Standing Between the Dead and The Living
PPT 1 Message title
We are going to look at an amazing story in the book of Numbers about a plague that came as a judgment from God and was stopped. And we are going to learn some valuable lessons that we can apply to the current situation in our world with this deadly Covid19 viral disease.
I am not saying Covid19 is a judgment from God, it may well be, but I don't know. My thought is that this epidemic is just a taste of what is coming if the bible is too be believed, and it is. I do find it interesting that the state hit the hardest here in the US, is the same state where its leaders were laughing and smiling as they passed one of the most liberal abortion laws in the United states. I don't think God was laughing. Franklin Graham can't hold gospel crusades in England because he is allegedly homophobic. Imagine refusing to allow gospel crusades because a preacher believes what the bible says! Those types of things are the real virus that is killing our world. Still I don't know if Covid19 is a judgment from God, I do however feel it is a shot across our bow.
Even if it is a judgment there is still hope, and we will see that in the bible story we are about to look at.
Let me give you the background and then we will begin.
Dathan, Abihu, Korah, challenged Moses' right to lead. God issued the worlds first quarantine, the ground swallows up and they are all killed. What happens next is almost mind blowing:
PPT 2 text
Nu 16:41 But on the next day all the congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, "You are the ones who have caused the death of the LORD's people."
The whole nation was committing the same sin, grumbling against Moses' leadership. God made it clear it wasn't Moses they were rejecting, but by proxy God Himself.
Let's keep reading
PPT 3-5 text
Nu 16:42 It came about, however, when the congregation had assembled against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tent of meeting, and behold, the cloud covered it and the glory of the LORD appeared.
Nu 16:43 Then Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting,
Nu 16:44 and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
Nu 16:45 "Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them instantly." Then they fell on their faces.
Nu 16:46 And Moses said to Aaron, "Take your censer and put in it fire from the altar, and lay incense on it;then bring it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone forth from the LORD, the plague has begun!"
Nu 16:47 Then Aaron took it as Moses had spoken, and ran into the midst of the assembly, for behold, the plague had begun among the people. So he put on the incense and made atonement for the people.
Nu 16:48 And he took his stand between the dead and the living, so that the plague was checked.
Point #1 Stop freaking out and start looking up with full faith and confidence in the mercy grace and power of God.
Are we relying only on hand washing? All you need is for a few cells to get inside you.
How big is the corona virus? All you need to do is miss washing your hands once, or get around one cough. I am not telling you that to cause you to be more obsessive in hand washing. I am telling you that to remind you that while those things are good and proper we have other defensive measures as believers in Christ.
God has a solution for the most horrible devastating plagues that can come on the earth.
Covid19 is not a death sentence, God has a cure that can stop it in its tracks.
Take comfort in that.
Point #2 God assigns the church to stand between the dead and the living and stay the plague.
We need to get past hoarding toilet paper, and stacking up food. We need to stop relying simply on the medical community and government to deal with this plague. We need to rise up as the body of Christ and couple with the work of health workers and government and add to that prayers and intercessions to make a real difference.
So let's break down this story in Numbers and see just how this plague was stopped.
1. Aaron was instructed to get fire off the altar, and put incense on it.
While these are literal instructions the NT tell us that many of the things in the OT are type and shadows to teach us truths.
We know for example that in the book of Revelation that the smoke of incense is a symbol of prayer going up to heaven. In this story we have another element added to prayer and that is fire off the altar. Fire is over and over again in the bible especially in the book of Numbers is symbolic of the Holy Spirit.
So what God has prescribed to defeat the plague in this passage is prayer, but not just simply prayer but unctionized prayer.
Sleepy prayer won't get the job done.
We need Holy Ghost fire energized prayer, that is what we mean by unctionized prayer.
The bible talks about praying with the spirit and praying with understanding. I thank God for intelligent prayer. there is a place to direct the resources of God by praying with wisdom, but there is also a place for Spirit inspired prayer that goes far beyond that.
Praying in the Holy Spirit will build up your faith, Jude 20 and faith is the key to conquering.
How do we get fire off the altar to empower our prayer?
Get around Jesus He will rub off on you. Did not our hearts burn?
God said He would take away our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh.
We need to pray for others with God inspired compassion. That is God's remedy to stop a plague.
It is not enough to stand between the dead and the living, your presence alone will not get it done, we need to offer the incense of prayer that is energized by the Spirit of God.
Next I want you to notice the speed and energy with which Aaron proceeded to carry out his assignment:
PPT 6 text
Nu 16:47 Then Aaron took it as Moses had spoken, and ran into the midst of the assembly,
Aaron ran...
There is an urgency that we need to grip us. Italy needs our help. Now! So does NY and many other places. Pick a spot every day of this week and ask God to give you fire unctioned prayer for that place. Stand between the dead and the living and make a difference.
I came across this prophetic word: https://www.destinyencounters.com/news/2017/11/29/standing-between-the-dead-and-the-living-prophet-charlie-shamp
It is totally accurate to the situation we are facing, but it could be, we don't know where patient zero came from, anyway here is that prophetic word:
I saw a deadly virus much like Ebola that will cause many deaths making global headlines rising out of Africa. The power of this virus was very devastating and seemed to spring from nowhere, with no sign of a cure or solution for the devastation. Then I heard the Lord say, Tell my people I have made them to be kings and priests in the earth unto me, only they have the power to silence this death sentence for so many, they must plead the blood of my Son to silence this demonic force. Their prayers will be the driving force that will brake the power of this plague from the people. They must enter into a place of intercession lifting the rod of authority over the earth and releasing fire from off the altar of prayer. They will stand between the dead and the living; and the plague will be stopped."
He used the word brake, not break. Interesting.
Let me wrap us with this thought:
Ps 91:7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
Moses lived through these very things. We have only viewed them in theory.
We need as the people of God, to believe what God says and move from fear to fighting the good fight.
God has the solution, and we need to move from a stance of fear to a war footing and fighting the good fight of faith.
Close: Heart of flesh, unctioned prayer, pick a place.
Youtube video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1g1jEBjrZs
