Numbers Chapter 16 is a very weird chapter of the Bible. There is a rebellion in this chapter, and the earth literally opens up and swallows a bunch of people. After that, a plague hits the people, and 14,700 people die. More people would have died if Aaron had not stood in between the living and the dead. Imagine that scene...the High Priest steps in and literally stands between the living and the dead. We don't have to look too hard as Christians to see a sermon there!
In the beginning of the chapter there is an interesting part where the people tell Moses, "You've gone too far!" They stand up to their God-given leader and tell him, "We've had enough, and we are taking charge!" Moses says, "No, you have gone too far!" I love the language there. It sounds like a modern-day English argument might sound, not an ancient Hebrew revolt. The language seems very flippant and informal.
In this chapter we learn some things about "standing in the Gap." In many ways, thanks to Jesus coming and standing in the gap for us (that huge gap between the living and the dead), we are now granted the privilege that the rebellious people wanted. We are all priests. Peter tells us as much in the New Testament when he speaks about the priesthood of all believers.
What does that mean? Are we plagued (to borrow a term from Numbers 16) with a tendency to "Go too far" or are we plagued with the opposite problem of not going far enough? It’s hard to know, but we can learn a lot about ourselves and about human nature by reading Numbers chapter 16.
Mark
In the beginning of the chapter there is an interesting part where the people tell Moses, "You've gone too far!" They stand up to their God-given leader and tell him, "We've had enough, and we are taking charge!" Moses says, "No, you have gone too far!" I love the language there. It sounds like a modern-day English argument might sound, not an ancient Hebrew revolt. The language seems very flippant and informal.
In this chapter we learn some things about "standing in the Gap." In many ways, thanks to Jesus coming and standing in the gap for us (that huge gap between the living and the dead), we are now granted the privilege that the rebellious people wanted. We are all priests. Peter tells us as much in the New Testament when he speaks about the priesthood of all believers.
What does that mean? Are we plagued (to borrow a term from Numbers 16) with a tendency to "Go too far" or are we plagued with the opposite problem of not going far enough? It’s hard to know, but we can learn a lot about ourselves and about human nature by reading Numbers chapter 16.
Mark
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