Some serious moments of rebellion against Moses. Confusion about the office of the priests versus the individual anointing of Moses, demand reform. The priestly office is then enshrined in the rod the budded.
Growing up (Chapter 15)
The lowest point of Israel, well thus far anyway, was their decision to
turn back from the Promised Land. The consequences were tragic. However, I
reiterate that God probably anticipated it, but had to give them the choice
anyway, as He did in Eden.
They weren’t ready. They were still spiritual children, rightly called
as such. The real growing up would come in the ensuing forty years.
It is as true of us, that all the wonders of salvation, a new beginning,
entry into church life and realization of God’s love, great stories of faith,
His daily provisions and so much more, will inevitably have their comeuppance.
Ezekiel’s dream equated this stage to their loins. It would end with the
river reaching their hearts. The loins, according to Ephesians 6, refer to
truth. It is when we become fully aware of our nakedness and wretchedness, as
Paul did in Romans 7.
I am all in favor of mission-mindedness, but we will never be effective
until we have reckoned with our wretchedness. Until then we will have a
wide-eyed, naïve faith that is ill-equipped to occupy, let alone subdue the land
ahead.
They had to grow up. They behaved like impulsive, spoilt brats at the
river, the way we do when God doesn’t do things as we expect Him to. Teenagers
have never been known to govern their private worlds well, let alone a nation.
Further sacrifices, bread with
meat
Yet, God in His infinite mercy, moved quickly from chastisement to
coaching about how things will yet be once they do reach the land of promise.
The sacrifices discussed were sandwiched between two rebellions, but God
moved on, showing that He remained committed to His people.
The sacrifices that were articulated were appendices to the main
sacrifices, the bread that went with the meat to ensure a complete and balanced
diet for the house of God and the priests.
That alludes to Hebrews 6, which looks beyond the milk of infancy to the
meat, and by implication, the bread of sound doctrine: the diet of the mature.
As an apparent aside, a man was caught carrying sticks on the Sabbath.
They nation immediately turned on him and had him stoned, a participative
catharsis that helped them all to purge their own guilt and face their own
mistakes.
The rebellion of Korah, Dathan, Abiram
and On (Chapter 16)
Korah, a priest, led the rebellion against Moses. He questioned the
great man’s leadership, putting Moses in a difficult position. God quickly put
down the dissention of Miriam, but that may have revealed a vulnerability in
Moses.
Whatever, they came against him with 250 others. It was a well-planned mutiny.
It reflects the rebellion of Satan. He saw a vulnerability in God, which
emboldened him to turn a third of the angels against the throne (See Isaiah 14).
It really hurt Moses that the priests had led the rebellion, for they
were set apart and in a privileged place in God, just as Satan once was.
Ambition got the better of them, so they questioned how Moses could have
supreme authority. The implication was that they sought to take that power for
themselves, to rule from the tabernacle. Their position had gone to their heads
– as happened to Satan.
Well they brought their censers before God and Moses also summoned
Dathan and Abiram, but they defied him, arguing like teens that he had no right
to rule over them.
Moses got angry. Then he told them all to appear before the congregation
the next day. He was willing to let God rule and not to also get ahead of
himself, but God had the last say and the earth swallowed up the rebels. They
were also burned with fire.
The congregation showed how quickly a little leaven, leavens all, for
they then challenged the actions of Moses. A plague broke out and over 14,000
died before he could intervene and stay the hand of God. For that moment, the
future of Israel hung in the balance.
The rod that budded (Chapter 17)
God instructed every man, all who
might assume to lead, to bring a rod before the tabernacle. The rods were named
and laid out before God, but only Aaron’s rod budded.
It did more than bud, it leafed and sprouted almonds. It did so in
stages too, lest anyone should doubt its authenticity. Aaron’s name was on the rod.
It was a clear demonstration by God that the leaders of Israel were not self-appointed.
As a symbol, almost like the crown jewels or the speaker’s mace, Aaron’s
rod was preserved in the ark, as a perpetual symbol of the office of the Kohen
or high priest.
That is a wonderful picture of Jesus, who, having been made a priest of
God, rose up as the branch of Jesse, to upstage the great usurper and assert the
authority of God on earth. Then He was taken up to be preserved as a perpetual
symbol of our authority, as the priests of God.
Office of the priest confirmed (Chapter 18)
The points made about Chapter 17 are confirmed in 18, regarding the office of the priest and teh many privileges and responsibilities surrounding that office.
Office of the priest confirmed (Chapter 18)
The points made about Chapter 17 are confirmed in 18, regarding the office of the priest and teh many privileges and responsibilities surrounding that office.
Conclusion
The events of the last 3 chapters were heady, some of the most
unsettling moments in the formative history of Israel. The disquiet and murmuring
must have been prolonged and deep, far beyond what is recorded in this book.
However, the boil had to be lanced and the rot at the core of the nation
had to be removed so that they could advance in order, and respect God’s hand
on Moses and Aaron. While Aaron’s authority related to his office, the
authority of Moses related to the man.
There is such value in discerning the difference between a man and an
office, because in the New dispensation, church authority vests in the office
of the elder and, separately in specific ministries.
(c) Peter Missing @ bethelstone.com
