OT: Numbers
* Note: All Scripture quotations are taken from the English Standard Version
Numbers. The very name turns many people off to this book. When we think of numbers, we tend to think of a math class we hate, or a spreadsheet, or something boring like that. And when you begin to read the book of Numbers, that suspicion may be verified.
The book opens with a chapter full of numbers. A census is to be taken. Sounds boring doesn’t it. Well perk up! This isn’t just a regular old census. This is a head count of the warriors of the nation!
1:1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2 “Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, by clans, by fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head. 3 From twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go to war, you and Aaron shall list them, company by company. (ESV)
The people of Israel are still at Mount Sinai in the wilderness. God has given them the law. They have built his tabernacle. And now he is numbering them, for war. They are to depart from Mount Sinai and march toward the Promised Land with intent to destroy the peoples currently living there.
And so this census is a hopeful event. 70 people of one family went into Egypt. A great multitude came out. Among that multitude is an army of considerable size, especially for that day and age.
45 So all those listed of the people of Israel, by their fathers’ houses, from twenty years old and upward, every man able to go to war in Israel— 46 all those listed were 603,550. (ESV)
Two aspects of the covenant promises to Abraham are in view here. First, God had promised to make his offspring numerous, and this census certainly provides proof that God fulfilled that promise. Second, God promised to give his offspring the land. This census proves that they are ready to go up and take possession of that land.
Chapter 2 again presents us with a daunting read, full of numbers and names. This time it’s the arrangement of the camp. Boring stuff, right? Not really. You see, God gives them directions on how to set up camp. He tells them where each tribe is to be located in relation to the tabernacle.
2 “The people of Israel shall camp each by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers’ houses. They shall camp facing the tent of meeting on every side. (ESV)
The tabernacle is to be in the center of the camp, with the tribes camped facing inwards towards the tabernacle. Here is a clear reminder of the covenant relationship. God is in their midst. He is present with his people. And importantly, the worship of God, represented by the tabernacle, is to be at the center of who they are as a nation.
They are going to war, yes, but not alone. God is going up with them. Even with an army of that size, what really sets them apart is that God Almighty is with them.
If you read chapters 1 and 2, you’ll notice that twelve tribes are numbered and plotted out in the camp diagram, but you’ll also notice that one tribe is left out. Remember we said that Joseph’s two sons each took a place as a tribe, and they are accounted for. The tribe of Levi is left out of this numbering though. This is the tribe that Moses and Aaron belong to. If you remember back in Exodus, to the story of the golden calf, you may remember that when Moses rallied those men who were still faithful to God, it was the Levites who responded to his call.
As we move into chapter 3, we learn why they were left out of the regular census. They were not to be numbered among the warriors, because they were to be set aside as special servants of God, to look after the things of God. In chapters 3 and 4, they are given responsibilities to care for the tabernacle and everything in it.
When God struck down the firstborn in Egypt, he spared the firstborn of the Israelites and claimed them for his own. But after the idolatry of the golden calf, God takes the entire tribe of Levi instead of the firstborn.
11 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the people of Israel. The Levites shall be mine, 13 for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both of man and of beast. They shall be mine: I am the Lord.” (ESV)
And so, the Levites are numbered, and then, at the end of the chapter, the firstborn of all the tribes are numbered and redeemed in exchange for the tribe of Levi.
Chapters 5-6 contain some more regulations. In chapter 5 we see how they were to deal with an accusation of adultery. In chapter 6 we see regulations regarding Nazirite vows. This is the type of vow that Sampson was under as we’ll see when we get to Judges. It is also the type of vow that Paul placed himself under at point during his journeys in the book of Acts (A 18:18).
Chapter 7 is another chapter full of numbers. This time it has to do with the consecration of the tabernacle. Each tribe brings an offering of silver and gold utensils for use in the tabernacle, along with animals for sacrifice.
Chapter 8 continues the dedication service with the ritual cleansing of the Levites before they are put into service of the tabernacle.
Chapter 9 tells of the keeping of the Passover, and the presence of God in the camp dictating to the people when they should remain camped in an area and when they should travel.
15 On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony. And at evening it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning. 16 So it was always: the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night. 17 And whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, after that the people of Israel set out, and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel camped. 18 At the command of the Lord the people of Israel set out, and at the command of the Lord they camped. As long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. 19 Even when the cloud continued over the tabernacle many days, the people of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and did not set out. 20 Sometimes the cloud was a few days over the tabernacle, and according to the command of the Lord they remained in camp; then according to the command of the Lord they set out. 21 And sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning. And when the cloud lifted in the morning, they set out, or if it continued for a day and a night, when the cloud lifted they set out. 22 Whether it was two days, or a month, or a longer time, that the cloud continued over the tabernacle, abiding there, the people of Israel remained in camp and did not set out, but when it lifted they set out. 23 At the command of the Lord they camped, and at the command of the Lord they set out. They kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by Moses. (ESV)
The time period described in Numbers is often referred to as “wondering in the wilderness,” yet there was no wondering to it, they went when and where, God led them.
We call the book Numbers because the census and the other chapters taken up with numbering things. The Jews call the book bemidbar, which means “in the wilderness.”
Chapter 10 concludes the first part of the book by describing the departure from Mount Sinai.
11 In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony, 12 and the people of Israel set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran.
33 So they set out from the mount of the Lord three days’ journey. And the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them three days’ journey, to seek out a resting place for them. (ESV)
Up to this point the story has been hopeful, the warriors have been numbered and prepared for battle, the people organized and prepared to travel to the Promised Land, and the Levites prepared to lead corporate worship along the way. But you may notice the title of the next chapter. In my Bible it says, “The People Complain.” Sadly, this is the theme for much of the rest of the book.
11:1 And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. 2 Then the people cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire died down. 3 So the name of that place was called Taberah, because the fire of the Lord burned among them.
4 Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. 6 But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.” (ESV)
Bread from heaven isn’t enough for them, they desire meat. Moses is a patient man, but he’s starting to loose it with these people. He tells God “I can’t take it anymore. Why did you put me in charge of such people. Just kill me now and put me out of my misery.” I’m paraphrasing, but that’s the way Moses felt.
So God appoints 70 elders to assist Moses with the governance of the people, and then promises to provide meat.
18 And say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat, for you have wept in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was better for us in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat. 19 You shall not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, 20 but a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the Lord who is among you and have wept before him, saying, “Why did we come out of Egypt?”’” (ESV)
Does that sound ominous to anyone else? If the Lord God made me a promise like that, I think I’d loose my appetite for meat real quick!
31 Then a wind from the Lord sprang up, and it brought quail from the sea and let them fall beside the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and a day’s journey on the other side, around the camp, and about two cubits above the ground. 32 And the people rose all that day and all night and all the next day, and gathered the quail. Those who gathered least gathered ten homers. And they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. 33 While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck down the people with a very great plague. 34 Therefore the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had the craving. 35 From Kibroth-hattaavah the people journeyed to Hazeroth, and they remained at Hazeroth. (ESV)
A homer was equal to about 6 bushels, or 220 liters. So those who gathered the least gathered about 60 bushels! I think they may have been a bit greedy.
After a scene like that, you would think people would learn not to complain, but they didn’t. If fact the next chapter tells a really sad story of the leaders grumbling and complaining.
12:1 Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. 2 And they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it. (ESV)
I don’t think the real issue was Moses’ wife. It’s never mentioned again. I think that was just the excuse to start complaining. Aaron and Miriam are feeling a bit of pride in themselves and think they deserve some recognition. So they start bad mouthing Moses. God hears them, and if you read the rest of the chapter, you’d see that Miriam is struck with leprosy for a week as punishment.
The plan continues forward though, for the people to take possession of the land. 12 chiefs are chosen, one from each tribe to act as spies. They are sent up into the land to scout it out and bring back a report. The land is plentiful. One picture is given of a cluster of grapes so large it had to be carried on a pole between two men.
23 And they came to the Valley of Eshcol and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them; they also brought some pomegranates and figs. (ESV)
So the spies return after 40 days of investigating the land. They bring a great report about the land, but a not-so-great report about the inhabitants.
27 And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.” (ESV)
These people have seen God destroy the most powerful military on earth, the Egyptian army, in one fell swoop, but they lack the faith to trust God for success in taking a land he has promised to them.
One man trusts God enough to declare that they should go up and take the land. But the others work against this man of faith.
30 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” 31 Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” 32 So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. 33 And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.” (ESV)
The language here is precise. In verse 30 we are told that Caleb makes his declaration “before Moses.” He staked his claim in public, loudly, in the presence of the leadership and the congregation. However, the others, we are told, “brought to the people” their faith lacking, complaining report. In other words, they gossiped. They did this behind Moses back.
These people are complaining, whining, grumbling, and now gossiping. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse…it does. They rebel against Moses leadership. In chapter 14 the people decide among themselves to elect a new leader and return to slavery in Egypt!
Caleb, with Joshua at his side stands up to the people and the two try to talk the people out of it. The congregation is not deterred, and they pick up rocks planning to stone the two.
God is outraged and intervenes at this point. Again he offers to destroy the entire people, and make a great nation of Moses. Moses once again passes this test of pride with humility and seeks God’s glory, not his own.
Nonetheless, God pronounces a judgment on the people. Of all the people over the age of 20, only Joshua and Caleb will live to see the Promised Land.
26 And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 27 “How long shall this wicked congregation grumble against me? I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against me. 28 Say to them, ‘As I live, declares the Lord, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you: 29 your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness, and of all your number, listed in the census from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against me, 30 not one shall come into the land where I swore that I would make you dwell, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun. 31 But your little ones, who you said would become a prey, I will bring in, and they shall know the land that you have rejected. 32 But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. 33 And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years and shall suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness. 34 According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, a year for each day, you shall bear your iniquity forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.’ 35 I, the Lord, have spoken. Surely this will I do to all this wicked congregation who are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall come to a full end, and there they shall die.”
36 And the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation grumble against him by bringing up a bad report about the land— 37 the men who brought up a bad report of the land—died by plague before the Lord. 38 Of those men who went to spy out the land, only Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive. (ESV)
Make no mistake, this is not a 40 year “time out” in the wilderness, this is a death sentence on 600,000 men!
The remainder of the book is taken up with telling the story of the 40 years in the wilderness. An entire generation is to die in 40 years. Many of them will die prematurely. Many of them will die horrible deaths.
In chapter 16 we see yet another rebellion. This time it is the Levites who rebel. They want to have equal authority with the priests. They accuse Moses and Aaron of exalting themselves unduly. These Levites stir up the congregation in their rebellion. When they come to have a showdown with Moses and Aaron, the entire congregation is watching. God chooses out the three leaders of the movement and opens the earth to swallow their tents, families, and possessions. Then he kills 250 of the Levites who joined in their rebellion, with fire.
The next day the congregation is upset with Moses and Aaron, grumbling and complaining again! This time they’re upset that these men were killed. God becomes angry and kills 14,700 of them with a plague.
The new testament book of Jude equates the leaders of Korah’s rebellion with false teachers in the church who seek authority that does not belong to them.
Moving forward to chapter 20, again the people are complaining. This time it is a lack of water that motivates them. Here though, the story takes a truly tragic turn. As the people complain, God gives Moses specific instructions on how to provide water for the people.
7 and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 8 “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.” 9 And Moses took the staff from before the Lord, as he commanded him.
10 Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. 12 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” (ESV)
Moses sister Miriam has already passed away at this point. Now, because of their disobedience and lack of faith, Moses and Aaron have been sentenced to death in the wilderness as well. They will not enter the Promised Land. At the end of the chapter, Aaron does indeed die. The priesthood is passed to his son Eleazar.
In the very next chapter, chapter 21, the people are again complaining. Are you starting to see a pattern here? This time they are impatient with the leadership of God himself, and ungrateful for his provision.
4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” 6 Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. (ESV)
God’s anger is kindled once again, and this time he sends poisonous snakes to kill the people. That’s a pretty horrible way to die if you ask me. When the people repent there is not an instant removal of the punishment. The solution is for Moses to make a bronze snake and put it on top of a poll. If anyone is bitten by one of the poisonous snakes, he has only to look at the bronze snake and he will be healed.
This story is referenced in the New Testament. It is the prelude to one of the most famous verses of the Bible.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (ESV)
Jesus is the true healer. It is by looking to him, lifted up on the cross for our salvation, that we are ultimately healed.
Chapters 22-24 tell us another sad tale. This one is not about the people complaining, but about a prophet being enticed by greed to work against God’s people. God sovereignly intervenes and turns the situation into a blessing for his people. The story of Balaam and his talking donkey is one worth reading if you haven’t already. Balaam is a prophet who hears from God, yet his greed and desire for wealth lead him to use his gifts in a way that is not pleasing to God.
Even though God uses Balaam to bless the people, he still attempted to disobey God for profit (2 P 2:15). Later in the book as the people begin to take possession of some land, they kill Balaam (N 31:8).
God gives us gifts, and he wants us to use them for his glory, not our own gain. Using your spiritual gifts for profit, rather for glorifying God, is not the way to live a holy life.
In chapter 25 we are presented with a tragic scene of idolatry. The men of Israel become romantically/sexually involved with the women of Moab. In chapter 31 we are told that it was the advice of Balaam that lead the Moabite women to entice the Israelite men to idolatry (N 31:16).
So the people of Israel begin to worship Baal. This will be an ongoing problem for much of Israel’s history as a nation. Time and again the people will turn from the worship of God to the worship of Baal. This time, as it happens, God demonstrates his jealousy by having the leaders of each tribe hung and left in the sun as an example. He also brings a plague on the people that ultimately results in the death of 24,000 Israelites.
My favorite part of this story is the introduction of Phinehas. I love Phinehas because of his passion and zeal for the church (the people of God) to be pure. He does something quite extraordinary, and God blesses him for it.
6 And behold, one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the people of Israel, while they were weeping in the entrance of the tent of meeting. 7 When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand 8 and went after the man of Israel into the chamber and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman through her belly. Thus the plague on the people of Israel was stopped. 9 Nevertheless, those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand. (ESV)
A chief’s son (N 25:14) flagrantly disregards the ban against Midianite women by bringing one to his tent in the sight of everyone, while they are weeping in repentance for this very sin. Phinehas is Aaron’s grandson, and a priest. Now the priests are not warriors, they don’t go to war, they aren’t trained to fight. They see to the service of God. Remember from last week that we said the main job of the priest was to distinguish between the holy and the unholy.
Phinehas sees the action of the chief’s son as very unholy at a time when holiness is of the utmost urgency. He breaks ranks with the mourners and the priests, picks up a spear, follows the chief’s son into his tent and kills both him and the Midianite woman. His action has two results.
First, God ends the plague that was killing the people. 24,000 people are dead by this point, but the plague is ended because of Phinehas’ action.
Second, God blesses him and his descendants. God makes a covenant of peace with Phinehas that establishes him, and his descendants, as priests forever.
10 And the Lord said to Moses, 11 “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the people of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the people of Israel in my jealousy. 12 Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him my covenant of peace, 13 and it shall be to him and to his descendants after him the covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the people of Israel.’” (ESV)
His story was even memorialized in song. In one of the historical Psalms, the events of Israel’s history are recounted beginning in Egypt and culminating with the captivity at the end of the Old Testament. And Phinehas gets a mention.
28 Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor,
and ate sacrifices offered to the dead;
29 they provoked the Lord to anger with their deeds,
and a plague broke out among them.
30 Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,
and the plague was stayed.
31 And that was counted to him as righteousness
from generation to generation forever. (ESV)
This is a very similar statement to that made concerning Abraham’s faith.
[it] was counted to him as righteousness…
Phinehas was not righteous. He had no righteousness of his own. It was his faith, and his passion for God’s glory that were counted as righteousness. A lesson we could stand to learn from this hero of the faith. God’s glory, and the holiness of his church should be of utmost importance to us.
With the close of this episode, it appears that the 40 year death sentence in the wilderness has ended. Chapter 26 opens with the command to take a new census. The count is made and amazingly, after 40 years in the wilderness, the death of 600,000 men, the total number of warriors ready for battle is 601,730. This is only 1,820 fewer than had been counted in the first census, 40 years earlier. We are told at the end of chapter 26 that not one of those original 603,550 men was still living, other than Caleb and Joshua.
Chapter 27 presents the case of some daughters who wish to inherit their father’s promised land, seeing that he had no sons. The judgment is handed down and the women are to be allowed to inherit. This breaks with the social norms of the day in a major way. Women had very few rights at the time, and the right to own property was not one of them.
The second half of the chapter shows Joshua being commissioned by God, through Moses, to lead the people into the Promised Land.
Chapter 28-36, the rest of the book, are taken up with more laws, the settling of the tribes of Reuben and Gad on the east bank of the Jordan. They chose that land instead of crossing the river into the Promised Land. Though they did promise to send all their fighting men to the front lines in the battle for the land. And then Moses reminds the nation of it’s history and settles a few more laws before closing the book.
The people are nearly ready to enter the Promised Land at this point, so the book does end on a hopeful note. Throughout the book though, the people demonstrated a marked lack of faith, and a major problem with complaining, grumbling, gossip, and rebellion.
What can learn from these stories?
Paul shares this story as a warning to Christians in the New Testament.
10:1 For I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10 nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (ESV)
Here he applies this book of Numbers by stating that these people were indeed of the house of God. They were members of the congregation of Israel, but God was not pleased with them. He says in verse 6 that these things happened as an example for our sake. And in verse 11 he says they are written so we could learn from their mistakes.
He says we should not think ourselves so secure as Christians that we stop keeping watch on our hearts.
12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. (ESV)
Paul’s conclusion is found in verse 14
14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. (ESV)
Idolatry was certainly a problem when they made the golden calf, or followed after baal, but the bigger issue seemed to be the grumbling and complaining and rebellion. Yet Paul says the problem was idolatry.
I think Paul’s point is this. Grumbling and complaining and rebelling against God and his appointed leaders is idolatry! In essence what you are saying is that you know better than God what should be done, or who should lead. Paul says we should remember the people of Israel in the wilderness, and God’s displeasure with this attitude.
Does this mean we must follow blindly? Of course not! We are to test everything against Scripture, even the teaching of our pastors and elders. But we are to submit to their authority because God has raised them up. We can hold them accountable to Scripture and to God, but grumbling and complaining, or openly rebelling against them is idolatry of a sort that stirs God’s wrath.
The same is true of any authority figure God has placed in your life. Your parents, your boss, the president, etc. All must be tested by Scripture, but all must be respected and responded to appropriately. Our words show our heart.
James addresses this issue in the third chapter of his epistle when he says
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (ESV)
The next time you find yourself at odds with an authority, ask yourself, “Am I responding in a godly way, or am I being idolatrous? Am I elevating myself, and my desires? Am I honoring God with my words and my tone of voice? Will there be ‘a harvest of righteousness’ from what is coming out of my mouth? Or will I anger God by my words?”
We have seen the people journey from Mount Sinai to the Eastern banks of the Jordan River. We have seen their exceeding unfaithfulness and the exceeding faithfulness of God. And we have seen that while God preserved the people as a whole, he did not hesitate to discipline individuals, and even an entire generation.
I’ll leave you with this,
5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”
11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (ESV)
If you are a Christian, God loves you as a child, and he will discipline you for your own good. Strive to live as his child, fully pleasing to him, so that you do not anger him.
Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
