What does Moses' question reveal about human limitations versus divine power? Setting the Scene “ But Moses replied, ‘Here I am among six hundred thousand men on foot, yet You say, ‘I will give them meat, and they will eat for a month.’ ” (Numbers 11:21) The Israelites have grumbled for meat; God promises a full month’s supply. Moses immediately calculates the impossibility from a human standpoint. The Weight of Human Limitation • Moses sees 600,000 fighting-age men—well over two million people including women and children. • He measures resources: barren wilderness, no herds large enough, no stores stocked. • His question assumes that supply must equal need within the visible, material realm. • Even a proven leader and miracle-witness can default to human math when the scale exceeds experience. The Unbounded Power of God • God answers in verse 23, “Is the LORD’s arm too short? Now you will see whether My word will come to pass.” The question flips Moses’ doubt on its head. • Divine ability is never restricted by wilderness, numbers, or natural means. • Scripture consistently reveals God creating ex nihilo (Genesis 1), feeding multitudes with scant loaves and fish (Matthew 14:13-21), and raising the dead (John 11). Connected Passages that Echo the Same Truth • Genesis 18:14—“Is anything too difficult for the LORD?” spoken to Sarah about Isaac’s birth. • Jeremiah 32:17—“Ah, Lord GOD! … nothing is too difficult for You.” • Luke 1:37—“For nothing will be impossible with God,” assuring Mary of the virgin birth. • Ephesians 3:20—God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” Lessons for Our Walk Today • Natural calculations are good servants but poor masters; faith weighs divine promise above visible supply. • Doubt exposes the boundaries of our understanding, inviting us to know God’s limitless character more deeply. • God’s questions (“Is My arm too short?”) redirect focus from problem-sizing to promise-trusting. • Today’s impossibilities—health crises, financial need, ministry vision—are opportunities for God to display the same power that fed Israel in the desert. Moses’ honest question underscores human limitation; God’s answer reasserts His sovereign, boundless power. Confidence rests not in what we can count, but in the One who cannot be counted out. |
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