Graves of Lust

Graves of Lust Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: “Who will give us meat to eat?” —Numbers 11: 4 Recalling their old life, the mixed multitude that had come out of Egypt with the children of Israel began to lust for that old life. God was displeased that they had fondly looked back at Egypt, nevertheless He provided for them despite their murmuring against Him. “But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was aroused against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very great plague. So he called the name of that place Kibroth Hattaavah [which means graves of lust], because there they buried the people who had yielded to craving” (11: 33-34). It could be they were so hungry for meat that they swallowed without chewing, the bones lodged in their throats, and they choked to death. Or it is possible that after more than a year’s time of this bland diet of manna, their bodies could not suddenly assimilate all of this meat and they gorged themselves, filling their stomachs until they bloated. Whatever it was, their lust brought them death. God wants us to have victory over the flesh, and that victory comes only when we walk after and live after the Spirit. Paul said, “The flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh” (Galatians 5: 17). Yielding to the flesh only brings spiritual suffering. God never intended that we be enslaved by the desires of our flesh.
Father, we see the destructive power of the flesh. Help us to exercise good wisdom and judgment—that we might live and walk after the Spirit. Amen.

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