"But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection."
“These are the ones who were numbered of the children of Israel by their fathers' houses. All who were numbered according to their armies of the forces were six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty. But the Levites were not were not numbered among the children of Israel, just as the Lord commanded Moses. This the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses; so they camped by their standards and so they broke camp, each one by his family, according to their fathers' houses.” (Numbers 2:32-34)
Numbers is a book of the community of the people of God wondering in the wilderness and learning how to live together. They received the Ten Commandments and other laws and regulations in Exodus and now had to work them into their lives as a community. God often uses others in our community to work sin and unbelief out of our lives. The Israelites certainly did not lack their challenges in becoming “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Ex. 19:6)
God organized the people into camps by their standards, each one according to his family line and fathers house (Numbers 2:34). Each tribe was numbered by who was able to go to war and God assigned each tribe a commander from among their clan, “the head of his father's house” (Nu. 1:4). Each tribe was to camp in the order they were to break camp and all were camped a distance from the tabernacle -with the tabernacle at the center of the community. (Numbers 2)
One commentary notes “Each of the twelve tribes had a specific area of the camp to live in. When their forefathers had moved south to Egypt approximately 400 years earlier they had done so as a family of twelve households, each headed by one of the sons of Jacob, who was renamed Israel by God. While they were slaves in Egypt they preserved their family divisions and over the years the families of the twelve sons had developed into tribal families or tribes. A good example is in Joshua:
She goes on to mention that where breakdown happens is that people turn from families. Parents are in a rush, looking to gain what the world has to offer at the neglect of their spouse and their children. The result, she notes is “the breakdown of peace in the world begins at home.” [3]
The greatest amount of influence one can have is in ones own family. God has meant for ones family and ones community to be a blessing and place of influence in forming Christlike characteristics. It is to be a place of enrichment, encouragement, and transformation.
God honors and works through families. We are considered "children of God" and are adopted as sons. God is our Father and represents how one is to love, care for, provide, protect, and nurture their family.
In Colossians 2:2 Paul says to the community of believers, "that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love..."Living with one another causes a family to be knit together in love. They share the same traditions and often some very similar characteristics. There is an old saying, "The apple does not fall far from the tree." Implying one's children most most naturally imitate their parents in habits and characteristics.
Generational blessings and curses are most frequently passed through one's family line and ones direct community. Psalm 115:14 says, "May the Lord give you increase more and more, You and your children. In Genesis 49, Jacob blessed each of his sons and their tribe very differently “according to his own blessing.” And each tribe had a banner they carried that represented something about their particular tribe.
According to some sources, the four tribal leaders, Judah, Reuben, Ephraim and Dan “each had a standard or banner identifying it as a tribal head while the other tribes had ensigns, a lesser type of banner.” [4]
These sources note that according to “Jewish tradition it was believed that the banners of the tribes were as follows:
Ezekiel 1:4-5,10, “then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of man... As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle.”
Everyone had a place in the community. Many in the camps had the responsibility of a soldier (every male 24 years above who were able to go to war). The Levites were not included in the camps because they were set apart for God. They were to have no inheritance among their brothers – the Lord was their inheritance (Deut. 18:2). They were to serve Aaron the high priest and his sons who attended the priesthood (Nu. 3:6,9-10). And they were also to serve the whole congregation and do the work of the tabernacle (Nu. 3:7-8). They camped in tents just outside the tabernacle, between the tabernacle and the people. One article notes that the Levites “were mediators between God and the people.” As this article notes, there was one family on each side – the Kohathites on the south, the Gershonites on the west, the Merarites on the north, and the priests and Moses camped on the eastern side.
As the children of Israel came together as a community, some rules of activity were established. Those who were unclean were put outside the camp (Nu. 5:3-4)[a]. Rules for confession of sin and restitution given to the one wronged were established (Nu. 5:7) and a non-violent way of dealing with jealousy was established (Nu. 5:11-31).
The community of God also came together to celebrate. They kept the Passover in remembrance of what God had done for them in freeing them from the bonds of oppression in Egypt. They also came together to celebrate the various feasts.
The passover and feast involved coming away from customary work and assemble together to remember who God is in their midst as a people. In thankfulness, they presented offerings before Him. The people came together for a holy convocation (sacred assembly) on the first day and seventh day of the Passover. They held a holy convocation for the Feast of Weeks, Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and at the beginning and end of the Feast of Tabernacles.
God called the priests to blow silver trumpets over the offerings and sacrifices at times of rejoicing, feasts and new moon festivals, as an acclimation of joy. They were also blown for calling the congregation, directing the movement of the camps, calling the heads of divisions, and when going into war with their enemies so that they would be saved from their enemies.
Trumpets sounding had deep significance in the community. Leviticus 23:23-25 refers to the Feast of Trumpets. One article notes about it, “In the 7th month, on the 1st day of the month, we are to have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, and have a holy gathering.” This article asks the question, why? And notes several significant community events that included a trumpet blast: [6]
“You're every time I turn around, In every sound, You're in the very air I breathe... I believe that you're everywhere.”
As the sound of the trumpet signified that it was time to move on their journey as the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the community of Israelites were being trained in faith and obedience. However, it was not without struggles. A community influences each other. Just as a community can influence each other for good, they can also influence each other negatively. In many cases the community of Israel influenced their brothers for evil:
Complaining.
In Numbers 11:1-15, 31-35, the people complained. A “mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving” so that the children of Israel wept and demanded meat. They complained about the manna they were given by God and looked back to Egypt, wishing for the food they ate in Egypt. God fed them Quail, but because of their evil, there was a very great plague among them.
Complaining can be contagious. It has much to do with being self-focused [8]. When people see something to complain about and tell others, it causes them to see it as well when they may not have noticed otherwise. In agreement with others, the complaint is validated.
One article notes, "Complaining is contagious; if you complain, you cause others to do the same. The cure for this disease is thankfulness. We're told in Colossians 3 to put on thankfulness...” [9] Paul says in Philippians 2:14, “"Do everything without complaining or arguing."
The burden became too much for Moses to bear with all the complaining, so Moses went to God and he was given seventy men to be elders of the people and officers over them. God took some of the Spirit that was upon Moses and put the same upon them, so that they would bear the burden of the people with Moses (Numbers 11:16-17).
Miriam and Aaron Against Moses.
There also rose up dissension from Miriam and Aaron against Moses. They spoke against him for his Ethiopian wife and said to each other, does not the Lord speak through us also? Because of it, Miriam became leprous and was shut out of the camp seven days. (Numbers 12)
There can be a tendency to expect our leaders to be better than us in everything. Rather than accepting and respecting the office that God has appointed a leader to, honoring them in it as David did with Saul despite his weaknesses, often people compare their strengths with their leader's weaknesses. When they do this, there is a temptation, as with Absalom, to usurp their leader's authority rather than appreciating one's leader and honoring them in their role.
Thomas a Kempis writes, “It is a very great thing to obey, to live under a superior and not be one's own master, for it is much safer to be subject than it is to command. Many life in obedience more from necessity than from love. Such become discontented and dejected on the slightest pretext; they will never gain peace of mind unless they subject themselves wholeheartedly for the love of God.” [10]
Romans 12:10 says, “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”
Spreading an Attitude of Fear and Unbelief.
And when a leader was sent from each of the tribes of Israel to spy out the Promised Land, ten came back with a bad report and instilled fear (rather than faith) into the community. Only two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, had words of faith about taking the land. As a result, the people rebelled against God and refused to enter Canaan. Instead the community suggested they would select a new leader and return to Egypt. And they threatened to stone Caleb and Joshua for suggesting they trust God and enter the land.
Because of the people's rebellion due to unbelief, it would not be until the next generation that the people would be able to cross over into God's promises. Only Caleb and Joshua were included among those from that generation who entered the land.
One article notes that they saw God in light of their circumstances rather than, as Joshua and Caleb, seeing their circumstances in light of God. This article notes that the major difference between Joshua and Caleb compared to the other spies was attitude. Attitude determines our approach to life.[11] It also determines our relationship with others and can be the difference between success and failure in getting a job done. [11] This article notes that “Our attitude at the beginning of a task will affect its outcome more than anything else.” [11]
We are not to dwell on fearful thoughts of all the potential disasters that could happen. This causes undue stress and fretfulness. Instead, we should see our circumstances in light of our relationship with God. God is our good shepherd. In Psalm 23:6 David says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life...”
And Paul says in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Korah's Rebellion.
Additionally, Korah rose up against Moses and Aaron with some of the community, two hundred and fifty of the leaders, representing the congregation. They gathered against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, 'You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?'”
Perhaps they saw that Moses in many cases was slow to delegate and had a tendency to take on all the burdens himself until he was exasperated and forced to pass on responsibility to others. Every leader has shortcomings and weaknesses. Korah and his company may have felt justified in being ambitious because they saw his weakness.
Thomas a Kempis writes, “If there is good in you, see more good in others, so that you remain humble. It does not harm to esteem yourself less than anyone else, but it is very harmful to see yourself better than even one. The humble live in continuous peace, while in the hearts of the proud are envy and frequent anger. [12]
Philippians 2:3 says, “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”
Moses confronted Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi: Is it a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself.... you and all your brethren, the sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking the priesthood also? Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the Lord. And what is Aaron that you complain against him?"
Moses had Korah and his company, along with Aaron, offer incense on censer before the Lord to prove who was making an acceptable offering. Korah turned the entire congregation against Moses and Aaron. Eventually, the earth opened up and swallowed up Korah and the men who followed him.
Korah was charismatic leader who was hungry for power and recognition. He used his strengths and abilities to influence others against Moses and Aaron. He was using the people for his own agenda. He did not have the greater good in mind but was looking out for his own interests. As with Absalom, it eventually led to his own demise. Unfortunately, not only him, but those who he led suffered the consequences.
One article notes, “His important position gave him both prestige and respect within the nation. Yet he rebelled against both Moses and the Lord, thus illustrating the tragic flaw of many leaders -a desire for power and authority beyond what God has ordained. Korah's gifted leadership and persuasive speaking abilities earned him the backing of 250 other leaders. Yet his desire for more led to the demise of his followers and their families. Leaders with rebellious hearts always wreak havoc in the lives of those unwise enough to follow them." [13]
When someone points out the faults of another behind their back, they do not have the well being of the other person or the greater team in mind. They are concerned for themselves. Their desire is to motivate the person they are talking with to be on their side, against the other. They are using their influence in a manipulative and destructive way.
Sometimes people feel justified in speaking about another in a non-productive way because they believe it is the truth. However, throughout the bible it clearly demonstrates that gossip and backbiting (speaking about someone with the intent to harm them and not for their good) is evil. James 1:26 says, “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.”
Godly leaders put the good of the people before their own good. They are servants of God who look to Him for fulfillment and not to a position. They are content with God and are not looking for power, respect, or authority to suck their life from.
Hebrews 13:5 says, Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Being filled with God, they are free to lead with love rather than from personal concern and their own agenda.
Paul says in Philippians 2:1-8,
“If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
When the earth opened up and swallowed Korah and his followers, rather than repenting for following Korah, the people complained against Moses and Aaron. They told them, “You have killed the people of the Lord.” (Nu. 16:41) As a result of their complaining, a plague spread through the people killing many. Moses and Aaron had to prove Aaron's position to the people by having all the leaders of Israel bring a rod before the Lord in the tabernacle of witness. The next day when they came back, Aaron's rod had “spouted and put forth buds, had produced blossoms and yielded ripe almond's.” (Nu. 17:8)
Too often it is easy to look to one's circumstances and blame others and the circumstances rather than taking responsibility for our own behaviors and thoughts. By doing this, we fail to be broken over our sin and truly repent. Jesus says in Matthew 7:3, “"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?”
It was Aaron's intercession for the people that caused the plague to stop among the people. And God confirmed that the priesthood of Aaron was to continue and to flourish by a miraculous sign.
Discouragement.
As the people community of God wondered the wilderness they became discouraged. As they journeyed from Mount Hor by Way of the Red Sea, going around the land of Edom, the soul of the people became very discouraged along the way and the people began to speak against God and Moses. (Nu. 21:4) They said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.'... So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died." (Num 21:5-6)
Discouragement is defined as a lack of courage to go forward. Typically this is because of lack of success or repeated failures. It is typically not one situation that causes someone to be discouraged but many repeated hinderences being in the way. As a result the, people begin to lose hope and see no way out. In this place, the Israelites lost sight of God and His goodness to them. Their focus was on their circumstances and as they grumbled to each other, failing to be thankful for God in their midst and His provision for them. They were looking to get their life or happiness from their circumstances and not looking up to God.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary notes, "The children of Israel were wearied by a long march round the land of Edom. They speak discontentedly of what God had done for them, and distrustfully of what he would do. What will they be pleased with, whom manna will not please?"
The remedy was to look upon fiery serpant on a pole. All who look to it are saved. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary goes on to say, "God made a wonderful provision for their relief. The Jews themselves say it was not the sight of the brazen serpent that cured; but in looking up to it, they looked up to God as the Lord that healed them. There was much gospel in this. Our Saviour declared, Joh 3:14,15, that as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so the Son of man must be lifted up, that whatsoever believeth in him, should not perish. "
In Deuteronomy 8:2-5, Moses reminded the people that God was faithful to them as they wondered the wilderness. He said, "Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands. Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. For all these forty years your clothes didn’t wear out, and your feet didn’t blister or swell. Think about it: Just as a parent disciplines a child, the Lord your God disciplines you for your own good."
So what can I learn from all of this?
"Don't you know the price is paid, if only you let me be your everything" sings in the backround.
Overall, the community of God was being formed into Christlikess. God had a purpose and plan for them. They were headed to a specific destination, the Promised Land.
Balaam said about the community of Isreal, "Who can count the dust of Jacob, or number one-fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my end be like his!" (Numbers 23:10.
God had a purpose and plan for his chosen people who even Balek and Balaam cound not thwort. However, since Balaam could not curse the children of Isreal, he taught Balak how to put a stumbling block in the way of the Isrealites by leading them to sin. (Rev 2:14) 15
God's desire is for His people to be a holy nation before Him. It is in community that complaining, grumbling, unbelief, ambition, rebellion, pride, gossip, blaming, discouragement, ect. all show themselves and wreak havoc. Community is also where we learn to put them off and put on godly characteristics.
Colossians 3:8-10 says, "But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him..."
Instead, it is love that binds a community of people together. Colossians 3:14-15 says, "But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishign one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
a. All of us deserve to be put outside the camp. However, Jesus suffered outside the camp so that all who desire may belong to the community of faith. Hebrews 13:11-14 says, "The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come
Numbers is a book of the community of the people of God wondering in the wilderness and learning how to live together. They received the Ten Commandments and other laws and regulations in Exodus and now had to work them into their lives as a community. God often uses others in our community to work sin and unbelief out of our lives. The Israelites certainly did not lack their challenges in becoming “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Ex. 19:6)
God organized the people into camps by their standards, each one according to his family line and fathers house (Numbers 2:34). Each tribe was numbered by who was able to go to war and God assigned each tribe a commander from among their clan, “the head of his father's house” (Nu. 1:4). Each tribe was to camp in the order they were to break camp and all were camped a distance from the tabernacle -with the tabernacle at the center of the community. (Numbers 2)
One commentary notes “Each of the twelve tribes had a specific area of the camp to live in. When their forefathers had moved south to Egypt approximately 400 years earlier they had done so as a family of twelve households, each headed by one of the sons of Jacob, who was renamed Israel by God. While they were slaves in Egypt they preserved their family divisions and over the years the families of the twelve sons had developed into tribal families or tribes. A good example is in Joshua:
Josh 7:14 'In the morning therefore you shall be brought according to your tribes. And it shall be that the tribe which the LORD takes shall come according to families; and the family which the LORD takes shall come by households; and the household which the LORD takes shall come man by man.” [1]Mother Teresa writes, “I have a conviction that I want to share with you. Love begins at home, and ever co-worker [she was referring to co-laborers from the Missionaries of Charity here] should try to make sure that deep family loves abides in his or her home. Only when love abides at home can we share it with our next-door neighbor. Then it will show forth and you will be able to say to them, 'Yes, love is here.' And then you will be able to share it with everyone around you.” [2]
She goes on to mention that where breakdown happens is that people turn from families. Parents are in a rush, looking to gain what the world has to offer at the neglect of their spouse and their children. The result, she notes is “the breakdown of peace in the world begins at home.” [3]
The greatest amount of influence one can have is in ones own family. God has meant for ones family and ones community to be a blessing and place of influence in forming Christlike characteristics. It is to be a place of enrichment, encouragement, and transformation.
God honors and works through families. We are considered "children of God" and are adopted as sons. God is our Father and represents how one is to love, care for, provide, protect, and nurture their family.
In Colossians 2:2 Paul says to the community of believers, "that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love..."Living with one another causes a family to be knit together in love. They share the same traditions and often some very similar characteristics. There is an old saying, "The apple does not fall far from the tree." Implying one's children most most naturally imitate their parents in habits and characteristics.
Generational blessings and curses are most frequently passed through one's family line and ones direct community. Psalm 115:14 says, "May the Lord give you increase more and more, You and your children. In Genesis 49, Jacob blessed each of his sons and their tribe very differently “according to his own blessing.” And each tribe had a banner they carried that represented something about their particular tribe.
According to some sources, the four tribal leaders, Judah, Reuben, Ephraim and Dan “each had a standard or banner identifying it as a tribal head while the other tribes had ensigns, a lesser type of banner.” [4]
These sources note that according to “Jewish tradition it was believed that the banners of the tribes were as follows:
Judah - East (Lion of gold with a scarlet background).In this way, the community represented the four faces of Christ, with tabernacle of meeting at the heart of all their activities. The overall community of God was being formed in the likeness of Christ with his characteristics.
Ephraim - West (Ox of black on gold background).
Reuben - South (Man on gold background).
Dan - North (Eagle of gold on a blue background).” [5]
Ezekiel 1:4-5,10, “then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of man... As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle.”
Everyone had a place in the community. Many in the camps had the responsibility of a soldier (every male 24 years above who were able to go to war). The Levites were not included in the camps because they were set apart for God. They were to have no inheritance among their brothers – the Lord was their inheritance (Deut. 18:2). They were to serve Aaron the high priest and his sons who attended the priesthood (Nu. 3:6,9-10). And they were also to serve the whole congregation and do the work of the tabernacle (Nu. 3:7-8). They camped in tents just outside the tabernacle, between the tabernacle and the people. One article notes that the Levites “were mediators between God and the people.” As this article notes, there was one family on each side – the Kohathites on the south, the Gershonites on the west, the Merarites on the north, and the priests and Moses camped on the eastern side.
As the children of Israel came together as a community, some rules of activity were established. Those who were unclean were put outside the camp (Nu. 5:3-4)[a]. Rules for confession of sin and restitution given to the one wronged were established (Nu. 5:7) and a non-violent way of dealing with jealousy was established (Nu. 5:11-31).
The community of God also came together to celebrate. They kept the Passover in remembrance of what God had done for them in freeing them from the bonds of oppression in Egypt. They also came together to celebrate the various feasts.
The passover and feast involved coming away from customary work and assemble together to remember who God is in their midst as a people. In thankfulness, they presented offerings before Him. The people came together for a holy convocation (sacred assembly) on the first day and seventh day of the Passover. They held a holy convocation for the Feast of Weeks, Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and at the beginning and end of the Feast of Tabernacles.
God called the priests to blow silver trumpets over the offerings and sacrifices at times of rejoicing, feasts and new moon festivals, as an acclimation of joy. They were also blown for calling the congregation, directing the movement of the camps, calling the heads of divisions, and when going into war with their enemies so that they would be saved from their enemies.
Trumpets sounding had deep significance in the community. Leviticus 23:23-25 refers to the Feast of Trumpets. One article notes about it, “In the 7th month, on the 1st day of the month, we are to have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, and have a holy gathering.” This article asks the question, why? And notes several significant community events that included a trumpet blast: [6]
On Mount Sinai, when God came down to meet with the people, there was a very loud sound of the trumpet.As noted by the article, why the trumpet blast was important is because “These trumpets announced the entrance of a King, the entrance and coming of the Lord. When ever you see them; they precede the entrance of the Lord God.” [7]
Exodus 19:16-17 says,
“Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.”
The priests going ahead of the soldiers and sounding the trumpets brought down the walls of Jericho.
Joshua 6:4-5 says,
“And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark.
But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.”
Also, as noted in my journal last week, when one hundred and twenty priests sounded trumpets, the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.
2 Chronicles 5:13-14 says,
“indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying: 'For He is good, For His mercy endures forever.' that the house, the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.”
Finally, at the coming of the Lord, the trumpets will sound.
Revelation 8:5-6 says,
“Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake. So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.”
And 1 Corinthians 15:52 says,
“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
“You're every time I turn around, In every sound, You're in the very air I breathe... I believe that you're everywhere.”
As the sound of the trumpet signified that it was time to move on their journey as the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the community of Israelites were being trained in faith and obedience. However, it was not without struggles. A community influences each other. Just as a community can influence each other for good, they can also influence each other negatively. In many cases the community of Israel influenced their brothers for evil:
Complaining.
In Numbers 11:1-15, 31-35, the people complained. A “mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving” so that the children of Israel wept and demanded meat. They complained about the manna they were given by God and looked back to Egypt, wishing for the food they ate in Egypt. God fed them Quail, but because of their evil, there was a very great plague among them.
Complaining can be contagious. It has much to do with being self-focused [8]. When people see something to complain about and tell others, it causes them to see it as well when they may not have noticed otherwise. In agreement with others, the complaint is validated.
One article notes, "Complaining is contagious; if you complain, you cause others to do the same. The cure for this disease is thankfulness. We're told in Colossians 3 to put on thankfulness...” [9] Paul says in Philippians 2:14, “"Do everything without complaining or arguing."
The burden became too much for Moses to bear with all the complaining, so Moses went to God and he was given seventy men to be elders of the people and officers over them. God took some of the Spirit that was upon Moses and put the same upon them, so that they would bear the burden of the people with Moses (Numbers 11:16-17).
Miriam and Aaron Against Moses.
There also rose up dissension from Miriam and Aaron against Moses. They spoke against him for his Ethiopian wife and said to each other, does not the Lord speak through us also? Because of it, Miriam became leprous and was shut out of the camp seven days. (Numbers 12)
There can be a tendency to expect our leaders to be better than us in everything. Rather than accepting and respecting the office that God has appointed a leader to, honoring them in it as David did with Saul despite his weaknesses, often people compare their strengths with their leader's weaknesses. When they do this, there is a temptation, as with Absalom, to usurp their leader's authority rather than appreciating one's leader and honoring them in their role.
Thomas a Kempis writes, “It is a very great thing to obey, to live under a superior and not be one's own master, for it is much safer to be subject than it is to command. Many life in obedience more from necessity than from love. Such become discontented and dejected on the slightest pretext; they will never gain peace of mind unless they subject themselves wholeheartedly for the love of God.” [10]
Romans 12:10 says, “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”
Spreading an Attitude of Fear and Unbelief.
And when a leader was sent from each of the tribes of Israel to spy out the Promised Land, ten came back with a bad report and instilled fear (rather than faith) into the community. Only two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, had words of faith about taking the land. As a result, the people rebelled against God and refused to enter Canaan. Instead the community suggested they would select a new leader and return to Egypt. And they threatened to stone Caleb and Joshua for suggesting they trust God and enter the land.
Because of the people's rebellion due to unbelief, it would not be until the next generation that the people would be able to cross over into God's promises. Only Caleb and Joshua were included among those from that generation who entered the land.
One article notes that they saw God in light of their circumstances rather than, as Joshua and Caleb, seeing their circumstances in light of God. This article notes that the major difference between Joshua and Caleb compared to the other spies was attitude. Attitude determines our approach to life.[11] It also determines our relationship with others and can be the difference between success and failure in getting a job done. [11] This article notes that “Our attitude at the beginning of a task will affect its outcome more than anything else.” [11]
We are not to dwell on fearful thoughts of all the potential disasters that could happen. This causes undue stress and fretfulness. Instead, we should see our circumstances in light of our relationship with God. God is our good shepherd. In Psalm 23:6 David says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life...”
And Paul says in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Korah's Rebellion.
Additionally, Korah rose up against Moses and Aaron with some of the community, two hundred and fifty of the leaders, representing the congregation. They gathered against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, 'You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?'”
Perhaps they saw that Moses in many cases was slow to delegate and had a tendency to take on all the burdens himself until he was exasperated and forced to pass on responsibility to others. Every leader has shortcomings and weaknesses. Korah and his company may have felt justified in being ambitious because they saw his weakness.
Thomas a Kempis writes, “If there is good in you, see more good in others, so that you remain humble. It does not harm to esteem yourself less than anyone else, but it is very harmful to see yourself better than even one. The humble live in continuous peace, while in the hearts of the proud are envy and frequent anger. [12]
Philippians 2:3 says, “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”
Moses confronted Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi: Is it a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself.... you and all your brethren, the sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking the priesthood also? Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the Lord. And what is Aaron that you complain against him?"
Moses had Korah and his company, along with Aaron, offer incense on censer before the Lord to prove who was making an acceptable offering. Korah turned the entire congregation against Moses and Aaron. Eventually, the earth opened up and swallowed up Korah and the men who followed him.
Korah was charismatic leader who was hungry for power and recognition. He used his strengths and abilities to influence others against Moses and Aaron. He was using the people for his own agenda. He did not have the greater good in mind but was looking out for his own interests. As with Absalom, it eventually led to his own demise. Unfortunately, not only him, but those who he led suffered the consequences.
One article notes, “His important position gave him both prestige and respect within the nation. Yet he rebelled against both Moses and the Lord, thus illustrating the tragic flaw of many leaders -a desire for power and authority beyond what God has ordained. Korah's gifted leadership and persuasive speaking abilities earned him the backing of 250 other leaders. Yet his desire for more led to the demise of his followers and their families. Leaders with rebellious hearts always wreak havoc in the lives of those unwise enough to follow them." [13]
When someone points out the faults of another behind their back, they do not have the well being of the other person or the greater team in mind. They are concerned for themselves. Their desire is to motivate the person they are talking with to be on their side, against the other. They are using their influence in a manipulative and destructive way.
Sometimes people feel justified in speaking about another in a non-productive way because they believe it is the truth. However, throughout the bible it clearly demonstrates that gossip and backbiting (speaking about someone with the intent to harm them and not for their good) is evil. James 1:26 says, “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.”
Godly leaders put the good of the people before their own good. They are servants of God who look to Him for fulfillment and not to a position. They are content with God and are not looking for power, respect, or authority to suck their life from.
Hebrews 13:5 says, Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Being filled with God, they are free to lead with love rather than from personal concern and their own agenda.
Paul says in Philippians 2:1-8,
“If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:Blame.
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!”
When the earth opened up and swallowed Korah and his followers, rather than repenting for following Korah, the people complained against Moses and Aaron. They told them, “You have killed the people of the Lord.” (Nu. 16:41) As a result of their complaining, a plague spread through the people killing many. Moses and Aaron had to prove Aaron's position to the people by having all the leaders of Israel bring a rod before the Lord in the tabernacle of witness. The next day when they came back, Aaron's rod had “spouted and put forth buds, had produced blossoms and yielded ripe almond's.” (Nu. 17:8)
Too often it is easy to look to one's circumstances and blame others and the circumstances rather than taking responsibility for our own behaviors and thoughts. By doing this, we fail to be broken over our sin and truly repent. Jesus says in Matthew 7:3, “"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?”
It was Aaron's intercession for the people that caused the plague to stop among the people. And God confirmed that the priesthood of Aaron was to continue and to flourish by a miraculous sign.
Discouragement.
As the people community of God wondered the wilderness they became discouraged. As they journeyed from Mount Hor by Way of the Red Sea, going around the land of Edom, the soul of the people became very discouraged along the way and the people began to speak against God and Moses. (Nu. 21:4) They said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.'... So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died." (Num 21:5-6)
Discouragement is defined as a lack of courage to go forward. Typically this is because of lack of success or repeated failures. It is typically not one situation that causes someone to be discouraged but many repeated hinderences being in the way. As a result the, people begin to lose hope and see no way out. In this place, the Israelites lost sight of God and His goodness to them. Their focus was on their circumstances and as they grumbled to each other, failing to be thankful for God in their midst and His provision for them. They were looking to get their life or happiness from their circumstances and not looking up to God.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary notes, "The children of Israel were wearied by a long march round the land of Edom. They speak discontentedly of what God had done for them, and distrustfully of what he would do. What will they be pleased with, whom manna will not please?"
The remedy was to look upon fiery serpant on a pole. All who look to it are saved. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary goes on to say, "God made a wonderful provision for their relief. The Jews themselves say it was not the sight of the brazen serpent that cured; but in looking up to it, they looked up to God as the Lord that healed them. There was much gospel in this. Our Saviour declared, Joh 3:14,15, that as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so the Son of man must be lifted up, that whatsoever believeth in him, should not perish. "
In Deuteronomy 8:2-5, Moses reminded the people that God was faithful to them as they wondered the wilderness. He said, "Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands. Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. For all these forty years your clothes didn’t wear out, and your feet didn’t blister or swell. Think about it: Just as a parent disciplines a child, the Lord your God disciplines you for your own good."
So what can I learn from all of this?
"Don't you know the price is paid, if only you let me be your everything" sings in the backround.
Overall, the community of God was being formed into Christlikess. God had a purpose and plan for them. They were headed to a specific destination, the Promised Land.
Balaam said about the community of Isreal, "Who can count the dust of Jacob, or number one-fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my end be like his!" (Numbers 23:10.
God had a purpose and plan for his chosen people who even Balek and Balaam cound not thwort. However, since Balaam could not curse the children of Isreal, he taught Balak how to put a stumbling block in the way of the Isrealites by leading them to sin. (Rev 2:14) 15
God's desire is for His people to be a holy nation before Him. It is in community that complaining, grumbling, unbelief, ambition, rebellion, pride, gossip, blaming, discouragement, ect. all show themselves and wreak havoc. Community is also where we learn to put them off and put on godly characteristics.
Colossians 3:8-10 says, "But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him..."
Instead, it is love that binds a community of people together. Colossians 3:14-15 says, "But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishign one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
The community is to reflect Christ. And the "perfect love" that binds a community together is Christ at the center of all activities. As we live with Christ at the center, just as the banners that Isreal carried, we demonstrate a picture of Christ to those around us.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes, "The Church of Christ is the presence of Christ through the Holy Spirit. In this way the life of the Body of Christ becomes our own life. In Christ we no longer live our own lives, but he lives his life in us. The life of the faithful in the Church is indeed the Life of Christ in them (Gal. 2:20, Rom 8:10, 2 Cor. 13:5, 1 John 4:15) " [14]
Lord, there are so many ways that I fail to live in love and reflect your love to others. I look at the sins of the children of Isreal and think how terrible they are. Yet, when I think about it, I know I struggle with all the same sins. I find myself at times complaining, blaming, seeking recognition, taking more authority or position than I have been given, gossiping, judging, influencing others for my own agenda, twisting the truth, being inpatient, having ambition, thinking the worst of a situation and spreading fear, and being unkind. Would you forgive me, deliver me, and empower me to put off the old and truly live in love?
Lord, we long to be the presence of Christ to the world around us. Cleanse us, purify us and dwell powerfully among us. Fill Your body with Your Spirit. Live Your life in us.
1, 3-4. The Bible Knowledge Accelerator. The Encampment. Located at: http://www.bible-history.com/tabernacle/TAB4The_Encampment.htm. Last Accessed: 10/13/10. 2008.
Also see: http://www.dyeager.org/gospels/intro.php
2-3. Mother Teresa. No Greater Love. New World Library. Navato, CA. 2002.
6-7. TeachingPriest.org Word of God Lessons: Memorial of Blowing of Trumpets. Located at: http://teachingpriest.org/bibleteaching/Memorial-of-Blowing-of-Trumpets.html Last Accessed: 10/12/10
8-9. Missions Impossible of Scripture. Locaed at: http://www.kids-teens.org/sermons/missions_impossible_of_scripture1.htm Last Access: 10/13/10
10, 12. Kemis, Tomas a. The Imitation of Christ. Dover Publications, Inc. Mineola, New York. 2003.
11, 13, 15. Maxwell, John. C. The Maxwell Leadership Bible. Lessons in Leadership from the Word of God. NKJV. Thomas Nelson, Inc. 2007.
a. All of us deserve to be put outside the camp. However, Jesus suffered outside the camp so that all who desire may belong to the community of faith. Hebrews 13:11-14 says, "The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come
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