Numbers 16:4-11 – The danger of harboring a wrong ambition.

Numbers 16:4 tells us how Moses responded when he heard the accusation of the group of rebels. He immediately fell on his face. This was also how he responded when the congregation, influenced by the negative reports of the ten spies, grumbled against him and Aaron. Numbers 14:5 said that “Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in the presence of all the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel.” What exactly does the posture he had adopted tell us? It affirms what God said about him that he was the meekest man on earth. But more importantly, falling face down on the ground was a posture of submission, a posture of turning to the Lord, and seeking divine assistance. We know that in life, the immediate response for some leaders when challenged would have been to lash out at the accusers and become defensive. But not Moses, his immediate response was to turn to the Lord and seek His counsel on how best to deal with the situation. He was basically placing the matter before God and into His hand. Isn’t this a better option?

How would you and I  have responded if it had been us being challenged? Many of us would inevitably feel the need to exert our rights and probably seek to try and vindicate ourselves. How many of us would be like Moses and adopt a posture of submission? For us most probably aggression and guarding our “so-called” reputation would be the rule of the day. Here the posture that Moses adopted in the face of the rebellion was worth our emulation. Turning to the Lord, seeking His wisdom on how to tackle the situation would certainly be the best option in a time such as this. So when we are confronted with such a situation, learn to respond like Moses.

In Numbers 16:4-11, Moses was dealing with their question on who had the right to take the lead in religious matters. When Moses fell faceward to the ground, he was confident that God would give them a satisfactory answer as to whom He had consecrated for the priesthood to serve Him in the Tabernacle. Verse 10 hints to us that Korah and the rebelling Levites were eyeing the priesthood. They were showing signs that they were not pleased with their God-given ministry of transporting the Ark of the covenant, the table of shewbread, the altar of incense, and the golden lampstands. They wanted more. They wanted what they thought was the more glamorous role of a priest ministering in the Holy place. 

As Moses turned to the Lord, he was confident that the next morning God would show them whom He had consecrated for the priesthood. So Moses told them to take the censer used by the priests to offer fire and incense to the Lord. He told them to put fire into it and fill it with incense as they assembled before the presence of God the next day. Moses was sure that God would give them a clear indication as to who He had appointed for the priesthood.

If Korah and his rebelling brethren had recalled what happened to Nadab and Abihu, they should be extremely petrified. In Numbers 3:4, we are given a brief description of what happened to those two sons of Aaron. But that incidence was more fully recorded in Leviticus 10:1-3. These brothers were legitimate priests who did not offer fire taken from the altar of God, they carelessly offered strange fire. And for that careless disregard for God, they paid dearly with their lives. If they, legitimate priests, were dealt with so severely for offering strange fire to God, what made Korah and his rebelling brethren think that they could get away from such an end for their presumptuous disregard for God? They should know that they were not called to the priesthood, a misplaced ambition that they secretly harbored. That was the true reason for their rebellion.

Here are two lessons gleaned from these verses. Firstly, we learn that God should always be the first person we turn to for a remedy to squelch a mutiny. In tackling a conflict, the best posture to adopt is the posture of submission to God. Rely on God is the best option to solve a crisis. Secondly, know our calling and do not entertain any misplaced ambition for a ministry God has not assigned to us. Just bloom where God has planted us, and excel in our calling. We must always give our best in our calling.  For that’s the best place for us to serve God!