Don't drag me away with the wicked-with those who do evil. They say " Peace" to their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts.....They don't understand what the Lord has done or what He has made.
I was reading in the book of Numbers last night about Korah, one of the Kohathites charged by God with the task of carrying the holy things from the traveling Tabernacle in the wilderness. They were of the priestly line of the Levites and were privileged above others to be near the Lord in the meeting tent. Moses had no idea, however, that as Korah went about his holy task that his heart was devising evil. Things seemed to flow along as usual. But Korah and two other men were fed up with the leadership Moses provided. Had not had any "milk and honey" lately.
"You have gone too far! All the people are holy, every one of them! And the Lord is among them! So why do you and Aaron put yourselves above them?" was Korah's pejorative.
Moses fell down on his face immediately! Because He understood Korah had blasphemed God, not him. The wickedness of their hearts would kill him and his two cronies because they had told God His way was inadequate - no! Downright fraud.
"You have gone too far! Tomorrow morning the Lord will show who belongs to Him!" cried Moses from his position of humility.
But the evil talk just kept spewing from their ungrateful hearts even after Moses reminded Korah that it should be enough that He allowed the Kohathites to be so near Him in His Holy Tent. They had fertile land back where they came from...not so much here in the desert where they had been brought to die! Never mind the slavery God delivered them from.
God was done with the double-mindedness of His people. Told Moses to stand back while He destroyed them all! Moses fell on his face again and pleaded with the Lord to deal only with the one man whose heart was so wicked. So, the earth swallowed Korah and his family up while all of Israel watched! Sent all the people running as they felt the earth rumble and heard the screams of Korah's people as they fell into the abyss of God 's wrath.
Korah just didn't get it! While pretending to do what the Lord had called him to do with joy, he harbored a deep jealousy in his heart that became the leaven of a full blown conspiracy against God Himself! When he despised Moses, he despised the One Who had given Moses authority over him. The wicked heart of Korah planted venom into the hearts of at least two hundred and fifty other leaders in the camp. Wish he had understood what the Lord had done. How special his own calling was. Though close to God daily in the holy meeting place, his heart was unchanged by the Presence.
Keep me, Lord, from drawing close and still being blind to You. To Your purposes. To Your specific plans for me.
Can't help but remember the words Jesus spoke to Peter after He had risen from the dead. Peter asked what was going to happen to John. Jesus responded: "If he lives until I come again, what business is that of yours? YOU follow Me." With a single-minded heart.
I was reading in the book of Numbers last night about Korah, one of the Kohathites charged by God with the task of carrying the holy things from the traveling Tabernacle in the wilderness. They were of the priestly line of the Levites and were privileged above others to be near the Lord in the meeting tent. Moses had no idea, however, that as Korah went about his holy task that his heart was devising evil. Things seemed to flow along as usual. But Korah and two other men were fed up with the leadership Moses provided. Had not had any "milk and honey" lately.
"You have gone too far! All the people are holy, every one of them! And the Lord is among them! So why do you and Aaron put yourselves above them?" was Korah's pejorative.
Moses fell down on his face immediately! Because He understood Korah had blasphemed God, not him. The wickedness of their hearts would kill him and his two cronies because they had told God His way was inadequate - no! Downright fraud.
"You have gone too far! Tomorrow morning the Lord will show who belongs to Him!" cried Moses from his position of humility.
But the evil talk just kept spewing from their ungrateful hearts even after Moses reminded Korah that it should be enough that He allowed the Kohathites to be so near Him in His Holy Tent. They had fertile land back where they came from...not so much here in the desert where they had been brought to die! Never mind the slavery God delivered them from.
God was done with the double-mindedness of His people. Told Moses to stand back while He destroyed them all! Moses fell on his face again and pleaded with the Lord to deal only with the one man whose heart was so wicked. So, the earth swallowed Korah and his family up while all of Israel watched! Sent all the people running as they felt the earth rumble and heard the screams of Korah's people as they fell into the abyss of God 's wrath.
Korah just didn't get it! While pretending to do what the Lord had called him to do with joy, he harbored a deep jealousy in his heart that became the leaven of a full blown conspiracy against God Himself! When he despised Moses, he despised the One Who had given Moses authority over him. The wicked heart of Korah planted venom into the hearts of at least two hundred and fifty other leaders in the camp. Wish he had understood what the Lord had done. How special his own calling was. Though close to God daily in the holy meeting place, his heart was unchanged by the Presence.
Keep me, Lord, from drawing close and still being blind to You. To Your purposes. To Your specific plans for me.
Can't help but remember the words Jesus spoke to Peter after He had risen from the dead. Peter asked what was going to happen to John. Jesus responded: "If he lives until I come again, what business is that of yours? YOU follow Me." With a single-minded heart.
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