KEY SCRIPTURE: Numbers 16:15 ” And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.”

The children of Israel in the midst of their murmurings against Moses decided this time to oppose him without any cause. Korah, a Levite, Dathan and Abiram who were from the tribe of Reuben gathered about two hundred and fifty renown men to oppose Moses and Aaron. They said to them in Numbers 16:3…. “Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are Holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Wherefore then lift ye up yourself above the congregation of the Lord”. The scripture said, when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face”. Moses was alarmed at their action and knew these people were calling for trouble. He bowed before them and before God as a sign that they were acting abominably and must stop. Moses was not swift to call on curses on the people. He exercised a lot of restrain. Just consider the fact that he bowed before them. Every leader, especially anointed men whose words are always followed with something spectacular must restrain themselves. Take a clue from Moses.

What will make other leaders oppose a man of God with grace as Moses? These people have been complaining and murmuring since they crossed the red sea. Now they rise up against Moses. They had made up their minds not to consider any mighty work God did. Since they were not considering the dealings of God and his power in their midst, a spirit of destruction rather took control over them. Every child of God must endeavour to reflect over the word of God and yield to the influence of the word. When men ignore the influence of the word of God, He gives them up, to a reprobate mind. (Romans 1:18-35). Everybody, no matter who you are, do not stop giving attention to the word of God, less an evil influence dominates you. (Hebrews 3:13).

Moses was wrought with them because they did not repent. These men were ultimately consumed, as they were swallowed by the earth. Every other person who was associated with them was also swallowed up. In Numbers 16:35 a fire came from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty. After the death of these people the congregation of the children of Israel, said Moses had killed the children of Israel. They were also plagued with a terrible plague, killing about fourteen thousand seven hundred people. Be careful how you speak against God’s delegated authority.

 PRAYER

O father, help your children to respect your delegated authority, and relate with them as you want, in Jesus name.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Romans 13:1 ” Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.”

1 Peter 2:13-14 ” Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Numbers 14:5 ” Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.”

Numbers 14 is a follow-up to the story of the report of the twelve spies to the promised land. Ten gave an evil report and two who were Joshua and Caleb gave a good report.

The children of Israel believed the evil report instead. Why were they prone to believing the negative report than those who gave the positive report? The answer is in verse three “And wherefore has the Lord brought us unto this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a a prey? Listen to what. they said ” God has brought US here to fall by the sword, OUR wives and OUR children” They were inward looking, and so judged God to be planning their destruction. They believed a lie. These people fell to the original deception of the devil. In Genesis 3 Satan speaking through the serpent told Eve in effect that ‘ God does not want you to be like Himself ‘.  This is the root of all unbelief. Believing a lie of the devil

According to John 8:44 Satan is a liar and every word he says is a lie. Revelation 12:9 reminds us that Satan has deceived all men. He has succeeded in making men believe an untruth about God. Well, the root of such a deception lies in placing self before God. Dear child of God decides one’s and forever that you would always place the WORD of God before self. Do not be deceived, GOD IS BOUND BY HIS WORD, AND WILL DO EXACTLY AS HE HAS SAID

These people spoke of returning to Egypt. This was an abomination. This caused Moses and Aaron to fall on their faces. That act was a sign of absolute faith in God and also a demonstration of humility. They fell before the people. Moses was a man of great faith and humility. This was the secret to his greatness. May we learn from his example

The people also spoke of stoning them. These Israelites were so stubborn to the point that, they wanted to stone Moses and Aaron. The bible said the cloud of glory representing God’s presence descended. God will always manifest His glory anytime men stand for Him against the popular view of the multitude that are unbelieving and rebellious. Take a stand for the Lord no matter how much everybody and everything is opposing the word of God. God will not fail you. He will honour his word.

CONFESSION

I believe the word of God. I place God’s word above every situation I face. God honors His word always. His word is a delight to me

FURTHER STUDIES.

Hebrews 13:5-6 ” 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. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me”.

Psalms 119:89-90 ” Forever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Numbers 13:30 “And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.”

The Lord asked Moses to send leaders from each tribe of the children of Israel to spy on the land that God had promised to give them.

They spent forty days going across the land and afterwards they brought their reports. Ten out of the twelve men said although the land was a good and fertile land, the inhabitants were too great and therefore they must abandon the project. This reaction contradicted what God had promised them, making God a liar. It was a serious inditement on the faithfulness of God. Two men, Caleb and Joshua stood with God and said they could possess the land.

Why these two different positions. One group were approaching the issue in the light of their own physical strength. They had also forgotten all that the Lord did to the Egyptians and the many miracles that He had done in their midst. The other two gentlemen, Caleb and Joshua did not lose sight of what God had done for them and who the Lord was. They did not consider their physical handicaps but fully trusted in the almightiness of God.

The bible said these other ten men brought an evil report. Many of us have failed to obtain many great promises in life because we faced those challenges in our human strength with all the limitations that go with it.

The real issue is, who is God to you? You can do a great good to yourself by taking time to meditate on the word of God as well as on the awesomeness of God. He would always respond according to how you see Him.

Please note that these men who brought the evil reports were leaders of their tribes. One’s knowledge and submission to God is never by titles or position. It is purely an individual affair. Your position or tiles is in the realms of men, your faith or trust in God depends on your response to His word.. Decide to always exalt God and His word above everything, including yourself and your interests. We are his children and servants as well. We live to bring honour to His name.  It’s His interest that matters. Our glory and blessings are subjected to what brings him glory. It is when we seek His praise and glory always that brings us blessings.

 CONFESSION

My delight is in doing that which pleases Him. I will stand for whatever God has promised irrespective of the opposition that I may face. I possess every promise of God I claim.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Numbers 14:9 ” Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defense is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not”.

Numbers 13:30 ” And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Numbers 12:1-2 “And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it”.

Aaron and Miriam are the elder siblings of Moses. They spoke against Moses because he had married an Ethiopian woman. They also claimed God had not only spoken by Moses but spoken through them too.

We see two things playing here Miriam had known Moses at birth and was the very one who watched over him when he was put in the Nile river. Aaron was also an elder brother of Moses. These people had become familiar with Moses. They also rebelled against spiritual authority. We see

1. Familiarity

2. Rebellion against spiritual authority.

God’s calling is not an issue of age or association. It is purely by his choice. Romans 13:1 says “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God”. God ordains all the powers or authorities that function on the earth. These are delegated authorities standing in for God. Anyone who wrongly challenges these authorities’ challenges God. (Note; There are some imposters who have not been appointed by God)

There are two things about God that men may act against. Man may sin against God’s holiness, or rebel against His authority. God may easily forgive a sin against His holiness, but will not tolerate a rebellion against His authority. King David sinned against His holiness and was forgiven but King Saul rebelled against His authority and was rejected as the King.

Examples of such authorities are, rulers of nations, fathers at home, institutional heads, heads of churches and various leaders that we have in various aspects of our life.

The question is, what should be done when a man supposed to be in authority is breaking the laws of God, and acting in ways that is against the proper order that He has instituted? There are various ranks of authority in this life. If you happened to be under an authority that breaks the principles of God, you can find a way to express the error to that authority. If he or she disregards your concerns, appeal to a higher authority to bring him or her to order.

This was not the case in Moses issue. The Lord said Moses was the meekest of all men and had a very great favourable standing with God. It was God who saw His authority on Moses to be challenged, and so, He reacted. We must be careful how we speak against certain authorities. Romans 14:4 says “who art thou that judges another man’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Yea he shall be holden up for God is able to make him stand. A lot of people are fast to judge and even condemn some men of God and certain authorities. You must be very careful. You may be treading on a “naked wire”. This warning goes more to people in ministry and Christians as a whole.

PRAYER

I pray for all those in authority to act appropriately and also for all men to be very circumspect in attacking such people in authority.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Numbers 12:9-10 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed.

And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.

1 Samuel 24:6 ” And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD’S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.”

KEY SCRIPTURE:

Numbers 11:11 ” And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?”

Read Numbers 11:1-35

The children of Israel kept their complaints along the way. This caused the anger of the Lord to kindle against them, and fire from God consumed most of them who were at the outskirts of the camp. They cried unto Moses to pray to God for them. He did and the fire ceased.

They kept complaining. This time thy wanted meat. They even added that they did not know why they should be brought out of Egypt. At this point of the complaints Moses was very distressed. He asked God why has he placed all the burden on him as if he conceived them. In verse 12 Moses asked the Lord where can he get flesh to give them. Moses even asked the Lord to kill him. Now for the first time in all their journeys Moses doubted God whether He could be able to feed the thousands of people with meat. Numbers 11:21 “And Moses said the people among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month?

Why was Moses expressing such doubt? Dearly beloved, faith in God is not an automatic fixed stuff in a servant or child of God. If one allows the cares of this life to gradually take over his heart, his faith no matter how strong or agile it may be, will start dwindling. Moses had allowed the problems of the people to gradually overtake him. He was even asking God to take his life because he could not bear them. The Christian must not allow the flesh to take the lead in his or her life.

The flesh must remain dead so the spirit would continually lead. In the spirit every yoke is easy and every burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30)

In the spirit it is God who does the work through us. Everyone must take time to feed his/her faith. Keep reading the word of God. Keep listening to inspired messages. Anything that distresses and makes you doubt must be discarded. Stay fresh in the spirit to be able to endure every challenge that comes your way.

CONFESSION

God’s word is my necessary food. I give no place to the flesh, neither do I allow the cares of this life to weigh me down, for I daily feed on the word acting on it always. My faith is strong and I ‘m always a winner.

FURTHER STUDIES

Mark 4:19 “And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful”.

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Numbers 9:8 “And Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you.”

(Read Numbers 9:1–23)

On the way to the Promised Land Moses encountered a number of interesting moments with the children of Israel. Among these instances was one occasion when some three men came to Moses and said:”…… We are defiled by the dead body of a man: wherefore are we kept back, that we may not offer an offering of the LORD in his appointed season among the children of Israel? Numbers 9:7

According to God’s law anyone who touches a dead body is defiled and must be put out of the rest of the people. Numbers 5:2 ” Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is defiled by the dead:”

To be put out of the camp meant you could not participate in the ordinances that God had instituted. This was the reason these men came to Moses explaining why they could not participate in the Passover ceremony and also to enquire from God what could be done about their case. Moses was not dogmatic or a very difficult leader. He did not throw them out and said, you know what the law says. Rather he said I will enquire of the Lord.

Moses responded to the sincerity of these men and enquired from the Lord what he should do. In our dealings with people we have to look out for how sincere people are, to relate to them. When Moses asked God what he must do?, the Lord said  in Numbers 9:10 ” Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the Passover unto the LORD.”

The law was changed because of these men. God was revealing His graciousness to His children. In our homes and relationships, we have to learn to show mercy, especially when men plead for mercy. Certain couples become so difficult when their spouses have faulted and they plead for mercy. Remember” Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy”. (Matthew 5:7)

NOTE: WITHOUT THE MERCY OF GOD, WOULD YOU HAVE BEEN QUALIFIED TO BE ALIVE?

PRAYER

Father, I pray for all families, relationships and associations that are tearing apart because of offences. May they be merciful to each other, that peace would prevail.

FURTHER STUDIES

Micah 6:8 ” He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD requires of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

Proverbs 16:6 ” By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Exodus 34:29 ” And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.”

(Read Exodus 34 :1–35)

Moses had been in the presence of the Lord forty days without eating or drinking water. This was an absolute fast or a supernatural fast. In our key scripture we see that the skin of his face began to shine although he himself was not aware of the change.

Moses experienced that supernatural transformation because of the long stay in God’s presence. There is always a transformation that we experience when we spend time in God’s presence receiving his word.  Our transformation takes place as our minds are renewed. (Romans 12:2). In 2nd Corinthians 3:18, the Bible says ” But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the LORD”. This statement is amazing and revealing as well. The word glass used here means mirror. The word of God is described as a mirror.  Mirrors reflect the beholder’s image. In the mirror of the word our image is the nature or picture of what the Bible talks about.

From the law of mirrors, which states that ‘the image in the mirror is who the beholder is’. This implies the image we read about in God’s word is what we are. We are not what we physically know about ourselves. From God’s mirror we are  Holy, powerful, glorious, wonderful supernatural beings. . The analogy from the story of Moses exposes that, as we keep looking into this amazing mirror, we would be changed into the same image. This image is what we are in the inside of us.

What we need is discipline to keep beholding our glorious image in the mirror of the word. Moses spent forty days and forty nights and at the end the children of Israel could not behold his face. The Bible teaches the glory of Moses was a passing glory. 2nd Corinthians 3:8-9 calls the glory of Moses as a ministration of death whiles we have a ministration of the Spirit. It is also called the ministration of condemnation and we have the ministration of life. What a glorious impact we would make in our world if we are to give enough attention to the word allowing the glorious power of God to fully saturate us.

CONFESSION

God’s word carries a divine transforming power. As I behold it daily my mind is renewed, and I am changed into the very image I see.

FURTHER STUDIES

Romans 12:2 ” And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

James 1:25 “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Exodus 33:3 ” Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiff-necked people: lest I consume thee in the way.?

Read Exodus 33:1-23

The Lord calls on Moses and tells him to tell the Jews, because of their stubbornness he will not lead them to the promised land, although an angel would lead them. In verse 5 he added “He will come up into their midst and consume them”.

The children of Israel responded with fear and each person. Stopped wearing his or her ornaments. The Lord arranged a meeting with Moses in the Tabernacle of meeting. Moses spoke on behalf of his people and said “Now therefore, I pray thee, if I  have found grace in thy sight, show me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight, and consider that this nation is thy people”. What was the Lord’s answer? In Ex 33: 14 it reads “And he, said my presence shall go with thee and I will give thee rest”.

The Lord had shown His fury and anger against the people but Moses was able to turn the wrath to favor. How was he able to achieve this.? Moses had walked in the ways of the Lord uprightly. He had won the favor of God because of his obedience. Job 22:30 reads “He shall deliver the island of the innocent and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands. Purity always gives favor to any man who walks in it. Hebrews 12:14 says “Follow peace with all men, and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord”.

There are two aspects of Holiness. The first aspect is what we are, because of the presence of the Lord in us. His presence in any place or thing makes that thing Holy. The second aspects of Holiness is one’s response to living uprightly in the light of God’s word, and also acting on the nature of Holiness he or she has acquired because of the presence of the Lord with Him. It was Moses uprightness that endeared him such favor from God, so much that he granted him audience to speak to him mouth to mouth. The truth is that God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation, he that fears him and works righteously is accepted with him (Acts 10:34)

Dear child of God, your uprightness can save multitudes of people. God can stay his judgments and punishments over a people’s sin because of your uprightness and faith in him. Without faith, it is impossible to please him and without holiness you can’t have audience with him. Go for both

PRAYER

Father, I pray for an awareness of holiness in your body. That all Christians act on this holy state to experience a greater power of God in our dealings with people. This I pray in Jesus name.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Job 2:3  ” And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause”.

Psalms 25:21” Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Exodus 32:11 ” And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?”

(Read. Exodus 32:1–35)

The children of Israel broke the law of God by making a golden calf to worship it. The Lord decides to destroy all of them. In Exodus 32:10 he said “Now let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them and I will make of thee a great nation”. The Lord said Moses should permit Him to destroy the whole of the children of Israel. Why did He say so? Why didn’t He just go ahead and destroyed them.

From the creation of man, the rule of the earth was given to man. (Genesis 1:26-28). God can only act, do anything on the earth upon man’s invitation. He is the owner of all things yet He has given the right to rule the earth to man. Genesis 1:26  “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have DOMINION over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth”.

Man was given DOMINION over “all the earth”. This gives a great responsibility to us.

A lot of things that go on around us depends on us, what we do or fail to do. Secondly this is also the reason for prayers. Until men pray God will not intervene. People should not blame God for allowing certain evils to go on, on the earth. The responsibility lies on the children of God to consistently stand in the gap and make intercessions on behalf of the people of the earth. Luke 18:1” And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;” To have the hand of God in your affairs always you need to pray always.

Moses interceded for the children of Israel. Moses was in no way a selfish man. He never sought for a name for himself, although the Lord said, He would wipe all men and raise a new generation after him.

During Moses intercession he brought out arguments why the Lord must not destroy the Israelites. Moses used God’s own words to argue on behalf of the Israelites. In our prayers we must say what God’s word says about the situation.

 In verse 19 when Moses got to the camp his anger burnt so much that he broke the tablets of the law beneath the mountain. He could not control his anger. He prayed God would have mercy yet he could not control his temper. We always need God’s ability to act appropriately always. Moses made sure that the camp of the Israelites was sanctified by destroying all those who had chosen idolatry. Although he interceded for them, he did not compromise with their sin.

 PRAYER

I pray for world evangelism and the salvation of souls. May the Lord break the deception of the devil over the minds of them who believe not the gospel, in the name of our Lord Jesus.

FURTHER STUDIES

Exodus 32:26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD’S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.

Exodus 32:31-32 “And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.

Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin–; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Exodus 24:4 And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.

Read Exodus 24:1-18

In this passage we see Moses show great commitment unto God. The Lord asked him to come along with Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and seventy of the elders who worshipped God from some distance off.  Moses was asked to come alone closer to God. He returned to the people and rehearsed all the words in their ears. He copied all that God said to him, rising up early to build an alter unto the Lord.

In all these we see a man who’s dedicated to God and the assignment God gave him. Our Lord Jesus when he walked on this earth showed that He was extremely dedicated to doing the will of God to the letter. He says in John 4:34 as follows “My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me and to finish it”. The Lord Jesus as early as twelve years revealed to His earthly parents that in Luke 2:49 that “……. How is it that you sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my father’s business? In John 4:34 he meant, that which gives Him pleasure for living is to do that which I was sent to do.

We the children of God have all been sent to fulfil a task. John 17:18 “As thou has sent me into the world even so have, I also sent them into the world”. The Lord is saying that we have been sent just as the father sent Him. We must have the same attitude He had. Before the Lord Jesus was raised up into heaven, he commissioned all his disciples to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations. (Matthew 28:19,20). Many of us are simply at ease in Zion”. Amos 6:1. Dear child of God the Lord believes in you, that is why he has entrusted such a work into your hands. You can’t afford to fail. Arise out of your sleep and be committed to the master’s commission. Apostle Paul says, “woe is me if I preach not the gospel. ‘Woe’ is an exclamation of grief or danger. You got to see how dangerous it is not to do the work of God. In Romans 1:14 Apostle Paul says “I am debtor both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians; both to the wise and to the unwise”. What a great spiritual man.

May this awareness and burden come on all children of God.

 PRAYER

Oh God, Open the eyes of all your children to understand the magnitude of their commission.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Matthew 28:19-20  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Romans 1:16 ” For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”