
SA13 - Jehovah’s Hand Is Never Too Short
Moses showed great faith in Jehovah’s power to provide, even leading Israel through miraculous events, yet he briefly doubted God’s ability to supply meat in the wilderness. Jehovah lovingly corrected him, emphasizing that His hand..., His power..., is never too short to fulfill His promises, teaching us to trust fully in His provision.
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JEHOVAH’S HAND IS NEVER TOO SHORT
- “Is the hand of Jehovah too short?” Numbers 11:23 serves as a powerful reminder to trust in Jehovah’s ability to provide materially.
- Moses, a key example of faith in Hebrews (Heb. 3:2-5; 11:23-25), trusted Jehovah even in dire circumstances, such as leading Israel through the Red Sea and into the wilderness (Heb. 11:27-29).
- God miraculously provided food and water for the Israelites, proving Moses’ trust was well-founded (Exodus 15:22-25; Psalm 78:23-25).
- Despite prior miracles, Moses doubted Jehovah’s ability to provide meat for millions..., Jehovah replied: “Is the hand of Jehovah too short?”
- This rhetorical question reminded Moses, and us, of Jehovah’s limitless power and reach.
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LEARN FROM MOSES AND THE ISRAELITES
- The mixed crowd and Israelites complained about manna and longed for Egyptian food (Numbers 11:4-6).
- Moses felt overwhelmed, as if he personally had to meet the people’s needs (Numbers 11:13, 14).
- Dissatisfaction can spread; like the Israelites, we may be influenced by ungrateful people and forget Jehovah’s provisions.
- Cultivating contentment helps protect us from such negativity.
- The Israelites forgot Jehovah’s promise of abundance in the Promised Land, focusing on current discomforts instead.
- Likewise, we should focus on Jehovah’s promises for the future, not just present circumstances.
- Jehovah emphasized not only His power but also His reach..., He can provide even in remote, desolate situations (Psalm 136:11, 12; Psalm 138:6, 7).
- Jehovah provided quail in abundance, but the people showed greed instead of gratitude and were punished (Numbers 11:31-34).
- We must guard against selfish craving and focus on storing up “treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:19-20; Luke 16:9).
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JEHOVAH STILL PROVIDES TODAY- Jehovah’s hand continues to reach us, though He does not promise exemption from hunger or loss.
- Psalm 37:25 and Matthew 6:33 show God’s general care, not a guarantee of constant material comfort.
- Jehovah allows tests of faith (e.g., hunger or persecution) to prove loyalty, but always gives strength to endure (1 Corinthians 10:13).
- In times of financial strain or future planning, we can show trust in Jehovah’s hand.
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DEALING WITH FINANCIAL PROBLEMS
- Economic instability, disasters, or pandemics may cause sudden financial hardship.
- Take your concerns to Jehovah (Proverbs 16:3), asking for wisdom and peace (Luke 12:29-31).
- Cultivate contentment with necessities (1 Timothy 6:7, 8); seek practical advice from jw.org.
- Spiritual priorities must outweigh material gains..., relocating for work may harm one’s family and spiritual life (Luke 14:28; Ephesians 6:4).
- Case Study: Marilyn’s overseas job caused strain in raising her child and led to spiritual risks..., eventually, she recognized spiritual unity was more valuable than income.
- Tony, in Asia, turned down lucrative jobs abroad to focus on his family and spiritual goals; now sees blessings from trusting Jehovah (Matthew 6:33).
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PLANNING FOR OUR FUTURE MATERIAL NEEDS
- The Bible encourages reasonable preparation for the future (Proverbs 6:6-11; Ecclesiastes 7:12).
- We should not let material planning consume us..., it must be balanced with spiritual goals.
- Jesus warned against the folly of accumulating wealth without being “rich toward God” (Luke 12:16-21).
- Life is unpredictable (Proverbs 23:4, 5; James 4:13-15), and as disciples, we must be ready to “give up all our belongings” if necessary (Luke 14:33).
- Early Christians accepted material loss joyfully for spiritual gain (Hebrews 10:34).
Thank you for reading,
-Soli Jehova Gloria (1 Corinthians 10:31)
8 comments
Not every need is met with excess, but Jehovah always gives enough.
You know what’s great, Moses doubted Jehovah for a moment and still Jehovah used him. 💪Now that’s encouraging!!!
I had to rethink my goals, I think it’s time to shift my focus upward. Thanks for this review.
There’s something so real about the Israelites craving the food they used to have in Egypt. I wondered to myself, how often do we look back at something we once had, it could be a relationship, a jobs, some other comfort, how quickly we forget at what it cost those things might have been to us spiritually? I really appreciated the reminder to focus on what Jehovah promises ahead, not what we left behind. He didn’t bring us this far to abandon us now.
The picture in the article of the Israelites that were out there gathering quail like it was a Black Friday sale. I thought, too bad greed wasn’t on discount. 😂 But seriously, greed blocks gratitude. This was a wake-up call.