Matt Richards
Numbers 16:47 So Aaron took it as Moses said and ran into the midst of the assembly. And behold, the plague had already begun among the people. And he put on the incense and made atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stopped.
Numbers 16:47 So Aaron took it as Moses said and ran into the midst of the assembly. And behold, the plague had already begun among the people. And he put on the incense and made atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was
You know Moses had told the people not to 'follow their heart' but follow God. He was leading them. He told them to be Holy and separate.
People don't always like a hardcore, holiness message. Then 250 men rose up against him and God's message and said, "Hey Mo who do you think you are, you've just gone too far this time we are all Holy and the same as you. And things haven't worked out like you said they would." (hypergrace)
So Moses asked all the men to meet the next day in God's presence to let God decide who was right.
The next day in the meeting after prayer, the Earth opened up and swallowed up the people of Korah. All 250 of them.
You would have thought that would have been the end of it. But it wasn't because the people had a heart attack. Their hearts just weren't right.
Rebellion had set in the camp and in the hearts of some of the people of Israel. They now said to Moses, "Hey Mo, now you've killed the people of God."
This was too much for God and a plague of judgement broke out and killed 14,000 of the people. It was like a scary horror movie.
Moses and Aaron stood between the dead and the living and the plague stopped.
That's intercession right there. Moses like many leaders had his leadership questioned and challenged. God intervened with judgement. Rather than repenting, the people still blamed him for all that was going wrong.
He didn't feel sorry for himself, like I often do, but he stood in the gap between the dead and the living.
I can so relate to the above story in many ways.
God is looking for a leadership, a church of Holiness and separation. It's not a popular message, but God's message. Going against a culture 'of follow your heart' many will say you've gone too far this time.
When even the Christian's rise up to blame the holiness preacher, the judgement is inevitable and starts with the House of God.
But the leadership response should be to intercede, to pray, to stand in the gap, to be in between the dead and living.
At this time let's not stand back, but get in between the dead and the living so the plague can be stopped.
As other's hearts have been attacked with rebellion, be different and intercede.
Prayer:
Father people are frustrating, please forgive me for taking offence. Help me to preach a message of separation, and help me to be one that stands in the gap today in Jesus' name Amen.
