PRAYERS OF THE BIBLE SERIES: THE BOOK OF NUMBERS #5

HOW SHOULD I PRAY WHEN WRONGED BY ANOTHER?

15 Then Moses was very angry, and said to the Lord, “Do not respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, nor have I hurt one of them.” (Numbers 16:15)

22 Then they fell on their faces, and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and You be angry with all the congregation?” (Numbers 16:22)
I have chosen these two far apart verses as a continuation of the same prayer. The reason for this is they are both part of the same incident – the Rebellion of Korah. Korah and his family and “followers” were all jealous of the special relationship which Moses and Aaron had with Almighty God. In those early Bible days, God would come down from Heaven in a Cloud of Glory into the Tabernacle and meet with both men, but mostly Moses.  Another Levite, whom Moses called a minister, was envious of all the ceremonial aspects of what Aaron and his other son Eleazar did for the Lord Himself in the desert Tabernacle and directly challenged them with bold accusations.  Numbers 16 gives us that account, starting in verse 1. Korah and his 250 rebels basically accused Moses and Aaron of acting “mightier and holier than thou”.

Both Moses and Aaron knew better than this and God Himself, through the Holy Spirit told us that Moses was the most humble man on earth (Numbers 12:3). These two men of God reacted with proper humility rather than lashing out, as modern human nature would….even in ministerial circles.  God had given Korah and his clan (all Levites) a special ministry but they went even further in their unseemly rebellion. From Numbers 16:12 and following, the records show that these so-called men of God even called Egypt the “land of milk and honey”! They had the nerve to blame Moses for trying to get them killed when they were the ones who were among the many who doubted the good report of Joshua and Caleb about the REAL “land of milk and honey”.

The Bible records Moses praying in righteous anger for the first time. This is the first Imprecatory Prayer of Scripture.  So now therefore, now, how does the Christian respond in similar situations?  What occurred here is a prime example of the violation of the Tenth Commandment, which is a direct command against envy and lust for something (or somebody)belonging to someone else. It does not matter if thing envied is a ministry or your neighbor’s new car, when your car is 12 years old – this is a violation of His commandment and the spirit of the Law. Moses, a man with almost nothing to his name, who spent his time serving a bunch of ingrates and praying for God to spare their lives time after time, was in perfect order to appeal to God for help as he did in verse 15 (see above). Should we, as Christians, pray likewise if under assault like this? A lot of what Moses faced here has been faced by many people – from church leaders, to bank tellers to moms and dads and even teenagers bullied in school. It is abhorrent and worthy of laying the case directly and promptly before God. The words may be different because the circumstances are not always the same, but if a person proceeds down that road, extreme caution is necessary.

Take a very good look at what Moses said in his prayer. He only asked God not to accept their expensive grain offerings because of their attitude. Nothing else.  God responded in severe anger at the rebels because He knew Moses was telling the truth about accepting nothing from these people. He also knew the hearts of Korah and his 250 rebels who were not really rebelling against the leadership of Moses and Aaron, but God Himself.

In the final analysis, all rebellion, sin, transgression and iniquity are against God and His Sovereignty. Because God is sovereign He can also do what He wants. For the second time in five chapters (the last time was Chapter 12 when Moses’ prayer stopped God from wiping out over one million people), Moses, putting aside the personal attack against him, pleaded with God in verse 22 (see above)( to not destroy all the people when it was only one man leading the rebellion – Korah! The Lord relented and only punished the 250 rebels and their families.

This second prayer (verse 22) is important to tie in with the first one in verse 15. In what was the mildest imprecatory prayer in history ("Lord do not accept their grain offerings"), Moses continued to show why Jesus/Yeshua/Yahweh chose him to be the Redeemer of Israel.  After God told Moses to stand back, “let Me at them…ALL of them”, Moses again prayed and begged for God to only deal with the one person who started this entire unpleasant episode.

Here again, we have the example of how we should pray when wronged by someone else.  The example of Moses is perfect. I know people whose lives have been almost ruined by others calling themselves Christians. They have lost jobs and been called names and even threatened….by so-called fellow Christians, one of whom was a church elder. Do you know what all that pain, tears and fears led to, in the long run? They led to prayers for not just protection from all evil, but for the offending party’s salvation and restoration. This is grace upon grace. Jesus told us to pray for our enemies and in so doing, we heap coals – burning coals – upon their heads. If we respond in love and grace like Moses here, we would be better off in the long run. If we do this, we would be more like Christ, Who said “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”.

You mean, “I am supposed to put aside all the tears, stress, heartburn and worse…where I cannot sleep at night and now need medical attention, so that I can pray for them, so that I, the wronged party, can be more like Christ?” The answer is – YES!  There is nothing we can do in this lifetime to correct somebody’s attitude towards us or pay them back, where we will not end up worse than we were before. There is nothing that we think we can do to the offender in the equation that will equal what  God can and will do to them, if they do not repent and make it right. Therefore it better for us to lean on the Scriptures, the written Word and humble ourselves even MORE before our Heavenly Father and then just do like Hezekiah did – lay out the entire case before Him and let Him deal with it. I know this works, having been through the fire for several years of trial by co-worker. How God worked in this situation was tremendously productive. The offender came to Faith in Christ several years after her retirement . Is the Arm of the Lord too short? No, it is not! Simply trust Him fully to do what He said He will do. Trust....and pray!

(Photo Credit Here)

COVETING OR CONTENTMENT?

THE TENTH COMMANDMENT

Exodus 20:17

More and more, in these horrible and troubled times, we see normally measured people falling for an unsavory public conversation, which deliberately violates God's Tenth Commandment. Class Warfare is that of which I speak. But it is more than just this tactic, which is as old as the French Revolution, Karl Marx and every philosophy along these lines.

When one group of people, try to get those who consider themselves victimized by dire economic conditions, by telling them that "if it were not for the guy down the street who has a better car or more money in the bank than you", it is conscious violation of God's Law. However, when we take it upon ourselves to look at the guy next door, who just bought a boat to enjoy the town lake, and envy him, instead of being happy he was able to do that, we are just as guilty as some godless politician who engages in class warfare.

To want and desire what another has is as old a sin as jealousy and lust. Not many are able to satisfied with the blessings Almighty God, in His Wisdom, has given us. How we need to look at this is from God's perspective. When we, who call ourselves Christians, follow the world in hot pursuit of the latest cars, ipads, vacations, snazzy clothes and more, they become our idols! Yes, they do! Immediately, we have just broken the first commandment because we have told Holy God that these material passing things are more important than Him!

Even worse is when we see the guy across the street with his new jet-skis or ride-on mower...or listen to his pampered wife boast of her latest spa visit which enhances her outward appearance...when we see and hear of all of this, the natural tendency is to long to have those things, as well!  If you can work harder and save and not neglect the kids and still have time to worship the Lord daily, well, go right ahead. But if we dwell on what the other guy has and are not grateful for what we have, we dishonor Father.

That job we have - God gave it to us. You and I may have applied for it along with 50 other people, but Who led the employer to hire us?
That home we live in - God gave it to us. If we allowed Him to select the home for us, He will provide for its operation. My wife and I had less than two weeks in 2001 to find a home as our starter home had finally sold, by Divine Intervention. After frantic searches and exploration of several homes shown us by a local realtor, we were on the verge several times of settling...just to meet a deadline. We were returning home, after a long afternoon of open houses, when I took the wrong turn into a neighborhood while looking for Walnut Street, in order to head home. 

Realizing that I was lost in a subdivision, which I had never been in, I decided to turn around using a driveway.  As soon as I pulled into the driveway, I saw the "FOR SALE BY OWNER" sign and a phone number! We called the owner who showed us the four bedroom home (which really needed some "love and attention"). The kids loved the backyard! Eleven years later, we love our home which has had some serious updating and renovating! OH, HOW I LOVE JESUS!!!

We know how we got here. Why would we want somebody else's home over ours? I have been passed over in many aspects of life, but realized long ago that everything happens for a reason in my life. I have complete confidence and trust in the God Who gave me life. When we covet and long for what belongs to someone else, we are telling God that He made a mistake. 

What we should do is not just mind our own business, but do a gut-check to see what we are mastered by.  Are we mastered by owning "things" or are we mastered by the Master - Christ? Are we full of ambition and can't get ahead or are we full of a drive to serve Jesus and see souls brought into the Kingdom more than anything else? 

So, who is your master - your roving eye or the Lord Who infills your spirit with peace, joy and contentment? Just asking.....

(image by google)

SIN IS CROUCHING AT THE DOOR - KEEP IT SHUT

THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT

You shall not murder (Exodus 20:13 ESV)

There is a blatant disregard for life in the world, and it did not start yesterday...or even the day before yesterday. It began with the first murder in recorded history - when Cain killed Abel in an act of jealousy. Genesis 4:3-5a: "In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard".

If you examine this horrid sin, it cover the spectrum of emotions:
Envy: - because of Abel's better sacrifice of worship before the Lord. He had given of the first fruits of his labor while, as we see in the passage above Cain only brought AN offering. Our unwanted seconds is not what God demands from us. If you are not prepared to give your best and everything to Him. It is better you and I do not pretend and have total disregard for His Holiness and purpose, because it will not go well for us. Just ask Ananias and Sapphira!

Hatred: - because it led to Cain ignoring the warnings of God to get over himself. He then let sin rule over his wicked heart. (verses 6 and 7 here). You and I have to guard our hearts against letting the devil and his evil schemes infiltrate our minds, even in the purest of environments! It could be a fellowship moment in the church or a family gathering. We should be very careful not to take our eyes off the Lord and His work. Let's cease worrying about what the other guy is or is not doing and focus instead on our own actions and motives.

Pride: - despite being completely wrong in his conduct, Cain acted offended that God would not accept his after-thought, but would accept Abel's. God warned him that "sin is crouching at the door" ready to devour him (which it did). But God also gave him the option to grow out of his hatred and pride and disappointment by "ruling over it" (Verse 7). We ignore the warnings of God (via His Holy Spirit Who lives in us, if we are born again) at our own perils. Remember every thought, acted upon, has terrible consequences.

In the end, because of these three major emotions, the first murder in Biblical history was committed. The original word which God gave to Moses for this Sixth Commandment is "ratsach"...meaning manslaying; killing; murder etc. It basically means the 'taking' of any life: from crimes of passion like Cain's to the willful destruction of human life in the abortion industry.

Abortion is nothing new. Women, from millennia gone by, have been ridding their bodies of God's babies for some of the following reasons: to hide adultery; to keep their figures; to keep from having another child and as a form of birth control so their wanton lifestyles can continue.  Since unredeemed politicians and judges enabled the multi-billion dollar abortion industry to flourish legally, over 55 million American babies have not been allowed to be born. Like Cain, the blood of each of these babies rest eternally and horribly on the souls of every president; doctor; administrator; church leader; judge; man and woman who actively or passively allowed this to happen....unless, like Roe (of Roe vs Wade, which gave us legalized abortion in 1973), they repent and put their complete trust in the Savior, Jesus Christ.

Finally, for the believer and child of God, we must guard our own emotions. In Matthew 5:23, Jesus said “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” This "something against your brother" can lead to hatred if we don't keep "short accounts" and dispatch immediately this emotion. We must do this daily to keep in a right relationship with Father above. This intense dislike of others, for the christian, is similar to murder if we let it fester in our souls and do not get rid of it through reconciliation and if possible, restoration with the person(s) involved.

Therefore, in the long run, it behooves us to walk in a manner worth of our King, Who is the Lord of our lives and Who lives and reigns in love...as well as judgment.  Sin will always be "crouching at the door". Therefore, let us resolve to keep it locked out there, that Faith, Love, Hope and Charity and well as zeal for winning lost souls from the kingdom of darkness, will rule in our hearts! 
Amen.