People all too often worry about or seek to keep from failing. This is especially true of students facing an exam or finishing a course in good fashion, or politicians seeking success, or events in the sports world. Interestingly one of the great coaches of all time, John Wooden, said, “Failure isn’t fatal, but failure to change might be.”

It is not surprising, then, that the scriptures often contain texts that speak of failing in some fashion, whether in word or event. Our study centers on the psalmists who use some form of the word “fail”. The earliest of these is found in the sixth Psalm, which is the first of several penitential psalms in the early church.¹ Here the psalmist David cries out in his deep despair:

I am worn out from groaning
all night long I flood my bed with weeping
and drench my couch with tears.

My eyes grow weak with sorrow;
they fail because of all my foes. (Ps. 6:6-7)²

Nevertheless he could also say:

Away from me, all you who do evil
for the LORD has heard my weeping. (v.8)

As Van Gemeren remarks, “The transition from lament to a note of victory is not unknown in the Psalter … and is an example of the prophetic element in the Psalms of individual lament.”³ David’s experience is a good example for all of us to follow. When all seems to yield despair or we are in a test condition, we should remember that the Lord knows our situation and is available to help. As a hymn writer expresses it,

Help me then in every tribulation
So to trust your promises O Lord,
That I lose not faith’s sweet consolation
Offered me within your holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E’er to take as from a Father’s hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
Till I reach the promised land.⁴

In another psalm, attributed to David, the psalmist laments the fact that he is in many deep troubles from his enemies and therefore cries out:

I am worn out calling for help;
my throat is parched.

My eyes fail,
looking for my God. (Ps. 69:3)

He seeks God’s forgiveness, while assuring the Lord that he himself is dependent upon God’s love, mercy and compassion, whatever the situation (cf. vv. 6, 13-16).

In another psalm (attributed to Asaph), the psalmist points out that despite some former problems, he is aware that he is always in the Lord’s care (Ps. 73:23). Therefore, he can rest in full dependence on the Lord’s guidance (vv. 24-25). So it is that he can gladly depend on God as his guide and sustainer and so that with assurance he can declare that whatever may occur in his life, ultimately God is in control:

My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever (v. 26)

The longest psalm (Psalm 119) contains two verses that speak of failure. In the first the psalmist longs for God’s help and deliverance. So great is his difficulty that he says, “My eyes fail looking for your promise” (cf. vv. 81-82). Yet he counts on God’s intervention and so pleads for God’s sustenance and vows that he himself “will obey the statutes of your mouth” (v. 8). In a second verse he declares his fidelity to God’s righteous standards. Nevertheless, he feels somewhat abandoned. Therefore, he makes a plea to the Lord (vv. 121-122) and laments his situation by saying, “My eyes fail, looking for your salvation, looking for your righteous promise” (v. 123). All of us at times feel burdened by what is happening in our life. When this happens we must remind ourselves that God is in control and whatever happens will not only be in keeping with his purposes, but is in our best interest.

In a psalm attributed to Asaph, the psalmist records God’s faithful promise:

I will also appoint him my firstborn,
the most exalted of the kings of the earth.

I will maintain my love to him forever,
and my covenant with him will never fail (Ps. 89:27-28).⁵

Indeed, the Davidic covenant has far reaching promises that become encased not only for just David’s descendants. For in Christ believers have found an abundant and wonderful new life.⁶

As John W. Peterson expresses it:

New life in Christ, abundant and free!
What glories shine, what joys are mine,
What wondrous blessings I see!⁷

© Copyright 2018.

¹ For details see Williem A. Van Gemeren, “Psalms” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, eds. Tremper Longman III and David E. Garland, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008), 5, 123.

² All scripture references are from the NIV.

³ Van Gemeren, Psalms, 127.

⁴ Lina Sandellberg, Day By Day.

⁵ Psalm 89:27-28 stands in vivid contrast to verses. 30-32, which worn against failing to keep God’s decrees and standards.  Even so, this psalm goes on to point out that God’s love never fails, even when people fail to obey him.

⁶ See also Psalm 92:12-15, that ends “on a high note of praise to God, which also points to the secret of successful living into old age.  This comes though living in the conscious presence of the One who is the God of love, faithfulness, and integrity and who provides a rock solid foundation for righteous living.  When this is done, dedicated older believers can look back on their lives of commitment and service to the Lord, while continuing  to enjoy a useful life in God’s presence.”  (Richard D. Patterson, “Psalm 92: 12-15: The Flourishing of the Righteous” in Bibliotheca Sacra, Vol. 166, 2009, #663, 288.)

⁷ John W. Peterson, “New Life!”

Life of Moses (20)

July 8, 2018

I’ve never met the Queen of England (and probably never will), but I understand that before you meet the Queen, you need to learn some rules of proper etiquette of what to do or not do and say in her presence. The basic rule is not to be chummy and overly familiar. Respect and proper formality are essential. Even Prince Charles bows to his mother and calls her “ma’am.” (sandradodd. com/ideas/etiquette1) In America, we don’t have royalty, so we’re probably a bit too chummy on how we might greet our leaders.

But the far more important question is, how do you enter God’s holy presence? Is He your Good Buddy in the sky? Can you just barge into His presence and ask whatever favors you need? Or, is there a right and wrong way to enter the presence of the King of kings? The truth is, one day we all will stand in God’s glorious presence, either for commendation (“Well done”) or for condemnation (“Depart from Me”). The difference will be determined by whether in this life you have come into His holy presence through the way that He has provided.

The Old Testament tabernacle was designed to teach Israel how to enter the presence of the Holy One. It’s been pointed out that the Bible has only two chapters to how God created the universe, but it devotes 50 chapters to the tabernacle (Stephen Olford, The Tabernacle: Camping with God [Loizeaux Brothers], p. 22). In fact, more space is devoted to the tabernacle than to any other single subject in Scripture (A. W. Pink, Gleanings in Exodus [Moody Press], p. 180)! But I’m guessing that if you’re honest, you’d have to admit that when you read the Bible, you either skip or skim the chapters that describe this structure that Israel built and carried through their wilderness journeys. If you’re really honest, you might even admit that you sort of dread coming to these chapters!

The late M. R. DeHaan said (cited by Olford, p. 15), “There is no portion of Scripture richer in meaning, or more perfect in its teaching of the plan of redemption, than this divinely designed building.” A. B. Simpson wrote (Christ in the Tabernacle [Christian Publications], pp. 5-6),

The Tabernacle is the grandest of all the Old Testament types of Christ…. In its wonderful furniture, priesthood, and worship, we see, with a vividness that we find nowhere else, the glory and grace of Jesus, and the privileges of His redeemed people.

Since books have been written on the tabernacle, I can only skim the surface in this message. But in studying the life of Moses, I thought that I should give an overview of this central feature of Israel’s worship that God directed Moses to construct. Applied to us, the message is:

To enter God’s holy presence you must come through the only way that He has provided.

If you try to approach God in any other way, the consequences could be severe. Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s two sons who were priests, got creative and offered “strange fire,” which God had not commanded. Immediately (Lev. 10:2), “Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.” You may think, “But that was the Old Testament!” But, if you try to come into God’s holy presence by your own way rather than God’s way, one day you will be eternally shut out of God’s presence (Matt. 25:10-12). So it’s important to get this right!

1. God’s way into His presence was through the tabernacle, which pictures Jesus Christ.

In Exodus 25:8-9, God commanded Moses, “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I am going to show you, as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture, just so you shall construct it.” Thus, by God’s command, the tabernacle was to be His dwelling place among Israel. When you get to the New Testament, you read (John 1:14), “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” The word “dwelt” is literally, “tabernacled.” Just as God’s glory was revealed in the Old Testament tabernacle, so He revealed His glory in our tabernacle, the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter, James, and John saw that glory revealed on the mountain when Jesus was transfigured before them, with Moses and Elijah present (Matt. 17:1-13).

The glory of God’s love, holiness, justice, and grace was also displayed supremely at the cross. Jesus, the perfect and final high priest, through offering Himself as the Lamb of God, opened the way into God’s presence for all who come through Him! When He died, the veil in the temple separating the holy place from the holy of holies was torn from top to bottom (Matt. 27:51) The Old Testament tabernacle pictured Jesus and His sacrificial death as the only way we can enter God’s holy presence. In fact, this is where God is taking all of history. In Revelation 21:1-3, John wrote,

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them.”

Because the tabernacle is such an amazingly accurate type of the Lord Jesus Christ, written about 1,400 years before He was born, it serves as strong evidence for the divine inspiration of Scripture and proof that Jesus is God’s Messiah. It could not be coincidental that Jesus fulfilled so many aspects of the tabernacle, some of which I’ll mention as we walk through it!

A. God ordained every detail of the tabernacle.

In Exodus 39 & 40, which describe the construction of the priestly garments and the tabernacle, the phrase, “just as the Lord had commanded Moses,” occurs 17 times (Exod. 39:1, 5, 7, 21, 26, 29, 31, 42, 43; Exod. 40:16, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 32; cf. 25:8-9)! Seven times in the Bible we are told that Moses made the tabernacle after the pattern that was shown to him on the mountain (Exod. 25:9, 40; 26:30; 27:8; Num. 8:4; Acts 7:44; Heb. 8:5). Again, this shows the detailed inspiration of Scripture! The tabernacle wasn’t Moses’ brilliant idea. It came directly from God to Moses to Israel and us as a portrait of the Savior who would provide the way for all people to enter His holy presence.

B. A guided tour: the tabernacle is set up.

The tabernacle, called “the tent of meeting,” was first set up one year to the day from when Israel came out of Egypt (Exod. 40:2). For the next 39 years, it would be set up and taken down every time that Israel moved to a new place in the desert (at least 31 different camps after Mount Sinai, Num. 33:5-49!). If you’ve ever camped with your family, you know how time-consuming it is to set up and then take down everything in your camp. This would have been far more complicated! The tabernacle measured 45 feet long by 15 feet wide and was covered by three layers of animal skins. Here’s a brief sketch of it, based on Exodus 40:

1) The ark of the testimony and the veil:

The ark (Exod. 40:3, 20, 21), placed in the holy of holies, was made of wood overlaid with gold, representing Christ’s humanity and deity. It measured about 4x2x2 feet, with golden rings for carrying. It contained the Ten Commandments, a jar of manna, and (later, Num. 17:1-10) Aaron’s rod that budded. The Ten Commandments represented God’s holy law for His people. Jesus kept God’s law perfectly. His atoning blood on the mercy seat stands between us and God’s holy presence. The jar of manna reminded Israel of God’s daily sustenance of them in the wilderness, just as Christ sustains us daily. Aaron’s rod that budded pictured Jesus as God’s chosen high priest, who alone possesses life in Himself.

The pure gold mercy seat on top of the ark was where the high priest sprinkled the blood once a year to atone for Israel’s sins. Two cherubim hovered over the ark with their faces toward the mercy seat and their wings touching above. The holy of holies where the tabernacle was housed, was a perfect cube, as the new Jerusalem will be. The only light came from the Shekinah glory, also true in the new Jerusalem (Rev. 21:23).

The blue, purple, and scarlet veil (Exod. 26:31-32; 40:21), made of woven linen with cherubim on it, separated the holy of holies from the holy place. Tradition says that it was a handbreadth thick. It was miraculous when the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom when Jesus died! Only the high priest, only once a year, could go beyond the veil to make atonement for the people.

2) The table of showbread:

Moving into the holy place, the table of showbread on the north side (Exod. 25:23-30; 37:10-16; 40:22-23) was about 3 feet long, 18 inches wide, and 27 inches high. It was made of acacia wood covered with gold, with gold rings attached for carrying it. On top of the table the priests placed twelve loaves of bread, one for each tribe, and replaced them with fresh loaves each week. There were also vessels for the drink offerings of wine.

The table itself, as with the ark, made of wood covered with gold, pictures Jesus in His perfect humanity and undiminished deity. The bread was called “the bread of the presence” (Exod. 25:30). Along with the wine, the bread pictured Jesus as the Bread of Life, whose flesh is true food and whose blood is true drink (John 6:55). He is Immanuel (Matt. 1:23), God present with us. He provides spiritual food and sustenance to all who feed on Him.

3) The golden lampstand:

The lampstand was made of one talent (about 75 pounds) of pure gold and put in the holy place on the south side, opposite the table of showbread (Exod. 25:31-40; 37:17-24; 40:24). It consisted of one stem or branch in the center, with three branches coming out on each side. The pure gold pictures Jesus in His deity as the one who reveals the Father to us (John 14:9). The seven lamps picture Jesus as the perfect revelation of the Father to us. The lampstand was the only source of light in the holy place. Jesus is our only source for true wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3; Prov. 21:30). The lamps burned pure olive oil, a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Jesus did everything in His earthly ministry in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:1). In the same way, the Holy Spirit reveals the wisdom of God in Christ to us (1 Cor. 2:6-13).

Jesus proclaimed of Himself (John 8:12), “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” No one but God in human flesh could legitimately make such a claim! Of the new Jerusalem, we read (Rev. 21:23), “And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb.”

4) The altar of incense:

The altar of incense (Exod. 30:1-10; 37:25-28; 40:26-27) was three feet long, 18 inches wide, and 24 inches high, with gold rings to carry it by. It was made of acacia wood covered with pure gold, again picturing Christ in His humanity and deity. It was placed just outside of the veil that separated the holy of holies from the holy place. Every morning when Aaron trimmed the lamps he was to offer fragrant incense on this altar (Exod. 30:7). Once a year he sprinkled it with the blood of the sin offering.

This altar and the burning incense pictured Jesus Christ as our high priest, who now is at the Father’s right hand, praying for us (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25). And, since we are now believer-priests, the incense also represents the prayers of the saints (Rev. 5:8; 8:3, 4).

5) The altar of burnt offering:

Moving out of the holy place and into the courtyard, the altar of burnt offering (Exod. 27:1-8; 38:1-7; 40:29) was the first item that a priest or worshiper would encounter after entering the compound. It was wood covered with bronze, a symbol of judgment, and was seven feet square and four and a half feet high, with horns on the four corners and rings for carrying. It taught Israel that the only way into God’s holy presence was through the proper sacrifices (described in Leviticus 1-7, 16; Numbers 19). God ordained blood sacrifices because the life of the flesh is in the blood (Lev. 17:11) and the penalty for our sin is death. God accepted these substitute sacrifices in place of the guilty sinner. But all of the Old Testament sacrifices pointed ahead to Jesus, God’s perfect and final sacrifice for our sins (Heb. 9:11-14; 10:1-18). Now there is no further need for animal sacrifices.

6) The laver:

Between the altar of burnt offering and the entrance to the holy place was the laver, or basin for washing (Exod. 30:17-21; 38:8; 40:30-32). It also was made of bronze, made from the mirrors of the women who served at the doorway of the tabernacle. The priests had to wash their hands and feet at this laver before they entered the holy place and when they approached the altar to offer burnt offerings. It pictured Jesus as the one who cleanses us from all defilement and sin through the water of the Word and His Spirit (John 3:5; 13:1-18; Eph. 5:26; Ezek. 36:25; Zech. 13:1). Through faith in Jesus we can have our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water (Heb. 10:22).

7) The court:

The court (Exod. 27:9-18; 38:9-20; 40:33) was formed by linen curtains, hung between pillars. It measured about 150 feet long by 75 feet wide. The court separated God’s presence from the rest of the camp. But there was an entrance, showing that we may enter His presence through proper sacrifice, who is Jesus Christ.

The tabernacle was located at the center of Israel’s camp, but it was entered from the camp of Judah, suggesting that Jesus would be born of the tribe of Judah (David’s tribe). Its centrality showed that Jesus should always be at the center of His people.

C. The dedication: the tabernacle is consecrated.

After the tabernacle was completed, God told Moses to anoint the tabernacle and all that was in it with the anointing oil (Exod. 40:9-11). This symbolized the Father’s anointing Jesus with the Holy Spirit at His baptism. In the same way, every believer in Christ receives the Holy Spirit, who sets him or her apart unto God (Rom. 8:9).

Thus, God’s way into His presence was through the tabernacle, which pictures Jesus Christ, the true tabernacle. But, also,

2. God’s way into His presence was through the consecrated priests, now fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

All Israelites could enter the courtyard of the tabernacle to bring sacrifices to the altar, but that’s as far as they could go. There were no guided tours to show people what the inside of the tabernacle looked like! Only the priests could go inside the holy place and only the high priest could enter the holy of holies once a year on the Day of Atonement. He could only enter after offering a sacrifice for his own sins and then taking the atoning blood there for the sins of the people.

But when Jesus died, the way into God’s presence was opened through His death. Now every believer in Christ is a priest with access, not only to the holy place, but even into the holy of holies, into God’s holy presence (Heb. 4:14-16; Eph. 2:18; 1 Pet. 2:9)! But just as the Old Testament priests had to be anointed and cleansed before they entered the tabernacle (Exod. 40:12-15, 31-32), so we can only enter God’s holy presence when we are yielded to the Holy Spirit and cleansed by confessing all of our sins (1 John 1:9).

3. God’s glory through the cloud, now fulfilled in the Holy Spirit, showed His approval of the tabernacle.

After the tabernacle was set up for the first time, the cloud covered it and God’s glory filled it to such an unusual extent that Moses was not able to go in (Exod. 40:34-35). The people could see that the tabernacle was not due to the genius of Moses. He had only carried out God’s specific design. All he could do on this occasion was to fall down with all the people and worship the God of glory who was pleased to dwell with His people in this tabernacle.

The cloud that settled on the tabernacle from here on during Israel’s time in the wilderness provided at least three things. First, the cloud was a visible reminder of God’s presence with His people. The Israelites could see it during the day and at night it became a pillar of fire. It showed Israel God’s transcendence: He is far greater than we are and separated from His creation by His holiness. And it showed God’s immanence: He is gracious to dwell with His chosen people. When the risen Lord Jesus returned to the Father, He promised not to leave us as orphans, but to send His Spirit to dwell in us (John 14:16-17), which was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost.

Second, the cloud represented God’s protection over Israel. The cloud shielded them from the desert heat during the day. As a fire, it illumined and warmed them at night (Ps. 105:39). When Pharaoh’s army was pursuing Israel on the shores of the Red Sea, the cloud moved behind them to provide a barrier of darkness for the Egyptians, but a source of light for Israel (Exod. 14:19-20). The Holy Spirit’s presence with us assures us that no one can harm us apart from His sovereign will (John 16:1-7; Luke 21:12-19).

Third, the cloud provided God’s guidance of Israel through the wilderness. When the cloud moved, Israel moved. When it stayed still, Israel stayed still. At first, you might think, “I wish God’s guidance was so clear for me!” But, as James Boice humorously pointed out (The Life of Moses [P & R Publishing], pp. 216-217, crediting Donald Grey Barnhouse), the cloud’s guidance could have been a real pain. You just got your tent set up and your stuff unpacked and the cloud started moving! So, you packed up everything and followed. You stopped for dinner and wanted to bed down for the night, but that cloud, now a pillar of fire, kept going! So the next time you said, “Let’s not unpack this time. We’ll wait till it moves.” But this time it didn’t move for weeks! So you finally unpacked and set up your tent, only to see the cloud moving! God didn’t give them any warning: they just had to follow that often frustrating cloud!

God doesn’t guide us through the cloud, but through His Holy Spirit. He dwells in us to guide us into all His truth through His Word, which reveals God’s will for how we should live (John 16:13; Rom. 8:15-17; 1 Cor. 2:6-13). But, we have to follow Him when He leads, even if it isn’t convenient! We have to obey His commands, even when they may not be what we wanted to hear!

Conclusion

You may not even want to come into God’s holy presence, but as I said at the beginning of this message, someday you will be there! It’s far better to come now through the only way He has provided: by trusting in the death and resurrection of Jesus on your behalf. He is God’s tabernacle who dwelled among us. He invites you to enter God’s holy presence through His blood.

As believers in Christ, since Jesus is both our tabernacle where we meet God and our high priest, we have the great privilege of daily drawing near to God through Him (Heb. 4:14-16):

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Application Questions

1. Action point: If you don’t own a good study Bible (ESV, MacArthur, etc.), buy one and use it as you read the portions describing the tabernacle and Old Testament sacrifices.
2. Where is the balance between being God’s friend and yet maintaining the proper reverence?
3. How would living daily in conscious awareness of God’s holy presence change your present lifestyle and habits?
4. How can a believer know God’s guidance? Are subjective feelings ever valid? How so, or how not so?

Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2018, All Rights Reserved.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition © The Lockman Foundation

Answer

Dear Friend,

Let first clarify the question you’ve raised, and express it in my own words: “Jesus could justify His working on the Sabbath (for which He charged nothing), but does this justify men working for pay on the Sabbath today?

First of all, I would not use the example of our Lord Jesus healing on the Sabbath as my primary text on the Sabbath. It does show why He could “violate” the Sabbath in Jewish minds, and not be guilty, but I would not use that as my main reason for justifying worshipping on the first day of the week, or for not keeping the 7th day as the day for worship.

The first text I would turn to is Isaiah 58, especially verses 13 and 14 to demonstrate the fact that God wanted His people to set aside a time to worship and focus on Him. I have dealt more extensively with this matter in this sermon:

https://bible.org/article/christmas-message-unexpected-text-fasting-and-incarnation-isaiah-58-61-matthew-2-philippians

So, I believe we should set aside a time, a day, when we put aside our normal daily activities and focus on worshiping God. The question which follows must be this: Is Saturday, the seventh day of the week, the day which God now requires Christians to observe as that day for worship? Too many New Testament texts tell us otherwise.

We know that the early church met on “the first day of the week” (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2). I believe this was to celebrate the day of our Lord’s resurrection (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2, 9; etc.).

Further, the New Testament clearly indicates that a particular day (e.g. the seventh day) is not required. This day of rest and worship could well be some other day of the week. There should be “a” day (Isaiah 58:13-14), but not necessarily Saturday (Romans 14:1-13, especially verses 5-6). But listen to what Paul writes in Colossians chapter two:

13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him. 16 Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day-- 17 things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ (Colossians 2:13-17, NAU; emphasis mine).

Finally, I am quite concerned that this matter (which day you choose to worship God), which Paul calls a matter of Christian liberty, should become the litmus test for whether or not a church is legitimate. To begin with, there are a good number of Seventh Day Adventists who would not make this a fundamental issue. But more importantly, God does not make it a primary concern, but rather a matter of freedom.

The real test of a biblical, legitimate, church is whether or not it preaches a pure gospel (see how important this is to Paul in Galatians, especially chapter 1, verses 6-10). Is Jesus Christ God’s only provision for sinful men to find forgiveness of their sins and the assurance of eternal life? Are we saved by faith alone in His work, or by faith plus our works? This is the issue to which Paul devotes the entire Book of Galatians. This is what really separates the “sheep” from the “goats” church-wise.

Bob Deffinbaugh

Life of Moses (22)

July 22, 2018

Stephen Neill (source unknown) said, “Criticism is the manure in which God’s servants grow best.” But the truth is, many of God’s servants don’t like the smell of manure and get out of it fairly quickly. Almost thirty years ago, a survey showed that 20 percent of any given seminary graduating class will quit the ministry and find some other career within five years of entering the ministry. The number one reason these pastors bailed out was not low pay, moral problems, or health issues. The number one reason they left the ministry was the pressure of criticism (Ron Lee Davis, Mentoring [Thomas Nelson], p. 157).

In Numbers 11:4, the attacks against Moses came from “the rabble,” but now Moses’ sister and brother, Miriam and Aaron, speak out against him. Commentators agree that because Miriam’s name is placed before Aaron’s name and the verb in verse 1 is feminine singular, she was the instigator of this charge against their younger brother. As we saw in the incident of the golden calf, Aaron seems to have been more of a follower than a leader. So when Miriam brought up her criticism against Moses, Aaron lamely went along. But when the Lord confronted them and struck Miriam with a skin disease, Aaron was quick to repent.

The pretext for their criticism was Moses’ marriage to a Cushite woman, but the real reason was jealousy about Moses’ superior leadership position over Israel. Miriam the prophetess and Aaron the high priest wanted equal billing with Moses. Perhaps Miriam felt threatened by Moses’ new wife in her role as the leader of Israel’s women (Eugene Merrill, The Bible Knowledge Commentary [Victor Books], ed. by John Walvoord and Roy Zuck, 1:228).

This is the only time the Bible mentions this wife. There are different views on who she was. Some think that she is the same as Zipporah, whom Moses married while he was a fugitive in Midian (Exod. 2:15-22; Habakkuk 3:7 equates the Cushites with the Midianites). But Moses had been married to Zipporah for a long time, whereas Numbers 12:1 seems to refer to a recent marriage.

Usually Cush in the Bible refers to dark-skinned people who lived in the southern Nile valley. So probably Zipporah had died and Moses married this unnamed woman who had been among the non-Israelites who came out of Egypt with Israel. Whether because she was not an Israelite or perhaps because of her dark skin, Miriam was unhappy with Moses for marrying this woman. She complained to Aaron, who sided with her. We do not know how widely they may have spread their criticism. But we do know (Num. 12:2), “The Lord heard it.” He always does! That statement is in the text to show that God was about to take up the cause of His chosen servant (Ronald Allen, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary [Zondervan], ed. by Frank Gaebelein, 2:798).

So this is a story about challenging God’s appointed spiritual leaders. The main lesson is:

While there are times when it is right to challenge spiritual leaders, we should never challenge the Lord Jesus Christ.

I think that as Americans, we do not have a biblical perspective on the subject of authority. We think that questioning or defying authority and rallying others to our cause is our constitutional right. An early United States Revolutionary flag pictures a coiled rattlesnake with the motto, “Don’t tread on me.” We resist the concept of authority. We don’t like submitting to anyone.

In a previous message on this subject (“Understanding Biblical Authority,” 5/6/2007, p. 1), I said:

When it comes to the church, most American evangelicals do not view it as a place where you submit to the leadership for the purpose of growth and accountability, but rather as a store where you shop as a consumer. If you like the place and it services your needs, you come back. If another place down the road offers a more pleasant experience, you move your business there. Thus pastors who are trying to market their churches don’t dare say anything that might offend or upset the customers. The customer is king. You want to please your customers. With this consumer view about the church, the idea of spiritual authority, of proclaiming, “Thus says the Lord,” seems odd and out of place.

So to understand and apply this narrative about Miriam and Aaron challenging Moses’ leadership, we need to consider a few basics about the subject of biblical spiritual authority.

1. God gives authority to spiritual leaders for the church’s blessing and protection.

Whether in the government, the church, or the home, God never grants authority for the power or benefit of those in authority. If a leader uses authority to dominate those under his authority for his own benefit, he is misusing that authority and God will hold him accountable. We need to understand one thing about Moses’ leadership role in Israel and then three things about leadership in the New Testament church:

A. Moses was the sole spiritual leader over Israel and their mediator to God.

Israel was not a democracy and Moses was not the leader who won the election! God chose Moses and appointed him to confront Pharaoh and to lead Israel out of bondage in Egypt. God spoke with “Moses face to face, just as a man speaks with his friend” (Exod. 33:11; Num. 12:8). Numbers 12 was written to vindicate Moses’ divinely given leadership over Israel (John Sailhamer, The Pentateuch as Narrative [Zondervan], p. 386).

In this role, Moses was not a model for the senior pastor or the leader of a Christian ministry. Rather, he was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ, the prophet to come after Moses (Deut. 18:15; Acts 7:37). He was Israel’s sole, God-appointed leader who brought God’s word to Israel and Israel’s needs to God. The New Testament parallel is that Christ is the sole head of His church. No one is free to usurp that role. How then is the church governed?

B. A plurality of spiritually mature elders are to govern the church under the headship of Jesus Christ.

Whenever the New Testament refers to the elders of a particular local church, it always uses the plural. For example, Acts 14:23 reports concerning the churches that Paul and Barnabas had planted, “When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” Later (Acts 20:17), Luke writes, “From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church.” Paul wrote to Titus (1:5), “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you.” Since there was just one church per city, there were multiple elders in each church.

A plurality of elders over a single local church is God’s way of protecting the church against the abuses of authority that may easily happen if a single man runs the church. The elders must submit to the Lord and be accountable to one another and to the church. There is only one New Testament example of a one-man leader over a local church and it isn’t pretty. The apostle John wrote (3 John 9-10):

I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church.

C. The main job for elders is to shepherd and oversee God’s flock, not to lord it over them.

Paul told the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:28), “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.” They were to do this through building up the church through God’s word, exhorting in sound doctrine and refuting those who contradict (Acts 20:32; Titus 1:9).

In a similar way, Peter wrote (1 Pet. 5:1-3): “Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.”

Two times in the Lord’s rebuke of Miriam and Aaron (Num. 12:7, 8), He referred to Moses as “My servant.” Moses saw himself that way (Num. 11:11). He wasn’t trying to build an empire for himself. He wasn’t a politician, seeking to please the people so that he could retain his position of power. He was serving the Lord and trying to be obedient to the Lord’s purpose for His people. In the same way, church leaders should see themselves primarily as the Lord’s servants or stewards, accountable to Him (1 Cor. 4:1-1-5).

So the elders are not to run the church as they see fit. Rather, they are to submit every action and decision to the headship of Jesus Christ, seeking faithfully to apply God’s Word. As Ray Stedman said (Discovery Paper 3500, “A Pastor’s Authority”), “The task of the elders is not to run the church themselves, but to determine how the Lord in their midst wishes to run his church.”

D. The church is commanded to respect, honor, obey, and submit to spiritual leaders.

I’m guessing that that statement, especially the words “submit to and obey,” frightens some of you. It conjures up images of Jim Jones, who led his submissive followers to die en masse rather than to challenge his leadership. While not that extreme, some of you may have had bad experiences with authoritarian pastors who lorded it over the church and used the people in the church for their own evil advantage. So I want to cite some Scriptures so that you see that this is God’s Word, not my word:

1 Thessalonians 5:12: “But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work.” You may think, “Okay, I can appreciate and esteem the elders, but that doesn’t say, ‘Submit to and obey.’” But it does say that these church leaders “have charge over you in the Lord.” The implication is that you should submit to their teaching from God’s Word.

1 Timothy 4:11-12: “Prescribe and teach these things. Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.” “Prescribe” translates a Greek word that referred to the transmitted orders of a military commander (G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament [Charles Scribner’s Sons], p. 156). Rather than allowing those in the church to disregard Timothy because he was relatively young (he was probably in his mid to late thirties), he was to “prescribe and teach” God’s authoritative commandments, backed up by his godly example.

1 Timothy 5:17: “The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.” In the context (see v. 18), “double honor” refers both to respect and adequate financial support. Often there is a connection between respect and pay: if the church doesn’t pay a man a decent salary, they won’t respect him. But “double honor” also includes respect.

Titus 2:15: “These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.” Titus was to speak with all authority to help establish the churches on the island of Crete.

Hebrews 13:17: “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.” This verse directly says, “obey and submit to.”

I realize that this point runs counter to the American way of thinking, but it is God’s inspired, authoritative word to His church. “But,” you may be thinking, “what if a leader is wrong? Am I just supposed to obediently submit to him?”

2. There are times when it is right to challenge spiritual leaders.

While Miriam and Aaron clearly were wrong to challenge Moses’ leadership …

A. To apply this passage to say that it is always wrong to challenge a spiritual leader would be wrong.

I have heard authoritarian pastors apply this text or David’s words about not touching the Lord’s anointed (1 Sam. 16:6; 24:6, 10; 26:9, 11, 16, 23; 2 Sam. 1:14, 16) to mean that pastors should be exempt from any criticism, correction, or challenge to their word. But that is to misapply God’s Word. Human leaders are fallible and subject to correction. If you think that a leader is wrong on an important matter or in sin, he may need correction. But the New Testament gives a proper way to challenge an elder whom you think is wrong. I’ll give you a hint: It is not to go to others in the church and criticize the elder behind his back!

If you think that a church leader is wrong on an important doctrinal issue, or if he wronged you in some way, or if he’s guilty of sin that would bring reproach on the name of Christ, the first step after prayer is to meet privately with the leader to talk about the matter. Perhaps you misunderstood what he said or did. So don’t come at him with angry accusations, but rather go humbly and ask questions to try to understand the situation more clearly.

If you do not get a satisfactory answer, then you should go with one or two others to seek the truth (Matt. 18:15-16). In line with this, Paul wrote (1 Tim. 5:19), “Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses. Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning.”

So it is not wrong to challenge or confront a leader whom you believe to be in the wrong. But it is wrong to gossip about that leader or to stir up opposition in the church to him. Also,

B. Before you challenge a spiritual leader, check your heart for the right motives.

It’s obvious in our text that Miriam and Aaron were jealous of Moses’ position as the main leader of Israel. They felt like they deserved a place alongside him. Their criticism of his marriage was just a pretext. The real issue was rivalry and the desire for personal power and recognition.

Before you criticize or challenge a spiritual leader, honestly examine your real motives. Make sure that you are not resisting the Word of God that the leader is proclaiming. Your motive should be God’s glory through the well-being of the church and the well-being of the spiritual leader. But, how should a leader respond when someone challenges or criticizes him?

3. When a leader is challenged or criticized, the proper response is always biblical humility.

Being criticized by his older sister and brother must have been especially painful for Moses. Verse 3 is put in the text to explain his reaction to their attack: “(Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.)” Some say that Moses could not have written that about himself or he wouldn’t be humble! Some argue that the Hebrew word translated “humble” should be translated “miserable.” In light of the attacks against Moses in chapters 11 & 12, he was more miserable than anyone on earth (Expositor’s Bible Commentary, pp. 798-799).

But I think that Moses wrote verse 3 to explain why he didn’t lash out in vindictive anger or self-defense against Miriam and Aaron. There are two main components of biblical humility: First, a humble person realizes that everything he has comes from the Lord by His grace (not by merit) and that he is first and foremost the Lord’s servant (1 Cor. 4:1, 7; Num. 12:7, 8). Moses met that qualification. Second, a humble person is consciously dependent on the Lord, not on his own ingenuity or strength (2 Cor. 1:8-9; 3:5).

Sometimes humility means not defending yourself and letting the Lord defend you. Matthew Henry (Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible [Revell], 1:614) pointed out that when God’s honor was attacked, as with the golden calf, Moses was bold as a lion; but when his own honor was attacked, he was as mild as a lamb.

But there are times when a leader’s integrity is challenged, so that to be silent would undermine the Word that he preaches. Then he should defend himself. Paul’s letters to the Galatians and Second Corinthians are defenses both of Paul’s integrity and the message he preached. Jesus defended Himself at times (John 5, 8; 18:36-37). Sometimes those who challenge a leader want to discredit him so that they don’t have to obey the Word of God that he is preaching. Such persons need to be refuted (Titus 1:9-11).

4. We should never challenge the Lord Jesus Christ.

Since Moses was a type of Christ, the proper application of this text is that to challenge Jesus Christ as the sole authority over His church would be a serious sin that would incur God’s discipline. He is the head of His church. His will is revealed in Scripture, which we must obey. He is Lord; we are not Lord!

Why did God discipline Miriam but not Aaron? Probably because she was the instigator of the attack on Moses. Aaron was immediately repentant, perhaps because he didn’t want what happened to Miriam to happen to him! Her “leprosy” was not like modern leprosy, known as Hansen’s disease. Rather, it was some type of skin infection that either turned the skin white like snow or flaky like snow. It caused ceremonial defilement and required that the person be quarantined outside the camp for a period of time (Lev. 13:4; Num. 5:2-4). James Boice (The Life of Moses [P&R Publishers], p. 303) suggests that if Miriam was bothered by Moses’ marrying a dark-skinned woman, God may have been saying, “You don’t like dark skin? I’ll give you white skin!” God hates racism!

Although God healed Miriam in response to Moses’ prayer, she had to remain outside the camp and bear her shame for seven days. This also served to teach all of Israel not to challenge God’s servant Moses.

God said of Moses (Num. 12:7), “He is faithful in all My household.” Hebrews 3:1-6 cites this verse and applies it to Jesus as one greater than Moses (Heb. 3:3): “For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house.” God spoke with Moses “mouth to mouth” and “openly” (Num. 12:8), so that Moses could speak God’s word to Israel. But Jesus, the prophet greater than Moses (Deut. 18:15-18), was eternally with God and was God. He revealed God to us as no one else can (John 1:1, 18; 14:9).

You may think, “Oh, I would never challenge the Lord Jesus Christ!” But many who profess to believe in Jesus do not submit to His teachings, many of which are hard. He said that if you do not judge your sinful anger or lust, you will be thrown into the fiery hell (Matt. 5:21-22, 27-30). Do you obey that or challenge it by your disobedience? He said that you cannot serve God and wealth (Luke 16:13). Do you challenge that or submit to it by managing your money according to the principles of His Word?

Conclusion

So while criticism may be the manure in which God’s servants grow best, before you try to help a church leader grow by piling on the manure, check yourself! Have you put yourself properly under the elders’ God-given authority? Are you showing proper respect and honor to the elder you’re critical of? Are your true motives for challenging the leader acceptable before God? Are you in submission to the truth from God’s Word that the elder is teaching? While sometimes a leader may need some fertilizing, make sure that you do it properly. And never challenge the Lord Jesus Christ or His commandments. He is the only Lord of His church!

Application Questions

1. Are you wary of spiritual authority because you were in a church where the leaders abused their authority? How can you overcome this?
2. How can you determine whether a matter is of sufficient importance to challenge a church leader? What guidelines apply?
3. What is the difference between teaching with true biblical authority and teaching with opinionated dogmatism?
4. How can a leader know whether to defend himself or just let God defend him? Use Scripture to support your answer.

Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2018, All Rights Reserved.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition © The Lockman Foundation