Satisfaction in Your God-Given Vocation :: Numbers 16:1-35

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And they gathered themselves upon Moses and upon Aaron and said to them: You make yourselves great! Everyone in the congregation, all of them are holy, and YHWH is in their midst. Why do you lift yourselves above the assembly of YHWH? (vv 1-3)

4.

It’s hard to believe that after all this time of wandering through the wilderness with the blessing of God that the Israelites still fail to understand that Moses was their mediator, that Aaron was their priest, and that God provides everything necessary for body, soul, life, and salvation. 

God had sent Moses to lead the people out of Egypt. God had split the sea for his people. God’s presence went before them in the pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day throughout their journey. God gave them bread from heaven. He gave water from the rock and meat every evening. God sent Aaron and his sons to them to offer right sacrifices and to announce that YHWH blesses you and keeps you, that YHWH makes his face shine upon you and is gracious to you, that YHWH lifts his countenance upon and gives you peace. For all this, it was their simple duty to thank and praise, serve and obey God.

But the people rebelled. 

At every point in our wilderness walk this Lenten season, we see the people rebel. They rebelled against God himself by exchanging the glory of God for a golden calf. Nadab and Abihu rebelled against God’s commandments. Aaron and Miriam rebelled against the authority of God. Now we hear about the sons of Korah doing the same ... this time, rebelling as a congregation c... trying to suggest that Moses and Aaron exalt themselves.

In each of these rebellions, we see God’s wrath against sin, iniquity, and transgression. And ... as the book of Hebrews [10:31-32] says, we learn: It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of an angry God. 

Now let us recall the Korah’s rebellion. Let us recall that when you were enlightened and endured a hard struggle with suffering, God demonstrates his steadfast love and great mercy to us still today ... how he continues to dwell among us .... like he did with Israel in the wilderness ... in the Tabernacle ... and how he continues to forgive sins and keep promises. Though they rejected him, God will still carry them into this good land flowing with milk and honey! 

The Scripture provides only a few events of Israel’s 40-year wandering. And we are focused on just fewer still, primarily from the book of Numbers, but these are more than enough to show us that ... when God chastises his people ... he does so in grace. He is training his people to trust in his works. He is forming his people to find satisfaction in his Divine Service to them. Our sinful nature, however, despises God’s choosing, and rebellion soon follows. 

3.

Tonight, we have this man named Korah ... and a few who joined his envious cause against God’s given positions and order of service to his people. 

We read ... And Korah, the son of Izhar, son of Kohat, son of Levi, took both Dathan and Aviram, the sons of Eliav, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, and they rose up against Moses with men from the sons of Israel, 250 leaders of the congregation, the chosen of the assembly, men of renown, and they gathered upon Moses and Aaron and said to them, You make yourselves great! Everyone in the congregation, all of them are holy, and YHWH is in their midst. Why do you lift yourselves above the assembly of YHWH? (vv 1-3)

Moses did nothing of the sort. Last week, we read that Moses was more humble than all the men of earth. He did not choose his position. God called him to that position. God appointed Moses to be a mediator ... to stand up for the people before God ... to intercede for them. In his vocation Moses walked in faithfully as he constantly appealed to God’s mercy that God would forgive Israel of her sins and that God would keep his promises.

Korah will prove to be quite the opposite. 

In Numbers 4, we read that Korah’s family did belong to the Tribe of Levi ... that the Kohathites served near God’s priests by caring for the holy things of the Tabernacle. In other words, they had their own important vocation ... a holy and privileged vocation, given to them by a holy God, to assist the priests in their duties. It was a great vocation with awesome responsibility. But they just couldn’t be content. They refused to find satisfaction in the vocation God gave them. And as our Psalm tonight said, they envied Moses and Aaron. 

When confronted by their jealousy, Moses was absolutely right in his response. In verse 11 of our text, he said ... Who is Aaron that you grumble against him? 

Yes, who is Aaron? Aaron is God’s chosen priest. This is good because everything that God gives is good. Even the position that God gave to Korah was good. It was given in service to God’s people so that all of God’s people may find satisfaction in the work that God gives to them to do for others. To have no satisfaction in God’s good order and work is rebellion ... transgression. Transgression is another word for rebellion.

That’s Korah’s sin. 

Instead of thanking God for their given service, the people of Korah’s rebellion desired something else that they felt was better ... holier ... greater. They desired something that wasn’t their own ... a Divine Service of their own design with their own leaders, who will do things their own way, the way they wanted things to be done. Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness, they cried to Moses. That you also make yourself a prince over us? (v 13).

That’s covetousness ... that’s idolatry ... that’s greed. Rising up against Moses and Aaron and refusing what God has given is rebellion against God ... and God will have no rival.

2.

Moses shows us how to walk properly in vocation. He was called as Israel’s mediator for good reason. So he pleads for God’s mercy. 

As YHWH is about to destroy the whole congregation for Korah’s rebellion, Moses and Aaron fell on their faces and said ... O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, will you be angry with the whole congregation for one man’s sin? YHWH spoke to Moses, “Speak to the congregation saying, ‘Get up from around the tent of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’” And Moses spoke to the congregation, saying, ‘Turn away, now, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs lest you be swept away with all their sins!’ So they went up from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.

And Moses said, ‘In this you will know that YHWH has sent me to do all these works, that they are not from my own heart. If these men die as all men die, or if their punishment upon them is as all men are punished, then YHWH has not sent me. But if YHWH creates a creation and the ground opens up its mouth and swallows up them and all their belongings, and they go down to Sheol alive, then you will know that these men despised YHWH.’ When he finished speaking all these words, the ground under them split, the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their houses, and all the men of Korah and all their goods (vv 22-32).  

Moses walked faithfully in the service God gave to him, and many were kept alive, but Korah and his company’s rejection of God’s order brought death. They could serve no longer ... except as an example to us.

TAKE SATISFACTION IN YOUR GOD-GIVEN VOCATION

1.

Give thanks to God for the vocations that he has given to you. Give thanks to God as you serve your neighbor ... glorify God. Give thanks that he is leading you into the Promised Land ... giving you life. More than that, support and encourage one another in your vocations, for through them, God serves us through each other. Pray for strength to resist the temptation of desiring a better station in this life and fall into the pierced and holy hands of Jesus. 

In Christ, you are all holy. He had the unique vocation to carry your sin and rebellion to the cross and shed his blood to make atonement for your sin. He was given the task of breaking the grave for you. He is risen. He still serves you through the waters of baptism, forgiving you of your rebellion, your iniquity, your sin. In Him, you are holy, indeed.

He has placed you in your own vocation and service. Receive his holiness, and live in satisfaction in Him. All He does is good and has great value. Whether you view your service as grand or not, remember it is all given by God that through you, he serves His people. Remember also, you are holy ... not because of your service, but because of His.

To Jesus, our God-given Savior and Lord. 

May we find full satisfaction in him and in his service to us ... in his name. Amen.

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