14/08/07

It's Enough

"It's enough for you, sons of Levi." Numbers 16:7

When Korah, Datan and Abiram came to Moses and questioned his authority, they also expressed their wishes to become like the priests, and serve God in a closer way. Moses tried to diffuse the issue by saying that they already have a special status by being Levites, so why ask for more? Ultimately, this became a major rebellion, and the only way it could be squashed was by an open miracle of the earth swallowing up Korah and his followers.

This was Divine proof that Moses was correct in his decision. However, the Bible tells us that forty years later, when Moses begged and pleaded with the Lord to try to enter Israel ( Deuteronomy 3 ), the Lord refused him with the same words that he used to Korah, "It is enough for you," the Lord was saying to him, "It is enough for you to be the leader here. You don't have to go to the Land of Israel." The reason these same words were used was that Moses was being shown that it was incorrect to tell someone not to strive for a greater position in spiritual matters. Although Korah used the wrong methods and ultimately paid with his life, he still wanted an opportunity to get closer to the Lord, and Moses seemed to be telling him, "It's enough. You don't need more."

What Moses said in Numbers 16:5-7 was perfectly right, but in 8-10 he over did and that did not please God. Therefore it is written in Num 16:4 'Moses also said' and was not continued with the previous text.

We learn from here an important lesson. When we see someone getting close to the Lord we should never hold him back. Sometimes we see people learning more of the Bible than we do, or praying for a longer time. Even if we cannot be like them, we should not discourage them. We should be happy that the Lord is being served in a better way.

[ Reference Scriptures ]

Psalm 69:29-36 [NIV]
²⁹ I am in pain and distress; may your salvation, O God, protect me. ³⁰ I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. ³¹ This will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hoofs. ³² The poor will see and be glad— you who seek God, may your hearts live! ³³ The LORD hears the needy and does not despise his captive people. ³⁴ Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and all that move in them, ³⁵ for God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah. Then people will settle there and possess it; ³⁶ the children of his servants will inherit it, and those who love his name will dwell there.

Acts 16:16-34 [NIV]
¹⁶Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. ¹⁷This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." ¹⁸She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her.
¹⁹When the owners of the slave girl realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. ²⁰0They brought them before the magistrates and said, "These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar ²¹by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice."
²²The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. ²³After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. ²⁴Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
²⁵About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose. ²⁷The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. ²⁸But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!"
²⁹The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. ³⁰He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
³¹They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved - you and your household." ³²Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. ³³At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. ³⁴The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God - he and his whole family.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)