Word at Work October 15, 2011

Word at Work October 14, 2011
October 14, 2011
Word at Work October 16, 2011
October 16, 2011

Word at Work October 15, 2011

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15
Scripture: Numbers 16:1-3, 8-11, 15

Numbers 16:1-3 says, “Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—became insolent and rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council. 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?’” One of the most important events in the life of Moses appears in Numbers 16 where his leadership is challenged. Those who challenge that leadership have a motive of selfish ambition according to verse 10. Moses finds himself challenged by men who want his position and are willing to do whatever necessary to move him out of the way. In the corporate world we would say that Moses was being bought out. Only they did not want to pay for it, they just wanted to move him out. Because, according to verse 15, Moses had walked in integrity and therefore earned a position that enabled him to ask God to terminate – to covenantally intervene in his behalf. Verse 15 says, “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.’” Moses had not taken, he had not hurt and he had not abused his position of leadership. Verses 10-11 state, “He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near himself, but now you are trying to get the priesthood too. It is against the LORD that you and all your followers have banded together. Who is Aaron that you should grumble against him?”” It is obvious that everyone that was standing against Moses wanted his position. We need to understand that the calling of God is without repentance. Often God calls people who are flawed to do supernatural and sovereign things. We may find ourselves much more qualified than the individual who God called. And our job may be a support role. If it is, we need to confine ourselves to being quite happy with that support role. Because in the process, everything that is accomplished gets attributed to our account equally because we did what God called us to do in support. Aborting God’s gifting and calling is a terminal offense and needs to be understood as such in today’s world.