DAILY MANNA DEVOTIONAL
WEDNESDAY , FEBRUARY 21, 2018
SEED OF REBELLION
TEXT: NUMBERS 16:3-35
Key Verse: “ And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?” (Numbers 16:3)
Rebellion against lawful authority always starts with a pretext of something fair. Miriam: “Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? Hath he not spoken also by us?” (Numbers 12:2); Korah: “All the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them” (Numbers 16:3); Absalom: “Thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee… Oh that I were made judge in the land” (2 Samuel 15:3,4); Adolf Hitler: “Promotion of the ‘pure’ race”; Judas Iscariot: “Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?” (John 12:5). The list of the rebellious is endless.
Korah, a Levite, saw Aaron go where he could not and heard Moses bring words from the Almighty to the congregation. He wanted to topple them and take their positions. He would rather be a prince in hell than a servant in heaven. His neighbours and co-conspirators, Dothan and Abiram, sons of Reuben, empathised with him for not having a role in the priesthood. The three progressed in the rebellion by convincing the 250 leaders of the tribes that the rebellion was a worthy cause. Consequently, they rallied the whole congregation against Aaron and Moses, wanting to usurp their authority which emanated from heaven. They declined when Moses called them. And he interpreted their action as mutiny against God and said, “Ye are gathered together against the Lord”. The end result: the rebellious and their consenting families were swallowed up by the earth.
Matthew Henry stated: “Those who aspire and usurp the honours forbidden them, put a great contempt upon the honours allowed them…” Learn from the end of Korah, Dathan, Abiram and their co-conspirators.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: It is wisdom to avoid seeking those things to which you are not appointed.
COVER to COVER: LEVITICUS 24-25.
COVER to COVER: LEVITICUS 24-25.
PONDER:
1. Humanly speaking, there is nothing to show that the rebels were against God. They never spoke evil of God.
2. They appeared to be contending for the holiness of God v3 and rebuking the "pride" in Moses v3,13.
3. They had strong leadership and charismatic skills to the point that the whole congregation preferred them to the timid Aaron and stammering Moses v19, 41.
4. However, in reality, they did not have the fear of God: They were bold to cross the line to make sacrifices reserved exclusively for Aaron and his sons v16-18; they wanted the honour of priesthood and subtily strategized to take over v10; they spoke roughly against the man of God and rebelled against his instructions v14.
5. Clearly, their hearts were not right even though they pretended to be fighting God's cause and the end is entering hell without physical death. Beware of love of positions which God has not given you.
1. Humanly speaking, there is nothing to show that the rebels were against God. They never spoke evil of God.
2. They appeared to be contending for the holiness of God v3 and rebuking the "pride" in Moses v3,13.
3. They had strong leadership and charismatic skills to the point that the whole congregation preferred them to the timid Aaron and stammering Moses v19, 41.
4. However, in reality, they did not have the fear of God: They were bold to cross the line to make sacrifices reserved exclusively for Aaron and his sons v16-18; they wanted the honour of priesthood and subtily strategized to take over v10; they spoke roughly against the man of God and rebelled against his instructions v14.
5. Clearly, their hearts were not right even though they pretended to be fighting God's cause and the end is entering hell without physical death. Beware of love of positions which God has not given you.
HYMN: Take Time to be HOLY (GHS 189)
1. Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.
2. Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.
3. Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide;
And run not before Him, whatever betide.
In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,
And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.
And run not before Him, whatever betide.
In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,
And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.
4. Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,
Each thought and each motive beneath His control.
Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,
Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.
Each thought and each motive beneath His control.
Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,
Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Lord, destroy all the hidden seed of rebellion in my life.
2. Lord, reveal all the evil love for positions and lordship over others and give me the mind of Christ.
3. Lord, let me not be carried away at any time by talents, gifts and charismatism of preachers without the mind of Christ.
4. Let not the spirit of rebellion has an entry into the Church.
1. Lord, destroy all the hidden seed of rebellion in my life.
2. Lord, reveal all the evil love for positions and lordship over others and give me the mind of Christ.
3. Lord, let me not be carried away at any time by talents, gifts and charismatism of preachers without the mind of Christ.
4. Let not the spirit of rebellion has an entry into the Church.
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