Numbers 11:11-14, 12; 16:1-2,
Dangers in the Wilderness
Introduction:
Today we will learn the dangers of the Wilderness journey. Three key leaders had problems according to their standards of spirituality.
Sins of three Leaders:
Moses, Miriam, and Korah were three powerful characters in the wilderness journey. But each one has a committee sin according to their circumstances. Moses committed the sin of the moment, a failure under extreme provocation. Moses’s sin was discouragement. The sin of discouragement followed the sin of impatience. Miriam allowed her jealousy to ripe against her sister-in-law. Korah’s sin was rebellion. Korah’s despicable sin of all. The sin of Korah and his cohorts was that of treason against God and the divine order. “Crises do not produce heroes nor do emergencies make cowards however extraordinary circumstances reveal our strengths and weakness that have long been dormant. We are not what we are because of what we do; we do what we do because of what we are. Character determines the deed. the deed only reveals the character.” (Charles H Stevens). Three of them committed moral turpitude according to their standard of commitment to God.
Discouragement: Numbers 11:
Moses was tempted and provoked by the mixed multitudes of people. The great man of God who had spent forty days and nights, a man who had seen the Lord face to Face, a man who was known as the man of Meekness had caught into the danger of discouragement (Number 11:11-14). Discouragement is associated with men’s and women of actions. The other leaders are Elijah (1 Kings 19:5-6), and Jonah (Jonah 4) who were affected by the sin of Discouragement. The spirit of discouragement leads a person to an extreme end. But the grace of God sustained three of them. Their common prayers were: ‘They wanted to die.’ (Numbers 11:15, 1 King 19:4, Jonah 4:3). God spoke to them and revived their spirit. However, Jonah could not end positively.
John Piper says that discouragement leads us to doubt God’s goodness, wisdom, and power. When it stamps our lives so that we are not outgoing and loving toward people anymore. We are so preoccupied with our own discouragements that we can’t love people anymore; we know our discouragement has become a sin. The mountain seems too steep, the valley too dark, or the battle too fierce, and we lose the courage to continue is a sign of discouragement. The key to overcoming discouragement is to remember God’s promises and apply them. Discouragement can be a warning light suggesting to us that we have lost our primary focus.
Jealousy: Numbers 12:
There appears another danger in the desert is the Jealousy of Miriam. None can escape from the discipline of God. Miriam was jealous because she was not part of the family consultation which she enjoyed before the arrival of the wife of Moses. Miriam was such as loving caring sister but because of her sister-in-law, she changed her character. Jealousy kills the self-esteem and character of the individual and the fellowship of the saints, and finally a broken relationship with the Lord. She was struck by the Lord, lost the community’s love and life, and was finally thrown out as an outcast. But the prayers of Moses healed her. Moses practiced forgiveness and exercised his love for his sister.
Jealousy is a form of covetousness. It changes the way people perceive others, their own life, and maybe even their perception of God’s goodness and plan. Jealousy is a feeling of resentment against someone because of that person's rivalry, success, or advantages. St. Thomas (Catholic Church Father) enumerates hatred, detraction, rejoicing over the misfortunes of one’s fellow, and whispering. Jealousy is here taken to be synonymous with envy. It is defined to be a feeling of sorrow for the well-being and excellence of a neighbor or a colleague. Its distinctive malice comes from the opposition to the supreme virtue of charity. In James 3:14-16, we read “But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambitions exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.”
Rebellion: Numbers 16:
Moses left the rebellious people to the hand of God. Korah and his associates were rude and ruthless in their behavior. Korah was a Levite and committed to the services of the Tabernacle. Korah had joined with Dathan, Abiram, and 250 princes. All these were exalted leaders in Israel. Korah was shrewd, clever, and energetic, a man of a dominant and striking personality. He publicly charged Moses and Aaron (Numbers 16:3). They turned the congregation against Moses (Numbers 16:41). His sin was gainsaying (Jude 11).
“For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry” (1 Samuel 15:23). Rebellion always begins in the heart. Rebellion against proper authority is a serious matter in God’s eyes. Israel’s history is a cycle of rebellion and restoration (Judges 2:10–19). Rebellion against God’s ordained order is a sin. (Romans 13:1–7). Every human heart has the seed of rebellion germinating deep within. We are “rights fighters,” and, when we believe someone is not respecting our “rights,” we rebel.
Discussion:
Do you struggle with the above problems? Suggest a few ways to overcome them.
(Ref: The Wilderness Journey by Charles H Stevens; Desiring God by John Piper, Jealousy, Joseph F Delany; The Sin We Like to Ignore – Jealousy, Bethany Verrett; Discouragement and Rebellion).
(For further studies in Exodus, kindly refer this cite).
