NUMBERS 16:41-50 | INTENTIONALLY GIVEN TO GOD

TEXT: NUMBERS 16:41-50 | INTENTIONALLY GIVEN TO GOD

ILLUSTRATION: For about 6 years, Tressa and I had the privilege of traveling around our nation and primarily in the Mountain North West in evangelism.

I truly loved those day.

I loved getting to meet people all across the nation who had a heart and a passion for God.

I loved getting to know pastors that were plowing away in their respective ministries.

And I loved preaching messages about revival.

I still believe as much today as I did back when we were traveling that God desires to and can send revival.

Revival is not just some emotional experience.

Revival is when the Christian truly gives himself wholly to the Spirit of God!

It is a fresh perspective of just who God is!

Probably the most common verse that is mentioned when it comes to revival and revival meetings is 2 Chronicles 7:14

2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV 1900

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

I would preach that verse and quote that verse in practically every revival meeting that I had the privilege to preach.

And it’s because it is a message of hope and a promise to use that God will send revival.

Friend, that promise is still just as real today as it was when I preached it in those revival meetings.

And it is just as real as when Ezra penned the words over 2400 years ago.

God still wants to send revival and he wants to send it right here in Whitehall, MT this morning!

If you don’t know Christ as your Savior, God wants to begin that relationship with you.

And if you do not Christ as your Savior, He doesn’t want you to be content with some stale, impersonal, distant relationship.

He wants to have a close relationship with you!

He wants you to become burdened by what is taking place in our nation, and he wants you to fall on your knees before Him as 2 Chronicles 7:14 says and humble yourself, and pray, and truly seek his face, and turn from your sin!

That is what God desires!

God doesn’t not love judgment… He loves mercy!

Ephesians 2:4 KJV 1900

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

And while I still wholly believe in the promise of v.14 in that chapter, I also fully believe in the promise at the end of 2 Chronicles 7:19-22

2 Chronicles 7:19–22 KJV 1900

But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them; Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations. And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the Lord done thus unto this land, and unto this house? And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them.

Friend, we have a merciful and gracious God, but we also have a just and Holy God!

And God makes clear, when a nation turns it’s back on Him… the judgment of God is sure to follow.

EXPLANATION: And that is where we find ourselves in Numbers 16

The children of Isreal have been wondering in the desert for some time now.

And in the midst of their wondering, they had begun a cycle of turning from God, God sending judgment, and then they would turn back to God.

As we come to the start of the chapter, a group of the men led by a man named Korah, rise up against God’s appointed leaders Moses and Aaron.

And the statement they make in v.3, is telling.

Numbers 16:3 KJV 1900

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?

In the midst of their rebellion against God and the leaders He had put in place, they say that mind-blowing statement: “Seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them.”

As they rebelled against God, they deemed themselves as holy.

Isaiah warns of this mindset in Isaiah 5:20

Isaiah 5:20 KJV 1900

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; That put darkness for light, and light for darkness; That put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

These people had deemed themselves as “holy”

APPLICATION: Friend, I don’t want to get too off topic this morning, but can I remind you in the midst of a nauseating election cycle, there is holiness… and it isn’t a republican candidate or a democratic candidate.

We live in a day and age when everyone is deeming themselves as righteous and everyone on the other side as evil and it doesn’t catch God by surprise.

2 Timothy 3:1–5 KJV 1900

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Proverbs 20:6 KJV 1900

Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: But a faithful man who can find?

Friend, I’m thankful to live in America and I’m going to exercise my right to vote, and when I do, I will vote for the candidates that best stand for the principles found in the word of God.

But my confidence is not in some self-righteous political candidate… my confidence is in Christ!

And if your confidence is in the Whitehouse, or the state house, or even in the courthouse, then you are going to be sorely disappointed.

Because men at best are at best but men!

But we have a God in heaven who never fails and you can put your trust and confidence in Him!

EXPLANATION: Here these people were declaring their self-righteousness, and they were ultimately putting the stamp of God’s name on their prideful declaration.

And that’s a dangerous game to play.

So Moses prays and God tells him that the next day, they are to separate from Korah and his followers and then God is going to show who is His.

Well the next day comes around and there is Moses and Aaron on one side and there are Korah and his followers and their families on the other side.

And in v.31-33, God made abundantly clear who were His and who weren’t holy.

Numbers 16:31–33 KJV 1900

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: 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. They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.

It doesn’t get much more clear than that.

God made it abundantly clear who were with Him and who were against Him.

And that’s what makes the verses we are going to look at next so stunning.

Numbers 16:41 KJV 1900

But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the Lord.

The very next day the children of Israel did the same thing again.

They accused Moses and Aaron of being the cause of the deaths of Korah and all his followers.

They even referred to Korah and his followers “people of the LORD”

Talk about being hard-headed… these people were a mess.

You can almost see the crowd gathering around Moses and Aaron when a cloud covered the tabernacle.

Numbers 16:42–43 KJV 1900

And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared. And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation.

When Moses and Aaron enter the tabernacle, God makes clear His plan to deal with the people this time around… His judgment was going to be all-encompassing

Numbers 16:44–45 KJV 1900

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.

APPLICATION: Friend, we live in a nation in a time where so much of our country has turned their back on God.

3 in 10 American attend some kind of religious services regularly.

That’s not good Gospel preaching churches… that a religious service of any kind.

That means less than 3 in 10 adults in Americans attend a Gospel preaching church in America.

Counter-biblical lifestyles have become the norm.

The culture is increasingly anti-Christ.

And you can mark it down they are not content just to continue with the followers they already have… they demand 100% participation.

Romans 1:28–32 KJV 1900

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

You see it isn’t good enough for the world to be able to indulge in the sins of the flesh… they demand that you support and encourage it as well!

They want you to accept and applaud their lifestyle and sinful decisions

They want your kids to participate in their lifestyle and sinful decisions.

And here is the key… they are intentional about it!

They are intentional about targeting your family

They are intentional about targeting your kids

They are intentional about rebelling against God!

What was once said in whispers is now screamed from every mountaintop.

And you can mark it down, God’s judgment will come for a nation that has turned their back against Him.

But what are you supposed to do about it?

Should we just throw up our hands and say “oh well”?

Should we just hide in a corner, and be content to be a silent minority?

Should we grab our pitch forks and march the streets?

EXPLANATION: In this passage before us, the judgment of God had begun amongst a people that had turned their back on God

And I’m convinced if it had been most of the Christians today in the position of Moses and Aaron, they would have simply stood back and said, “Well they are getting what was coming to them.”

But instead, we are giving a powerful example of how to respond when the world had turned against them and against their God.

APPLICATION: And it is a powerful example we can learn from this morning, and purpose to follow in our own lives.

As we finish this morning, I want us to see how to respond in the midst of a nation that has turned it’s back on God.

How should you respond, as a follower of God.

V.45, THEY FELL ON THEIR FACES

Numbers 16:45 KJV 1900

Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.

EXPLANATION: This is a stunning response by Moses and Aaron

These people were literally planning to kill Moses and Aaron, and how did they respond… they responded by falling on their faces before God.

APPLICATION: Friend, is prayer a priority in your life?

ILLUSTRATION: When I was in high school I went to a Christian school my sophomore year.

At the start of every class the teacher would pray or they would call on someone in the class to pray.

I remember it was the start of our choir class and everyone had to take it and Mr. York, called on my to pray.

When I finished I remember some of the kids commenting to me that I had repeated the phrase “dear Lord” multiple times in my prayer.

Where did that come from?

I had heard my dad say it hundreds of times before when he had prayed.

One of the most convicting parts of parenting is when my kids pray, so often they repeat many of the same things that I say.

Why?

Because it is so easy to allow our prayers to be nothing more than ritualistic, vain repetition that we say out of habit.

APPLICATION: Mom and Dad, if you asked your kids to pray, what would it reveal about you and your prayer life?

Grandma and grandpa, do your grandkids know that you walk with God and spend time talking to Him?

I am increasingly convinced by Proverbs 22:6 reality

Proverbs 22:6 KJV 1900

Train up a child in the way he should go: And when he is old, he will not depart from it.

So many kids do the things that they do, because that is what we taught them to do!

I see it in my kids… they mirror the things that I do!

And parents if your kids don’t see an intentional love for God in your life, why would we think they are going to grow up and have a love for God someday!

The world is intentionally trying to destroy your family, and you have to be intentional about leading them to the Lord.

And a great place to start is to fall on your face before Him!

It would be a powerful memory in the life of your child to stumble onto their mom or dad, calling out to God for their children!

It would be a powerful memory for your grand babies to hear a grandparent calling out to God for their grandchildren!

And by the way, young person, you can make a decision all on your own to have a relationship with God!

Don’t use anyone else as your excuse not to have a personal relationship with God yourself!

In the midst of a nation that turned it’s back on God, THEY FELL ON THEIR FACES

V.46-47, THEY TOOK THE ANSWER TO THE PEOPLE

Numbers 16:46–47 KJV 1900

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. 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.

EXPLANATION: They were not content just to sit back and watch the world around them die in their sins.

They took the atonement… the answer to the people!

ILLUSTRATION: FAITH vs TAYLOR

Faith wanted in the game, while Taylor was happy to sit on the bench

APPLICATION: Christian, don’t just sit on the bench!

Get into the battle!

Get involved in serving others!

Get involved in telling others about Jesus!

Just get in the game!

Ephesians 6:10–13 KJV 1900

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Philippians 3:12–14 KJV 1900

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Friend, this world is lost and they are looking for something to fill a God sized hole in their life!

Why don’t you volunteer to be the one to bring them Jesus!

Be intentional with your conversations and look for opportunities to talk about Christ!

He is the only One that can truly bring about lasting change!

In the midst of a nation that turned it’s back on God, THEY FELL ON THEIR FACES, THEY TOOK THE ANSWER TO THE PEOPLE

V.48, THEY STOOD BETWEEN THE DEAD AND LIVING

Numbers 16:48 KJV 1900

And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.

EXPLANATION: I can almost see Aaron standing there between the dead and the living.

Can I tell you, that wasn’t a place of comfort.

In fact it was especially uncomfortable for Aaron.

As high priest, he would normally avoid all possible contact with the dead because of a command in Leviticus 21:11

Leviticus 21:11 KJV 1900

Neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother;

But he was willing to sacrifice his comfort, and be the person that stood between the living and the dead!

APPLICATION: Hebrews 5:2 is such a powerful verse.

Hebrews 5:2 KJV 1900

Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.

Jesus Christ was in heaven… and he left that perfect place and went out of His way to come to this sin cursed earth and put Himself on the cross, to put Himself in your way, that you might see Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV 1900

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Now when is the last time you went out of your way, to put yourself in someone else’s way, so that they could see Christ?

It isn’t a comfortable place.

But we need some Christians who will step off of their self made throne and put themselves in a place of discomfort, so that they cant point someone to Christ.

So that in the grand scheme of another person’s eternity, they can be the one who stands between the living and the dead!

To intentionally point others to Christ!

CONCLUSION:

ILLUSTRATION: It was September 27th, 2003, and I was sitting on the left side of that open air tabernacle in Southern Indiana.

The service had come to a conclusion and the invitation had been given.

The challenge was simple: are you willing to leave your comfort zone and give your life to Christ?

I remember right there in that brown metal folding chair praying and telling the Lord, “if you’ll use me, I’m all yours.”

APPLICATION: Friend, can I tell you what God wants in this world that is turning it’s back on Christ?

God is looking for some mom and dads

Some Grandparents

Some teenagers

Some young people

Who will make a commitment to God, “Lord, if you’ll use me… I’m all yours!”

ILLUSTRATION: It was the late 1800’s when an evangelist named Henry Varley said, “The world has yet to see what God can do through a man who is totally yielded to Him.”

In the audience that day was a man, who upon hearing those words, purposed in his heart, “By the grace of God, I will be that man!”

The man that said those words was DL Moody.

God would use DL Moody to shake two continents for Christ with the Gospel and lead close to 1 million souls to Christ.

Truly a man that knew how to stand between the living and the dead.

APPLICATION: This morning, I wonder if there would be a man or woman… or maybe even a teenage or child that would say, “By God’s grace, I will be that man!”

Friend, will you choose to be intentional this morning?

Intentional in your prayer: fall on your face before God

Intentional in your answer: Weave the Gospel into your conversation

Intentional with your comfort: Step out of your comfort zone for the Lord!

I hope in this world turning it’s back on the Lord, you will be intentionally given to Christ!