worth Thinking ABout It! WHEN KORAH, DATHAN, ABIRAM, MIRIAM & ASSOCIATES MOVES INTO YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD: Numbers 16:3 & Numbers 12:3-10 You hear very often these days especially in African denominations and very often in Congregational based Churches that the Pastor can be fired or subjugated by some very few whose word must not be refuted because they are all equal before God and as equals, the pastor isnt doing anything special. I wrote an article asking if we can challenge a pastor who is not teaching the truth of the Bible and upon my arrival to Nigeria, I heard of people with a reprobate mind translating and misinterpreting the text to their destruction. I met one of such peopled doomed for destruction and he arrogantly told me that he doesnt care about twisting the truth of Gods word and he suggested strongly that he is doing it for God in his fight against his local church Pastor. Like Korah and Dathan perished- their destruction will be evident to all. I hope he will quickly understand that KOrah and Dathan do not perish alone, they take their relatives with them and properties with them to Gods wine-press of wrath. The Bible does not leave us in doubt on standing against servants of the most high God. Moses, Elisha, Jeremiah, Paul, Timothy and even Jesus Christ faced people who stood up against them saying they were no different from them and had rights to do as they please. One of my previous texts on any Pastor who was not teaching the truth for those who have read it, concluded with We must seek to find the voice our true living shepherd(John 10:27) in the voice of our human shepherd, and when His voice is missing- the rest is just HUMAN OPINION and PROFITS LITTLE. This does not justify becoming the employer of the Pastor and threatening to fire him if he disobeys you. When did you become Gods advocate? As usual, the Bible explains the conditions for pastoral oppositions and the consequence to those who partake in these attacks. Korah, Dathan, Abiram, Miriam and the others who stood up against Moses the servant of God reveals three reasons but the Bible also explains other underlying factors for people who oppose the servant of God. 1. CONFUSED BY ASSUMPTION- Korah and his fellow opposer of the man of God assumed that Gods revelation to all gave them the right to be leaders. God clearly defined roles right from the book of Genesis and in these roles is our safety. He chose the levites to protect the people even though they were all Gods people. Numbers 1:53; The Levites, however, are to set up their tents around the tabernacle of the covenant law so that my wrath will not fall on the Israelite community. The Levites are to be responsible for the care of the tabernacle of the covenant law. Why would God ask the levites to set up camp to protect Israel His people? God creates and administer order in creation through role allocation. So when God calls a Pastor to a role, He will never for a moment change His mind and equate everyone even if they are saved to be equal to the called person who fulfils his role nor allows them to usurp that special role. So if you think you have the word, charisma and follower-ship- KNOW YOUR PLACE. If you allow assumptions to confuse you about your position and status in Gods government order- you are directly preparing yourself for destruction. Usurp means, to seize and hold...by force or without legal authority- to assume you are equal in roles to the Pastor because you are born again is to illegally lay claim to what God has not given you. You are not a Pastor, He answers only to God for unto Him he ministers. 2. CHOSEN AND SET APART: Moses response to Korah and his supporters is that God has chosen all but He has also specifically set apart people for direct communion and only this people can stand has his ministers to many or on a large scale. A Pastor or a priest occupies the position which is packaged as a minister for more people than few individuals. The opposers of Aaron and Moses could minister to individuals but God calls His priest for a greater ministry opportunity. He gave the Pastoral role to specific people for the for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ(Eph. 4:11). He chooses them for the body not just individuals. So you may be chosen and have the gifts but you must be set apart by God not your own choice to carry Gods purpose and plan to many. 3. CONVERSATION WITH GOD IS NOT THE SAME AS COMMUNICATE ON HIS BEHALF: Miriam in Numbers 12 accused Moses saying that since God spoke to all, then they can speak for God too. It is the beginning of direct attack on Gods person. The carriers of His words are carefully chosen. Yes you speak to God but the Bible consistently declared, God must choose you to be His mouth piece to the people and if you have not been chosen, it is dangerous to usurp the position. Deuteronomy 18:20 says; But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ God will not take it lightly with anyone who assume3s they are not Gods mouth piece and the Pastoral office or ministers office is nothing special. Listen to Romans 10:15; And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?.... SO if your friend is beginning to act like the Pastor, please avoid Him unless your friend is called and chosen to speak for God, opposing the Pastor as a mouth piece will end in doom. THE REAL ISSUE: Underneath every opposer of the Pastor in the Church of God are deep personal issues. A Pastor who has not been found morally and financially corrupt but now has people rising against him must understand that beyond the opposers accusations are real issues. And according to the Bible- wicked people raise opposition against the Pastor because they: 1. RECOGNITION. People with inferiority complex will oppose the pastor because they think the little control that gives puts them in public view has been taken away. I asked a man telling me about the trouble in a Church in my home town what the problem was; he said the pastor does not listen and I and asked-listen to you or to God? He kept quiet and realized that it wasnt about God but about ungodly people trying to be recognized. Miriam wanted Moses to take orders from them even before getting married. And she suffered for it. If the Pastor is not found wanting morally or financially, all you need is to know is He must listen only to God. If a Pastor opposer comes to your neighbourhood- ignore him or her to death. 2. RELEVANCE: Miriam wanted to be relevant to Moses life and ministry. When God called Moses, He alone will define his life and progress. Opposers to Pastors like Korah , Dathan and even Miriam only want to be relevant. The deep problem is that they want to be relevant. They will want everyone to think they are doing it for God but they have lost their relevance and they will do anything to be relevant again. They wont move to another Church because nobody knows them there and it will take a while to relevant their. Ignore them to death. 3. RELATIONSHIP DROUGHT- When a Pastor chooses to listen to God over some few disgruntled and irrelevant people, these people discover that the only thing that defines their place in the Church is their relationship to power and authority. Take that away, their lives is devoid of meaning. The positions of office in the Church is the only way they find meaning to their lives, they do not know nor have a personal relationship with Christ. FINALLY- Korah and Dathan faced the consequence of their opposition. Miriam and Aaron(even though Aarons garment representing his office protected him till it was taken away- Num. 20:28). Listen to what the Bible says concerning those who wants to usurp the position of the Pastor; “Back off from the tents of these bad men; don’t touch a thing that belongs to them lest you be carried off on the flood of their sins.” So they all backed away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Dathan and Abiram ... The words were hardly out of his mouth when the Earth split open. Earth opened its mouth and in one gulp swallowed them down, the men and their families, all the human beings connected with Korah, along with everything they owned. And that was the end of them, pitched alive into Sheol. The Earth closed up over them and that was the last the community heard of them. All opposers of Pastoral ministries dont die alone and anyone who allows their words, thoughts and seeds to remain accessible to them will be judged along with them. The worst is that even their children will bear the full brunt of Gods wrath. To usurp or contradict Gods call and order is to challenge God and His purpose. When the opposers of Gods servant moves into your neighbourhood- stay away and you will save yourself. They wont die natural deaths- GOD IS STILL THE SAME GOD OF THE OLD TESTAMENT AND HIS GRACE WILL NOT ABHOR OR REBELLION.
Posted on: Tue, 01 Apr 2014 12:58:10 +0000