"What this means to me"

Two phrases I've encountered from fellow believers regarding the interpretation or evaluation of Scriptural doctrine are:

"What this means to me is...."

and

"What I feel about this is..."

I find this troubling, in that while personal opinion and feeling may be appropriate for deciding choices in entertainment, friends, and the like, this "me-centric" approach to evaluate doctrine are certain to get one in a lot of trouble.

Why?

Because one day, when you stand in front of your Maker at the end of all things, what you think, feel, or believe won't matter a hill of beans. He who made all things will also judge all things according to His law, not your thoughts or feelings.

So, instead of going by what "I" think or feel, one should always strive to know and understand God on His terms, and ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes and give you the right and true understanding of His Word, so that you may see and understand His ways and walk in them.

Heavenly vs Earthly Wisdom

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

James 3:13-18

The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Donating junk to the church

Many's the time I've seen things that people donated to the church. A lot of times it's good stuff given by people who want to give the Lord their best, but I've also seen disturbing cases where the materials being donated is junk.

In this passage, it gives one cause to think what your Lord and Creator thinks of donating things to the church as an alternative to throwing it in the garbage.

“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name.

But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the Lord’s table may be despised.

When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil?

And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil?

Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts.

And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts.

Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand.

For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.

But you profane it when you say that the Lord’s table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised. But you say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the Lord of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord.

Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished.

For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.

The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 Malachi 1:6-14. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

What will you do?

An appalling and horrible thing

has happened in the land:

the prophets prophesy falsely,

and the priests rule at their direction;

my people love to have it so,

but what will you do when the end comes?

Jeremiah 5:30

Why Bad Things Happen to "Good" People

This is a devotions I delivered before choir recently.

One facet of our human existence is the notion of reward and punishment - ie, if you do good, good things will happen to you, and if you do bad, then bad things’ll happen to you. So, when bad things happen to apparently “good” people, the question naturally comes - why did this happen? Now, it’s not my intention to get into the detailed implications this issue, but I will relate a couple of examples in scripture which can help us gain a better understanding of the question.

The first example is from Leviticus, and records how Ezekiel, who was one of God’s prophets, was told by God that He was going to take Ezekiel’s wife away at a stroke, and that when it happened, Ezekiel wasn’t to mourn or to weep. Scripture then records that what was going to happen to Ezekiel, and Ezekiel’s response, was to then be a sign to the people of Israel, in that all that Ezekiel experienced and did, they would also experience and do. So, God subjected a faithful servant to an incredibly difficult experience in order to convey to the people of God the seriousness of the situation they were in. In short, God used this to convey an extremely strong message to the children Israel.

The second example is from Luke 13, where Christ is asked about the Galileans whose blood was mixed with their sacrifices by Pilate, or about the 18 men that were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them - did these “bad deaths” mean that they had committed some special sin, or were worse than other sinners?

Christ’s answer was telling:

No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

In this case, Christ is, in essence, telling the disciples “you’re asking the wrong question”, that the way these people died isn’t nearly as important a concern as whether they or not they were ready to meet their maker in a state of repentance. This instruction dove-tails with other times where Christ instructed the people to always be ready.

So what should you the listener take away from this devotion? Namely that ‘bad’ things can happen to ‘good’ people for any a number of reasons that have nothing to do with whether they’d done something special to deserve punishment. It could happen as a way that God is working through your life to instruct others, or as an illustration to always be ready for whatever God allows to come your way.

In all these things we need to walk in faith, trusting and relying on His leading to follow the path He would have us to go, regardless of where it leads.

Grace Given to Me For You

Here's some quotes where Paul talks about the grace that God has given to him. This is something to consider when thinking about how God works in and through such weak vessels to accomplish His work among us, and where a Pastor's ministry really comes from.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you
not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think,
but to think with sober judgment,
each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

Romans 12:3ff

But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God - so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ;
Romans 15:15ff

According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:10ff

And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me.

On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
Galatians 2:6ff

For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles - assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.
Ephesians 3:1ff

Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 3:7ff

All citations from The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

God's Standards of Judgement

This is another citation from Ezekiel, and this time God's talking about how He judges His people. I think this example can be considered as a foreshadowing of the precious gift of God that was to be worked in Christ.

And you, son of man, say to your people,

The righteousness of the righteous
shall not deliver him when he transgresses,

and as for

the wickedness of the wicked,
he shall not fall by it
when he turns from his wickedness,

and the

righteous shall not be able to live by his righteousness when he sins.

Though I say to the righteous that he shall surely live,
yet if he trusts in his righteousness and does injustice,
none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered,
but in his injustice that he has done he shall die.

Again, though I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’
yet if he turns from his sin and does what is just and right,
if the wicked restores the pledge,
gives back what he has taken by robbery, and
walks in the statutes of life,
not doing injustice,
he shall surely live;
he shall not die.

None of the sins that he has committed shall be remembered against him.
He has done what is just and right;
he shall surely live.

Ezekiel 33:12-15

The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (Eze 33:12). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

God Decides Between His Sheep

Having declared how He would seek out and care for the sheep His faithless shepherds had neglected, if not outright persecuted and abused, God now declares what He'll do with the sheep within His flock:

“As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord God:

Behold, I judge
between sheep and sheep,
between rams and male goats.

Is it not enough for you
to feed on the good pasture,
that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture; and

to drink of clear water,
that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet?

And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet,
and drink what you have muddied with your feet?

Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them:

Behold,

I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.

Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey.

And I will judge between sheep and sheep.
And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David,
and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd.

And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them.

I am the Lord;
I have spoken.

Ezekiel 34:17-24

Being a member of God's flock doesn't mean that one gets a "free pass" to behave however one sees fit - those sheep who mistreat their fellow sheep would face judgment, while God would rescue those who've been scattered across the lands as a result of their mistreatment.

Finally, the statement "I have spoken" has an air of finality and certainty about it, that there will be no further discussion or argument, and that He would do what He had declared. The notion that "there will be no arguing" is present elsewhere in Scripture, particularly when it comes to times of judgment.

But that's material for another post...

All citations The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

God Tends His Own Flock

Since the shepherds who were supposed to take care of the sheep of God's flock failed to faithfully discharge their duty, and instead used it as a way to fatten themselves, God takes more direct action to care for His sheep.

I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.

“For thus says the Lord God:

Behold,

I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out.

As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and

I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.

And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land.

And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country.

I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel.

I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and
I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God.
I will seek the lost, and
I will bring back the strayed, and
I will bind up the injured, and
I will strengthen the weak, and
the fat and the strong I will destroy.

I will feed them in justice.

Ezekiel 34:10-16

Repeating something was an Old Testament way to denote emphasis or certainty. When God states that He "will do" something, it has the absolute certainty of the sun rising tomorrow that it would take place. So, in this passage, when God says He "will" do something fourteen times in a single passage, one can can be absolutely assured that what He said would come to pass actually would.

This citation also hints at what's to come when He says "the fat and the strong I will destroy."

More on that with the next installment.

All citations from The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

God addresses the Faithless Shepherds

Having identified the problems with the faithless shepherds, and the consequences of the shepherds looking after their own interests rather than the sheeps', God pronounces judgment on them:

“Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As I live, declares the Lord God, surely because

because my sheep have become a prey, and
my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts,
since there was no shepherd, and
because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep,
but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep,

therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:

Thus says the Lord God, Behold,
I am against the shepherds, and
I will require my sheep at their hand and
put a stop to their feeding the sheep.

No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves.

Ezekiel 34:7-10

The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Faithless Shepherds in the Old Testament

This is a complaint God had against so-called "shepherds" in the Old Testament who weren't doing what they were supposed to do, and the dire implications it had for God's sheep:

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds,

Thus says the Lord God:

Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves!
Should not shepherds feed the sheep?
You eat the fat,
you clothe yourselves with the wool,
you slaughter the fat ones,
but you do not feed the sheep.

The weak you have not strengthened,
the sick you have not healed,
the injured you have not bound up,
the strayed you have not brought back,
the lost you have not sought, and
with force and harshness you have ruled them.

So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts.

My sheep were scattered;
they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill.

My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth,
with none to search or seek for them.

Ezekiel 34:1-6

All quotes from The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

The Law, Gospel, and Feminization of the Church

Recently Issues Etc had a radio program talking about how the church is becoming feminized, and how the Law had to be preached in all it's stern-ness, and the and Gospel in all it's sweetness.

Out of curiosity, I did a search of Scriptures, and couldn't find either the Law or the Gospel described that way. In fact, I would submit these rather relational terms are indicative of just how "feminized" the language of the church has become.

So I wrote them a letter to that effect, quotes of which I'm posting below. You can find the link here and the MP3 recording of the session here.

We'll see what happens. :)

---

Greetings Gentlemen -

I listened to your program on how the church has been feminized, and I think one of the more insidious ways it's been "feminized" is how the Law and Gospel have been stated in more or less relational terms - ie the law is "stern" while the Gospel is "sweet".

Unfortunately, I was completely unable to find any of this kind of language used in Scripture to describe either the Law or the Gospel. Specifically

The Gospel is described as being the power of God:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Romans 1:16

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages. Romans 16:25

...because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.
1 Thessalonians 1:5

As for the Law, Scripture says it's a good thing!

Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:19

So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.
Matt 12:12

Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."
Matthew 22:36

But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: 'They hated me without a cause.'
John 15:25

For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.
Romans 4:15

What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet."
Romans 7:7

So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
Romans 7:12

For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin.
Romans 7:14

Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good.
Romans 7:16

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
1 Corinthians 15:56

So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.
Galatians 3:24

Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the glorious gospel of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.
1 Timothy 1:8ff

---

I'd submit, if there's any "stern-ness", it's not from the Law itself, but from the knowledge that it's impossible to keep it. If there's any "sweetness" to the Gospel, I'd submit it's in the God-given knowledge through faith that all our sins are covered, that we're safe from the condemnation we deserve, and will be spending eternity with our Creator.

Thank you for your ongoing programming. I only listen to bits and pieces when I have time, if you respond to this on the air, I hope it'll be in the "talkback" segment or the segment's appropriately titled.

I also keep a blog, and I've posted my letter here:

Yours in Christ,

Why the Gospel is Veiled

Here's another good explanation on why people don't understand the Gospel, much less believe it:

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

2 Corinthians 4:3

The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001, Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

"Christians" persecuting Christians

This is an instructive little passage on why Christians are persecuted by supposed "members" of the body of Christ:

They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. (John 16:2-)

This teaching follows a similar thought which Scriptures discusses in the New Testament, namely that being a Christian means having the Spirit of God within you, to seal the faith that's been worked in the believer. It also shows that being a "member" of a church or synagogue is no guarantee that a person is a believer with the Father dwelling inside them.

So if a faithful believer - or pastor - is persecuted by members of his church, this is probably one of the reasons why.

All quotes from The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Race according to the rules

I think this citation stands well all by itself:

An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.

2 Timothy 2:5

This is something we all need to keep in mind when one is tempted to try and do God's work in a way other than He has instructed us to go.

Where True Unity is Found

Now there are varieties of gifts,
but the same Spirit; and
there are varieties of service,
but the same Lord; and
there are varieties of activities,
but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and
to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,
to another faith by the same Spirit,
to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
to another the working of miracles,
to another prophecy,
to another the ability to distinguish between spirits,
to another various kinds of tongues,
to another the interpretation of tongues.

All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. 1 Corinthians 12:4ff

I did nothing; the Word did everything

I ran across this quote from Martin Luther which I thought to be a particularly strong contrast to the attempts people make in this day and age to try and accomplish the work of God using the power of man:

In short, I will preach it, teach it, write it, but I will constrain no man by force, for faith must come freely without compulsion. Take myself as an example. I opposed indulgences and all the papists, but never with force. I simply taught, preached, and wrote God's Word; otherwise I did nothing. And while I slept or drank Wittenberg beer with my friends Philip and Amsdorf, the Word so greatly weakened the papacy that no prince or emperor ever inflicted such losses upon it. I did nothing; the Word did everything. Had I desired to foment trouble, I could have brought great bloodshed upon Germany; indeed, I could have started such a game that even the emperor would not have been safe. But what would it have been? Mere fool's play. I did nothing; I let the Word do its work.
--Martin Luther

Church Politics - Israel Style II

As I discussed in the first part of this blog entry, Korah and his allies were swallowed up by the earth, and the 250 men who allied with him were consumed by fire from God, and Israel fled from these sinners in fear.

This fear didn't last very long, as we see in Numbers 16:41

But on the next day all the congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the Lord.”

This really puzzles me - Korah's swallowed by the earth, 250 men were consumed by fire from God - and the people of Israel blame Moses and Aaron?

One can only shake one's head in wonder at this - but there's an important lesson to be learned from this. Israel had direct, visible evidence of the presence of their Lord and God through a cloud that led them by day, and a pillar of fire by night, manna to feed them every day - and still they did not believe it was God who was working in their midst and leading them. I can only surmise that - for some reason - they thought that Moses and Aaron had the power to command all these wonders which kept them alive while dealing with their opponents using earthquakes and fire from the sky.

This is an important lesson to remember in our present days when we wonder why more people do not believe - if Israel, whom God made His chosen people - repeatedly refused to believe, is it any wonder that people in our present day don't believe either?

Whatever the truth behind Israel's unbelief is, the events of the prior day repeat themselves again, but this time with much more dire results. After the congregation of Israel assembled against Moses and Aaron, a cloud covers the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord appears. And what does the Lord have to say this time?

“Get away from the midst of this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment."

which is exactly what He said about Israel the day before. And just like the day before, Moses and Aaron have to stand in for the people. Moses can tell that wrath is proceeding from the Lord and tells Aaron to take a censer and make atonement for the congregation. This time, however, instead of three families, and 250 men being lost to the wrath of the Lord, the death count was significantly higher:

And behold, the plague had already begun among the people. And he [Aaron] put on the incense and made atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stopped. Now those who died in the plague were 14,700, besides those who died in the affair of Korah.

Fourteen thousand, seven hundred people - dead. And why? Because they refused to have Moses and Aaron as their leaders? No, it's Israel's direct disobedience to God Himself. God named the people He wanted to lead Israel, He confirmed it with many mighty acts, and they still rebelled. This goes to show that the God with whom we have to do, while He is a loving and patient God, His patience only lasts so long, and when His patience runs out and He decides to act, justice is swift, certain, complete, and irresistible.

It makes you stop and think of what's in store for the people in our present day who mistreat and abuse the faithful ambassadors God has sent them to keep them safe and fed...

Church Politics - Israel Style

Wherever there are people, there’ll be politics, and Israel was no exception.

After God had used Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt, there was a rebellion against Moses’s leadership by a man named Korah. As Numbers 16 reports:

Now Korah ... , and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men. And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men. They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”

Anyone who has been in a church with strife between the congregation's "leadership" and it's pastor probably recognizes what this looks like - namely the gathering of numbers against the man God has placed in their midst as His Ambassador, and asserting that since "all" are equal in the church - why does this person have any greater authority than anyone else?

Moses's first response is a bit atypical of what one generally sees in a congregational dispute:

When Moses heard it, he fell on his face, and he said to Korah and all his company, “In the morning the Lord will show who is his, and who is holy, and will bring him near to him. The one hom he chooses he will bring near to him.

In Israel's time God manifested Himself to Israel in a more directly apparent manner than He does in current days, so Moses could call on God to decide between people and get a decisive response in short order. In current "church politics" God shows a lot more patience and allows His servants to suffer, like the prophets in Israel's later years that He sent to call Israel back to Him when they strayed.

In the following passages, Moses has a few things to say to Korah and the Sons of Levi who aspire to a position of power and authority beyond where God placed them. His concluding remark is the most telling:

Therefore it is against the Lord that you and all your company have gathered together.

So, the issue wasn't Korah et al's rebellion against Moses and Aaron per se, but that they were rebelling against God Himself.

Where did this rebellion come from? When Moses called to Datahn and Abiram, and they refused to respond and come talk to Moses, we see what the complaint is:

“We will not come up. Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you must also make yourself a prince over us? Moreover, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up.”

In other words, they had a "cushy" life in Egypt, Moses hadn't delivered a "cushy" life yet, they're accusing Moses of trying to kill the people of Israel and setting himself as a prince over the people.

What's strange about this statement is that it shows a complete lack of appreciation for how it was God that brought all the plagues on Egypt, and it was God that brought them out of Egypt with His own right hand. Maybe they were asleep when God parted the Red Sea and Israel crossed on dry land. But here they are, instead of giving God the glory for what He'd already done, and trusting Him to continue to care and provide for them as His people, they're putting all their complaints about their current troubles and lack of a cushy life on Moses and Aaron!

It's amazing when you think about it, and shows how God can work all kinds of wonders and miracle, and people still will not believe.

The question then is - how to decide whom God had chosen to lead Israel. Numbers 16:16 details the test. Moses, Aaron, Korah, and the 250 leaders in Israel would all bring censors and stand before the Tent of Meeting to see who God would choose. Korah, however, brings some more support besides the 250...

Then Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the entrance of the tent of meeting.

If this was a democratic gathering, then Korah and the 250 would certainly've come out on top. But Israel wasn't a democratically ruled body, any more than today's churches should be. The doctrine and rule of God in the church - both in Israel's and today's time - is based on what God wills, not what man wills. People who want something that's at variance with what God wants will find themselves in opposition to God Himself, as Korah and his friends soon discovered.

The stage is set. What happens next doesn't take very long.

Then Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation. And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, “Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them hin a moment.”

Uh-oh. Since Israel has rebelled as a body by backing Korah against Moses, God is about to wipe all of them off the face of the Earth. Despite the actions of the Israelites, Moses and Aaron, however, stand in for them and ask God to spare Israel for their foolishness.

And they fell on their faces and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will you be angry with all the congregation?” And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Say to the congregation, Get away from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”

So while Israel is spared, this can't be good for Korah and his friends. Moses goes out to the people of Israel and tells them to get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. So the people withdraw, while Korah and his allies, together with their wives and children stand at the door of their tents. Here are Moses's words to Israel about Korah et al.

And Moses said, “Hereby you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, and that it has not been of my own accord. If these men die as all men die, or if they are visited by the fate of all mankind, then the Lord has not sent me. But if the Lord creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the Lord.”

Moses states that it was God that sent Moses to do all the works that he did, he didn't send himself to get Israel out of Egypt and lead them. And if God was really the one who sent Moses, then He would confirm it by creating something new that the people of Israel had never seen before - Korah and all his allies would go down alive to Sheol.

But more than that - Korah and his allies - by their action - had shown that they despised God, and God would confirm that by His action.

What happens next is immediate and certain:

And as soon as he had finished speaking all these words, the ground under them split apart. And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods. So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol, and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly.

So complete was the fate of Korah and his allies that it was as if they never existed. None of their descendants would live on, nor would their names continue, which was a huge deal in Israel's time.

But this isn't the end of the matter:

And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men offering the incense.

These men who joined Korah in his rebellion paid for their sin with their lives, but their families were spared. Beyond that, there's not much to say other than with what God follows this up with:

As for the censers of these men who have sinned at the cost of their lives, let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar, for they offered them before the Lord, and they became holy. Thus they shall be a sign to the people of Israel.”

So while thes 250 men sinned, and it cost them their lives, their action was still counted as having been offered to the Lord, and thus the censors became holy. The metal was then hammered and used as a covering on the altar, to remind Israel of what had happened for as long as the altar existed -

...so that no outsider, who is not of the descendants of Aaron, should draw near to burn incense before the Lord, lest he become like Korah and his company—as the Lord said to him through Moses.

The main lesson I would have people take from this is that today - just like in Israel's time - it's God who wills and does things, and it is God who enables us to do His will.

Any pastors that read this may want to consider how Moses and Aaron acted towards their opponents - as in this case it was God who acted on His own behalf for the people He placed in charge of Israel.

The story, however, doesn't stop there. You'd think the people of Israel would learn something from God's display of His power and authority, but such was not the case. Israel has this problem with "getting it", which they would repeat over and over again throughout history.But that's a topic for another blog entry, so stay tuned - or read Numbers 16:41ff for yourself. :)

All quotes from The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

With Fear and Trembling

Scriptures tells us:

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Php 2:12).

There's a good reason to be afraid - because our God is a God of justice and wrath, a God who will not let the unrepentant and unjust go unpunished - either in this life, or whatever comes after. While the Law testifies to the perfection of God and so convict us of our sin, it will be God Himself who will enforce it and render judgment. Nothing in all of creation can escape, and on the day of judgment, you will have to give account for all the words you speak:

I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Mt 12:36

and

And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Heb 4:13

Imagine, for instance, being on trial where you had to testify against yourself, everything you said and did was on display, and you had to explain ever single thing you said and did for your entire life. Could you come out justified? I know I couldn't.

Consider the parable of the unforgiving servant - he's forgiven an un-imaginable debt, then goes out and shakes down his fellow servant for a trifle, and when the king hears about it, has him thrown in debtor's prison until the debt's completely paid.

And that's where people usually stop - right before the punchline.

So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” Mt 18:35

When the Spirit opened my eyes to that particular passage, it was like a 2x4 upside the head. I kept on wondering why I'd never heard that before.

However, serious as all this is, there is still hope - to return to the passage I'd originally cited:

...for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Phillipians 2:12)

We as believers have not been left alone, God's right there, in each and every one us, helping us along to do what we cannot do on our power. So just as we should be scared out of our wits by the implications of what we're facing at Judgment, we can take even greater comfort and joy in the promised saving work Christ has done - and continues to do - in us. As it is written:

Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” Lk 7:47

When we think about it, it's amazing what God has done for us given the how hopeless our situation was before the promise was made.

All citations from The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.