1/5 Strength for Today

Mixt Multitude

Numbers 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?”

In every great movement, you will find a crowd that will follow simply because it is the popular thing to do. This crowd does not follow because it is the right thing to do, they follow because they think the movement will make them part of the “in” crowd. The problem with this crowd is that you will never be able to trust them because when times get tough, they are always looking for greener grass.

When Israel left Egypt, they had a crowd that got caught up in what God was doing for them. This crowd was called the “mixt multitude.” I can't blame them for getting caught up in what God was doing for the children of Israel, let's face it, they may have done it just to stay alive. The problem with this crowd was when times got tough in the wilderness; they always caused problems for the rest of the people.

This is the case in the verse above. This “mixt multitude” quickly became weary of the manna God sent every morning from Heaven and demanded that they have some meat to eat. This “mixt multitude” began to compare the food of Egypt to what they were getting at this moment, thus their murmuring brought God's judgment upon the whole congregation.

We have to be careful that we don't take on the characteristic of the “mixt multitude.” In every congregation or movement you will have this crowd. The main characteristic of this “mixt multitude” is they compare everything to the world. They always think the world has it better. Their comparison does not look at the end road of what the world has to offer; it only looks at what the world presently offers.

Be careful that you don't compare the Christian life to the lifestyle of the world. Yes, at times the Christian life can be trying, but the end of the Christian life is rewarding. If we fall into the trap of comparing everything to what the world has, then it won't be long before we leave the Christian life for the worldly lifestyle; to our detriment. Watch the crowd you spend time with. Be careful not to run with the crowd that is part of the “mixt multitude.” Don't run with the crowd that always compares everything to the world.

Settle in your mind and heart that serving God is the way of life you are going to live. If you will settle this in your mind, then you will find that what the world has to offer will not be intriguing. If you settle that the Christian life is the way you are going to live, then you will find a peace and satisfaction in this way of life, even in the midst of hardships.