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I. THEY WERE LOUD IN THE EXPRESSION OF THEIR DISCONTENT, "These are murmurers, complainers." It was natural they should be so if they "walked after their own lusts," because these lusts were insatiable, and the means of their gratification were not always accessible.

1. The habit of murmuring argues unbelief and distrust in the Lord. When men can say, "The Lord is my Portion," they will be likely to add, "The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places." (Psalm 16:5, 6). No fullness of earthly blessing can still the complaints of an unbelieving heart. The lesson of contentment is not to be learnt in the school of great prosperity.

2. It argues unthankfulness. The humble believer, as he receives his blessings, says, "I am less than the least of thy mercies."

3. It argues a high estimate of the murmurer's worth. "He counts God a hard master and himself a good servant." He seems to say, too, that if he had the ordering of human destiny, he could dispose it to better account.

4. The lesson for murmurers is that their habit

(1) cannot relieve or benefit them,

(2) but rather fills their life with still deeper anxiety and unrest.

5. The lesson for believers is

(1) to cultivate a contented mind (1 Timothy 6:8);

(2) to seek for submissiveness of heart;

(3) to be thankful that their lot is better than that of many others in the world.

II. THEY WERE SINFULLY SELF-INDULGENT. "Walking after their lusts."

1. The lusts of men are from within. "Out of the heart proceed" all evil things (Matthew 15:18). "The wars and the fightings" of life come of the lusts of men (James 4:1).

2. They are

(1) deceitful (Ephesians 4:22);

(2) entangling (2 Timothy 3:6);

(3) defiling;

(4) disquieting (2 Peter 2:11).

3. The course of the wicked is usually very persistent.

4. The servitude of the sinner to lust is miserable in its end. "The wages of sin is death."

III. THEY WERE GIVEN TO VAIN AND BOASTFUL EXAGGERATION. "And their month speaketh great swelling words." Either of themselves or others. The beast in the Apocalypse had a "mouth speaking great things" (Revelation 13:5).

1. None are so ready to boast of themselves as those possessing the least merit.

2. It is a folly to boast of ourselves. The Apostle Paul "became a fool in glorying" (2 Corinthians 12:11). "Let another man's lips praise thee, and not thine own." Our worth should commend us, not our words.

3. We should not allow swelling words to seduce us from the truth. There are those "who with feigned words make merchandise of you" (2 Peter 2:3), who "by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple" (Revelation 16:18).

IV. THEY WERE PARASITES AND FLATTERERS. "Showing respect of persons for the sake of advantage."

1. It is right to show respect to persons worthy of honour, but wrong to show respect to persons of evil character. It is wrong to "glory in men," but above all to "think of men above what is meet," and to be puffed up for one against another. We are not to have "the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons" (James 2:1) - "when wickedness in robes is magnified, and holiness in rags is contemned." The Lord says, "Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty" (Leviticus 19:15).

2. It is peculiarly base to act in this matter with a view to our personal advantage.

(1) It is sinful and hypocritical to flatter the wicked because they are great or powerful.

(2) We must learn to know the true glory of man, which is "the hidden man of the heart." - T.C.

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KJV: These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.

WEB: These are murmurers and complainers, walking after their lusts (and their mouth speaks proud things), showing respect of persons to gain advantage.