“Happy Are you, O Israel!”

Teacher for Week: Larry R Evans

July 30, 2011

Reflective Introduction

This lesson study may not be relevant for you . . .

· IF you have always appreciated worship and worship leaders,

· IF you have always enjoyed following orders,

· IF you have always dug deeply into God’s Word to see what He wants from you,

· IF the word "obedience” generates positive emotional feelings,

· IF you have never gossiped or expressed negative thoughts about leadership with any organization but especially especial of the Church—at any level,

· IF you have never thought that the worship service where you have ever attended should be changed and that if it wasn’t you thought about packing up and leaving.

However, on the other hand, this lesson might be what you are looking for . . . or should be.

Reflective Quiz

1. True worship begins when we recognize our needs as sinners. True or False?

2. Historically joy and reverence have been a worship response to the presence of God. (Lev. 9:22-24) True or False?

3. Worship is worship as long as God is the one being worshipped. True or False?

4. Being zealous is an identifying characteristic of true worship. (Gal. 4:17-19) True and False

5. Under the guise of hard times, talented and dedicated followers can become irrational, insolent, disruptive and rebellious towards their spiritual leaders while using holiness as their call for change. (Num 16) True or False?

Reflective Comments

1. True worship begins when we recognize our needs as sinners. True and False—Depends what we mean by “our needs.”

The first four commandments speak to the issue of worship. They begin with God’s recognition of their problem and His intervention to resolve their distress. He delivers them. Worship is the expected response and God explains, in light of what He has done for them, what their response should be like (Ex.20:1-4):

1. Worship no other gods (why should they. He not they rescued them!)

2. Don’t depreciate our relationship by creating substitutes to be worshipped.

3. My name is my character – don’t misrepresent me.

4. Don’t forget that I am your Creator and as such I know what is best for you.

We must distinguish between our need and the One who meets our need.

26 “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,

who rides on the heavens to help you

and on the clouds in his majesty.

27 The eternal God is your refuge,

and underneath are the everlasting arms.

He will drive out your enemy before you,

saying, ‘Destroy him!’

28 So Israel will live in safety alone;

Jacob’s spring is secure

in a land of grain and new wine,

where the heavens drop dew.

29 Blessed are you, O Israel!

Who is like you,

a people saved by the Lord?

He is your shield and helper

and your glorious sword.

Your enemies will cower before you,

and you will trample down their high places.

2. Historically joy and reverence have been a worship response to the presence of God. (Lev. 9:22-24) True

22 Then Aaron lifted his hands toward the people and blessed them. And having sacrificed the sin offering, the burnt offering and the fellowship offering, he stepped down.

23 Moses and Aaron then went into the Tent of Meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people; and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. 24 Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown.

With joy also came praise, reverence and obedience.

3. Worship is worship as long as God is the one being worshipped. False

This question introduces us to the story of Nadab and Abihu found in Lev. 10:1-11. But first some instruction the Lord had given.

"Do not offer on this altar any other incense or any burnt offering or grain offering, and do not pour a drink offering on it." (v9)

Lev. 10:1-2 explains what happened,

“Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command. 2 So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.”

How ironic! The offering that God asks of us is symbolic of the One who would substitute His own life for us yet Nadab and Abihu offer a substitute of their own making! They failed to distinguish between the common and the holy.

The book Patriarchs and Prophets offers this warning:

God has pronounced a curse upon those who depart from His commandments, and put no difference between common and holy things. He declares by the prophet: "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness! . . . Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! . . . which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! . . . They have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel." Isaiah 5:20-24. (PP 360)

Next to Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu stood highest in rank. In this context notice what Ellen White says regarding those in positions of authority and leadership:

“Great blessings or privileges should never lull to security or carelessness. They should never give license to sin or cause the recipients to feel that God will not be exact with them. All the advantages which God has given are His means to throw ardor into the spirit, zeal into effort, and vigor into the carrying out of His holy will.” (PP 360)

4. Being zealous is an identifying characteristic of true worship. (Gal. 4:17-19) True and False

"Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them. 18 It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you. 19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, 20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!" (Gal 4:17-19)

Paul’s great concern was not the “zeal” but rather that

“Christ is formed in you.” (v.19) We find an example of zeal in David but perhaps most profoundly when he concludes,

17 “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart,

O God, you will not despise.” (Ps 51:17)

5. Under the guise of hard times, talented and dedicated followers can become irrational, insolent, disruptive and rebellious towards their spiritual leaders while using holiness as their call for change. (Num 16) True

"Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—became insolent 2 and rose up against Moses. 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?” (Num 16:1-3)

Speaking of Korah and his colleagues Ellen White adds,

A temptation, slight at first, had been harbored, and had strengthened as it was encouraged, until their minds were controlled by Satan, and they ventured upon their work of disaffection. Professing great interest in the prosperity of the people, they first whispered their discontent to one another and then to leading men of Israel. Their insinuations were so readily received that they ventured still further, and at last they really believed themselves to be actuated by zeal for God. (PP 396-397)

Leaders do make mistakes and they do need to hear from their people. The problem with Korah was that “Jealousy had given rise to envy, and envy to rebellion.” (Ibid. 397). Once the few were convinced of their cause they moved to the congregation as a whole and accused Moses of restricting their “rights.”

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. (PP 397)

So in the midst of God’s providential leading, with God restoring worship by bringing a sanctuary into their midst that he might dwell among them, His leaders led His people into a rebellion under the guise of restoring rights to the people!.

The worship that God wished to establish was thwarted by Korah’s own desire for self-exaltation.

Note this insight:

It is hardly possible for men to offer greater insult to God than to despise and reject the instrumentalities He would use for their salvation. The Israelites had not only done this, but had purposed to put both Moses and Aaron to death. Yet they did not realize the necessity of seeking pardon of God for their grievous sin. (PP 402)

. . .

Every advance made by those whom God has called to lead in His work has excited suspicion; every act has been misrepresented by the jealous and faultfinding. Thus it was in the time of Luther, of the Wesleys and other reformers. Thus it is today. (PP 404)

Reflective Conclusion

Rebellion in heaven arose over issues impacted by worship. That rebellion spread and has become the battle ground on earth. Some of the most dedicated and talented the church has can lose their focus, spread doubts and suspicions among others and attack the very means God wishes to us to bring joy and harmony. Superfluous are the terms liberals and conservative. It matters not which side one is on either more than it mattered if one were a Sadducee or a Pharisee – the very object of worship, Jesus, is crucified.

Sad but true is the following statement:

God works by the manifestation of His Spirit to reprove and convict the sinner; and if the Spirit’s work is finally rejected, there is no more that God can do for the soul. The last resource of divine mercy has been employed. The transgressor has cut himself off from God, and sin has no remedy to cure itself. There is no reserved power by which God can work to convict and convert the sinner. (PP 405)

This not meant to be a blind endorsement of leadership but it does suggest that criticism can be demonic and though not intentionally meant to harm it can hinder the work of God and create a void for true worship characterized by the attitude spoken of by David,

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit

a broken and contrite heart,

O God, you will not despise.” (Ps 51:17)