Dear Family,
Today is Sunday, May 7, 2023. It is Day 29; Day 1 of Week 5 in our Count to Pentecost.
As citizens of the 21st century, we have a lot of history we can examine as we look back at mankind’s experiences. As followers of the true God, we need to be acutely aware that there are godly leaders as well as very ungodly leaders. And at times, at least for short intervals, we may not be able to distinguish the godly from the ungodly. That is, until their fruit matures.
God’s Word tells us God found Moses faithful. Yes, Moses was a wonderful example of a Godly leader. The fruit was evident. Yet, Israel murmured against him. In the case of Moses and other such Godly leaders who are following what they have been expressly directed to do by God Himself, murmuring against the leader is equated with murmuring against God. That is how God sees it. Notice what happened in Exodus.
Exodus 16:2, 8-9 (2) And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness… (8) And Moses said, for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against Him: and what are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD. (9) And Moses spake unto Aaron; Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel; Come near before the LORD: for He hath heard your murmurings.
Can God work through frail, incompetent, inconsistent, fleshly human beings? Of course, He can. God worked through mere men thousands of years ago; and, He also works through mere men in this-day-and-age.
So, in this passage in Exodus, instead of murmuring against Moses, what “righteous” thing could the Israelites have done, even if they truly believed that Moses’ leadership had somehow failed them? They could have remembered what God had already done for them. They could have appealed to God and approached Moses with their concerns in a humble, non-accusing manner. They could have submitted themselves to God’s faithful care.
May God grant each one of us discernment of HIS LEADERSHIP and insight so we respond righteously to it. And, let each of us remember that we ourselves are being trained for positions of leadership. Studying Moses’ life and the lives of other of God’s faithful servants can help us understand what to expect and how to respond in leadership roles.
Ben Faulkner, Pastor
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