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The Ice Man Cometh

Published March 27, 2015 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
Tags: By the Numbers, Ice Man, Korah, Numbers

Moses and the people of Israel were shut out of the Promised Land. Because they didn’t have faith in God’s Word and didn’t follow His will, God refused to let them enter the land He gave them. Instead, the Lord’s prescription for their rebellious attitude was a simple one:

“Since the spies were in the land for forty days, you must wander in the wilderness for forty years—a year for each day, bearing the burden of your sins. I will teach you what it means to reject me. I, Jehovah, have spoken. Every one of you who has conspired against me shall die here in this wilderness.” (Numbers 14:34 – 35 TLB)

That was a big pill for the people to swallow. But swallow it they did. The next four decades were pretty miserable for Israel, but also transitional. God was going to break them and remake them into a people that would serve Him and follow Him.

What happened during those 40 years is mostly a mystery; a historical void. This makes sense because they were years of void – years in which almost a whole generation of Israel’s history quickly died off and the new, youthful generation grew up with no history. Even though history is silent, this was a significant period in the development of Israel.

In terms of geography, the people really didn’t go anywhere. They wandered around aimlessly between Kadesh and the Red Sea, killing time. There is a record of some rest stops they made along the way (chapter 33), but essentially they walked around and around and around. Sometimes, as strange as it may seem, this is God’s will. There may be times in your life when God’s will for you is WAIT – WATCH – and be ready to move out. It’s during those down times when the Lord is helping you to grow, probably teaching you something you need to know. When it seems as though you aren’t going anywhere, yet you’re serving the Lord, living right, doing what you should, take advantage of the time to listen, and learn, and grow in your faith.

In terms of population, Israel lost upwards of 600,000 of its warriors, some to a violent death, many just died in the desert – an almost daily reminder of God’s judgment. Those under 20 when the 40 years began grew up, married and raised children. At the close of their desert judgment, a new generation of Abraham was on the scene.

In terms of this new generation’s spirituality, they were ready to honor the original Covenant. The promise of God was reaffirmed and they were ready to take the land. Moses, Aaron, Aaron’s sons, the Levites, Joshua, and Caleb were still alive and still leading the people. By now, naturally, Moses was quite old and it was inevitable that there would come a challenge to his leadership. It was odd – really odd! – that that challenge would come from a Levite who was actually a cousin to Moses and Aaron.

One day Korah (son of Izhar, grandson of Kohath, and a descendant of Levi) conspired with Dathan and Abiram (the sons of Eliab) and On (the son of Peleth), all three from the

tribe of Reuben, to incite a rebellion against Moses. Two hundred and fifty popular leaders, all members of the Assembly, were involved. (Numbers 16:1, 2 TLB)

The conspirators

From reading this early history of Israel, you might get the impression all they did was murmur and complain. You might be right. For those who like to know minute trivia, this was actually the fifth time and by the time we get to the end of chapter 16, we’ll be reading about the sixth. But this murmuring was particularly bad because it came from the priesthood, led by a prominent Levite, Korah.

Korah was a man of authority and those associated with his conspiracy to overthrow Moses were all men of prominence and wealth. The rebellion they schemed was no small affair.

“We have had enough of your presumption; you are no better than anyone else; everyone in Israel has been chosen of the Lord, and he is with all of us. What right do you have to put yourselves forward, claiming that we must obey you, and acting as though you were greater than anyone else among all these people of the Lord?” (Numbers 16:3 TLB)

The men making this complaint to Moses were all men of renown; they weren’t your average, run-of-the-mill unemployed trouble-makers. Their words carried weight. Their opinions were taken seriously, especially by Moses.

It’s one thing to be unfairly criticized by some loser who barely has the intelligence to walk. Most of us can handle that. But when your work or, worse, your character is impugned by people of note, people you respect, you sit up and take notice. Moses did.

The real sin

Korah, whose name means “Ice,” and he certainly lived down to his name, didn’t like Moses. That was obvious, but those feelings of dislike soon gave way to actions of opposition. As one writer noted, “Where love is thin, faults are thick.” Only somebody with an icy disposition could head up a coup against one of God’s meekest servants.

Their indictment against Moses wasn’t completely wrong. In fact, as they claimed, all Israel was indeed consecrated to the Lord. There was just enough truth in what they said to make Moses cringe. However, most of what they said was bogus. Moses was not taking too much upon himself. He was doing what he was called to do. In fact, at first he didn’t want any part of it; he thought he was unqualified. But God called him and God qualified him. Moses was far from perfect, but he was doing God’s will and Korah’s accusation was unfounded.

The real problem here was not with Moses or the leadership of Israel, but with Korah himself. Jealousy is a terrible thing. Any authority Moses had was derived authority; derived from God Himself. In effect, Moses was working with God’s authority and any complaint against Moses was really a complaint against God. Korah should have known this, and the fact that he didn’t tells us a lot about his spiritual orientation.

Truth is, it was Korah, not Moses, who was out of line. Korah was a Levite. His calling in life – his divine calling – was that of a Levite. He should have been content with what God had called him to do. Moses was doing his job, and Korah should have been doing his.

We learn a valuable lesson in 1 Corinthians 12 about the assigned duties of believers within the Body of Christ:

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. (1 Corinthians 12:4 – 6 NIV)

Not everybody in church can be an elder or a Sunday School teacher or a deacon. God calls and He enables individuals to do what He has called them to do. And no believer is better than another, in terms of their service. Why is that? It’s because we have been given the gifts of the Spirit in order to serve God. So in a very real sense, it’s the Holy Spirit working through us. When we complain about or criticize another believer unfairly or undeservedly, what we’re really doing is complaining against God; essentially telling God He doesn’t know what He’s doing. And that’s precisely what Korah did.

Response of a godly man

When Moses heard what they were saying he fell face downward to the ground. (Numbers 16:4 TLB)

Moses didn’t faint. He prayed to God. We know this because of what he said next, and he essentially used Korah’s words against him and he put it all back on God.

In the morning the Lord will show you who are his, and who is holy, and whom he has chosen as his priest. (Numbers 16:5 TLB)

Moses did exactly the right thing, and it’s usually the last thing we think of doing when we are faced with a crisis of faith. God was the one who was insulted and slighted, not Moses. Therefore, God would have to be the one to set His critics straight, not Moses.

In reading the following verses, we can see the real root problem of Korah and the Levites who aligned themselves with him.

Does it seem a small thing to you that the God of Israel has chosen you from among all the people of Israel to be near to himself as you work in the Tabernacle of Jehovah, and to stand before the people to minister to them? Is it nothing to you that he has given this task to only you Levites? And now are you demanding the priesthood also? That is what you are really after! That is why you are revolting against Jehovah. And what has Aaron done, that you are dissatisfied with him? (Numbers 16:8 – 12 TLB)

That’s God’s gift of wisdom at work. Thanks to the Lord, Moses was able to discern what the real issue was. The sons of Levi were belittling their own calling to service and envying the service of others, namely, that of Aaron and his sons, the priests. In harboring such jealousy, they didn’t realize – or they had forgotten – that theirs was also a high calling. They were Levites, which meant four important things other Israelites, not even priests, could experience:

First, Levites were so important to the Lord and His work that they lived their lives completely separated from the general population. This wasn’t a punishment. God needed their undivided attention, so vital was their ministry.

Second, Levites were particularly close to God; far closer than any other Israelite. If anybody should be envied, it should have been Korah and the other Levites! But he, and they, had grown so used to being in God’s presence that they took Him for granted and treated Him with utter contempt.

Third, Levites to work in and around God’s Tabernacle. What a privilege, to be allowed to work where the presence of God is!

And last, the Levites got to minister to God’s people.

These were singular privileges the Levites enjoyed, which Korah and his associates disregarded because all they could see were Aaron and the priests. Their jealousy blinded them to the tremendous blessings they were experiencing.

But Moses was also had to square off against Dathan and Abiram, who criticized his national leadership. So Moses was really getting dumped on from all sides.

Day of reckoning

He had hardly finished speaking the words when the ground suddenly split open beneath them, and a great fissure swallowed them up, along with their tents and families and the friends who were standing with them, and everything they owned. So they went down alive into Sheol and the earth closed upon them, and they perished. All of the people of Israel fled at their screams, fearing that the earth would swallow them too. Then fire came from Jehovah and burned up the 250 men who were offering incense. (Numbers 16:3 – 35 TLB)

Over in the New Testament, we read this:

Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. (Romans 12:19 NIV)

Moses and Aaron could have taken matters into their own hands, but they understood a basic principle that Paul explained to the Romans. It’s better to leave room for the province of God in a bad situation than to take matters into your own hands. God is the judge of all, and He alone knows the hearts of men. Paul advised, and Moses practiced, “Leave room for God’s wrath.” We may feel like inflicting our own wrath upon one who has done us wrong, but isn’t it better for God to do His thing? Moses trusted God to take care of the situation he was in, and we should do the same. God won’t make the mistakes we would make. God’s people, without exception, will always be vindicated when they are attacked by others. God’s actions on their behalf will always prove more powerful than anything we could do for ourselves.

In Moses and Aaron’s case, God’s wrath was almost immediate. Often, that’s not the case, and in Romans there is no suggestion that God will act right away to right a wrong. But He will, and what we need is faith because our first impulse is not to do what Moses did and what Paul advised. Our first impulse is to act, and act fast, because if not, our opponent will “get away with it.” But Paul said: NO! To take matters into our own hands is to assume the place of God in meting out justice or retaliation, and that is a sin. Moses understood this, and we ought to. We never have all the facts; our understanding is almost always faulty and most of us can never be completely objective. If we are honest with ourselves, we don’t want justice, we want to get even.

Christians should never try to “get even” when they’ve been wronged. Instead, we need to trust that God will administer the right kind of justice upon the unjust person. God came through for Moses, and Korah and his pals got what they deserved.

Presumption: I Want It NOW!

Published March 17, 2015 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
Tags: By the Numbers, Numbers, procrastination, Veruca, Willie Wonka

Numbers 14:39 – 45

You have deserted the Lord, and now he will desert you. (Numbers 14:43b TLB)

Martin Farquhar Tupper, English writer and poet, who is best know for his work Proverbial Philosophy, wrote these words:

Deep is the sea, and deep is Hell, but pride mineth deeper. It is coiled as a poisonous worm about the foundation of the soul.

In this brief story, we learn an important lesson about pride, but also about the truthfulness of that old saw, “too little, too late.” Specifically, the people of Israel had tried to exercise some faith, but it was “too little, too late.” It all started with something referenced in verse 39:

What sorrow there was throughout the camp when Moses reported God’s words to the people! (Numbers 14:39 TLB)

In response to those feelings of sorrow, the people of Israel tried to do something in faith:

They were up early the next morning and started toward the Promised Land. “Here we are!” they said. “We realize that we have sinned, but now we are ready to go on into the land the Lord has promised us.” (Numbers 14:40 TLB)

So what happened? What lit the fire under these Israelites? What motivated them to “go on into the land” to take it?

Background

Moses and Israel had reached the border of the Promised Land, the land God had promised to give to His people. Instead of pressing on to take the land – it was already given to them, after all – Moses decided to send in a troupe of spies.

So the majority report of the spies was negative: “The land is full of warriors, the people are powerfully built, and we saw some of the Anakim there, descendants of the ancient race of giants. We felt like grasshoppers before them, they were so tall!” (Numbers 13:32, 33 TLB)

In spite of the fact that God had promised – promised – to give the land to Israel, the people believed the report of all but two of the spies. Two of them, Joshua and Caleb, told a different story:

But Caleb reassured the people as they stood before Moses. “Let us go up at once and possess it,” he said, “for we are well able to conquer it!” (Numbers 13:30 TLB)

Those two men had faith; faith in the Word of the Lord. Unfortunately, the people believed the negative report rather than the positive one. People are wont to do that, even today. It’s easier for us to believe bad news over good news. This reaction of the people didn’t sit well with God.

But now, since the people of Israel are so afraid of the Amalekites and the Canaanites living in the valleys, tomorrow you must turn back into the wilderness in the direction of the Red Sea. (Numbers 14:25 TLB)

You will all die here in this wilderness! Not a single one of you twenty years old and older, who has complained against me, shall enter the Promised Land. Only Caleb (son of Jephunneh) and Joshua (son of Nun) are permitted to enter it. (Numbers 14:29, 30 TLB)

Since the spies were in the land for forty days, you must wander in the wilderness for forty years—a year for each day, bearing the burden of your sins. I will teach you what it means to reject me. I, Jehovah, have spoken. Every one of you who has conspired against me shall die here in this wilderness. (Numbers 14:34, 35 TLB)

And to show that He was dead serious, God struck all the faithless spies dead. And that brings us to the response of the people:

“Here we are!” they said. “We realize that we have sinned, but now we are ready to go on into the land the Lord has promised us.” (Numbers 14:40b TLB)

But it was too late. The people had their chance, but things had changed.

But Moses said, “It’s too late. Now you are disobeying the Lord’s orders to return to the wilderness.” (Numbers 14:41 TLB)

Faith or presumption

The people’s immediate response to God’s judgment was actually mourning. But what were they mourning? Certainly not their mutinous behavior! They were scared; shocked at what God had done to people they knew. And they were probably scared because their opportunity to set down roots in a “land flowing with milk and honey” has passed them by. Now they were faced with 40 years of “camping out” in the desert. Forty years without a mailing address. Forty years without a job or steady income. Forty years of manna. Forty years of sand and dirt. No wonder they mourned!

Following their brief period of mourning, they felt the sting of their punishment; the full realization of what was facing them hit them and the people decided push on with the original plan: march on and take the land. The people dug down deep; they pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and with complete grit and determination, they forged ahead. They would redeem their lost opportunity to posses the Promised Land. They even “confessed” their sins, in word at least. But it was all for naught. It was “too little, too late.”

Sin begets sin. The old sins of doubt and faithless despair turned into the new sins of presumptuous self-confidence. There’s nothing wrong with healthy self-confidence. But what afflicted these people was not healthy; it was a sickness. In thinking they could forge ahead at their convenience, the people did four things wrong.

They went against the revealed will of God. What had been God’s Word to them yesterday had become their disobedience today. God’s will had been for the people to go in and possess the land. But that was yesterday. Today His will had become: turn around and die in the desert. The people didn’t like that idea at all. They took matters into their own hands; they presumed they could “show up late” and that God would automatically bless their efforts. His response to them makes it clear that they – nobody, actually – can choose to serve God their own way. The big lesson we take away here is a simple but profound one: You must serve God His way. You aren’t allowed to make the rules. God makes them. Any service rendered to God by your own efforts is a fruitless exercise that He is not obligated to bless or even notice.

Christians are very good about doing what those Israelites did, by the way. In our service to God, we often tend to do what we think is best, often with disastrous results because they are done in our strength, not God’s. We blame God and get angry with Him because of our inevitable failures, yet He’s not to blame, we are! He’s shown us His way in His Word. But it’s easier to move on, doing our thing, deluding ourselves into thinking since it’s a good thing, God will bless our effort. He doesn’t work that way. We are to discern God’s will from His Word then live accordingly. Several times we read this verse in Proverbs:

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12 AV)

They thought they could predict God’s blessing. What they exclaimed is telling:

Here we are… (Numbers 14:40 TLB)

They simply presumed on the past goodness of God. They assumed that if they did the right thing now, in spite of their recent failure, that God would simply forget their rebellious and faithless attitudes. It’s a waste of time and effort in thinking we can depend on the past for the present. God’s books are current. It’s pure folly trying to do your own thing, even if it is done in God’s Name, and expect God to bless it.

The thought they could succeed without the presence of God. Verse 44 is a frightening one:

But they went ahead into the hill country, despite the fact that neither the Ark nor Moses left the camp. (Numbers 14:44 TLB)

They were embarking on a very good campaign; a campaign God wanted them to engage in – to possess the land He had given to them. The problem was, they were out of step with God. They were trying to do His will their way, according to their timetable, under their own strength. The fact that neither the Ark nor Moses accompanied them showed that they were completely out of God’s will.

As a Christian, if you are living out of God’s will or if you are attempting some noble service to God and mankind in your strength, you will be doing it alone, without the benefit of God’s presence. 2 Chronicles 15:2 should be engraved on all our hearts:

The Lord is with you when you are with him. (NIV)

They thought their words would satisfy God. Words mean things, but they must be backed up with corresponding action. The people admitted that they sinned. But their actions belied their words. They didn’t plead for forgiveness. They didn’t seek God in prayer and fasting. They tried to something – anything – to mitigate God’s judgment. They didn’t want to die in the desert. By attempting to take the land, they thought they could avoid God’s will. They presumed a simple, “I know we were wrong” would be enough for God. It wasn’t. Confession without submission to God’s will is hypocrisy.

A high price to get your own way

We’re fortunate to be living in this present age of grace. God’s judgment in the Old Testament was swift. The Israelites did their own thing, their own way and they paid high price.

Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in the hills came down and attacked them and chased them to Hormah. (Numbers 14:33 TLB)

In their self-confidence, they forged ahead and things ended badly. Not all of them died, but here is the perfect picture of those believers who think they can serve God their own way.

They experienced disappointment. And why wouldn’t they be disappointed? Man’s best efforts will always come up short compared to God’s blessings. We believers get used to living under divine protection. We get used to God’s blessings. We enjoy the warmth of His presence. So it’s no wonder when we get a little bold and brazen, thinking we can do something without God’s help, that we’ll feel disappointed and let down. We’re shocked when we realize God didn’t help us.

They experienced a stinging defeat. The Israelites got an old fashioned whooping! They had gotten used to God fighting for them. Defeat can hurt. It can be humiliating. This is what happens when believers step out from God’s presence.

Some died. Many did not, but some lost their lives. We are told in Scripture that, “Pride goeth before a fall.” It’s not only unseemly when a Christian gets puffed up with pride, it’s dangerous. A prideful believer is a threat not only to his own spiritual well-being but to those around him.

Over in the New Testament, we are told this:

These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. (1 Corinthians 10:11 NIV)

In other words, we need to take note of what happened to the Israelites in this story. We need to apply what they learned “too late” so that we won’t make the same mistake they did.

For those of us in church leadership – pastor, elder, Sunday School teacher, deacon – we need to make absolutely sure that all our efforts are done in the presence of God and in the power of the Holy Spirit and never in our own strength.

For all of us who regularly attend church; we who love to be in church, we must always watch out that our faith remains in God, not in the church and it’s ordinances or programs. “Autopilot” is the worst way to fly for a Christian!

And finally, to all the procrastinators reading this. If you feel like the Lord has a work for you to do, step out in faith and do it. Don’t wait until an opportunity passes you by. Stop using the old “I’ll pray about it” excuse as way of never doing anything.

Those Graves of Lust

Published March 13, 2015 Uncategorized 1 Comment
Tags: By the Numbers, lusting, manna, mixed multitude, Numbers

The people were soon complaining about all their misfortunes… (Numbers 11:1a NIV)

It sure didn’t take God’s people long to start complaining. It must be human nature to complain, because it didn’t make any sense. The people had seen with their own eyes the glory of God and had as one man signed on to God’s plan. You’d think after having been so close to the presence of God the people would have been a little more patient with their “misfortunes” and a little more reverent of their God. But no, they were “soon complaining.” We’re not told what those “misfortunes” were. Moses, in writing Numbers, didn’t list them. It’s likely they were numerous minor irritations; small aggravations that got under the skin of the people. Ever misplaced your glasses? Or your keys? Or your phone? Has your neighbor parked his car in your spot again? Has that colleague from work texted you once too often? Again? If these things have happened to you, then maybe you have an inkling of why the people complained.

Complaining in and of itself isn’t necessarily a sin. Sometimes the right kind of complaint can lead to improved circumstances in your life, your community, even your country. But Israel’s complaint was no small matter; it was a sin. In fact, it was a big sin made up two smaller sins: unbelief and ingratitude. The people had started to complain because they beginning to doubt whether God really would fulfill His promises. That kind of unbelief is a serious thing – to doubt God’s Word. And they had forgotten they how blessed and how favored they were. They had no gratitude for what the Lord had already done for them.

The grave of the unbeliever and ingrate is always a lot closer than he thinks. What started out as a small series of complaints turned into a gaping chasm of destruction from which the complainers would not escape. The steps from the place of privilege to the pit of doom may be very few, indeed.

“But if the Lord does a miracle and the ground opens up and swallows them and everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you will know that these men have despised the Lord.”

He had hardly finished speaking the words when the ground suddenly split open beneath them, and a great fissure swallowed them up, along with their tents and families and the friends who were standing with them, and everything they owned. (Numbers 16:30 – 32 TLB)

The fire burns

Moses was used to the murmuring and complaining of the people. This was not the first time he had to put up with it and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. Here, though, we’re not told if Moses heard these complaints, but God did and wasn’t at all pleased.

…the Lord heard them. His anger flared out against them because of their complaints, so the fire of the Lord began destroying those at the far end of the camp. (Numbers 11:1b TLB)

Some scholars suggest it wasn’t the people who were consumed by the fire of God but just their possessions. That’s not what the text says, however. This complaining was a serious breach of faith between some of the people and God, and God takes that very seriously.

Thank God we Christians are living in an age of grace. Were it not so, there would be a lot of barbequed believers walking around! This incident isn’t a precedent, thank God, but it does serve to teach us an important lesson. God is highly displeased with those of us who continually criticize and complain, especially about Him, the church, and other believers. Some saints never cease to find fault and criticize the things and people of God and nothing He ever does is good enough for them. God wants us to be joyful and cheerful as we serve Him, not miserable and surly.

The sin of lusting

Verse 4 gives us a vital piece of information about who initiated the complaining:

Then the Egyptians who had come with them began to long for the good things of Egypt. (Numbers 11:4 TLB)

The biggest problems in Israel were caused, not by God’s people, but by “the Egyptians” who had left Egypt with the Israelites. Technically, these trouble makers may or may not have been Egyptians. The KJV refers to them as the “mixed multitude,” a group of people who couldn’t be sure what tribe they belonged to; they couldn’t declare or demonstrate their pedigree. Most of this “mixed multitude” were the products of mixed marriages; marriages between an Israelite and an Egyptian. That being the case, most of the “mixed multitude” had one parent back in Egypt. They were Egyptian enough to like the things of Egypt, but Israelite enough to want to go on the wilderness march to the Promised Land.

Unfortunately, the church today is full of people just like that. These people want to go to church and mix with Christians, enjoying the blessings of God. They want to live moral and good lives and they join the church because that’s what “good people do.” But during the rest of the week, they like to mix with the world, enjoying the things of the world. This causes a problem for them. At some point, they’re not sure where they belong. They have one foot in church and one in the world.

Those are the real trouble makers in every church. They are the complainers. They are they ones who are trying to have it all – they travel with the world and they travel with God’s people. You’ll find them in church on a Sunday, but not every Sunday, and you’ll see them at the banquets but never at a Bible Study or a work day. They’re not sure what they believe and are way too comfortable around unbelievers and often uncomfortable in church.

The problem with sin

The “mixed multitude” lusted for the things back in Egypt – the food, especially. What started out as discontent among a few soon spread throughout the population. Now, a whole lot of Israelites were growing discontent with, well, just about everything associated with the journey to the Promised Land.

While it sounds innocent enough – just complaining about the lousy food – this was a serious problem which rippled up the ranks to the very top.

First, they weren’t happy with the food and that led to loathing God’s provision.

But now our strength is gone, and day after day we have to face this manna! (Numbers 11:6 TLB)

This manna wasn’t take out from the local hamburger joint! It was something God specifically cooked up for His people. The manna was supposed to give the people of God everything they needed – all the sustenance they needed to get from Sinai to Canaan. It wasn’t a permanent fix, it was temporary until they took possession of a land flowing with “milk and honey.” All they had to do was just eat the manna for now, but keep their eyes of the prize.

But they couldn’t do it. Their dislike for the manna was really a loathing toward God’s blessing; His provision. Really, what the Israelites were doing was not complaining about the manna but telling God He didn’t know what was good for them; that they knew better than He did. This manna from Heaven saved their lives! But now it had become so commonplace the people lost all gratitude for it. It’s a bad thing when the gifts of God become boring and uninteresting, and it’s powerful evidence that the heart is not right.

Second, all this complaining led to the discouraging of God’s servant. Moses was a great man; great because he trusted God, but he wasn’t made of stone! In time the constant grumbling among the people got to him; it wore the poor guy out and he ended up lashing out to God.

If you are going to treat me like this, please kill me right now; it will be a kindness! Let me out of this impossible situation! (Numbers 11:15 TLB)

God’s servants are only human and the great honor of leading God’s people soon became an awful burned to Moses. It happens, sometimes. There isn’t a pastor or elder who takes his position seriously who hasn’t felt just like Moses did here. Fortunately, it passes, but it always leaves a scar.

God’s promise

Moses shouldn’t have said what he said to God, and he’d admit it if you could ask him. Moses made a mistake – not in complaining to God – but in thinking he was the only one who was bearing the burdens of his people. God never asked him to do that. Fact is, God was having not only to bear with His people, but also with Moses. In His grace, God gave Moses a solution that would last down to the days of Jesus:

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Summon before me seventy of the leaders of Israel; bring them to the Tabernacle, to stand there with you. I will come down and talk with you there, and I will take of the Spirit which is on you and will put it upon them also; they shall bear the burden of the people along with you, so that you will not have the task alone.” (Numbers 11:16, 17 TLB)

There’s a great lesson here for every pastor, elder, and church leader. Don’t shoulder the burden alone. You were never meant to. And for rank and file believers, the same truth holds. No Christian was ever meant to bear their burdens alone, either. God gave Moses 70 elders to help him. God gives you friends and family members who are believers to help you, too. However, something needs to be pointed out. The tradition of the 70 elders continued to the time of Jesus. They became the Sanhedrin. And these 70 elders made the decision to put Jesus to death. It’s fine to “take advantage” of the people God leads into our lives to help us and share His wisdom with us, but ultimately our hope must be in God.

That was God’s promise to Moses. But He also made a promise to the people.

And tell the people to purify themselves, for tomorrow they shall have meat to eat. Tell them, ‘The Lord has heard your tearful complaints about all you left behind in Egypt, and he is going to give you meat. You shall eat it, not for just a day or two, or five or ten or even twenty! For one whole month you will have meat until you vomit it from your noses; for you have rejected the Lord who is here among you, and you have wept for Egypt. (Numbers 11:18 – 20 TLB)

This promise puts a whole new spin on a famous verse we like to quote:

And he will give thee the desires of thy heart. (Psalm 37:4b AV)

It cuts both ways. Be careful what you lust after. God may give it to you.

Terrible consequences

But as everyone began eating the meat, the anger of the Lord rose against the people and he killed large numbers of them with a plague. (Numbers 11:33 TLB)

The people sinned in treating God and His provision with contempt and arrogance. God takes such behavior seriously. What we witness here in Numbers is an immediate judgment of God. Psalm 78 gives us the results of lust in graphic terms:

They ate till they were gorged—he had given them what they craved. But before they turned from what they craved, even while the food was still in their mouths, God’s anger rose against them; he put to death the sturdiest among them, cutting down the young men of Israel. (Psalm 78:29 – 31 NIV)

Imagine killing yourself with God’s blessings. Christians do it all the time but they don’t notice it’s happening. We can be sure that God still judges the sins of His people. Salvation isn’t hanging in the balance, but when we believers treat God badly and crave the wrong things, we will reap the results of our lustings. Remember what Paul wrote:

Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:31, 32 NIV)

The Ark of the Covenant

Published March 4, 2015 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
Tags: Ark of the Covenant, By the Numbers, Numbers

Numbers 10:33 – 36

So they set out from the mountain of the Lord and traveled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest. The cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp. Whenever the ark set out, Moses said, “Rise up, Lord! May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you.” Whenever it came to rest, he said, “Return, Lord, to the countless thousands of Israel.”

The day finally came for Israel to leave Mount Sinai. The journey to the Promised Land was to begin with a three-day trek. Even though the people had been standing still for eleven months, they had come a long way from the unruly, disorganized, rag-tag group of slaves and families that escaped the misery of slavery in Egypt. Now they were ready for the journey, the battles along the way, and most of all, the people were ready for victory. Their first victory was this successful three-day trip. Three days might not seem like a long time to you, but to Israel the end of the third day was cause to celebrate. They stayed together. All of them. Don’t forget, by some estimates there were upwards of 3 million Israelites. These old people, children, infirm folks, young children, adolescents, men and women somehow, by a combination of God’s grace, Moses’ leadership, and the people’s grit and determination, managed to trudge through the desert for three days, remaining in formation. Not a person was left behind; not a child wandered away.

It was an accomplishment, for sure. But we shouldn’t be too surprised. The people had, after all, the token of God’s great spiritual presence. I’m not referring to the cloud and the fire. I’m referring to the Ark of the Covenant. What was it? What purpose did it function? Does it really kill Nazis? There’s a lot funny ideas surrounding this box, so let’s take a closer look at it. The Ark of the Covenant was:

An ark

Really, it was a relatively small box, about four feet long, two feet wide, and two feet deep. But why do we call it an “ark?” The word “ark” comes from the Old English arc, which came from the Latin arca, meaning, “chest.” That Latin word is related to another one, arcēre, meaning “to defend” or “to hold off.” So this was a small chest used in defense and in holding off something or some one.

This ark was made of a special kind of wood that would not rot – it was incorruptible – and it was overlaid with pure gold. It must have been something to behold, not because it was particularly spectacular, but because it was golden box! It was precious. It must have been beautiful.

It was also a type of Christ. In other words, in some way designed by God, the ark of the Covenant somehow teaches us something about our Lord. The ark foreshadowed Christ. In the material used, wood and gold, we learn something of Jesus Christ’s two-fold nature: human (incorruptible wood) and divine (pure gold). One box, two materials. One Savior, human and divine. Our Lord’s human nature, like the special wood of the ark, remained incorruptible; sinless. Our Lord’s human nature is everything ours should have been and could have been had Adam not sinned. As a man, Jesus Christ was perfect. He was sinless. His human nature remained perfect. As God, Jesus Christ was also perfect, just as the gold that covered the wood was absolutely pure. Even as He walked this earth as a man, He was all God; totally divine. While the Bible teaches the Son of God laid aside some of His divine attributes temporarily, it teaches that He remained God.

The ark was a beautiful box that kept the Law even as that same Law found its place of fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The lid that closed up the ark was like the work of Christ, forming a seat or platform of mercy for God in His dealings with His people.

The Law that God gave the people, which they had already broken, was safely kept inside the ark and, from this point onward greatly honored by the people. Back then, God’s Covenant with His people was kept in a box, today His Covenant isn’t in a box, it’s in a Person: Jesus Christ.

…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God… (Romans 3:23 NKJV)

All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. (John 6:37 NKJV)

We’re no better than those ancient Israelites. We break God’s law all the time – we are all sinners who still fall short of God’s glory – and yet Jesus is somehow able to say with a straight face: “I will by no means cast [you] out.” That’s a significant statement; a declaration you can count on and rejoice over.

Its position

The text tells us that as the Israelites marched on, the ark “went before them.” It was given the place of prominence and the people followed it, but when it rested, it sat in the middle of the camp.

To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. (John 10:3, 4 NKJV)

The Shepherd is Jesus, and we are the sheep. Like the ark did, so Jesus does: He goes on before us. Just think about what that means. First, you are never alone! Do you realize what that means? It means that no matter where you are, no matter how many people have abandoned you, Jesus never will.

I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20 NKJV)

That’s a promise you can count on. Others may come and go during your life, but Jesus Christ is the Constant you can depend on.

Second, Jesus already walked where you are walking. Think that temptation you’re enduring is unique to you? Think again. Jesus already went through it. Ever thought the despair you’re feeling right now is something God could never understand? You couldn’t be more wrong.

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15 NKJV)

Lastly, think about this. What is the fear all men dread? Throughout the world, in every age and in every culture, fear of death is the ever-present fear that hangs over everybody’s head. Jesus went before you to the grave. And He rose again. Interestingly, our Lord’s journey from the grave to His resurrection took three days, the same number of days the Israelites traveled in our text.

I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:2, 3 NKJV)

It’s purpose

The ark had a purpose in leading the Israelites: it was to lead them to a “place of rest.” God, through the ark, was caring for His people. God, through Jesus, is doing the same thing for us today. He cares for you. He knows what’s best for you. It takes wisdom – God’s wisdom – to look after somebody like you; somebody who likes to wander off and get lost in the tall grass, somebody who doesn’t look after his spiritual self. It takes God, through His Son, to find that place of peace and rest that you can’t find.

Come to me and I will give you rest—all of you who work so hard beneath a heavy yoke. Wear my yoke—for it fits perfectly—and let me teach you; for I am gentle and humble, and you shall find rest for your souls; for I give you only light burdens. (Matthew 11:28 – 30 TLB)

Ultimately, Christ’s work on the Cross was His searching out and finding that place of rest where we can find peace in God’s presence.

He abolished the Jewish Law with its commandments and rules, in order to create out of the two races one new people in union with himself, in this way making peace. By his death on the cross Christ destroyed their enmity; by means of the cross he united both races into one body and brought them back to God. So Christ came and preached the Good News of peace to all—to you Gentiles, who were far away from God, and to the Jews, who were near to him. It is through Christ that all of us, Jews and Gentiles, are able to come in the one Spirit into the presence of the Father. (Ephesians 2:15 – 18 GNB)

Where the ark rested, the people rested.

It’s power

We all remember that great scene in the move, “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” when the ark of the Covenant melted those Nazis. Is that the kind of power the ark held? Let’s take another look at what we call, The Battle Cry of Moses:

Rise up, Lord! May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you. (Numbers 10:35 NIV)

As we have seen, the ark of the Covenant had a practical function. It held the Law and it led the people as a token of God’s presence. The people had the cloud and the fire doing that, but the ark taught them the Law was kept by God for them; it reminded them, visually, that it was His Law, not Moses’. But in God’s plan, the ark symbolized His Son. In three big points, let’s look at that:

(1) The ark as a symbol of God’s presence. If this were not the case, the ark would have been a gold box, nothing more. It would have been dead weight.

For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5b, 6 NKJV)

That’s Jesus the author of Hebrews was writing about in those verses. Like the ark, Jesus Christ is proof of God’s presence in our lives. He’s always there, the living Word of God. He’s always with us. His power helps us. He keeps us safe. But Jesus – the embodiment of God’s mighty power – is just dead weight if we have no faith in Him. If we treat our Lord with contempt or if we simply ignore His presence, He can do nothing for us.

(b) The ark brought victory. Moses cried, “May your enemies be scattered.” This is some powerful language here; Moses is literally cursing God’s enemies. There was supernatural power in the ark; although probably not the kind of power we saw in the movie. It certainly did serve to bring the faith of Moses and the people of Israel into focus. It kept their thoughts on God.

The power of Christ is like that. He focuses our faith on Him and on God’s Word. But the power of Christ is more than that. His strength has defeated the enemy. The power of Satan has already been nullified by the power of Christ. That’s why John could write a verse like this:

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4 NKJV)

But you have to believe that. And you have to live like you believe it. Satan is still running around trying to convince Christians that he has some power. He doesn’t. Truth is, the only power Satan has over you is the power you give him.

And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee… (Exodus 25:21, 22 KJV)

This is what theologians refer to as the “theological relevance” of the ark. It really was much, much more than a gold box; much, much more than a symbol. It truly was the one place on earth where God met with man.

Can you see why we say the ark of the Covenant foreshadows Christ? That simple, gold box tells the whole story of the unsearchable mystery of the person of Jesus Christ in a way we may understand. The ark was not merely a repository of unimaginable power that could melt Nazis. It’s a picture of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. (Colossians 2:9 KJV)

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