Whatever is hateful to God, even of those things he instructs and warns us against that could make us appears evil before him, and worst of it, to hamper our fellowship and is detrimental to the peace in the assembly of the brethren, but also hurtful to our eternal rest in him should be strictly avoided: such six things which God hates, even the seven which are abomination unto him: a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaks lies, and he that sows discord among brethren (Proverbs 6:17-19) must we guard against the root and avoid any reason they may manifest in us through prideful spirit, bitterness of spirit, spirit of jealousy, and the evil spirit of worldly style of competitive and comparison with others in the church, seeing we are members of the same body, lest we fall under God’s wrath, his rejection and strange punishment of sudden destruction that befell Dothan, Koran and Abiram in the wilderness with the people (14,000 in addition to the 250 men) they were deceived to join and follow their rebellious scheme when the earth opened its mouth and they all descended alive into hell. What a strange punishment!
The evil liberty of the world has its negative influence in many unbroken Christians today, to think that they can freely display or exercise an unbiblical right of freedom or liberty they have chosen to embrace from the world in the church without any punishment from God. Many are unrepentant church rebellious goers that are jumping from one church to another simply because they don’t have their ways to impose their personal unbiblical ideas or false belief on the church authority and leadership: therefore, they slander the church and her leadership to another church where they continue with the same spirit of Satan working in them to sow discord and division in the house of God and among the ministers of Christ gospel if possible.
The scripture clearly warns us to avoid the repetition and re-occurrence of the incident in the wilderness in our lives and churches today: to learn from the past spiritual error of those church rebels, and to resist the spirit of self-comparison with church members, or against the leaders and the elders set over us in the Lord. To say no to the voice of the evil spirit of self-aggrandizement against our fellow brethren (1 kings 1:5) because promotion comes directly from God, not from the west, south or east, and by strength shall no man prevail: not to do anything by strife, or by selfish spiritual ambition of vain glory: but to submit one to another in the fear of God, considering others better than us (Philippians 2:3): to avoid murmuring or grudging spirit against one another, lest we be condemned (James 5:9): not to accuse anyone falsely in the church, if they have not done us any harm: not to sow strife to divide believers or to scatter the church, if we intend to leave the church because of an unfulfilled personal ambition (Proverbs 18:1) while ignoring all truth and spiritual reasonings, our departure should be solemn and not noisy to scatter and to embarrass others, for such attitudes are abomination before the Lord of hosts; and they shall be visited and severely punished by him: an evil man seek only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him. Proverbs 17:11.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit, not provoking one another and envying one another. Spiritual intimacy, knowledge, power and growth are of different levels of dimension in the Lord: first, they are based on God’s call, and based on individual’s personal commitment to him, lest we blindly and ignorantly lay any unjust, prideful and boastful claim of spiritual equality in intimacy, knowledge, power and growth with God beyond the measure of our spiritual commitment, divine choice, growth and faith (Romans 12:3) we have received to intrude into another’s ministry, office and calling in any attempt to compare, compete or usurp them from the position of responsibility they are presently occupying in the sight of God: lest any be destroyed by the spirit of envy, for they that do such things (envious and jealous believers) shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven. Galatians 5:19-25.
Power belongs to God, and it is the God of Israel that give power and strength to his servants (Psalms 62:11: Psalms 68:35): it is useless to tussle for power and authority given to another from God, it is altogether to fight against the God of heaven and earth: needless to lift up yourself over your brethren for any pre-eminence position: to become rebellious and contentious against the established authority of God in the church, is to incur the wrath of God, because he will defend his church against the world and from the wickedness of certain of his evil people. The rebels are warned against self-exaltation (Psalms 66:6) lest they be destroyed without remedy (Proverbs 29:1) by the hardness of their own heart, after the order and fatal examples of Koran, Dothan, and Abiram in the wilderness.
In the previous article (the revelation of his power and glory in the saints), I speak about the position of relationship as the determinant factor of the power and authority which individual can effectively exercise from God as spiritual delegate sent by him. If a man seeks to exercise authority and power not given or received from above, such person is setting up what the bible calls as strange fire. He is a liar, a deceiver, a manipulator, and an impostor like Simeon the sorcerer who was falsely praised and admired by all men to have great power of God. Acts 8:10.
For example: (a) we see a very clear picture of the demonstration and recognition of power through personal relationship with God in the life of Elisha shortly after the rapture of Elijah his master to heaven: Elisha returning to cross river Jordan displayed the new power he receives through the mantle of the double portion of power released upon him from above because of his perseverance to witness his master’s raptured or taken away to heaven. As soon as the sons of the prophets at Jericho (those who once sought to hold him down to their spiritual level and position. 2 Kings 2: 4-5) perceived that the Spirit of Elijah has fallen on Elisha, they understood and recognized spiritual authority and power by the principle of positional relationship with God, and they willingly bowed themselves to the ground to acknowledge the authority of God’s presence and anointing upon Elisha – the new leader, for they can see that the spirit of Elijah has come upon Elisha, and they bowed themselves before him (2 Kings 2:15): thus they addressed him as lord and master over them: and they made request before him as servants would, but still with doubtful mind, wondering if God has actually promotes Elisha, if it’s really happening for him, and they earnestly and cautiously made request and sought for his permission to bring Elijah back, though they once knew by the Spirit of God and declared beforehand to him by their mockery carnal spirit that his master shall be taken away from his head today. 2 Kings 2: 5, 15-18.
(B). In the chastening of Miriam with the plague of leprosy, God rebuked and testified against Aaron and Miriam to lecture them of the uniqueness of Moses relationship with him as one out of a million among other prophets, that he will not use dreams and visions to communicate with Moses like he will with others, but will speak mouth to mouth with his faithful prophet as a friend will speak with his friend, and not in dark speeches; and similitude of the Lord shall Moses behold: but they are not afraid to speak against his servant and to make themselves equal in relationship authority and power before God in the life of Moses. Had Moses not utilized his power with God through position of his relationship to make intercession for both Aaron and Miriam, God had so soon killed the brother and sister at once to bereave Moses of his siblings for the challenge they made on him, and for the comparison with Moses in the position of relationship and power before God as the result of the Ethiopian woman he married to criticize their junior brother; probably, they think they can take advantage of blood related senior positions (Numbers 12:3) over Moses to control his life which is guided by the Spirit of God, and solely accountable to him who calls him. ‘Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? Hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it. Numbers 12:1-16.
(C) Here, towards the end of the trial of Job, God now made known what it meant to be in position of power and authority with him when he command that the three friends of Job should seek for his blessings in prayer if they desired to be at peace with him (God), lest his wrath fall upon them for their wicked hearts which has been filled with unjust words and mockery they have poured out with their false accusations, and for their wrong judgements in prideful spirits spoken against his faithful servant (Job) during his trials and affliction period. Job 6:14: Job 16:4-5: Job 42:8.
(D) Moreover, the incident between Abraham, King Abimelech and Sarah should give us more understanding about spiritual power in the position of relationship with God in the situation whereby the king received strong direct warning and instruction from God to return Sarah back to Abraham, so that Abraham (the prophet, whose wife he sought to marry) should pray for him, and his entire household before they can receive healing from God who has sent sickness and affliction from heaven to defend and fight for his servant Abraham. Genesis 20.
(E) And of the prophet Elijah of Tishbite who just came out of no-where to declare before the king of Israel that there shall be and shall not be rain for years according to his word: this is demonstration of spiritual power from position of relationship with God, for who is he that speak and it is done, when God has not spoken it? 1 Kings 17:1.
(F) The apostle Paul also exercised this spiritual power from the position of his relationship with God twice or more in the Epistles: first, he demonstrated it against the sexual immoral brother at the Corinthian’s church, whose body he delivered unto Satan for the destruction of it, so that his spirit should be saved in the day of Christ (I Corinthians 5:5): second, of Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom he also delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme. This is the power of true spiritual delegates – the position of power through positional intimacy. 1Timothy1:20.
(G) And of the true and faithful ministers and elders, whom God has established in the churches of the saints to rule over, and to have over-sight of the flock: that such men should be obeyed, appreciated and respected for their works sake, because they watch as caretakers over the souls of the believers under them, so that they may do such accountability with joy, and not with grief, for that would not be profitable for the rebels, the unruly, neither for the self-willed in the church before God in judgement. Hebrews 13:17.
(H) God rules on earth and he cares much for orderliness in the nations he has created, giving them rulers (mayors, governors, secretaries or ministers and presidents or head of states) to manages the affairs of the land over the people with constitutional powers: to legislate and to reward the law abiding citizens, and to punish or kill lawless and rebels in the nations with impunity (if themselves are not evil and wicked rulers), because the power that be is of God, and they are God’s civil ministers with positional power through democratic election for those in the government seats. Rom 13:1-7. I Pet 2:13-23: 3:1-6.
(I) The position of power in relationship reveals in the creation that the man was first made and given positional power with God as the head over the woman, and the wife is expected to recognize and reverence through her submission before God, to submit herself to the law of her husband as long as the man is alive, by following his godly leading, lest by taking false and ungrounded stand of gender equality of this evil generation against her husband, she should be found insubordinate, odious and rebellious wife before her God. Esther 1:22. 1 Corinthians 11:3. Ephesians 5:23.
(J) That the children should obey, submit and honour their parents because of such positional power from God, so that it should be well with them, and their days on earth can be prolonged. Proverbs 30:17.
(k) That the servants or employees should respect and obey such positional power of God from the boss, manager or their employers in the singleness of heart: it doesn’t matter either such director is a believer or unbeliever, he should be obeyed in the fear of God. Colossians 3:22-25.
(L) It was through this position of relationship power which Jacob had with God and with men (Genesis 32:38) that he was able to prophetically bless his children, declaring unto them what shall befall each and every one of their tribes in the future time. Genesis 49.
It is now clear that a man can be greater than another in spiritual power and grace through the position of relationship with God, yet, we are all brethren in the Lord: whatsoever we have, we received it from God, and none should puff up against another, lest the power of God be mis-used and the position of relationship is abused as Moses committed such error at the waters of strife and was penalised from entering into the Promised land. 1 Corinthians 4:7. The power from the position of relationship with God doesn’t give anyone the authority to act beyond God’s measure and guidance, or to oppress his brethren, lest he falls into the example of prideful rebellion and condemnation of Satan’s expulsion from heaven. One thing is sure, there is no rising up (whatsoever) against the word, or against any of the established authorities of the King of the universe that shall not be defeated, punished and destroyed, if men do not repent to submit themselves willingly under such authority. Proverbs 30:31.
The Kingdom of Christ is an everlasting Kingdom which no one can ever destroyed: if any of the earthly nations and government institutions seeks to oppose the rule of the authority of God’s word: to stop, silent, or to overthrow the propagation of the gospel, and to hinder the operation and functioning of the church of Jesus Christ on earth, such are doom for eternal destruction before God, if they don’t desist and repent from such heinous crime.
God is never on the side or in favor of the rebel against his word, or against the government from the citizens, or against the husband from his wife, or against the parents from their children, or against the boss from their workers, or against the church authority (God causes the lonely to dwell in families: he brings out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land. Psalms 68:6) from the church congregation.
Wherever rebellion is found, it is spiritual wickedness and evil attitudes of the proud, self- conceited, un-teachable, covenant breakers of defiance nature and action of hardened men and women of self-willed. Rebellious spirit is evil and it is of the devil: it is the unique identity of his primary sin (rebellion) from the beginning, caused by his beauty and wisdom. It is Satan’s strongest weapon against man, even as he fashioned it successfully against Adam and Eve to rebel against the word and authority of God in the Garden of Eden. It is now his greatest weapon, counsel and doctrine of equality for all and sundry in the world under the advocacy of false liberty to deceive mankind against the established authorities from God.
God is going to punish and judge every act of unrepentant rebellious attitude by eternal and second death, just as witchcraft practice through familiar spirit (unclean evil spirit and power) shall be judged and condemned to everlasting destruction before him. The witchcraft practice is forbidden and punished by capital punishment (hell in eternity after death), as we found it in the book of Exodus Chapter 22 verses 18, and from Galatians chapter 5 verses 20: for anyone consulting (1 Chronicles 10:13), covenanting with, indicating, or employing any evil spirit, to any extent whatsoever, and exercising any enchantment, charm, or sorcery to cast spell to bids defiance to divine will purposes, and to hurt others through the power of darkness is known as the defilement of the soul. Leviticus 19:31.
The sin of disobedient is as the sin of witchcraft (1 Samuel 15:22-23): any act of disobedient to the word of God is a seed of death men sows – eternal death: the same capital punishment awaiting those that are practicing witchcraft to conjure evil spirit or power of darkness for whatever reason or purpose. It is as bad to set up other gods, as to live in defiance and disobedient against the eternal word of God: but this has been man’s utmost sin in his attempt to be independent of God as suggested by Satan from the Garden of Eden. Instead of submission to the word of God, and to bring every thought in him to the obedient of Christ, he arrogantly disputed and sought to exalt himself above the word of God, and to make himself (idolized) a god who does not need to bow to any rule or authority (God or man). Rebellion or disobedient is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity as idolatry.
From the text before us in Numbers chapter 16: (1) we discover the sin spirituality of the rebels and of their foolish followers without morality and showing no politeness in their attitude and behaviour to their leaders, and to the rest of good people in the church. Yes, they are holy and all the congregation is holy as they claimed (Numbers 16: 3) to be, but the holiness of God and their spirituality without morality (ill-mannered and evil mindedness) and without courtesy; to hurt, disorganize, seek to over-throw Moses and Aaron’s ministry out of their bitterness of spirit and desire for self-aggrandizement is a damnable sin before God. They caused division, confusion and insurrection against the peace of the church in the wilderness and against the authority established by God. Moral evil behaviour such as false accusation against another (deformation or assassination of character by slanderous report), causing division or separation between good friends, showing or hiding hatred without cause but by envy, are deeds abominable before God, detestable and out rightly condemned by him: surely wrath kills the foolish man and envy slays the silly ones. Job 5:2.
Unquestionably, these men appeared to have lost their spiritual sense and mind as far as their request were concerned as they seek to take advantage of Moses meekness, humility and simplicity (then Moses said to him, are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them. Numbers11: 29) to take the leadership away from men appointed by God to bring them out of Egypt into the promised land –Moses and Aaron. Hebrews: 5:4.
Assuming that someone in the church or a leader is taken in a fault, we still need to approach the situation in the spirit of meekness, and not in the expression of deep and bitter anger and ill willed, to consider ourselves, lest we also be tempted, but this is not even close to the case in our study. People needed to be taught how to behave in the church one to another: to learn what to say, and how to say it even if they are led by the Spirit of God to say something: ‘I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth (1 Timothy 3: 14-15): note: men should not only learn how to conduct themselves in the house of God, but they should also know that there is no room for unruliness, disorderliness, neither for any rebellious or self-willed spirit before our God. Godly and renewed lifestyle of moral composure and comportment, and the wisdom of gentle words with good works as Christ workmanship should defined the quality and degree of growth, and the genuineness and maturity of the spirituality in a believer: true and heaven bound spirituality in Christ has nothing to do only with speaking in tongues, prophesying, etc.: though these are partly part of it, but gaining heaven’s entrance does not rest on them (Matthew 7:21-23): therefore, let your spirituality and the holiness of God in you be made known through the expression and ability to display sanctified and new creatures behaviors made available through the fruit of the Spirit: not to be an insolent (ill-mannered, rude and arrogant with lack of respect) believer before the leaders set over you in the church or church group, not playing the age card tor difference to get nut in the church.1 Timothy 4:12: Luke 10:16.
Those that are truly filled with the Spirit of God are humble and meek in the power and fruit of the Spirit. Spirituality does not give anyone the license to be proud, disrespectful to insult others with a loose, unlearned and uncontrolled tongue, or to speak anyhow to anyone without impunity just as Moses was punished and denied entrance into the Promised Land because of his misspoken word and uncontrolled emotion at the waters of strife. Many people seem to lose common sense and good moral because of certain grace they receive from God, having forgetting that light that is not shining brightly enough is darkness altogether, and speech that is not always with grace, seasoned with salt, makes the salt (believer) to lose its sweetness. Spiritual gift is a call to humble and faithful service, it does not promote you over the people who has been in the Lord before you, even as you are not older than your elder brother of your parents just because you are financially buoyant than him. Proper recognition and respect is required to be given to those that are in the Lord before us (greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. Romans 16:7) lest we become proud and self-destroyed because of certain spiritual gift or by whatever advantage we think to have than others which will bring us under the same condemnation of Satan – pride.
The believers with the age of our earthly parents should be treated with great respect as our biological father and mother, beginning from the church pastor leading by example which is to be followed by the leaders and congregates (stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord. Leviticus 19:32), and the young sisters in the church should not be sexually abused and taken advantage of, but they should be treated with carefulness, exactly as we would of our own blood related sisters, with all purity. 1Timothy: 5:1-2.
(2.) In the text, we also discover the sin and foolishness of self-praise, self-commendation and spiritual comparison with Moses and Aaron. Numbers 16: 3-10.
Those church rebels in the wilderness not only made comparison to make themselves equal in position of relationship and power with God against Moses and Aaron, they also caused a great commotion to incite and implicate simple and foolish among the congregation into their evil ambition, by saying everyone is holy: you Moses and Aaron are no better than the rest of the people. This is exactly the gainsaying and the vain talks of Korah which destroyed them and their followers. Jude 1:11. The holy people are peaceable and humble, but these, their action contradicts their claims of holiness, seeing that their pursuit and motive are evil: stem out, not of a pure heart, but from the root of bitterness which has defiled them before God. Was indeed the whole congregation holy when some of them lusted after evil things in the sin of the golden calf and many were killed by their brother’s sword as God commanded by the hand of Moses? Were they all indeed holy when some lusted after fish and taunt God to provide fish, though they were given fish, but his wrath fell upon so many that they died while eating fish rained from heaven? Was indeed the whole congregation holy when twenty-three thousand committed fornication and were slain by the Lord in the matter of Balaam the covetous prophet with Balaak the king of Moab, and the daughters of Moab? Was the whole congregation indeed holy when some of them tempted Christ and were destroyed by serpents? Are they all holy when some of them were destroyed by the destroyer because they murmured against God?
Though the Lord require us to walk in meekness and to put on humbleness of mind after the example of Christ with one another, considering that we are all heirs together of the same promise of eternal life: yet, there are some who would take advantage of this love, grace and call to walk in humbly in brotherly relationship as an occasion to misbehave without appreciation and without true acknowledgement of Christ love: to abuse the fellowship of his love with contemptuous and unruly behavior toward others. Such unruly, proud and haughty disrespectful believers should be warned and resisted because they will not learn to change, even as our mother Sarah dealt with Haggai because of her pride and ungrateful behavior, to despise and look down on her mistress, making herself not only equal, but above Sarah, simply because of her pregnancy. She was strongly handled by Sarah until she could not bear it anymore than to run out of the house, but God gave her instruction to go back in submission and in humbleness and quiet spirit as the only solution to her problem: never to abuse relationship by her contempt to her senior for whatever reason, advantage or privilege. Note: just as we are called to seek and keep company with the humble brethren (mind high things, but will condescend with men of low estate. Romans 12:16), we should likewise detest and resist any proud and haughty heart believer seeking our company and fellowship in the Lord (whoso secretly slanders his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer. Psalms 101:5): surely, blessed is the man that would not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Psalms 40:4.
I say you are gods, and all of you are children of Most High, but you shall die as men. Psalms 82:6: John 10:34. This text speaks about our oneness with God through Christ Jesus by whom we have received the adoption as children of God by faith in him: and because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Galatians 4:6. Christ bear witness that he and his Father are one (John 10:30): but he also clarifies the measure and acknowledge the boundary to the oneness he partakes with the Father because the Father is greater than him (for he hath put all things under his feet. But when he says all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him that God may be all in all. 1 Corinthians 15: 27-28): therefore, his sole desire is to do what pleases the Father because he came out from him (John 16:28): though the Son is one with his Father and he is as his Father: yet, he will only do what the Father has shown him to do (John 5:17-19) and will only speak what the Father has taught him to say (John 12:49) so that God the Father should be seen and glorify above all.
But some believers have fallen into the error of false preachers in the folly of false doctrine of oneness of the blind guides. Some will proclaim themselves to be God by saying ‘I am God’, though he (Christ) that was from the beginning with God, and became flesh to dwell among us, has never thought it robbery to make himself equal with God (Philippians 2:6) than to admit that his Father is greater than him. John 14:28. Some of these blind and foolish brethren are also declaring themselves to be Christ by saying, ’I am Christ’ (for there shall arise false Christ, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Matthew 24:24-25) though they are not the Christ crucified, buried and raised from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of God in heaven to intercede for us. Do not scriptures say that ye are Christ’s (you belong to Christ) and Christ is God’s (Christ belongs to God? 1 Corinthians 3:23. Some of these folks, blinded by their love and desire for wealth and riches will declare to be money by saying, ‘I am money’. Beloved, you are not money because it’s pieces of paper and a legal tender, temporal and perishable coins and bank notes of this fleeting world. You are not even close to become money men used for daily transaction because you were not redeemed with corruptible things such as gold and silver: meaning that the price of your redemption is not monetary purchasable (they that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: for the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceases forever: Psalms 49:6-8) and your worth in God’s sight is far above any sum of money in the account of the richest man on earth. There is a limit to your ‘I am’ confessions in the word of God: ‘let the weak say, I am strong’. ‘Let the poor say, I am rich’. Let the less privilege say, I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me’. Let the achiever says, ‘I am what I am by the grace of God, lest you become like Satan whose confession of ‘I am’ made him heaven’s outcast, God’s eternal enemy and doom for eternal fire. Do not ever compare yourself with someone else, or seek to become like another person, it is spiritual foolishness: but rather seek to be more like Christ and longs for more of him: for we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. 2 Corinthians 10:12.
Sure enough, everyone would desire their face to be filled with the glory of God and to shine like Moses’ face did shone when he came down from the mountain with the two tables of the testimony (Exodus 34:28-29) from God: but can they wait before the Lord and fast for forty days and night without food and water like Moses twice did patiently before God? Note: those who are not call to pay the price, and those that are called, but are lazy and fearful to pay the price but have pleasure and great joy to demonstrate power and glory are spiritual thieves, destiny and glory hijackers that will do anything carnal like to bring other down to take their place, or things diabolical that they may be exalted above others for vanity show and vain glory. Do these rebels have the zeal for God and the gut like Moses who defiantly abandoned the palace of Pharaoh in defence and pursuit of justice for his Israelite brother killed by an Egyptian: to put himself into self-banishment and exiled, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season? Apart from the previous forty years of training in Egypt, had the rebels gotten any shepherding formation and brokenness training such that Moses had gone through for another forty years in the land of Midian under Jethro his father in-law until the burning bush appearance for his final commission at the fullness of time after 80 years of preparation. Have they heard the voice of God from the fire like he spoke with Moses? Have they ever received any instruction and gotten any power with God that they may go and stand before Pharaoh to bring the oppressed Jewish slaves out of Egypt with such terrible and mighty signs and wonders? Do these rebels have Moses’ faithfulness, commitments and consecration to become like Moses indeed? The scriptures say, there is none any other prophet risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face (Deuteronomy 34:10): but there shall be another prophet as the type of Moses (Jesus Christ), raised up unto us to die and to save us from our sins as Moses prophesied to the children of Israel before his death about Christ coming (Deuteronomy 18:15) unto whom we must hearken unto all the things he will teach us from God to obey him. Note: though, none shall ever be like Moses in the prophetic and works before God: yet, we are all called, saved and redeemed by the blood of the Lamb to be made like unto Christ in all things, and to do greater works than our Lord: therefore, let the Saviour’s image and resemblance be the goal and standard of our focus and pursuit, that we may grow up unto him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: be ye imitators of Christ as dear children, leaving us an example, that we should follow in his steps. None should compete or compare with another in the church or in life as general if you’re a child of God: if you are truly a new creature in Christ, born of water and of the Spirit of God. Your works for the Lord, his plans and time table for your life is not the same as of any other: and your worth in his sight, and the duration of your usefulness is not the same like the rest of your brethren: keep your heart away from the deception of self-comparison and competing with your brethren, you are of the same body in Christ: and be careful of the operation of the evil spirit of self-importance in your life: if a man thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let every man prove his own work and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. Galatians 6:3-4.
Let us rejoice with whatever God is doing in us, and be thankful for what he is accomplishing in others, that each of us in particular should know their position in the kingdom of God, and to keep the line of their engagement and occupation for the Lord within the measure (for as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: so, we being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teaches, on teaching; or he that exhorts, on exhortation: he that gives, let him do it with simplicity; he that rules, with diligence; he that shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Romans 12:4-8)) of our spiritual growth, and not beyond the limit of the assignment or ministry we are given to fulfill in the house of God (Numbers 16:9-11): and not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Does the axe raises itself above the person who swings it, or the saw boast against the one who uses it (Isaiah 10:15): let us know that there is uniqueness and individuality in our calling, ability or gifting and purposes in Christ Jesus (1 Corinthians 12:11: 1 Peter 4:11) which enables us to work on what we have and to seek to be the best in all that God has called us to become and not another. The performance (s) of our duty is not any way the platform (Proverbs 27:2. Luke 17:7-10) for any of us to lord it over God’s heritage (Numbers 16: 3c: 1 Peter 5:3): it is not for self-praise, self-glorification or self- commendation like the Pharisees hypocrites does to draw attention and to have praise of men: though grateful men will praise us for the good works wrought by God through us, let us not fail to redirect all praises and glory unto him they are due, even unto God: it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. 2 Corinthians 12:18.
(3) Finally, false judgment of incompetent and assassination of character against Moses. Numbers 16: 12-14.
And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, we will not come up: is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that flows with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us? Moreover, thou hast not brought us into a land that flows with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up.
Here, we see the humble and faithful servant of God (Moses) ridiculed, portrayed and labeled as a deceiver and evil minded- murderer who has deceitfully brought them out from the land of Egypt of spiritual darkness, physical bondage, slavery and oppression of Pharaoh, which they now refer to as the land that flows with milk and honey to kill them in the wilderness. They called him a failure and spiritually inept, though they have been fed with manna continually for daily provision: though God through Moses had brought them all out of Egypt, and none was feeble among them: and though the sandals on their feet didn’t wear out and their clothes on them didn’t wear out from their body: though he has brought them to the border of Canaan, but they blew up the chance to possess the promised land by their own doings, having despised the pleasant land through the influence of the evil report of the spies that were sent to prepare them for the possession of it. But, sincerely speaking, were any of these a fault to be laid on Moses’ charge? Was Moses to be held responsible for the breach of promise they made against the land of their inheritance by their unbelief, un-prepared hearts, fear and discouragements of their brethren, even by the inconsistency of their hearts which was not right with God and were not steadfast in his covenant? Surely, the foolishness of a man perverts his way, and his heart frets, not only against God, but can be seen by the unjust anger they poured out on his servant Moses. Proverbs 19:3.
Who is to be blamed when your calamities come after you’ve failed to hearken to the instructions of your teachers and the godly instructors of those set over you in the Lord? When you have chosen to go your ways against God’s way, whose fault should it be when the rebellious spirit and haughty heart bring you into unalterable destruction? These people failed to examine themselves that they should truly know the root of their problems, instead, they prefer to put the blame of their failure on the leadership and on the shepherd over them. Who are you that lay blame upon, to criticize and disapprove another man’s servant? None of them can perform beyond the limit of grace confer of their calling, either it is a talent, or two, or three as it pleases the Spirit of God, who gives severally to every man according as it pleases. Colossians 1:29.
It is therefore a challenge and judgment against God they portrayed as the Creator with little or no foresight of poor judgment to have chosen Moses as a Shepherd or leader over them. Whenever you judge and condemned the appointee, you indirectly condemn his director for his poor choice and judgment to appoint a weak, inefficient and wrong leader: let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required in stewards that a man is found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not my own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judges me is the Lord. Therefore, judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. 1 Corinthians 4:1-4.
Final word, we see the strange punishment reserved for the rebels as God did a new thing just as Moses declared, and the earth opened its mouth, and the rebels, their children, their belongings, and their accomplices descended fast into hell. Rebellion is evil, it is from Satan, and thou shall not follow multitudes to do evil. Exodus 23:2.
The rebellious spirit in people, just looking for anything, though good and godly, but not serving their interest, they fight to resist its authority because it is not filling their pride. This would bring anyone ruled and guided by it under the strict judgment of divine expulsion from the eternal presence of God (an evil man seeks only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him. Proverbs 17:11): just as Satan, the chief rebel, now awaiting his final condemnation and execution of judgment in the eternal fire prepared for him after his expulsion from heaven, so are the rebels in God’s house shall likewise be destroyed altogether. Rebellion against the truth (2 Timothy 3:8) and running away or leaving the church where undiluted word is preached in spirit and truth is to resist Christ, the eternal truth. If you’re now rebellious against the light and truth (Job 24:13) meant to sanctify and preserved you to the end from the path of the destroyer (concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer. Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not. Psalms 17:4-5) where do you think you will spend your eternity?