Why did God allow Moses to challenge him?

Numbers 12:3 says that Moses was “the humblest man alive,” but in the previous chapter he’d openly challenged Yahweh, and in what sounds like the most cheeky, disrespectful way too. So why did Yahweh put up with it if humility was so important to him?

Or put another way, because he did put up with it, does that mean he doesn’t mind us challenging him? But what is it about us – and about him – that allows that to happen?  

Well, in Exodus 33:13 Moses had asked Yahweh to “teach me your ways so I may know you,” which Yahweh clearly appreciated (17), so he did just that, he made known his ways. In what he taught Moses, then, we are given wonderful and detailed insight into the workings of the minds of both Yahweh and Moses, Numbers 11 being a real eye-opener. 

In verse 1, Yahweh is super ticked off by the Israelites “complaining about their hardships,” and wailing about wanting “meat to eat” rather than this boring, unappetizing manna every day (4-6). The wailing coming from every Israelite tent was so loud and persistent that it made Yahweh “exceedingly angry” (10). So Moses was now on the receiving end of the anger of both the Israelites and Yahweh.

“Troubled” by it (10), Moses gets personal with Yahweh: “Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth?” In other words, why lump me with all these problems, when it wasn’t my idea to “nurse these people all the way to the land you promised”? (11-12). 

So here was the humblest man on earth openly and fearlessly challenging Yahweh, even bluntly asking him, “How on earth am I going to find meat for all these people? I can’t deal with all this by myself, it’s way too much for me. So if this is how you’re going to treat me, then put me to death right now” (13-15). 

This was a dark time for Moses. He was exhausted, frustrated and angry at the circumstances Yahweh had landed him in. But why didn’t his wailing “arouse Yahweh’s anger” like the wailing of the rest of the Israelites (1)? Because, verse 15, even in the depths of his despair Moses could still say to Yahweh, “If I have found favour in your eyes”….(next blog)