(ThyBlackMan.com) They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”
Numbers 16:3 ESV
Here in this passage, we witness one of the few times the authority of Moses and Aaron is challenged by the people God commissioned them to lead out of the bondage of Egypt. The challengers were prominent men from the congregation of Israel, chosen by God to be Levites and serve the tent of meeting or Tabernacle. Before proceeding, it’s worth noting that being selected for the Levitical priesthood wasn’t a common or ordinary thing. Due to their service of the things concerning God, God gave them a percentage of all of the produce from the other tribes.
These were chiefs and leaders among the people for whom God was their intended portion, but apparently, God wasn’t enough. In neglecting the privilege of service, they contended with Moses and Aaron, and their charge was, you’re nothing special. In layman’s terms, “You’ve gotten too big for your britches; everyone is on the same level.” Their attempt to reduce the stature of Moses and Aaron reveals the envious desire of their hearts; they wanted a promotion to a similar status or higher. It’s sad when God isn’t enough.
Why weren’t they satisfied with all that God was willing to give? Why couldn’t they be happy with their privileged position? These are questions for another post. What I intend to show forth is how Moses and Aaron served sparked jealousy in their hearts. Perhaps the way God interacted with them set them to envy. Or, maybe, it was their drive for obedience in following God’s instructions to the letter without deviation or apathy. Possibly it was the miracles performed at their hands or on their behalf that drove them to covetousness. Whatever it was, they were willing to go beyond what everyone else was doing to the degree that they charged them “going too far.”
Can this be said of you, dear Christian? I’m amazed at how careful Christianity has become, especially in light of its revolutionary founding and the men and women throughout history that pushed boundaries and created schisms because of their faithfulness. How has it become a religion of circumspection and cautiousness? Are we too afraid to obey God despite the cost? Are we too preoccupied with our self-image to appear rebellious to the status quo? Are you at ease in Zion? Have you no burden to see God as forefathers saw Him, to experience His power as they did? I fear our charge isn’t we’ve gone too far, but instead, we haven’t gone far enough.
Let me be clear, I do not advocate for bizarre demonstrations or outlandish antics, nor do I mean to dismiss or ignore the contributions of saints in modern Christendom. I espouse that obedience to God sometimes causes more issues than intended. As a result, “going all in” with God invites scrutiny and cynicism instead of lauding the courage and faith required to follow Him. So instead of fidelity, there’s fear; instead of temerity, there’s timidity, and at the cost of being overly concerned, God loses an example and an opportunity to display His grace. We all won’t win, as far as acceptance is concerned. However, we certainly won’t regret following God wherever it leads, even if some condemn it too far; obedience is worth the risk.
Staff Writer; C. E. Davis
This man of God can also be found online over at; InfiniteTruth Devotion.
One may also drop an email: CEDavis@ThyBlackMan.com.