A Lesson for the Christmas Holiday Part 2

Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed. Proverbs 19:17 

The question is asked by men of great wealth, how will anybody start to help those in need? God does not wait for humans to give an answer. The Bible says God chooses to work through human agents in relieving the necessities of suffering humanity. He says, "How inconsistent it is for those who profess to be Christ’s followers to spend their means in buying expensive presents for those who need not their offerings! How many poor and suffering families might be supplied with healthful, simple food and comfortable clothing if the gifts and offerings formerly devoted to friends and relatives should be bestowed upon the needy. The word of God says, "In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" Acts 20:35 

Let the gifts that have hitherto been given without a thought as to the misapplication of God’s entrusted goods, be recognized as his talents to be applied to the necessities of the poor and suffering. In this way thanksgiving will redound to God; for the poor will be blessed with the thought that the Lord has moved upon his agents and has caused them to remember the hungry, the naked, and the destitute. Will those who have a good supply of the Lord’s goods, misapply their gifts in giving to those who are not in need, simply because it is fashionable to do so, and take no thought of the poverty-stricken homes where such gifts would be greatly appreciated?

We have long been waiting and halting, and neglecting Christ in the person of suffering ones who have been purchased by his blood. Shall we not now redeem the past? Shall we not now make restitution to God by our earnest zeal, our tender compassion, and take to our hearts the homeless little ones?

The children of God on earth must cooperate with heavenly intelligences, working in harmony with the light and truth revealed in his word, and thus represents the attributes of his character. Every Christian is to represent Christ in self-denial, in living not to please and glorify self. The followers of Christ are to reach that condition which is spoken of in the sacred record, “For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.” And again he says, “God is not ashamed to be called their God,” Hebrews 2:11-13 / Hebrews 11:16. 

What evidence does he present to verify this assurance? The answer is, “He hath prepared for them a city.” But those who are thus honored are doers of the word of God, James 1:22. They love God with all the heart, and their neighbors as themselves, 

Mark 12:30-31, 

and are living epistles, known and read of all men, 2 Corinthians 3:2. By their character they say to the world that they are strangers and pilgrims on the earth. “For they that say such things declare plainly [to the world] that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from which they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country that is a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a city.”

Let everyone closely investigate his expenditures, and see how he can deny himself and help the needy. There is a home in preparation for the aged poor. This is a precious object to which to give a portion of God’s entrusted goods. “Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not of covetousness.” Now hear the words of inspiration, “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully" 2 Corinthians 9:6. 

Do we believe God? I believe every word spoken by the prophets and apostles are inspired by the Holy Spirit. “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give: not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver" 2 Corinthians 9:7. Now hear the assurance that God has given to those who would follow out his instruction: “God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work (as it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth forever. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower [which is our heavenly Father] both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness): being enriched in everything to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; while by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men: and by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” 2 Corinthians 9:8-15

It is through the blessing of God bestowed upon the unselfish and benevolent soul, that he has wherewith to bestow gifts to help the needy, and to bring tithes and offerings to carry the gospel into regions beyond. Nothing can be given that has not first been received from our Heavenly Father, John 3:27. Will the Christian world ever learn that the soul must be refined from the dross of selfishness before Christ can be represented in character? Can anything be withheld by those who know the blessedness of giving? Shall it be said of professed believers in Jesus Christ that he is ashamed to call them brethren? Selfishness, covetousness, pride, and vanity misrepresent Christ to the world. 

The name of Christian is applied by the world to men and women who are not so named in the books of heaven. On the record above it is written of them, “Weighed in the balances of the sanctuary, and found wanting" Daniel 5:27. The worldly spirit that leads the professed people of God to misappropriate their Lord’s goods causes them to bring reproach upon the name of him who has exercised boundless beneficence toward the sons of men. The character of God is falsified before the world by those who withhold their Lord’s entrusted means from benevolent purposes; for they do not represent him who “so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Song of the Day: Lord, Make Us Instruments of Your Peace – Drakensberg Boys Choir

CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR THE HOMELESS

Thank you for your prayers for this ministry, and may the blessings of the Lord rest on you, and your family always.

Blessings, Blessing, Blessings 

Garden Ministry Devotionals are written by Chaplain Kevin Santucci

If you know of ten persons who need a word of encouragement through this devotional, please forward this email of faith on to them today.

A Lesson for the Christmas Holiday Part 1

On Sunday evening December 18, 2016 as I was ministering to the population of Bermuda via radio, God spoke to me. It was in one of my moments of asking Him for inspiration, clearer enlightenment, and a vision to share with His people one of their greatest needs right now. As I was ministering at the Inspire FM 105 station, I came across a reading dating back to November 1, 1894 from Melbourne, Australia. This letter was written for all to understand the soberness of the time. 

The letter comes out of a question of, "should we care for the homeless, and homeless orphan children,” or even children who go to school without food? “In Luke 17:11-19, Jesus shares the other side of the story of gift giving and Christmas. Listen to His comment in verse 17, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?” Let us give earnest consideration to this question, “Where are the nine?” Why is it that we feel such great obligation for human favors, and so little for the divine? Why do we praise and glorify man, and leave God out of our reckoning? What human agent could have done one thousandth part of that which God has done for his heritage? Could a human agent do even a fraction of what God has done, it would be done only by the grace which God supplies. Man is so ungrateful, so forgetful of God, whose mercy sustains him every hour and every moment! 

All we have received in the past, and all we are now receiving, comes from One who “so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, (the Christmas story) that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved" John 3:16-17 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:14. “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things" Romans 8:32

Satan works to interpose himself between God and man, so that the affections, the gifts and offerings of human agents, shall be turned into human channels rather than into the divine. The enemy has been especially alive upon this point, and shall those who profess to be the followers of Christ unite with him in this branch of satanic work? For Christ’s sake let not the world give a better example in works of benevolence than do those who claim to love God with all their heart, and their neighbors as themselves. Let Christ be represented in tender compassion and love for suffering humanity. Let the condition of helpless little ones appeal to every mother’s heart, that she may put into exercise a mother’s love for homeless orphan children. Their helplessness appeals to every God-given attribute in human nature."

The Bible is very clear on this subject of standing beside the poor and needed that it says, "Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you, Matthew 5:42. To further emphasize this fact, in Deuteronomy 15:11, it encourages to take out some time for the poor among us. "For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land."

The other day, my loving sister-in-law Denyse shared a story with some of her family and friends that she saw in a shop as she was there, this is the story. "Today I was doing a little shopping in town more than once I heard the conversation about how much money someone spent, and was going to spend on gifts for their loved ones. One lady even told another, she has spent over $1000 on her 10yr old already and she wasn't half way finished with his gifts. People have seriously lost the true meaning of Christmas; it's all about material things."

It seems like many of us have forgotten that, "there is a large field for missionary labor in caring for homeless orphan children. Shall not the love of Christ constrain my brethren and sisters to use the capital entrusted for the purpose of blessing others, in providing for the destitute and homeless...? Shall Christmas and New Year’s find you enriching yourselves by accepting gifts that you do not need, or will you tell your friends and relatives that you will regard it as a great favor to yourself if they will bestow their gifts on the Orphans’ Home, and needy, homeless, and needed little children may thus be cared for, clothed, and fed as God would have them?"

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ Matthew 25:35-40 

The blessing of the Lord will surely be bestowed upon all who will deny self, using the means He has lent them in an economical way in providing for themselves, in order that they may provide for those also who are destitute and afflicted. God is testing and proving every soul in this probationary time that it may be made manifest whether or not his attributes of character are formed within. "Give and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38

On the other hand, "Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him" Proverbs 14:31. As you go on your way today, "Do not neglect to do good, and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God." Hebrews 13:16 

Song of the Day: We are the Reason - David Meece

Thank you for your prayers for this ministry, and may the blessings of the Lord rest on you, and your family always.

Season’s Greetings to All

Garden Ministry Devotionals are written by Chaplain Kevin Santucci

If you know of ten persons who need a word of encouragement through this devotional, please forward this email of faith on to them today.

LESSONS FROM THE PASS FOR ALL TODAY!

Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Ecclesiastes 8:11

God morning All,

I awoke early this morning and the Lord told me to read Numbers chapter 16 and 17. After reading it, this is what He said to me from an old writer of the past, “The judgments visited upon the Israelites in their past served for a time to restrain their murmuring and insubordination, but the spirit of rebellion was still in the heart and eventually brought forth the bitterest fruits as it is intended to do with some today. The former rebellions that you have gone through, had been mere popular tumults, arising from the sudden impulse of the excited multitude; but now a deep-laid conspiracy was formed, the result of a determined purpose to overthrow the authority of the leaders appointed by God Himself.

Korah, the leading spirit in this movement, was a Levite, or better still a Christian in high rank of the family of Kohath, and a cousin of Moses and next door neighbor; he was a man of ability and influence. Though appointed to the service of the tabernacle, he had become dissatisfied with his position and aspired to the dignity of the priesthood. The bestowal upon Aaron and his house of the priestly office, which had formerly devolved upon the first-born son of every family, had given rise to jealousy and dissatisfaction, and for some time Korah had been secretly opposing the authority of Moses and Aaron, though he had not ventured upon any open act of rebellion.  He would put other people up to it to get what he really wanted. He finally conceived the bold design of overthrowing both the civil and the religious authority. He did not fail to find sympathizers, like there are some today. Close to the tents of Korah and the Kohathites, on the south side of the tabernacle, was the encampment of the tribe of Reuben, the tents of Dathan and Abiram, two princes of this tribe, being near that of Korah. These princes readily joined in his ambitious schemes. Being descendants from the eldest son of Jacob, they claimed that the civil authority belonged to them, and they determined to divide with Korah the honors of the priesthood.

The state of feeling among the people favored the designs of Korah. In the bitterness of their disappointment, their former doubts, jealousy, and hatred had returned, and again their complaints were directed against their patient leader. The Israelites were continually losing sight of the fact that they were under divine guidance. They forgot that the Angel of the covenant was their invisible leader, that, veiled by the cloudy pillar, the presence of Christ went before them, and that from Him Moses received all his directions.

They were unwilling to submit to the terrible sentence that they must all die in the wilderness, and hence they were ready to seize upon every pretext for believing that it was not God but Moses who was leading them and who had pronounced their doom. The best efforts of the meekest man upon the earth could not quell the insubordination of this people; and although the marks of God’s displeasure at their former perverseness were still before them in their broken ranks and missing numbers, they did not take the lesson to heart. Again they were overcome by temptation as some are today.

The humble shepherd’s life of Moses had been far more peaceful and happy than his present position as leader of that vast assembly of turbulent spirits. Yet Moses dared not choose. In place of a shepherd’s crook a rod of power had been given him, which he could not lay down until God should release him.

He who reads the secrets of all hearts had marked the purposes of Korah and his companions and had given His people such warning and instruction as might have enabled them to escape the deception of these designing men. They had seen the judgment of God fall upon Miriam because of her jealousy and complaints against Moses. The Lord had declared that Moses was greater than a prophet. “With him will I speak mouth to mouth.” “Wherefore, then,” He added, “were ye not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?” Numbers 12:8. These instructions were not intended for Aaron and Miriam alone, but for all Israel.

Korah and his fellow conspirators were men who had been favored with special manifestations of God’s power and greatness. They were of the number who went up with Moses into the mount and beheld the divine glory. But since that time a change had come. A temptation, slight at first, had been harbored, and had strengthened as it was encouraged, until their minds were controlled by Satan, and they ventured upon their work of disaffection. Professing great interest in the prosperity of the people, they first whispered their discontent to one another and then to leading men of Israel. Their insinuations were so readily received that they ventured still further, and at last they really believed themselves to be actuated by zeal for God.

They were successful in alienating two hundred and fifty princes, men of renown in the congregation. With these strong and influential supporters they felt confident of making a radical change in the government and greatly improving upon the administration of Moses and Aaron.

Jealousy had given rise to envy, and envy to rebellion. They had discussed the question of the right of Moses to so great authority and honor, until they had come to regard him as occupying a very enviable position, which any of them could fill as well as he. And they deceived themselves and one another into thinking that Moses and Aaron had themselves assumed the positions they held. The discontented ones said that these leaders had exalted themselves above the congregation of the Lord, in taking upon them the priesthood and government, but their house was not entitled to distinction above others in Israel; they were no more holy than the people, and it should be enough for them to be on a level with their brethren, who were equally favored with God’s special presence and protection.

The next work of the conspirators was with the people. To those who are in the wrong, and deserving of reproof, there is nothing more pleasing than to receive sympathy and praise. And thus Korah and his associates gained the attention and enlisted the support of the congregation. The charge that the murmurings of the people had brought upon them the wrath of God was declared to be a mistake. They said that the congregation were not at fault, since they desired nothing more than their rights; but that Moses was an overbearing ruler; that he had reproved the people as sinners, when they were a holy people, and the Lord was among them.

Korah reviewed the history as some are doing today, of their travels through the wilderness, where they had been brought into strait places, and many had perished because of their murmuring and disobedience. His hearers thought they saw clearly that their troubles might have been prevented if Moses had pursued a different course. They decided that all their disasters were chargeable to him, and that their exclusion from Canaan was in consequence of the mismanagement of Moses and Aaron; that if Korah would be their leader, and would encourage them by dwelling upon their good deeds, instead of reproving their sins, they would have a very peaceful, prosperous journey; instead of wandering to and fro in the wilderness, they would proceed directly to the Promised Land.

In this work of disaffection there was greater union and harmony among the discordant elements of the congregation than had ever before existed.  But this is what is called disunity. Through his success with the people increased his confidence and confirmed him in his belief that the usurpation of authority by Moses, if unchecked, would be fatal to the liberties of Israel; he also claimed that God had opened the matter to him, and had authorized him to make a change in the government before it should be too late. But many were not ready to accept Korah’s accusations against Moses. The memory of his patient, self-sacrificing labors came up before them, and conscience was disturbed. It was therefore necessary to assign some selfish motive for his deep interest for Israel; and the old charge was reiterated, that he had led them out to perish in the wilderness, that he might seize upon their possessions.

For a time this work was carried on secretly. As soon, however, as the movement had gained sufficient strength to warrant an open rupture, Korah appeared at the head of the faction, and publicly accused Moses and Aaron of usurping authority which Korah and his associates were equally entitled to share. It was charged, further, that the people had been deprived of their liberty and independence. “Ye take too much upon you,” said the conspirators, “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?”

Moses had not suspected this deep-laid plot, and when its terrible significance burst upon him, he fell upon his face in silent appeal to God. He arose sorrowful indeed, but calm and strong. Divine guidance had been granted him. “Even tomorrow,” he said, “the Lord will show who are His, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto Him: even him whom He hath chosen will He cause to come near unto Him.” The test was to be deferred until the morrow, that all might have time for reflection. Then those who aspired to the priesthood were to come each with a censer, and offer incense at the tabernacle in the presence of the congregation. The law was very explicit that only those who had been ordained to the sacred office should minister in the sanctuary. And even the priests, Nadab and Abihu, had been destroyed for venturing to offer “strange fire,” in disregard of a divine command. Yet Moses challenged his accusers, if they dared enter upon so perilous an appeal, to refer the matter to God.

Singling out Korah and his fellow Levites, Moses said, “Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them? And He hath brought thee near to Him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also? for which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the Lord. And what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?”

Dathan and Abiram had not taken so bold a stand as had Korah; and Moses, hoping that they might have been drawn into the conspiracy without having become wholly corrupted, summoned them to appear before him, that he might hear their charges against him. But they would not come, and they insolently refused to acknowledge his authority. Their reply, uttered in the hearing of the congregation, was, “Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us? Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up.”

Thus they applied to the scene of their bondage the very language in which the Lord had described the promised inheritance. They accused Moses of pretending to act under divine guidance, as a means of establishing his authority; and they declared that they would no longer submit to be led about like blind men, now toward Canaan, and now toward the wilderness, as best suited his ambitious designs. Thus he who had been as a tender father, a patient shepherd, was represented in the blackest character of a tyrant and usurper. The exclusion from Canaan, in punishment of their own sins, was charged upon him.

It was evident that the sympathies of the people were with the disaffected party; but Moses made no effort at self-vindication. He solemnly appealed to God, in the presence of the congregation, as a witness to the purity of his motives and the uprightness of his conduct, and implored Him to be his judge.

On the morrow, the two hundred and fifty princes, with Korah at their head, presented themselves, with their censers. They were brought into the court of the tabernacle, while the people gathered without, to await the result. It was not Moses who assembled the congregation to behold the defeat of Korah and his company, but the rebels, in their blind presumption, had called them together to witness their victory. A large part of the congregation openly sided with Korah, whose hopes were high of carrying his point against Aaron.

As they were thus assembled before God, “the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the congregation.” The divine warning was communicated to Moses and Aaron, “Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” But they fell upon their faces, with the prayer, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt Thou be wroth with all the congregation?”

Korah had withdrawn from the assembly to join Dathan and Abiram when Moses, accompanied by the seventy elders, went down with a last warning to the men who had refused to come to him. The multitudes followed, and before delivering his message, Moses, by divine direction, bade the people, “Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.” The warning was obeyed, for an apprehension of impending judgment rested upon all. The chief rebels saw themselves abandoned by those whom they had deceived, but their hardihood was unshaken. They stood with their families in the door of their tents, as if in defiance of the divine warning.

In the name of the God of Israel, Moses now declared, in the hearing of the congregation: “Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind. If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men, then the Lord hath not sent me. But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit, then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord.”

The eyes of all Israel were fixed upon Moses as they stood, in terror and expectation, awaiting the event. As he ceased speaking, the solid earth parted, and the rebels went down alive into the pit, with all that pertained to them, and “they perished from among the congregation.” The people fled, self-condemned as partakers in the sin.

But the judgments were not ended. Fire flashing from the cloud consumed the two hundred and fifty princes who had offered incense. These men, not being the first in rebellion, were not destroyed with the chief conspirators. They were permitted to see their end, and to have an opportunity for repentance; but their sympathies were with the rebels, and they shared their fate. 

When Moses was entreating Israel to flee from the coming destruction, the divine judgment might even then have been stayed, if Korah and his company had repented and sought forgiveness. But their stubborn persistence sealed their doom. The entire congregation were sharers in their guilt, for all had, to a greater or less degree, sympathized with them. Yet God in His great mercy made a distinction between the leaders in rebellion and those whom they had led. The people who had permitted themselves to be deceived were still granted space for repentance. Overwhelming evidence had been given that they were wrong, and that Moses was right. The signal manifestation of God’s power had removed all uncertainty.

Jesus, the Angel who went before the Hebrews, sought to save them from destruction. Forgiveness was lingering for them. The judgment of God had come very near, and appealed to them to repent. A special, irresistible interference from heaven had arrested their rebellion. Now, if they would respond to the interposition of God’s providence, they might be saved. But while they fled from the judgments, through fear of destruction, their rebellion was not cured. They returned to their tents that night terrified, but not repentant.

They had been flattered by Korah and his company until they really believed themselves to be very good people, and that they had been wronged and abused by Moses. Should they admit that Korah and his company were wrong, and Moses right, then they would be compelled to receive as the word of God the sentence that they must die in the wilderness. They were not willing to submit to this, and they tried to believe that Moses had deceived them. They had fondly cherished the hope that a new order of things was about to be established, in which praise would be substituted for reproof, and ease for anxiety and conflict. The men who had perished had spoken flattering words and had professed great interest and love for them, and the people concluded that Korah and his companions must have been good men, and that Moses had by some means been the cause of their destruction.

It is hardly possible for men to offer greater insult to God than to despise and reject the instrumentalities He would use for their salvation. The Israelites had not only done this, but had purposed to put both Moses and Aaron to death. Yet they did not realize the necessity of seeking pardon of God for their grievous sin. That night of probation was not passed in repentance and confession, but in devising some way to resist the evidences which showed them to be the greatest of sinners. They still cherished hatred of the men of God’s appointment, and braced themselves to resist their authority. Satan was at hand to pervert their judgment and lead them blindfold to destruction.

All Israel had fled in alarm at the cry of the doomed sinners who went down into the pit, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up also.” “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.” And they were about to proceed to violence against their faithful, self-sacrificing leaders.

A manifestation of the divine glory was seen in the cloud above the tabernacle, and a voice from the cloud spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment.”

The guilt of sin did not rest upon Moses, and hence he did not fear and did not hasten away and leave the congregation to perish. Moses lingered, in this fearful crisis manifesting the true shepherd’s interest for the flock of his care. He pleaded that the wrath of God might not utterly destroy the people of His choice. By his intercession he stayed the arm of vengeance, that a full end might not be made of disobedient, rebellious Israel. Can you imagine, the man whom they blasted, and ridiculed, and brought down, and said he was not worthy to lead, was now fighting to preserve and prevent the wrath of God upon these rebellious children. 

But the minister of wrath had gone forth; the plague was doing its work of death. By his brother’s direction, Aaron took a censer and hastened into the midst of the congregation to “make an atonement for them.” “And he stood between the dead and the living.” As the smoke of the incense ascended, the prayers of Moses in the tabernacle went up to God; and the plague was stayed; but not until fourteen thousand of Israel lay dead, an evidence of the guilt of murmuring and rebellion.

By this, further evidence was given that the priesthood had been established in the family of Aaron. By divine direction each tribe prepared a rod and wrote upon it the name of the tribe. The name of Aaron was upon that of Levi. The rods were laid up in the tabernacle, “before the testimony.” The blossoming of any rod was to be a token that the Lord had chosen that tribe for the priesthood. On the morrow, “behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.” It was shown to the people, and afterward laid up in the tabernacle as a witness to succeeding generations. This miracle effectually settled the question of the priesthood.

It was now fully established that Moses and Aaron had spoken by divine authority, and the people were compelled to believe the unwelcome truth that they were to die in the wilderness. “Behold,” they exclaimed, “we die, we perish, we all perish.” They confessed that they had sinned in rebelling against their leaders, and that Korah and his company had suffered from the just judgment of God.

In the rebellion of Korah is seen the working out, upon a narrower stage, of the same spirit that led to the rebellion of Satan in heaven. It was pride and ambition that prompted Lucifer to complain of the government of God, and to seek the overthrow of the order which had been established in heaven. Since his fall it has been his object to infuse the same spirit of envy and discontent, the same ambition for position and honor, into the minds of men. He thus worked upon the minds of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, to arouse the desire for self-exaltation and excite envy, distrust, and rebellion. Satan caused them to reject God as their leader, by rejecting the men of God’s appointment. Yet while in their murmuring against Moses and Aaron they blasphemed God, they were so deluded as to think themselves righteous, and to regard those who had faithfully reproved their sins as actuated by Satan.

Do not the same evils still exist that lay at the foundation of Korah’s ruin? Pride and ambition are widespread; and when these are cherished, they open the door to envy, and a striving for supremacy; the soul is alienated from God, and unconsciously drawn into the ranks of Satan. Like Korah and his companions, many, even of the professed followers of Christ, are thinking, planning, and working so eagerly for self-exaltation that in order to gain the sympathy and support of the people they are ready to pervert the truth, falsifying and misrepresenting the Lord’s servants, and even charging them with the base and selfish motives that inspire their own hearts. By persistently reiterating falsehood, and that against all evidence, they at last come to believe it to be truth. While endeavoring to destroy the confidence of the people in the men of God’s appointment, they really believe that they are engaged in a good work, verily doing God service.

The Hebrews were not willing to submit to the directions and restrictions of the Lord. They were restless under restraint, and unwilling to receive reproof. This was the secret of their murmuring against Moses. Had they been left free to do as they pleased, there would have been fewer complaints against their leader. All through the history of the church God’s, the governance in civil areas of responsibility, servants have had the same spirit to meet.

It is by sinful indulgence that men give Satan access to their minds, and they go from one stage of wickedness to another. The rejection of light darkens the mind and hardens the heart, so that it is easier for them to take the next step in sin and to reject still clearer light, until at last their habits of wrongdoing become fixed. Sin ceases to appear sinful to them. He who faithfully preaches God’s word, or leads out in civic duties, thereby condemning their sins, too often incurs their hatred. Unwilling to endure the pain and sacrifice necessary to reform, they turn upon the Lord’s servant and denounce his reproofs as uncalled for and severe. Like Korah, they declare that the people are not at fault; it is the reprover that causes all the trouble. And soothing their consciences with this deception, the jealous and disaffected combine to sow discord in all areas of leadership and weaken the hands of those who would build it up.

Every advance made by those whom God has called to lead in His work has excited suspicion; every act has been misrepresented by the jealous and faultfinding. Thus it was in the time of great leaders like Martin Luther, John Wesley, Huldreich Zwingli, John Calvin, John Knox, and other reformers of the reformation, and thus it is today.

Korah would not have taken the course he did had he known that all the directions and reproofs communicated to Israel were from God. But he might have known this. God had given overwhelming evidence that He was leading Israel. But Korah and his companions rejected light until they became so blinded that the most striking manifestations of His power were not sufficient to convince them; they attributed them all to human or satanic agency. The same thing was done by the people, who the day after the destruction of Korah and his company came to Moses and Aaron, saying, “Ye have killed the people of the Lord.” Notwithstanding they had had the most convincing evidence of God’s displeasure at their course, in the destruction of the men who had deceived them, they dared to attribute His judgments to Satan, declaring that through the power of the evil one, Moses and Aaron had caused the death of good and holy men. 

It was this act that sealed their doom. They had committed the sin against the Holy Spirit, a sin by which man’s heart is effectually hardened against the influence of divine grace. “Whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man,” said Christ, “it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him.” Matthew 12:32. These words were spoken by our Saviour when the gracious works which He had performed through the power of God were attributed by the Jews to Beelzebub. It is through the agency of the Holy Spirit that God communicates with man; and those who deliberately reject this agency as satanic, have cut off the channel of communication between the soul and Heaven.

God works by the manifestation of His Spirit to reprove and convict the sinner; and if the Spirit’s work is finally rejected, there is no more that God can do for the soul. The last resource of divine mercy has been employed. The transgressor has cut himself off from God, and sin has no remedy to cure itself. There is no reserved power by which God can work to convict and convert the sinner. “Let him alone” (Hosea 4:17) is the divine command. Then “there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.” Hebrews 10:26, 27.”

The moral of the story is, be careful who you hang out with, because you may go down with them in their shame. ......

Song of the Day: Breath Of Life Quartet - You Better Mine

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Garden Ministry Devotionals are written by Chaplain Kevin Santucci

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