people of Israel were fed up. The manna in these verses signifies the truth of the word of the Lord. The manna appeared as a coriander seed. Since a seed germinates, it has life. Thus, appearing as coriander seed means the word of the Lord is living and active.

Heb 4:12  For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (ESV)

The manna has the color of bdellium. According to Strong, bdellium has a color between yellow and orange (amber) with yellow being the base color. Yellow or gold is the truth of the word of the Lord. Bdellium probably comes from the root word “badal (H914)” which means to divide or separate. In order to appreciate the truth of the word of the Lord, it must be rightly divided.

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

In verse 8, the manna had to be gathered, ground and baked. This means that in order to understand the word of truth, it must be broken down, and that means comparing scripture with scripture. Through the process of our fiery trials, because of the fire of the word of the Lord (being baked), we come to enjoy the eating of the heavenly manna.

1Co 2:13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

Oil signifies the spirit. This means that the taste of manna being like the taste of fresh oil in verse 8 means that it is the spiritual interpretation of the word of the Lord that gives life.

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

The dew falling upon the camp in the night, resulting in the falling of manna, means that as the Lord’s elect, we are required to take in or gather as much of this heavenly manna as needed when the morning breaks, which means Christ rising within us. We are not to leave it for the next day means that we are to understand the full counsel of the Lord during our stay here on earth. We are not to leave it for the next age.

Exo 16:19  And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” 
Exo 16:20  But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them.

We can see that we have to go through a lot in order to enjoy the heavenly manna. Being of the flesh, or carnal, the Israelites, or our brothers and sisters in Babylon, do not appreciate spiritual things or this heavenly manna. It takes too much to understand the truth of the word of the Lord. What we wanted when we were in Babylon was flesh, just like the Israelites.

Num 11:10  Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased. 
Num 11:11  And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? 
Num 11:12  Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? 
Num 11:13  Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat. 

Moses also represents Christ. These verses are therefore to help us appreciate what the Lord went through as He carried the sins of the whole world. Unlike Moses, the Lord did not open His mouth or complain. 

Isa 53:6  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 
Isa 53:7  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. 
Isa 53:8  By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? 

As we can see in verse 12, Moses was complaining bitterly, and we can see that He was not given eyes to see and ears to hear that the Lord Jesus is the mother who gave birth to all humanity, and therefore He is the one carrying us in His bosom, as a father bearing the sucking child with the motive of bringing all humanity to possess the land, that is, salvation for all humanity.

Joh 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.

Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

Num 11:14  I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.
Num 11:15  And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness. 
Num 11:16  And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. 
Num 11:17  And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.

As He is, so are we. As Christ bore this burden of bringing all humanity into salvation, we His elect must also bear this burden. We are the seventy elders of the people of Israel whom the Lord has chosen to share in the work of bringing all humanity into the promised land to possess the land. In verse 17, God Himself has come down to talk to Jesus and affirmed to us that Jesus is Lord!! He has also taken the spirit which is on Jesus and put it on us, His elect, so we can share in the burden of our Lord Jesus Christ!! The seventy (70=7×10) elders signify the complete number of the elect of every generation. The coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost was the beginning of the Lord putting His spirit on the elect of every generation (seventy elders).

1Co 3:9  For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. 

Mat 3:17  And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

In verse 15, Moses said that if he had found favor in the sight of the Lord, then he should not see wretchedness. It is another way of saying that the holy one (Jesus) will not see corruption as he has found favor with God. The voice from heaven affirmed that Jesus has found favor with God and therefore did not see corruption when he died. He was raised from the dead!! In a similar pattern, as we find favor with the Lord, we shall be raised to glory like Christ.

Psa 16:10  For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 
Psa 16:11  Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Num 11:18  And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat. 
Num 11:19  Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; 
Num 11:20  But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?

As we indicated, the people of Israel represented the mixed multitude which is Babylon. To our brothers and sisters in Babylon, the Lord has given flesh for a whole month because they have despised manna and craved flesh. Giving them flesh means the Lord has replaced the truth of the word of the Lord with man’s wisdom, tradition and commandments. Since the manna on a positive note represents the truth of the word of the Lord, what the Israelites or Babylon have done is that our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the word of the Lord, has been despised in the churches of this world and have instead accepted another Jesus. In view of this, the flesh the Lord is giving them is causing them to die spiritually (verse 20). These verses are therefore another way of saying that if we do not accept the truth of the word of the Lord (manna), He will cause us to be strongly deluded.

2Th 2:10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 
2Th 2:12  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 

Num 11:21  And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month. 
Num 11:22  Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them? 
Num 11:23  And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD’S hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not. 

In spite of the miracles the Lord had wrought before Moses and the people of Israel, Moses doubted the possibility of the people of Israel eating meat in the wilderness. We have all doubted whether the Lord will indeed miraculously come to our aid concerning the challenges we face. However, the Lord has been merciful to us.  Our walk is by faith and not by sight. Through faith many men and women of old have had the Lord miraculously intervene on their behalf. 

Heb 11:33  Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 
Heb 11:34  Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 
Heb 11:35  Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 

Let us go back to the basics of learning to walk by faith and not by sight. We grow our faith by hearing the word of the Lord. 

Rom 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Num 11:24  And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle. 
Num 11:25  And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease. 
Num 11:26  But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp. 
Num 11:27  And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp. 
Num 11:28  And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. 
Num 11:29  And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD’S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!

These verses are a foretaste of the coming of the Holy Spirit on the disciples on the day of Pentecost. 

Act 2:1  And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 
Act 2:2  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 
Act 2:3  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 
Act 2:4  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

As shown in verse 25, when the Holy Spirit comes into our lives, we prophesy. That means we speak to each other to edify, exhort and comfort. That is what happens when we gather daily to know more about the mind of Christ. 

1Co 14:3  But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

It is instructive to note that the seventy people were gathered round the tabernacle when the Holy Spirit came on them. This means they had left the camp, which is Babylon. However, there were two others (Eldad and Medad) who were part of the seventy who did not come to the tabernacle but remained in the camp but also received the Holy Spirit. What this means is that there are others still in Babylon (the camp) who will leave and become witnesses of Christ (the significance of the number two) and therefore receive the Holy Spirit. Their names confirm the fact that they are part of the elect. Eldad means God has loved, and Medad means love. It is the Lord’s elect who are the object of His love in this dispensation. 

Jer 31:3  The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. 

Rev 3:9  Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 

What Moses told Joshua, who was concerned about the two men (Eldad and Medad) prophesying in the camp, is another way of saying what the Lord told the disciples when they stopped someone casting out devils in Jesus’ name.  

Mar 9:38  And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. 
Mar 9:39  But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. 
Mar 9:40  For he that is not against us is on our part.

Num 11:30  And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel. 
Num 11:31  And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day’s journey on this side, and as it were a day’s journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth. 
Num 11:32  And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp.
Num 11:33  And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague. 
Num 11:34  And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted. 
Num 11:35  And the people journeyed from Kibrothhattaavah unto Hazeroth; and abode at Hazeroth. 

What is significant about the quails was the fact that they came from the sea. As we know, the sea represents the flesh of mankind. What happened to the Israelites with the coming of quails is what is prophesied in the Book of Revelation about the release of the four angels bound in the great river Euphrates. 

Rev 9:13  And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 
Rev 9:14  Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. 
Rev 9:15  And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
Rev 9:16  And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.
Rev 9:17  And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. 
Rev 9:18  By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. 
Rev 9:19  For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.

The release of the quails and that of the four angels all has the same effect – it kills those to whom they are sent. That was what happened to us in Babylon and is happening to every generation in Babylon. We became spiritually dead when we imbibed the meat of the quails, or the 200 million false doctrines propagated by the whole Babylonian messengers (the four bound angels). This experience of evil is also described by Peter as follows:

2Pe 2:18  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity (quails or 200 million false doctrines), they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 
2Pe 2:19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
2Pe 2:20  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
2Pe 2:21  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 
2Pe 2:22  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

We can see that we have come a long way to experience the freedom we have in Christ. Let us not throw away what we have received or belittle our gathering, which is where every joint supplies what we need. Let’s continue to press on to the mark of His higher calling as we continue to meet daily. This, we will do as the Lord enables us!! May His name be praised!!