AS GOOD AS IT GETS (NUMBERS 16)
I received an unexpected call from a church a few years ago. The chairman of the church’s search committee asked if I knew a candidate they were interviewing for the church’s vacant senior pastor position. He asked me about the candidate’s leadership, his strengths and weaknesses, and if I would recommend him.
I was reluctant to answer but felt compelled to since the inquiring church had gone through a hurtful split; even then giving feedback wasn’t easy.
The candidate was probably one of the most skillful, articulate and intelligent leader and preacher I had come across in more than twenty years of ministry. Under his leadership, the church grew dramatically and expanded aggressively. However, his legacy was not increased church attendance, staff, services, offerings or programs, but his intolerant, confrontational and militant spirit that led to disillusioned members leaving, board members resigning and other churches talking. He finally resigned in disgust after the third church-wide split. Since then, wherever he went, whatever he did and whoever he met, the pattern continued - he wowed new friends and made new nemesis, never holding a pastoral position.
The man on the line asked, “Would I recommend him as the pastor of this church?” Without hesitation, I replied, “No.” I was surprised that I did not feel bad for not recommending a fellow pastor. The candidate was just too angry, too insensitive and too divisive. It was unfortunate that one man could do so much damage, bring such untold misery and attract that much controversy.
After the Israelites were served notice of their forty years wanderings in the wilderness, Aaron and Moses faced the last negative evaluation of their leadership direction, methods and history. The leader was Korah, a Levite but a non-descendant of Aaron who desired the priesthood for himself. Korah fed his poison to four others from another tribe (v 1) and another 250 influential people (v 2). Behind the transparent religious or spiritual language was an unmistakable “you-we-you” message: “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?” (16:3).
By the end of the next day 14,950 Israelites had died (Num 16:35, 49) due a prolonged protest by the community against Moses. The plague that struck the camp was the scene of the longest and bloodiest day in the wilderness, far outnumbering the 3,000 calf-worshippers that died previously (Ex 32:28).
What characteristics in a person does God value and accept? What kind of influence do you exert on the people around you? How would God evaluate you?
Measure Yourself Humbly and Do Not Magnify Yourself
8 Moses also said to Korah, “Now listen, you Levites! 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?” (Num 16:8-11)
Robert Kraft, the owner of professional football team the New England Patriots, made heads turn when he purchased the team in 1994 for $173 million, the highest figure paid for a NFL franchise then. When his team made the Superbowl in 1997, the deep-pocketed man played down his success by telling of what his deceased father, whom Robert considered the most important person in his life before he passed away more than 20 years ago, often reminded him. His father said, “Whenever you get too high on yourself, go down to the beach and look out over the vast ocean. Then, pick up a handful of sand and realize that one grain is all you are in the space of time.” USA Today 1/21/97)
Magnifying oneself is exaggerating one’s importance and contribution. It is the sign, the beginning and the cause of one’s fall.
In the words of Charles Kettering said: “It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.” (AND I QUOTE, Ashton Applewhite 360 NY/ST Martin’s Press/92).
Korah’s grandfather, Kohath (Num 16:1), occupied an important place in the ministry of the Lord. Kohath’s family was one of three families appointed to serve in the sanctuary. The Kohathites had the highest honor of caring for the holiest things in the tabernacle assigned to them. Kohath and his descendants were in charge of the holiest things in the Tent of Meeting or tabernacle (Num 4:1-3), including the ark of the covenant, the table of shew-bread (Num 4:7-8), the candlestick (Num 4:9-10), the altar of incense (Num 4:11-12) and altar of burnt-offering (Num 4:13-14) when the camp was on the move (Num 4:2-3). They were responsible for carrying the holiest vessels on poles (Num 4:15). God had promised that they would never to be cut off from the Levites even when service was poor (Num 4:17), but forbade them to touch the holy things (Num 4:15). Looking at the holy things, even for a moment, would mean death for the Kohathites (Num 4:20).
The sons of Korah, however, wanted and demanded more, but Moses reminded them what they had was plenty still. They were more privileged than most since they were descended from a storied family, charged with the holiest things and teamed with Aaron and Moses. Koran had it as good as it could get. The sons of Korah were the first among equal families, clans and priests. They were among the select group of 2,750 Kohathites chosen to serve in the tabernacle (Num 4:34-36), yet they were entertaining thoughts and coveting things and tasks that were entrusted to others.
The less privileged could only look up at the sons of Korah, gushed in their presence and pined for an opportunity to safeguard the most holy things, to keep Moses and Aaron company and to serve God up-close and personal. Sadly, the sons of Korah did not value the significance of their ministry, the uniqueness of their presence and the contribution to people’s lives. When they coveted the priesthood of Aaron (Num 16:11), they treated their service as trivial, God’s selection as flawed and people’s gifts as superior.
The outcome of fleshly service is naked ambition, deep overtones and bad blood. Martin Luther said, “You cannot milk a cow without the love of God.”
Motivate People Honestly and Do Not Mislead Others
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!” 15 Then Moses became very angry and said to the LORD, “Do not accept their offering. I have not taken so much as a donkey from them, nor have I wronged any of them.” (Num 16:12-15).
Theodore Roosevelt was a rancher out West in his early years. One day while Roosevelt and some of his ranch hands were rounding up stray cattle, they happened to wander to a neighbor’s property, where they found an unbranded calf. By Western tradition, the calf belonged to the neighbor, but one of Roosevelt’s cowboys started to put the Roosevelt brand on the calf. Rooosevelt asked why he was doing this and was told, “I always put on the boss’ brand.”
Incensed, Roosevelt fired the man on the spot. “A man who steals for me,” he explained, “will steal from me.” (Bits and Pieces 4/22/98)
Many people motivate others in the wrong way, look after their own interests and take advantage of people’s trust, fear and ignorance.
The early church father Saint Bernard: “Do not believe everything you hear. Do not judge everything you see. Do not do everything you can. Do not give everything you have. Do not say everything you know.”
In verses 13-14, Dathan and Abiram accused Moses: You have misused your authority (“lord it over us...”), misrepresented the facts (“you have not...”) and mistreated God’s people (“put out the eyes...”). They were essentially calling Moses a tyrant, a liar and a sadist. Dathan and Abiram reopened old wounds by echoing the ten spies’ claims that Egypt represented everything good – milk and honey (v 13), Moses personified death and torture and the Promised Land epitomized wastelands and barrenness.
Moses displayed understandable anger, declared his innocence (15) and demanded God’s intervention. He was unduly pulled into the controversy that first surrounded Aaron. The same Hebrew words for “very angry” (v 15) characterized Cain when his offering was not accepted (Gen 4:5), Jacob’s sons when they knew of Dinah’s tragedy (Gen 34:7), Saul when he heard the ladies’ song (1 Sam 18:8), Abner when he was questioned by Ish-Bosheth (2 Sam 3:8) and Nehemiah when he heard of Jewish slavery (Neh 5:6) and Jonah when he knew that Nineveh survived (Jonah 4:1).
Dathan and Abiram dug their own grave when they refused to control the damage, confess their wrongdoing and correct people’s misperception. Moses gave Dathan and Abiram more leeway than Korah, but the two didn’t show up or shut up; so Moses spoke loudly, stood tall and served notice in the presence of the Lord that he had been friendly, fair and faithful. He was disappointed, exasperated and angered by their unproven accusations (v 15). He had gone out of his way to meet them, mend fences and make up (v 4), but the two did not even have the respect to see, face or confront him (v 12).
Moses was not the type to court success, curry favors or calculate benefits. He not only did not take anything from others, he did not stop anyone from succeeding.
Meet God Honorably and Do Not Mock Him
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. 46 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer and put incense in it, along with fire from the altar, and hurry to the assembly to make atonement for them. Wrath has come out from the LORD; the plague has started.” 47 So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had already started among the people, but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them. 48 He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped. 49 But 14,700 people died from the plague, in addition to those who had died because of Korah. 50 Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, for the plague had stopped (Num 16:41-50)
A big, tough samurai once went to see a little monk. “Monk,” he said, in a voice accustomed to instant obedience, “Teach me about heaven and hell!”
The monk looked up at this mighty warrior and replied with disdain, “Teach you about heaven and hell? I couldn’t teach you about anything. You’re dirty. You smell. Your blade is rusty. You’re a disgrace, an embarrassment to the samurai class. Get out of my sight. I can’t stand you.”
The samurai was furious. He shook, got all red in the face, was speechless with rage. He pulled out his sword and raised it above him, preparing to slay the monk.
“That’s hell,” the monk said softly.
The samurai was overwhelmed. The compassion and surrender of this little man who had offered his life to give this teaching to show him hell! He slowly put down his sword filled with gratitude and suddenly peaceful.
“And that’s heaven,” said the monk softly. (Bits and Pieces 5/20/99 from Jack Kornfield and Christina Feldman, Soul Food, Harper San Francisco)
Korah and company accused, defied and humiliated Moses in public. They succeeded in shredding Moses’ reputation to pieces, in pouring contempt on his leadership and raising issues about the land. Moses called the people wicked (v 26) not only because of what they did, but also who they involved and how they did it. They not only angered Moses, but created ill feelings, ignited a firestorm and infected other Israelites. The community assembled as a group the next day to repeat the grumblings of the previous group, except that they grumbled not only against Aaron (v 11) but also against Moses (v 41).
At the end of the two-day incident, close to 15,000 people died, including 14,700 men that died from a plague (v 49) on top of the 250 that perished in an earthquake fire (v 35). The stern judgment could have been averted, but the people did not stop their complaining or accept their responsibility. They rolled up their sleeves, ached for a confrontation and headed to the tabernacle (v 42).
The Lord’s judgment was not as lenient, gracious or merciful the second time round. Nothing Moses did could prevent the breakout of a plague. His intervention could not stop the plague because the offenders were insolent and impenitent. The sign (v 38) and reminder or memorial of the earthquake (v 40) fell on deaf ears. They ignored the warning from God (vv 37-38) and the teachings of Eleazar (vv 39-40). Instead, they mimicked the accusation of Dathan and Abiram, who used the pronoun “you” four times on Moses: “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? 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?” The community had adopted a similar attitude when they directly accused Moses and Aaron of murder, using the same “you” charge on them: “You have killed the Lord’s people” (v 41).
Conclusion: Service is a joy, a privilege and a charge. God does not require from us what we do not have, but He seeks from us what He has so richly gifted us according to His faithfulness, His grace and His wisdom. The gifts He bestowed on us is good and perfect. No gift or offering is too small or insignificant when it is offered in faith, humility and thankfulness.
Is serving God a delight or a dread to you? Do you serve God out of love or duty? Has serving God improved your character and brightened your personality?
Victor Yap
Other sermons in the series and other sermon series:
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