Lessons from Numbers- the danger of rebellion (part 2)

The second rebellion I want to look at is in Numbers 12, where Miriam and Aaron speak against Moses: 'Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. And they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it.' (v1-2)

Just like the rebellion in the previous chapter, this involves words. It's another form of complaining. Again, I'm struck by the fact that I don't really view this as being that serious. Everybody grumbles, it's not that big a deal, right? But God intervenes again in this chapter, and again with a severity that initially makes me feel surprised. The LORD calls them into the tent of meeting, tells them how wrong they are to speak against Moses, and gives Miriam leprosy. God's words really highlight the issue of the sin here: 'With him (Moses) I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?' (8) In opposing Moses, Miriam and Aaron were really opposing God Himself. God had put Moses into his position of authority; for them to question that authority was to question God's wisdom and sovereignty and His anointing on Moses' life. It revealed an ugly pride on their part, that they felt there was nothing particularly special about Moses. 'God can speak through us too,' they claimed. But they weren't really focused on bringing God's words to the people; they were more concerned about status.

I really recommend the Revive our Hearts series of podcasts on Numbers 12 (the series is called 'Remember Miriam'). It contains some very convicting application of this chapter into our lives today. For me, I feel especially conscious that we need to uphold those in ministry over us, not pick holes in their leadership and criticise.

God uses this physical punishment of leprosy to force Miriam to see her need for Moses as a mediator; it's through his prayers for her that she is healed. But God still physically removes her from the camp for a time, and I think this too is a frightening picture of how God will intervene with those who are not obedient and humble before Him. He will remove them! Perhaps from ministry, for a time, or even for the rest of their lives. Rebellion against God's appointed leaders is never going to lead to blessing, and we do well if we guard our tongues to make sure we don't speak out against them too.

Rest in time of need- some more thoughts

I'm coming back to this theme of rest; I looked up all the times 'rest' is mentioned in the KJV and I was really struck at the story of God and God's people it showed me. From the rest of God in Genesis 2:2 to the pattern of rest He created for His people as shown in the Law (Ex 20:11, Deut 5:14), God knew that man would always be searching for rest. One of the biggest things that stood out to me is that biblically, rest is not found in not working per se, but in God Himself. So in the laws and commands about keeping the Sabbath, the reason for those commands was so that people could take time to draw near to God, rather than simply stop working and put their feet up. Look at Ex 33:14:

'...My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.'

As Moses communes with God, whose holy presence has filled the tabernacle, God gives him this assurance of His ongoing presence with Israel even though they are a 'stiffnecked people' (v5). This promise is fulfilled as in Numbers it says 'At the commandment of the Lord the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the Lord they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents' (Num 9:18). They physically rested from travelling when God's presence filled the tabernacle, but I wonder if that is also a picture of a spiritual rest. They knew God was close to them; they had nothing to fear.

What went wrong?

The writer of Hebrews quotes Psalm 95:

'Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.' (Heb 3:7-11)

Rest was only to be found in God, but instead of drawing near to Him and listening to Him, they grumbled and let their hearts grow hard against Him. They were denied rest, because they would not find it in God. They wanted just to have their temporary needs met of a varied diet and a permanent home (see Numbers 11).

The writer of Hebrews argued that since Israel failed to enter God's rest, then there 'remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.' (Heb 4:9) How do we enter it? He then goes on to write about our 'great high priest... Jesus the Son of God' (v14). Jesus was a man who entered the rest of God and so could offer it to others (Matt 11:28-29). He kept the Sabbath in the way it was intended, by using it to draw close to God and others rather than simply following some legalistic rules about not picking corn (Luke 6). Isaiah prophesies about a Branch, a root of Jesse, who will come and 'the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him' (v2). This seems to be shown in John 1:32 when the Spirit rests on Jesus at His baptism, and Jesus Himself referred to similar prophecies in Luke 4:18 (Isa 61) and said they were fulfilled in Him.

Isaiah 11 goes on to talk about the new creation where the wolf shall dwell with the lamb (v6), and it says that 'in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.' (v10). So this must refer to Jesus, standing as a flag or banner of God's people, the One the Gentiles seek, and His rest shall be glorious because He has brought salvation to the nations. And this will be our rest too!

What about now?

Well, going back to Hebrews 4, after pointing us to Jesus as our high priest, the writer reminds us that he was 'in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.' (v15) What deprives us of rest in God? Sin. But if we come to Christ, we can share in His perfect rest in God, because He was sinless.

'Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.' (Heb 4:16)

This is the real key for us as Christians. There will be times of trouble for us, sometimes because of our sin and mess-ups, but also from sickness, or persecution, or other factors beyond our control. How do we find rest in all these circumstances? By going to the throne of grace, seeking God for His mercy and grace to help us in our time of need. The answer to our frantic busy-ness, to our despair, to our desperation, is found not in retreats, finishing tasks, new possessions, relationships or entertainment, though I know I have tried to find it in all of these things. It's only in God Himself that we can find the rest we crave.

Lessons from Psalms #5: Creator

'Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
in the heavens...
When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?' Ps 8:1, 3-4

'The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.' Ps 19.1

The Psalms are full of praise for God as Creator. There is such a sense of awe when the writers look around them, look up at the stars, and just see God's fingerprints. In Psalm 90, attributed to Moses, you can see the influence of Genesis 1-2 on the way he looks at God and on man's place in creation:

'Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the whole world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.' Ps 90.2

That's what creation does: it shows us God's infinite greatness and puts us in our place. So often I feel like I'm running the show, and it's all about my plan, my progress and my achievements. But I'm missing the bigger picture.

'Our days may come to seventy years,
or eighty, if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, and we fly away...
Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.' Ps 90.10-12

Our lives are so fleeting in comparison with eternity, yet so often our hearts are rooted to this world instead of the next. This Psalm is a great reminder that though our lives are plagued with the restrictions and realities of death and time, we can find true satisfaction in receiving His mercy and plough our energies into work for Him that has value when done with the right motives: to serve.

'Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days...
establish the work of our hands for us –
yes, establish the work of our hands.' Ps 90.14,17

In the image of our Creator, we too can create. We can enjoy permanence through His everlasting nature. If I'm looking for my meaning and value in my work (whether in my job, or as a parent, or any other capacity), I'm never going to be satisfied. I'm never going to rest. But if I find my meaning in being a child of God, I can give my work 100% and then rest, knowing that He is God, not me.

When writing to the Corinthians, Paul tells them 'Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.' (1 Cor 15:58). He doesn't promise that we always get the results we want, but he tells us that it's worth giving God our best, because He sees and values a humble spirit that longs to please Him. So much of finding earthly contentment lies in seeing ourselves as God sees us, and not judging ourselves by the world's standards. Only then can we find the peace we crave.