Topical Bible: Intercession: Answered: After the Complaining of the People

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Intercession, the act of intervening or mediating on behalf of others through prayer, is a recurring theme throughout the Bible. One notable instance of intercession being answered occurs after the Israelites' complaints during their wilderness journey. This episode highlights the power of intercessory prayer and God's responsiveness to the pleas of His chosen leaders.

In the Book of Numbers, the Israelites frequently express dissatisfaction with their circumstances, often longing for the comforts of Egypt despite their deliverance from slavery. Their complaints are not merely expressions of discomfort but reflect a deeper lack of trust in God's provision and plan. In Numbers 11, the people lament their hardships and express a craving for the foods they enjoyed in Egypt, leading to God's anger being kindled against them.

Moses, burdened by the people's incessant grumbling, turns to God in intercession. He expresses his own frustration and inability to bear the weight of leading such a rebellious group. In Numbers 11:11-15 , Moses cries out to the Lord, questioning why he has been given such a heavy burden and asking for relief. His intercession is not just for the people but also for himself, as he seeks God's guidance and support.

God responds to Moses' intercession with compassion and provision. He instructs Moses to gather seventy elders of Israel, promising to share the Spirit that is upon Moses with them, so they may help bear the burden of leadership (Numbers 11:16-17). This divine response not only addresses Moses' immediate need for assistance but also serves as a means to restore order and faith among the people.

Furthermore, God provides quail to satisfy the Israelites' craving for meat, demonstrating His ability to meet their physical needs despite their lack of faith (Numbers 11:31-32). However, this provision comes with a stern reminder of the consequences of their complaints, as a plague strikes those who had greedily gathered the quail (Numbers 11:33).

This episode underscores the importance of intercession in the face of communal discontent and divine displeasure. Moses' role as an intercessor is pivotal, as his prayers lead to both the alleviation of his own burdens and the provision of the people's needs. It illustrates the principle that God listens to the earnest prayers of His servants, even when His people falter in faith.

The narrative also serves as a reminder of the balance between God's mercy and justice. While He responds to intercession with provision and support, He also upholds His holiness by addressing the underlying issues of rebellion and ingratitude. Through intercession, God's leaders are empowered to guide His people back to a place of trust and obedience.

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Exodus 33:15-17
And he said to him, If your presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.
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Library

The Spirit of Prayer.
... people would ask, that ought to be answered more fully ... which you would do well to
read after you go ... mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the ...
/.../finney/lectures on revivals of religion/lecture vi the spirit of.htm

The Last Years of Knox: 1567-1572
... for his partisanship of Mary, at Knox's intercession. ... of the King's (Darnley's) murder?"
"I answered, indeed, I ... presently I am," he said, after long meditation ...
/.../lang/john knox and the reformation/chapter xviii the last years.htm

Order and Argument in Prayer
... out, as David said, "after a dead dog, after a flea ... in the trenches, for Jehovah
God had answered his servant's ... the death, the merit, the intercession of Christ ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 12 1866/order and argument in prayer.htm

Prayer Perfumed with Praise
... prepared a High Priest, ever living to make intercession; and to ... our heart still
groans after holiness and after God, though ... Yea, kindly answered when refused,. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 25 1879/prayer perfumed with praise.htm

Chapter xix
... God had answered his petition to have it spared ... we hear nothing more of Lot after
this sad ... the preceding, showing what bearing Abraham's intercession really had ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xix.htm

The Psalms and Hymns of Isaac Watts
... 63:4-7. HYMN 30 Prayer for deliverance answered. Isa. ... HYMN 84 Breathing after the
Holy Spirit; or, Fervency of devotion desired. ... HYMN 36 Christ's intercession. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watts/the psalms and hymns of isaac watts/

Thursday Night - Before Annas and Caiaphas - Peter and Jesus.
... And they answered, if for life, "For life!" and if ... 5. It was after this meeting of
the Sanhedrists had ... Promises, the same assurance of the intercession of the ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xiii thursday night -.htm

A Canticle of Love
... if I was resigned to die, I:answered: 'Father, I ... After a last solemn blessing, this
grain of priceless ... trophy of Therese," brought by her intercession to the ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/martin/the story of a soul/chapter xi a canticle of.htm

Conversion.
... before God; for all its demands are answered, all its ... also, that it is his business
to make intercession for thee ... when he first began to look out after him, was ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bunyan/the riches of bunyan/xi conversion.htm

The Bible
... these words at his mouth?" Then Baruch answered them, "He ... to the presence of God
through the intercession of a ... It will spend page after page in describing the ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/haldeman/christ christianity and the bible/the bible.htm