Gone Too Far

Prayer

You Have Gone Too Far!

So, if you thought the grumbling and the complaints of the Israelites could not get any worse - well, you were wrong. It could - and it did, as we’ll see here this morning - though I think this is going to be as bad as it gets.

But before we dig in - we’ve been making our way through the book of Numbers as we make our way through the story of the Old Testament. As you remember, the book of Numbers follows the Israelites through their journey to through the wilderness towards the Promised Land.

Of course, that took a huge detour last week as we saw the Israelites right on the cusp of entering into the land of the Canaanites, finally being able to claim this gift God has been promising for so long. But when the spies returned from exploring the land with the report that the people were huge and the cities fortified, the people panicked and decided it wasn’t worth the risk - going back to Egypt would be the better option.

So God gave them exactly what they wanted - which was not to enter the land he had promised to give them. So God condemned them to wander the wilderness for 40 years, until all those adults died out and it would be the next generation that would enter the land instead.

So the Israelites are back wandering through the wilderness and this is where it gets really ugly - it’s a full out rebellion against Moses and Aaron. We’re in Numbers 16, where we see opposition coming from two sources, as we learn from Numbers 16:1-3...

Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—became insolent 2 and rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council. 3 They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?”

The ring leader here is Korah - and he’s a Levite. The opposition from one source is the Levites, they feel like they are being treated like second class citizens, that Moses and Aaron have put themselves above everyone else, they are “holier than thou.” As they say it, “You have gone too far!…Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?”

Also included in this rebellion are leaders from the Reubenites, Dathan and Abiram. They seem to be primarily upset about the fact that they are still stuck in the wilderness wandering - Moses has not led them into the promised land of milk and honey (conveniently forgetting their role in why they are stuck wandering!)

And between these two sources, they have garnered support from 250 Israelite men, “well-known community leaders”, members of the council. So this rebellion has some significant weight behind it - it’s not a few rabble-rousers, these are people with influence.

Moses doesn’t try to defend himself, his response is wise and humble - his whole thought is, I don’t have to defend myself. This was God’s doing, his choosing. So he tells them that this can be established by letting God choose again, Numbers 16:4-7...

When Moses heard this, he fell facedown. 5 Then he said to Korah and all his followers: “In the morning the Lord will show who belongs to him and who is holy, and he will have that person come near him. The man he chooses he will cause to come near him. 6 You, Korah, and all your followers are to do this: Take censers 7 and tomorrow put burning coals and incense in them before the Lord. The man the Lord chooses will be the one who is holy. You Levites have gone too far!”

So the plan Moses proposes is for everyone to bring censers in the morning, put in burning coals and offer incense to the Lord. And God will choose out of Korah and his supporters versus Moses and Aaron.

But notice what Moses accuses the Levites of at the end here, “You Levites have gone too far!” It’s not Aaron and I, it’s you, you’ve gone too far. And here’s how they’ve gone too far: Numbers 16:8-11 - Moses also said to Korah, “Now listen, you Levites! 9 Isn’t it enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the Israelite community and brought you near himself to do the work at the Lord’s tabernacle and to stand before the community and minister to them? 10 He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near himself, but now you are trying to get the priesthood too. 11 It is against the Lord that you and all your followers have banded together.

God gave you a special role, he separated you from the rest of the Israelite community, he brought you near himself to care for the Lord’s tabernacle, to minister before the community. But apparently that’s not enough for you - you’re trying to get the priesthood too!

Your rebellion is not against us (or at least it shouldn’t be) but against God himself. You’re trying to claim a role that was not given to you. You have gone too far!

So, the test begins - Korah and Dathan and Abiram and the 250 officials come the next morning, bringing their censers, as do Moses, Aaron and the priests, to present their incense as an offering to the Lord. Who will the Lord choose? I’m pretty sure you can guess.

It’s not Korah. Lord, in his glory, appears. God warns everyone, step away. You do not want to be near them right now. God is not kidding - at that moment the earth literally opens up and swallows up Korah and Dathan and Abiram and their families and all their possessions. They are wiped from the earth, plunged down into what is described as Sheol, the realm of the dead.

It’s such a terrifying sight that the Israelites flee in terror that the earth is going to swallow them up. Now, the court officials aren’t immune to God’s punishment, fire comes out from God and consumes all 250 of them.

And just to show how stiff-necked the Israelites are, the next day the whole community grumbles against Moses and Aaron, “You have killed the Lord’s people.” God sends a plague against them, killing thousands of them before Moses and Aaron save them by offering burning incense on their behalf.

So it shouldn’t be all that surprising that all this rebellion, all this interceding on their behalf over and over again has built up some frustration in Moses, who has been amazingly faithful and humbling throughout all of this - and this finally comes to bear in Numbers 20, where we pick up the story.

Moses Goes Too Far

Now, we don’t know when Korah’s Rebellion, as its known, took place, but this story in Numbers 20 is near the end of the Israelites’ 40 years in the wilderness. They’ve arrived once again in Kadesh, and we learn that Miriam has died - the old guard is passing away.

Now normally, this was a good location to camp, as there was water here - but for some reason this time there is no water. Which is not good news - there aren’t a whole lot of places in the desert that has enough water for thousands of people. So, per our usual arrangement, the Israelites start complaining against Moses and Aaron. Here’s where we pick up the story in Numbers 20:6-8 (note carefully the instructions God gives):

Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. 7 The Lord said to Moses, 8 “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”

They meet with the Lord, and he tells them to speak to a particular rock - and upon doing so, water will pour out.

Then this happens, Numbers 20:9-11 - So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

Everything starts fine - Moses takes the staff just like the Lord told him. They gather the Israelites - but then Moses goes off-script and note what he says and what he does - “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” Then he raises his arms and smacks the rock twice with the staff. Then, as God promises, Water comes gushing out. God, once again, has been gracious to his people, providing for their needs (in spite of their grumbling).

Then this startling conclusion, Numbers 20:12-13, But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.” 13 These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the Lord and where he was proved holy among them.

Wow, let that sink in for a moment. Moses, God’s faithful leader, the one who’s been so patient, so humble, putting up with the ungrateful Israelites, praying over and over again for their forgiveness - for 40 years - is now being denied the final step, being able to cross over into the promised land. He will not be the one to lead them at the end.

You may be wondering - where did that come from? Why this? Why now? All God says - you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites. It feels awfully harsh, doesn’t it?

Now, we do have some clues from the passage about where Moses went wrong, where he went too far: First - you can hear his frustration in what he says. Interestingly, no where in the story is God described as being angry. God simply responds to the people’s request. But Moses is letting them have it - Listen, you rebels! And not just that, but notice the little word he slips in, this might be the most telling - “must we bring you water out of this rock?” Must we. Not, must the Lord bring you water out of this rock? But “we”, as if Moses was making this happen with God. And then, finally, Moses’ striking the rock with his staff. God’s command was to speak to the rock - which would be a clear indication that this was God’s doing. But with the more dramatic smacking of the rock, it could almost appear as if Moses were making it happen.

Whatever else was going on, it seems to me that as amazingly patient and faithful and humble Moses has been over the years (was he ever!), that in this case he was frustrated. Angry. Fed up. Honestly, I don’t blame him. But acting out of that frustration, he forgot his place. He forgot that these are God’s people. It’s out of the Lord’s grace and goodness that water is being provided for them - not Moses’. In this instance, he has gone too far. He has assumed too much.

It’s a sobering reminder of how our frustrations, our impatience, our desire to control, to have things our way can lead us into sinful behavior. That anger - which is always a symptom of our will being thwarted - can move us toward going too far.

That’s what happened with Korah and the other Levites who weren’t satisfied with the role God had given them in caring for the tabernacle - that out of that frustration and jealousy they accuse Moses and Aaron of having “gone too far,” assuming a holier status. When all along it was them who had gone too far.

Dathan and Abiram and the other rebels who were frustrated that they kept having to wander around in this wilderness. Frustrated they were stuck here until God was going to lead them into the land he promised - so they went too far, taking it out on Moses, rebelling against his authority (ultimately, God’s authority).

Moses goes too far here. Acting out of frustration and anger, presuming too much of a role in providing for the people, as if he were the one providing water from the rock.

The book of Numbers, the Israelites wandering in the wilderness, heading towards the Promised Land, is really a powerful image of what it looks like to follow Jesus. God was the one leading them from among their midst. He was the one guiding them on the path they would take. Determining the timing of it (when they would camp and when they would travel). He chose the roles for Moses & Aaron, the priests, the Levites, and all the other tribes. And these stories in Numbers show the Israelites resisting following him, they are trying to get ahead of the Lord, going too far.

Last week the Israelites wouldn’t follow the Lord into the promised Land. Then, after he condemned them to wander forty years in the wilderness, they charge in and try to take the land without him. They go too far.

Korah and the Levites aren’t satisfied with the particular role God gives them - they want to take on more than he’s given - they go too far. Dathan and Abiram and the 250 leaders - they get impatient, tired of wandering in the wilderness, they try to usurp Moses and Aaron’s leadership to find someone who will lead them in, rather than trusting God’s timing, his choice of leadership - they go too far.

Even Moses goes too far. Takes on too much responsibility for the grumbling Israelites, takes on the role that he is the one providing for them.

This is our great challenge - that we actually follow Jesus. We don’t get ahead of ourselves - or, rather, him. Willingness to follow where he leads us in life…rather than charting our own path. Willingness to trust his timing…no matter how long it seems to take. Willingness to trust his provision…even when it seems as if it’s not what we think we need. Willingness to trust the role, the call, he has just for us…even when it’s not what we think is best, or doesn’t seem as important as someone else’s.

In John 21, in one of Jesus’ resurrection appearances to his disciples, he is calling Peter to leadership in his church. This is the place where he keeps asking Peter, do you love me? Peter keeps responding - you know that I love you. Jesus - Feed my sheep, take care of my sheep.

Then Jesus shares with Peter how much it’s going to cost Peter to follow him, “when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Those must have been hard words to hear.

And Peter notices the disciple John, and he asks Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” John 21:22 - Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” In other words, Peter, don’t get ahead of yourself. Don’t look toward others. Your role is to follow me. To trust me. To trust what I have for you.

The way we make sure we don’t go too far, that we don’t assume too much, that we follow Jesus is that we continually look to him. Look to him with a posture of childlike trust, of humble surrender - Lord, I will not go too far. I will trust what you have for me. What you call me to do. I will trust your timing, however long that takes. I will follow you because I trust your goodness, your faithfulness, your love, your wisdom. I trust you.

Spiritual Discipline

Pray through the activities of your day, offering them to the Lord. Who you’re going to be with, what you’ll be doing - Lord, I don’t want to get ahead of you, do my own thing. I want to be with you in everything I’m doing today.

When I lead worship, preach this message. Get together with a friend or with family members - Lord, how might you use this conversation? How might I love them well in your name? Work you have for me, that it might glorify you. Is there someone you would have me serve, minister to today (hurting, need a friend, word of encouragement?).

Posture of living life with Jesus, looking to him for guidance, for what he has for you and I. Following him.

Second thing is to offer a simple prayer to you this week. Really, Jesus offers it, it the prayer he taught us. In particular, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Lord’s Prayer is wonderful prayer, puts us in posture of looking to the Father, following him, surrendering ourselves to him in humility. This part of the prayer is a posture of willingness to receive whatever God has for us this day…Give us this day our daily bread.

Communion - this is the bread Jesus offers us today, bread of his body, for our sakes, for our forgiveness.