How this story shows the high price that comes with divisive behavior
By Dean Collins
There is a high price for divisive behavior. And it might be a higher price than one can pay.
Every leader knows the value of teamwork. I believe it was the popular leadership teacher, John Maxwell, who said, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” Over time the phrase changed to teamwork is dream work. But sometimes teamwork can lead to a nightmare instead of a dream, especially if the team is focused on their own mission versus the mission of the organization. It becomes especially risky if an individual or team is focused on their agenda over and against what God has required or desires.
The Shema prayer in Deuteronomy was and still is the centerpiece of Jewish liturgy. Jesus quoted it when the scribe asked him what was the greatest commandment. This prayer declares that there is one God, the only God. It logically follows that God leads one kingdom. The Lord’s Prayer given to us by Jesus asks that God’s kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven. Not God’s kingdoms but God’s kingdom. One king leads one kingdom.
A reluctant deliverer
God called Moses into his leadership position to lead his children from the bondage of Egypt through the wilderness and into the Promised Land. We have no indication from Scripture that during the 40 years Moses was a shepherd that he was actually building a strategic plan to rescue the Israelite slaves. Moses might have carried some guilt for his behavior that resulted in the death of an Egyptian. He might have even felt bad that he was free while his tribe was still in bondage. But there is no indication Moses had any determination to be the deliverer of the Israelites. Moses was truly on God’s mission by God’s design and in God’s timing.
As we read Exodus and Numbers we see Moses move back and forth between being the G.O.A.T (greatest of all time) to being T.O.A.D (terrible on any day). The Israelites cheered him when they got what they wanted or needed and wailed and complained whenever they didn’t.
An ambitious rebel
When we get to Numbers 16 we find Korah, a jealous and ambitious leader, attempting a coup. This had likely been brewing for some time in order for Korah to have collected such a large group who were now declaring they were siding with him over and against Moses. What they failed to realize was the result of that decision placed them in direct opposition with God.
Korah was a first cousin of Aaron. He had recruited Dathan and Abiram and managed to gather 250 chiefs from the Israelites who were well-known and ready to challenge Moses. His relationship to Aaron makes this even more interesting as a bit of a family and leadership dispute. Their challenge to Moses was that Moses had gone too far! In essence, they told Moses he wasn’t the only holy one in town, that basically everyone was holy, and the Lord was with them all—not simply with Moses. This move was extremely divisive and based on assumptions and partial truth.
Maybe the biggest mistake in their logic was in who was calling the shots. Moses was a reluctant leader who knew enough in all but one instance to listen and follow God exactly. This rescue mission was neither designed by Moses nor possible to be accomplished by him. But Korah and his friends had a puffed-up sense of their intelligence and alliance with God.
The high price of revolt
The price of this revolt meant the death of everyone who was involved. All 250 leaders and the ringleaders died instantly, along with more than 14,000 other Israelites. It could have been worse had Moses and Aaron not fallen on their faces pleading for God to relent from his punishment for their divisive behavior.
John 17 records the long prayer of Jesus, a prayer with a singular focus, unity: unity with our one God, unity of the disciples, and unity of all followers of Christ. All through the epistles we see the apostles working to call the body of Christ into unity. As Moses first recorded and Jesus affirmed, there is but one God, and there is only one kingdom that he leads.
The challenge for us
Sadly, we are all aware that there is constant challenge to God’s call to unity in Christ. There is great danger when we let our ideology, our politics, and anything else hinder the unity that Jesus prayed and died for. The temptation of a leader is to overreach into God’s lane. If God has placed us in leadership, we must remember that we are still his servant and called to follow his plan. We are stewards and not owners. And that’s true no matter how many agreements might have your name on the deed or contract.
Divisiveness is a very dangerous and risky business. The results for Korah were not simply humiliation and a loss of influence, which are always possible if not probable when we overreach. For Korah the result of his leadership misstep was death.
Lord, forgive us for the many times and ways we have thought our role was bigger or more important than you and what you have called us to in Christ. We declare with the saints of old, “The Lord our God, the Lord is One.” We love you, Lord, with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Forgive us for the many ways we have acted or stated anything differently. We surrender to you as King. Transform our thinking and our behavior so that we might live as servants of yours and of others as we share your love, mercy, and grace far and wide. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Your time with God’s Word
Numbers 16:1-35 ESV
Photo by Richard Lee on Unsplash
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