Num. 15-16
Moses and Aaron continued to plead and to act on behalf of an ungrateful, accusing, complaining people. To me, this makes Moses an image of Christ (like Joseph was), in that we humans continually vex our God and Creator – we are stubborn, and selfish, and prideful; always chasing after our own desires and complaining about what we don’t have instead of being grateful for what we have. And yet Christ came and interceded for us so that we, though we don’t deserve it, might live.
And, boy, the three instigators here certainly failed to understand what leadership and ‘special position’ with God entails!! They, in typical human fashion, were jealous of the perceived position, power, and prestige and wanted it for themselves without understanding that the first shall be last and the greatest least. What an awesome sight it must have been to see the earth swallow those men up!! God let my heart be like that of Moses – like Christ – and not like these other men!
Mark 14:54-72
Why did the High Priest ask Jesus if He was the Son of God if he did not want to believe the answer? And how often do we do the same – ask a question of God with the answer already made up in our minds? And then there is Peter, who did not want to believe it when Jesus told him he would deny him. Perhaps, if he would have heard and accepted the possibility, he might have been better prepared to not respond in fear in that situation but to respond in faith instead. Would that I be willing to hear and accept the truth, even when it isn’t what I want to hear!