It Is Enough... (or is it?)

But Moses responded to the LORD, “There are 600,000 foot soldiers here with me, and yet you say, ‘I will give them meat for a whole month!’ Even if we butchered all our flocks and herds, would that satisfy them? Even if we caught all the fish in the sea, would that be enough?” [Numbers 11.21-22]

Evidently, even though the herds of Israel were large enough to support their Tabernacle protocol for sacrifices and all, they were not sufficient enough to provide meat for all - at least not "meat on demand" as it seemed the complaint was about.

This still remains somewhat a mystery to me, but it makes Israel's animal sacrifices much more important! The reason I said "meat on demand' above is because, as I understand it, there was meat available (actually prescribed) to be eaten as part of the various sacrifices. And, although some of the sacrifices required burning up everything, not all carried that requirement.

Is there a hidden meaning in all this? Probably. And, its not so much "hidden" as it is "masked."

The "meat" of an animal makes up the bulk of the body. The blood of the animal is that which makes atonement for the people. So, what is it with the meat?

Once the blood is removed, the animal is dead. But there is great significance in the remaining meat! Some of it is ceremonially eaten - I say - to portray the broken body of Jesus:

So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. [John 6.53-56]

The blood redeems the soul. It is the flesh - the meat - that redeems the body. Herein lies physical healing. And, as the redemption provided by the blood of Jesus is received by faith, so the physical healing provided by the body of Jesus is received of faith. That is precisely why Jesus demanded the "eating" of His flesh and "drinking" of His blood.

Is it not very interesting then, that the gluttony of the people of Israel who ate the quail came that came into camp resulted in sickness and death? The quail remind us of all the things we might "think" will be health for our bodies that, in our gluttony, actually destroy us.

Is it not revealing that the saying goes around today that, "if you don't have your health, you don't have anything"?

Again, the meat of the sacrifices was limited. There were certainly no "meat parties" going on (until the quail came). And no, there were not great amounts of, if any, vegetables for Israel during their wilderness journey. There was a leanness for sure - but meat was available for those devoted to God - just like Jesus is available to any today who are devoted to Him. But the greed of mankind is universal and timeless... we want more... Instead of saying, it is enough, greed makes us want as much of what we want when we want it.

Father, help me to see the meaning of the sacrifices Israel was required to make. Help me to see the significance in it all. Thank You for what You are revealing to me - help me to be faithful to share with others... Let my life demonstrate that the blood and flesh of Jesus are enough so that I might walk in redemption and health as an example to all.