Notes on the book of NumbersMackintosh, Charles Henry
Religion
Notes on the book of Numbers
Mackintosh, Charles Henry
Bible. Numbers -- Commentaries
This was placing the matter in the proper hands. Moses gives great
prominence to the sovereign rights of Jehovah.—“The Lord will show,”
and, “The Lord will choose.” There is not a syllable about himself or
Aaron. The whole question hinges upon the Lord’s choice and the Lord’s
appointment. The two hundred and fifty rebels are brought face to face
with the living God. They are summoned into His presence, with their
censers in their hands, in order that the whole matter may be thoroughly
gone into and definitely settled before that grand tribunal from which
there can be no appeal. It would, obviously, have been of no possible
use for Moses and Aaron to attempt to give judgment, inasmuch as they
were defendants in the cause; but Moses was blessedly willing to have all
parties summoned into the divine presence, there to have their matters
judged and determined.
This was true humility and true wisdom. It is always well, when people
are seeking a place, to let them have it, to their heart’s content; for,
most assuredly, the very place after which they have foolishly aspired
will be the scene of their signal defeat and deplorable confusion. You
may sometimes see men envying others in a certain sphere of service,
and longing to occupy that sphere themselves. Let them try it; and they
are sure, in the end, to break down and retire covered with shame and
confusion of face. The Lord will surely confound all such. There is no
use in man trying to do it; and hence it is always best for such as may
happen to be the objects of envious attack just to fall on their faces
before God, and let Him settle the question with the malcontents. It is
most sad when such scenes occur in the history of God’s people; but they
have occurred, they do occur, and they may occur again and again; and
we feel assured that the very best plan is, to let men of a restless,
ambitious, disaffected spirit run to the full length of their tether, and
then they are sure to be pulled up. It is, in point of fact, to leave
them in the hands of God, who will most surely deal with them in His own
perfect way.
“And Moses said unto _Korah_, ‘Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: 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
unto 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?’” (Ver. 8-11.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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