Power Struggle
November 14, 2009
Larry R Evans
Reflective Introduction
About twelve or thirteen years ago Carolyn and I were in Phnom Pen, Cambodia with a group of conference presidents. I was assigned to speak in a village church about two hours away. On the way to the church we were stopped at a makeshift checkpoint. Our car was searched by soldiers wearing black armbands and touting machine guns. Our driver who could not speak a lot of English spoke with the soldiers. We felt a bit uneasy during their conversation because they kept looking at us, then the car and then back at us during the conversation. We were cleared once they looked in the trunk of the car to go but later that day the fighting began. We could hear the rat-a-tat-tat sounds of machine gun fire and feel the percussions of cannon fire. The airport where we had been the day before was filled with billowing black smoke. What was behind all of this? A coup was underway to overthrow the government. It was initiated by a rival to the president. As we looked out our hotel window we saw little children hiding in poorly built lean-to houses. This may have been a fight between two rival leaders but it endangered the whole country.
If for a moment we think criticism of leadership, insubordination and rebellion are minor offences then we haven’t considered the fate of Korah and Absalom and those who succumbed to their influence nor of the consequences reaped when leaders are critical of other leaders as with Aaron and Miriam when they undermined Moses. This, of course, doesn’t mean leadership shouldn’t be challenged at times. Leaders often need counsel. We will see as we study Numbers 16 and 17 that there is a big difference between questioning a leader’s decisions and undermining his or her influence. Even when reproved for their undermining behavior, God’s chosen people find it difficult to remember lessons from the past. It has been said, “Mistakes are toothless little things if you recognize and correct them. If you ignore or defend them, they grow fangs and bite.” Such was the case for those who didn’t learn from Korah’s rebellion.
Reflective Quiz
1. Being dissatisfied at the recognition one has received has in the past led to corruption, deceit and rebellion. [Numb.16:1-14; 47-51; 6:22-24] True
The setting is familiar and so is the experience. Leaving Egypt seemed good at first. The new freedom was exciting but old character traits followed them on the road to the Promised Land. When the hardships came, when character was tested, selfishness rose to the forefront. All was not good. Korah was Moses’ cousin. As a Levite he was set apart as having a special relationship with God and role with the people. Nevertheless, Moses was the leader and he was not. Jealousy prevailed. With this context in mind note the charges that Korah and some Reubenites made against Moses.
Num 16:2-3
With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council. 3 They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the LORD's assembly?"
(from New International Version)
The argument against Moses and Aaron began with the idea that all Israelites were holy and that the Lord was among them. “In other words, Moses you aren’t any greater than we are so don’t try to tell us what to do!” In reality the charge against Moses was against the authority invested in him by God. Rebellion was now underway and it threatened the mission of God. Recognizing the jealousy inciting this resentment towards him and Aaron Moses said,
Num 16:8-11
9 Isn't it enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the Israelite community and brought you near himself to do the work at the LORD's tabernacle and to stand before the community and minister to them? 10 He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near himself, but now you are trying to get the priesthood too. 11 It is against the LORD that you and all your followers have banded together. Who is Aaron that you should grumble against him?"
(from New International Version)
“The next work of the conspirators was with the people. To those who are in the wrong, and deserving of reproof, there is nothing more pleasing than to receive sympathy and praise. And thus Korah and his associates gained the attention and enlisted the support of the congregation. The charge that the murmurings of the people had brought upon them the wrath of God was declared to be a mistake. They said that the congregation were not at fault, since they desired nothing more than their rights; but that Moses was an overbearing ruler; that he had reproved the people as sinners, when they were a holy people, and the Lord was among them.” {EG White, Patriarchs & Prophets, p 397.3}
Isn’t interesting how the argument against Moses went from jealousy to Moses style of leadership to “our rights” being violated! It starts with a “me” attitude then strikes out against anyone who stands in the way of “me” and then it’s all about “our rights.”
With this brief insight to Korah’s rebellion, how would you answer the question?
2. Sin is not only wrong; it can so distort our thinking that we actually believe a lie. [Num.16:12-14] True
Korah and his Levite followers were summoned to a showdown. Moses requested Dathan and Abiram to appear as well but they refused because they would not accept any implication that Moses had legal power over them. But note what theysaid,
Num 16:12-14
12 Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab. But they said, "We will not come! 13 Isn't it enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the desert? And now you also want to lord it over us? 14 Moreover, you haven't brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you gouge out the eyes of these men? No, we will not come!"
(from New International Version)
“Yet God in His great mercy made a distinction between the leaders in rebellion and those whom they had led. The people who had permitted themselves to be deceived were still granted space for repentance. Overwhelming evidence had been given that they were wrong, and that Moses was right. The signal manifestation of God's power had removed all uncertainty.” {EG White, Patriarchs and Prophets, 401.2}
What! Now they are calling Egypt as the land flowing with milk and honey. They refer to Egypt as the Promised Land. They weren’t only confused. They were believing a self-made lie or deception all because they didn’t want to fall in line under a leader whom they did not like. Sin is like that. If it offends us we don’t cut it off we try to turn it into something good. We make excuses for our disobedience of God’s commands. No amount of twisting alters the truth about what God commands.
3. Memory books and memorials are for old people. [Num.16:36-40; Ex.20:8-11; Matt. 26:13] False
We are tempted to charge the “old” with the problem of forgetting.
Numbers 16 ends the story about Korah with God opening the earth and swallowing not only Korah but his family and all that are immediately associated with him. Then the 250 men with censors are consumed by fire. You’d think the message should have gotten through that God means what He says. But not so.
Num 16:36-41
36 The LORD said to Moses, 37 "Tell Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, to take the censers out of the smoldering remains and scatter the coals some distance away, for the censers are holy-- 38 the censers of the men who sinned at the cost of their lives. Hammer the censers into sheets to overlay the altar, for they were presented before the LORD and have become holy. Let them be a sign to the Israelites."
39 So Eleazar the priest collected the bronze censers brought by those who had been burned up, and he had them hammered out to overlay the altar, 40 as the LORD directed him through Moses. This was to remind the Israelites that no one except a descendant of Aaron should come to burn incense before the LORD, or he would become like Korah and his followers.
41 The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. "You have killed the LORD's people," they said. (from New International Version)
Larry R Evans
Reflective Introduction
About twelve or thirteen years ago Carolyn and I were in Phnom Pen, Cambodia with a group of conference presidents. I was assigned to speak in a village church about two hours away. On the way to the church we were stopped at a makeshift checkpoint. Our car was searched by soldiers wearing black armbands and touting machine guns. Our driver who could not speak a lot of English spoke with the soldiers. We felt a bit uneasy during their conversation because they kept looking at us, then the car and then back at us during the conversation. We were cleared once they looked in the trunk of the car to go but later that day the fighting began. We could hear the rat-a-tat-tat sounds of machine gun fire and feel the percussions of cannon fire. The airport where we had been the day before was filled with billowing black smoke. What was behind all of this? A coup was underway to overthrow the government. It was initiated by a rival to the president. As we looked out our hotel window we saw little children hiding in poorly built lean-to houses. This may have been a fight between two rival leaders but it endangered the whole country.
If for a moment we think criticism of leadership, insubordination and rebellion are minor offences then we haven’t considered the fate of Korah and Absalom and those who succumbed to their influence nor of the consequences reaped when leaders are critical of other leaders as with Aaron and Miriam when they undermined Moses. This, of course, doesn’t mean leadership shouldn’t be challenged at times. Leaders often need counsel. We will see as we study Numbers 16 and 17 that there is a big difference between questioning a leader’s decisions and undermining his or her influence. Even when reproved for their undermining behavior, God’s chosen people find it difficult to remember lessons from the past. It has been said, “Mistakes are toothless little things if you recognize and correct them. If you ignore or defend them, they grow fangs and bite.” Such was the case for those who didn’t learn from Korah’s rebellion.
Reflective Quiz
1. Being dissatisfied at the recognition one has received has in the past led to corruption, deceit and rebellion. [Numb.16:1-14; 47-51; 6:22-24] True
The setting is familiar and so is the experience. Leaving Egypt seemed good at first. The new freedom was exciting but old character traits followed them on the road to the Promised Land. When the hardships came, when character was tested, selfishness rose to the forefront. All was not good. Korah was Moses’ cousin. As a Levite he was set apart as having a special relationship with God and role with the people. Nevertheless, Moses was the leader and he was not. Jealousy prevailed. With this context in mind note the charges that Korah and some Reubenites made against Moses.
Num 16:2-3
With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council. 3 They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the LORD's assembly?"
(from New International Version)
The argument against Moses and Aaron began with the idea that all Israelites were holy and that the Lord was among them. “In other words, Moses you aren’t any greater than we are so don’t try to tell us what to do!” In reality the charge against Moses was against the authority invested in him by God. Rebellion was now underway and it threatened the mission of God. Recognizing the jealousy inciting this resentment towards him and Aaron Moses said,
Num 16:8-11
9 Isn't it enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the Israelite community and brought you near himself to do the work at the LORD's tabernacle and to stand before the community and minister to them? 10 He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near himself, but now you are trying to get the priesthood too. 11 It is against the LORD that you and all your followers have banded together. Who is Aaron that you should grumble against him?"
(from New International Version)
“The next work of the conspirators was with the people. To those who are in the wrong, and deserving of reproof, there is nothing more pleasing than to receive sympathy and praise. And thus Korah and his associates gained the attention and enlisted the support of the congregation. The charge that the murmurings of the people had brought upon them the wrath of God was declared to be a mistake. They said that the congregation were not at fault, since they desired nothing more than their rights; but that Moses was an overbearing ruler; that he had reproved the people as sinners, when they were a holy people, and the Lord was among them.” {EG White, Patriarchs & Prophets, p 397.3}
Isn’t interesting how the argument against Moses went from jealousy to Moses style of leadership to “our rights” being violated! It starts with a “me” attitude then strikes out against anyone who stands in the way of “me” and then it’s all about “our rights.”
With this brief insight to Korah’s rebellion, how would you answer the question?
2. Sin is not only wrong; it can so distort our thinking that we actually believe a lie. [Num.16:12-14] True
Korah and his Levite followers were summoned to a showdown. Moses requested Dathan and Abiram to appear as well but they refused because they would not accept any implication that Moses had legal power over them. But note what theysaid,
Num 16:12-14
12 Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab. But they said, "We will not come! 13 Isn't it enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the desert? And now you also want to lord it over us? 14 Moreover, you haven't brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you gouge out the eyes of these men? No, we will not come!"
(from New International Version)
“Yet God in His great mercy made a distinction between the leaders in rebellion and those whom they had led. The people who had permitted themselves to be deceived were still granted space for repentance. Overwhelming evidence had been given that they were wrong, and that Moses was right. The signal manifestation of God's power had removed all uncertainty.” {EG White, Patriarchs and Prophets, 401.2}
What! Now they are calling Egypt as the land flowing with milk and honey. They refer to Egypt as the Promised Land. They weren’t only confused. They were believing a self-made lie or deception all because they didn’t want to fall in line under a leader whom they did not like. Sin is like that. If it offends us we don’t cut it off we try to turn it into something good. We make excuses for our disobedience of God’s commands. No amount of twisting alters the truth about what God commands.
3. Memory books and memorials are for old people. [Num.16:36-40; Ex.20:8-11; Matt. 26:13] False
We are tempted to charge the “old” with the problem of forgetting.
Numbers 16 ends the story about Korah with God opening the earth and swallowing not only Korah but his family and all that are immediately associated with him. Then the 250 men with censors are consumed by fire. You’d think the message should have gotten through that God means what He says. But not so.
Num 16:36-41
36 The LORD said to Moses, 37 "Tell Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, to take the censers out of the smoldering remains and scatter the coals some distance away, for the censers are holy-- 38 the censers of the men who sinned at the cost of their lives. Hammer the censers into sheets to overlay the altar, for they were presented before the LORD and have become holy. Let them be a sign to the Israelites."
39 So Eleazar the priest collected the bronze censers brought by those who had been burned up, and he had them hammered out to overlay the altar, 40 as the LORD directed him through Moses. This was to remind the Israelites that no one except a descendant of Aaron should come to burn incense before the LORD, or he would become like Korah and his followers.
41 The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. "You have killed the LORD's people," they said. (from New International Version)
It has been said, “"A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still"?
How true this was in the case of the Israelites. It raises the question about other memorials that God has commanded such as, for example, the Sabbath.
Note what Ezekiel says,
Ezek 20:10-14
10 Therefore I led them out of Egypt and brought them into the desert. 11 I gave them my decrees and made known to them my laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. 12 Also I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I the LORD made them holy.
13 "'Yet the people of Israel rebelled against me in the desert. They did not follow my decrees but rejected my laws-although the man who obeys them will live by them-and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths. So I said I would pour out my wrath on them and destroy them in the desert. (from New International Version)
The Sabbath like Moses as a leader was given to the people. The Sabbath, like Moses, was rejected and such rejection was seen by God as a rejection of Him for it was to be a reminder that it was Him, God the Creator and Redeemer, who can make them holy.
So what is the answer to rebellion? More laws? Stricter leaders? I suppose some would call for that but the answer to holiness is coming before the Lord and admitting our need and our willingness to let Him become the Lord of our life.
4. While God’s people have made serious mistakes at least they learned from them. [Num. 16:41-50] False
It would have been nice if that were the case but that isn’t the record.
Num 16:41-45
41 The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. "You have killed the LORD's people," they said.
42 But when the assembly gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron and turned toward the Tent of Meeting, suddenly the cloud covered it and the glory of the LORD appeared. 43 Then Moses and Aaron went to the front of the Tent of Meeting, 44 and the LORD said to Moses, 45 "Get away from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once." And they fell facedown. (from New International Version)
Not only had they not learned the lesson but their grumbling had nearly worn out the patience of God. We can make excuses only so long before God says, “Enough is enough.” Had it not been for the intercession of Moses and Aaron the people would have been destroyed.
Isn’t it interesting that the very ones condemned for “lording it over the people” actually saved the lives of the ones who condemned them. Was that not what Jesus did . . . and is doing today!
5. When Aaron’s staff budded and produced almonds it shows that repentance had come during the spring time. [Num. 17:1-11] False
The spirit of insubordination continued. The budding staff had nothing to do with spring! It did have everything to do with God reinstating His chosen leaders and to remove any doubt that might still linger.
Twelve staffs were gathered—one from each tribe. They were placed in the Tent of Meeting for God to reveal which tribe was to be the chosen as priests for God. The sad commentary is why God had to go this route:
Num 17:5
5 The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling against you by the Israelites." (from New International Version)
God’s people were grumbling! They were demanding spiritual “rights” and that was offensive to God. Ministry is a service and not a right. Isn’t it sad how spiritual gifts become signs of personal self-centeredness and greed. What a lesson for all of us today!
Concluding Reflections
The experience of Korah’s rebellion and the subsequent reverberations is not a story of the past, although the past is in it. It is not my story, although I am in it. It is not your story, although you are in it. It is a story that is unfolding every day somewhere on the globe—sometimes in our own backyard if not in our own home. Can we learn from it? Can we see past the mistakes, the short comings of ourselves, of our leaders and of those who follow us, and build on their strengths rather than on their weaknesses? It is humanly impossible. Too often recognition is achieved by being critical rather than by being affirming. The tragedy of Korah’s rebellion need not be repeated. The imperfection of leaders is too obvious at times but the question remains: Is our response given in kind or is our response to the weaknesses of others reflective of the real Leader and His understanding of our own short falls? The following counsel is indeed sobering:
“To those who have educated themselves to speak unadvisedly, I am instructed to say, Unless you cease encouraging evil-speaking, unless you guard as Christians should the reputation of your fellow workers, you will endanger your own soul and the souls of many others. No longer talk about the wrong that someone is doing. Never, never repeat a scandal. Go to the one assailed, and ask him in regard to the matter. God has not appointed any man to be the judge of another man's motives and work. He who feels at liberty to dissect the character of another, he who intentionally detracts from the influence of a fellow worker, is as verily breaking God's law as if he openly disregarded the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. { Ellen White in Review and Herald,, May 12, 1903 par. 7}
Comments