King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Saturday, March 02, 2024
Chapters: Numbers Chapters 16-17, Psalm Chapter 90
Message: The God of The Living
Hello My Friend,
My husband asked me this question, “If a man who is a Christian intentionally out of pure anger attempted to run over someone with his car should the law be upheld?” I said yes because even as a Christian we are responsible for our actions. Then he asked me if I thought that he was a bad person because he tried to kill someone. Well, I took the biblical route on that one because I could not say whether or not he is a bad person. I do know that we are all sinners and that there are none righteous, and for that reason I cannot label someone as good or bad because I am not his judge, [Romans 3:10-12 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.]
Let me tell you, saved or not, while God does forgive and even forget all sin, there are consequences to sin and He will not let anyone justify any kind of intentional sin because of their salvation. Jesus said to the man that He healed to sin no more, [John 5:13-14 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. 14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.]
The man is serving time in prison for what he had done, but there are actually people who believe that because he is a Christian that he ought to be pardoned. Well, salvation to our soul does not mean that we can live as we please and not suffer any consequences for sin, even one bad decision in anger comes with consequences as we will learn that with Moses. You want to talk about anger, as we continue in the reading of Numbers, the news of the elder Israelites not being able to cross over into the promise land did not go over too well. A man named, Korah, who was of the Levites, gathered every disgruntled man he could find and tried to overthrow the authority Moses and Aaron.
[Numbers 16:1-3 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: 2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: 3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, 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 yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?]
[Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy,] So, Korah actually believed that because he was a Levite that they he was holy and righteous before God. He was basically stating that Moses and Aaron were the ones making these rules, and not God. Well, they did not know God very well, and since they thought that Moses was lying about all this, he had a challenge for them, first, he also calls out Korah.
[Numbers 16:6–9 This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company; 7 And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the LORD to morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi. 8 And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: 9 Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them?]
[a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation] Moses, actually tries to reason with them, God, was not judging them for they were chosen to do a great work for Him, but that did not mean that they could do what they pleased either. God’s ministers are chosen and separated for His use in His ministry and for that reason they are accountable even more than the rest. This does not mean that one loses their salvation, but it does mean that consequences come to all who rebel against God, [Galatians 6:7-8 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.]
As for Christians who do not work in His ministry, they too are responsible for their actions, and if they accept God’s judgments for what they are then the consequences will not be as severe. However, if they rebel, they might as well be as reprobates because the judgment will be serve. Now, Moses calls for Dathan and Abiram.
[Numbers 16:12-15 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up: 13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us? 14 Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up. 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.]
[except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?] Far be it from what most churches believe, but the man of God is not chosen by the congregation, he is chosen by God. We may not like our church leaders, but we need to respect them because it is God who chose them. If they are not leading the church under the authority of God as they are commanded, then yes, the elders are to assemble and consider the matter, but God is their judge, they will answer to Him, [1 Corinthians 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.]
[Respect not thou their offering:] There was definitely no reason for God to accept their offering anyway and for two reasons. One; it would be strange fire and was forbidden, and two; God, never has blessed, and never can bless, any scheme of salvation. Unless we come to Him through His Son, no other offering will be accepted, [John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.]
The next morning the men showed up with their censers, a total of two hundred and fifty men lined up next Aaron to present their offering to God. Needless to say, God, did not even give them a chance to speak, He orders Moses and Aaron to get away from them before they get consumed as well.
[Numbers 16:19-26 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation. 20 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. 22 And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation? 23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 24 Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. 25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. 26 And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.]
[that I may consume them in a moment.] The one sin that God despises more than anything is arrogance, watch how fast He makes an example out of those who think that they have no sin. God, was about to bring fire down upon them all, but once again Moses pleads with Him not to consume them all. This is actually what Jesus does with us, when we choose Him as our Saviour, He pleads to our Father not to consume us in our sin, []
Well, God may have been merciful to the ones who got out of the way, but He was not merciful to Korah, and his family. Moses, states one thing, they will know whether or not that God is the one in control, [Numbers 16:29-32 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me. 30 But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD. 31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: 32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.]
[But if the LORD make a new thing,] This was something that they had never seen before, up unto this point the only thing that God used for judgment was pestilence. God, literally caused an earthquake and it swallowed Korah’s entire family, those who supported him and everything they owned. But God was not done, He sent fire down upon the other two hundred and fifty men.
[Numbers 16:34-38 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also. 35 And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense. 36 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 37 Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed. 38 The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.]
[The censers of these sinners against their own souls,] God, commanded Eleazar to take up the censers of these men and use them to push the fire away from the Tabernacle, and by Him doing them He showed them His rejection of their fire. They were to use these censers from now on as a reminder that they were responsible for their own souls, and if not for the mercy of the LORD upon their faith and faithfulness to Him, they would be consumed. This is why we who are saved observe the Lord’s supper, we too need to be reminded that it is only by the grace of God through our faith in Christ that we are saved, [1 Corinthians 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.]
After what the people witnessed, you would have thought that they would have let it go and went about their journey until it was time to return, but they did not. In fact, they got worse, the next day the rest of the congregation comes against Moses and Aaron in front of the Tabernacle. God, had had enough, once again, He was about to consume them all, this time He sent a plague, but He also gave a cure for those who chose Him.
[Numbers 16:44-49 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces. 46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun. 47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people. 48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. 49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.]
[And he stood between the dead and the living;] This is something else the Jesus does, He makes the atonement for every soul who receives Him as their Saviour. He is the one who stands between the living and the dead, those who come to Him are made alive through Him, while those who reject Him are dead to Him, [Matthew 10:32-33 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.]
God is merciful in that He has not consumed the entire earth yet, Jesus is merciful in that He is willing that none should perish who believe in all that He is until the time comes when He will destroy the earth. God will not be mocked, you either come to Him by faith through His Son or do not come to Him at all. This is not mans rule, this is God’s rule, and every church that teaches this truth is holy and blessed, those who do not will end up just like the rest of the fools who rebel against His Word. Fourteen thousand people died that day besides the other two hundred and fifty men and Korah and his family, but that still did not stop them. Now, they go after Aaron, this time for his having authority in the Tabernacle. To prove to the congregation once and for all that God is the one who chose Aaron, God commands every tribe to bring a rod and set it before the Tabernacle.
[Numbers 17:2-3,5,8,12-13 Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man’s name upon his rod. 3 And thou shalt write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers. 5 And it shall come to pass, that the man’s rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you. 8 And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. 12 And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish. 13 Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?]
[and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.] Do you realize what a miracle this was? Not only did a branch from a tree bloom with flowers on it, it also grew almonds on it. For some reason, God, just told me why I make baked goods with almond flour. I use to think that because I have a gluten intolerance that I lost all the joy of fresh baked bread, but now I can see why I am so different. God, does not choose us for His work because we are all righteous, He chooses us because we are different a peculiar people, and we need not complain about our shortcomings or the things we lack because He has so much more to give us, [1 Corinthians 12:24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:]
[shall we be consumed with dying?] At this point the people who were left thought that they were all going to die some tragic death. After all they had seen, and what happened when they rebelled against God, now, they are worried that everyone is going to die. All of this could have been avoided, had they just repented in the first place, and trusted that God would bring them into the promised land. When they continued to rebel what they were literally doing was telling God that His authority did not matter. Anytime one chooses religion, another god, another gospel, or changes His Word to suit their own needs, they are rebelling against God, and He will flat out deny them entry into heaven. We are on this earth for only a short amount of time, we get no where, but hell by rebelling against God, but His mercies endure when we trust every Word.
[Psalms 90:1-3,7-10,12,17 A Prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. 3 Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men. 7 For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled. 8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. 9 For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told. 10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. 12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. 17 And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.]
[So teach us to number our days,] I have learned to live by this although I am not too good at executing it, we only have, but a short time on earth, we need to make each day count and live each day with purpose. Those who are not saved, the time is now, we need to make sure we leave here knowing that we are among the living, [Luke 20:37-38 Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 38 For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.]
Jesus Christ Revealed/Magnified: [Numbers 16:47-48 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people. 48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.]
Today’s Prayer: God, You know, that there are times that we can do some foolish and rebellious things when we are denied something we have been waiting so long for. Nevertheless, You know who are Yours and we thank You for Your mercy upon all who call upon the name of Your Son to save our soul. You know our hearts and exactly what we plan to do with the gift of salvation that You have given us. Lord, give us Your power to use that gift in whatever way You call us to do so that we can be a witness and testimony for You. Help us to keep looking to You and Your Word as our guide to keep from getting caught in the middle of a battle between You and the rebellious. Let us not be concerned about what we have lost, but look forward to all that You will give us. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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