Complaints Personal and Corporate

Numbers Chapter 12 & 16

-      A good leader is hard to find and a godly one even harder.

-      Moses is by no means a perfect person or leader, but GOD chose him and equipped him for the task. Moses would through disobedience to GOD’s instructions forfeit his entering into the promised land.

-      In Chapter 12 Miriam and Aaron question Moses’ choice of marriage partner and his ability to lead because of their perceived poor choice, of this Cushite woman. This word gets translated also as Ethiopian woman. This was a mixed marriage in all senses of the word.

-      Moses doesn’t try to defend himself to his brother and sister and GOD steps into the situation.

-      GOD calls them all to the tabernacle and explains to Miriam and Aaron if a prophet is chosen by GOD, GOD will speak to that person through visions, dreams.

-      Let this next line sink deep, GOD tells them of all his house Moses is trustworthy. This should be our hope, prayer and focus, that we could be referred to in that manner by GOD.

-      GOD speaks to Moses face to face, clearly not in riddles.

This sounds vaguely familiar Matthew 13:13

-      Moses could see the form, likeness, representation of the LORD. My thought is GOD appeared to Moses alone in the same way that GOD had done with Abraham.

-      GOD asks Miriam and Aaron, knowing these things, why were they not afraid to speak against GOD’s chosen servant?

-      GOD is angry he leaves, but not before turning Miriam a leprous white, like snow. White and no power, because of Moses and his Ethiopian wife. Don’t let this point fall short either. White is not a privilege, GOD’s children are GOD’s children regardless of color, get over it or get thrown outside the camp like Miriam.

-      Notice Aaron pleads to Moses to go to GOD for their sister and GOD tells Moses basically, I spit in her face and she will remain outside the camp for seven days. The people had to wait for her to be allowed back in before they could break camp and move, so everyone heard what had happened.

-      The next power struggle we see is what is referred to as Korah’s rebellion in chapter 16, it involves Korah from the tribe of Levi and Dathan and Abiram from the tribe of Reuben

-      History repeating itself, Reuben desired to usurp authority from Jacob and now some of his descendants are continuing the practice.

-      Moses tells them the 250 followers of Korah to bring censors, fire pots to burn incense on to the LORD and Aaron will do likewise and stand before the entrance of the tabernacle and the LORD will decide this matter.

-      Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram to come as well, but they refused, they were challenging his authority over them.

-      On the day of the challenge of authority, GOD told Moses to tell the rest of the people to get away from the tents of Dathan and Abiram, they and their families stepped outside their tents to see all the ruckus and GOD caused the ground to open under them and swallowed them up.

-      The 250 men who offered incense, those following Korah, it's recorded that fire issued from the LORD, and they were all toast.

-      GOD said to take the 250 incense burners and hammer them flat and overlay them on the alter as a remembrance that any unauthorized person other than Aaron or a descendant could not burn incense before the LORD.

-      Notice at the end of the story the people are upset again, saying Moses and Aaron killed the LORD’s people, GOD is angry at the people and the incense is used again not to prevent a rebellion, but to stop a plague and save the people.

-      The takeaway for both events is GOD chooses imperfect leaders to shepherd imperfect people. If GOD has chosen someone in authority over you, you better make darn sure you are on the right side of GOD and his chosen servant or risk being dropped in a hole or being on the wrong end of a flame thrower or something far worse, don't make GOD angry, you won't like it!

-      David both knew and understood this point, 1 Samuel 24:6

Next – Tabernacle, offerings, sin offerings, purifications etc., you missed a bunch of stuff? What the heck?