100:00:01,000 –> 00:00:07,000Now I don’t know what you are like when you go on a journey. When I go on a journey I want to get there.200:00:07,000 –> 00:00:14,000A one year delay in the middle of a journey would drive me crazy. Don’t you think that would frustrate you too?300:00:14,000 –> 00:00:21,000I mean these people want to get their to the land of Canaan and a year later they’re still in the desert and they’ve made precious little progress.400:00:21,000 –> 00:00:26,000Welcome to Open The Bible with Pastor Colin Smith I’m David Pick.500:00:26,000 –> 00:00:29,000Glad you could be with us today. And Colin I’d hate that.600:00:30,000 –> 00:00:36,000Getting held up on a journey is so frustrating and that’s what the Israelites experienced.700:00:36,000 –> 00:00:40,000And we might expect that to cause a good deal of grumbling directed at their leadership.800:00:40,000 –> 00:00:43,000And that’s what we find actually caused rebellion.900:00:43,000 –> 00:00:52,000Yeah, very important and often neglected story in the Bible as to how this man with some others rose up in rebellion against Moses.1000:00:52,000 –> 00:00:55,000And, you know, it speaks to us very powerfully today.1100:00:55,000 –> 00:01:01,000I think we are experiencing two problems across the broad seed in church life.1200:01:01,000 –> 00:01:08,000One is that some churches are becoming, it seems, more and more authoritarian and that’s not good.1300:01:08,000 –> 00:01:11,000But the other problem is that1400:01:11,000 –> 00:01:17,000many Christians are becoming less and less willing to have any authority in their lives.1500:01:17,000 –> 00:01:23,000You know, I’m the one who decides what’s right for me and who’s ever going to tell me what to do and so forth and so on.1600:01:23,000 –> 00:01:27,000And especially in our culture that can become quite rampant.1700:01:27,000 –> 00:01:31,000Now, the second problem is the one that we’re looking at today.1800:01:31,000 –> 00:01:35,000That here among the people who were frustrated in one way or another,1900:01:35,000 –> 00:01:42,000there was this discontent and then this rebellion that rose up not against an authoritarian leader,2000:01:42,000 –> 00:01:47,000but again such a meek man as Moses, God’s Man, a godly man.2100:01:47,000 –> 00:01:51,000And here is the story of people who would not accept his leadership.2200:01:51,000 –> 00:01:56,000So we find that story in Numbers chapter 16, so I hope you’ll join us in your Bible if you can.2300:01:56,000 –> 00:02:01,000As we begin the message, submit to authority. Here’s Colin…2400:02:01,000 –> 00:02:08,000Now I invite you to open your Bibles today at Numbers and chapter 16 where we find the story of Korah.2500:02:08,000 –> 00:02:20,000And of all of the characters in this series, he is the one who took the most obvious and dramatic plunge to disaster as we’ll see this morning.2600:02:20,000 –> 00:02:28,000We’re following this series because we all want to make sure we put our lives together in a way that is marked by wisdom and success.2700:02:28,000 –> 00:02:37,000And our aim in this series is to learn from fools, to see what other people have gone wrong, and therefore to avoid their mistakes.2800:02:37,000 –> 00:02:46,000And so far we’ve made three discoveries. If you want to avoid a plunge to disaster, number one, learn to deal with your anger.2900:02:46,000 –> 00:02:52,000Remember the story of Cain. He became angry with God, and his anger smouldered towards his brother.3000:02:52,000 –> 00:02:57,000And sin was crouching at the door, and Cain went down.3100:02:58,000 –> 00:03:02,000Then secondly, we saw established true values. That’s where Esau went wrong.3200:03:02,000 –> 00:03:08,000He saw no value in his place in the purpose of God, and gave away something of priceless value,3300:03:08,000 –> 00:03:14,000ending his life with a loud and bitter cry, because he could not get it back.3400:03:15,000 –> 00:03:19,000And then last week we saw live what you believe.3500:03:19,000 –> 00:03:23,000That was Balaam’s problem. You remember that he received the word of God, but he did not act on it.3600:03:24,000 –> 00:03:28,000He lived the double life, and eventually that tore him apart.3700:03:28,000 –> 00:03:33,000And he died, an enemy of God and his people.3800:03:33,000 –> 00:03:35,000Now today we come to a fourth very important principle in the Bible.3900:03:35,000 –> 00:03:39,000And the lesson from the story of Korah is very straightforward.4000:03:39,000 –> 00:03:43,000Submit yourself to authority.4100:03:43,000 –> 00:03:46,000And if you want to avoid a plunge to disaster,4200:03:46,000 –> 00:03:50,000then learn to submit yourself to authority.4300:03:50,000 –> 00:03:53,000Now in order to understand this story,4400:03:53,000 –> 00:03:57,000you might like to have your Bible open in the book of Numbers.4500:03:57,000 –> 00:04:00,000And as we take up the story here,4600:04:00,000 –> 00:04:03,000we find that the people are frustrated4700:04:03,000 –> 00:04:05,000because they’ve gone on a journey from Egypt to Canaan,4800:04:05,000 –> 00:04:07,000which should not have taken very long.4900:04:07,000 –> 00:04:13,000But they have experienced nothing less than a whole year’s delay.5000:04:13,000 –> 00:04:15,000Remember that Moses has brought them out of Egypt.5100:04:15,000 –> 00:04:19,000It took them three months to get to Mount Sinai5200:04:19,000 –> 00:04:24,000and then they spent an entire year at that one location.5300:04:24,000 –> 00:04:26,000Moses had two long absences of the mountain.5400:04:26,000 –> 00:04:29,000The people became very frustrated waiting for him.5500:04:29,000 –> 00:04:32,000They then had a seven month period in which they worked5600:04:32,000 –> 00:04:36,000on making the tabernacle and the Ark of the covenant.5700:04:37,000 –> 00:04:39,000Now I don’t know what you’re like when you go on a journey.5800:04:39,000 –> 00:04:42,000When I go on a journey I want to get there.5900:04:42,000 –> 00:04:44,000Obviously we have stops.6000:04:44,000 –> 00:04:46,000When our family stops on a journey we have this routine,6100:04:46,000 –> 00:04:48,000well you know how long are we going to stop for6200:04:48,000 –> 00:04:50,000is this a 15 minute one or is it an hour one or what?6300:04:50,000 –> 00:04:53,000And we decide, ok this is a 15 minute pit stop.6400:04:53,000 –> 00:04:56,000You know, off to the restrooms, go to the shop.6500:04:56,000 –> 00:04:59,000Let’s be back here in 15 minutes.6600:04:59,000 –> 00:05:04,000I’ll tell you, a one year delay in the middle of a journey6700:05:04,000 –> 00:05:06,000isn’t easy, don’t you think that would frustrate you too?6800:05:06,000 –> 00:05:10,000I mean these people want to get there to the land of Canaan6900:05:10,000 –> 00:05:12,000and a year later they’re still in the desert7000:05:12,000 –> 00:05:14,000and they’ve made precious little progress.7100:05:14,000 –> 00:05:17,000Secondly, as they begin to move forward,7200:05:17,000 –> 00:05:20,000because Numbers tells us the story of how they7300:05:20,000 –> 00:05:23,000broke camp from Sinai and moved forward,7400:05:23,000 –> 00:05:26,000chapter 10 and verse 11 tells us of the beginning7500:05:26,000 –> 00:05:28,000of their progress again.7600:05:28,000 –> 00:05:30,000Can you imagine what it must have been like7700:05:30,000 –> 00:05:34,000to travel through a desert with 2 million people7800:05:34,000 –> 00:05:37,000moving at the pace of the slowest?7900:05:37,000 –> 00:05:40,000When my wife’s side of the family gets together8000:05:40,000 –> 00:05:42,000in the summer, wonderful occasions,8100:05:42,000 –> 00:05:45,000there are 26 of us all together.8200:05:45,000 –> 00:05:47,000And when there’s kind of a decision8300:05:47,000 –> 00:05:49,000that takes a long time to come about,8400:05:49,000 –> 00:05:51,000that we’re going to go to the beach for a morning,8500:05:51,000 –> 00:05:53,000it can take half a morning to get8600:05:53,000 –> 00:05:55,00026 people organized to go to the beach.8700:05:55,000 –> 00:05:56,000You know what that’s like?8800:05:56,000 –> 00:05:58,000Can you imagine being one of 2 million people8900:05:58,000 –> 00:06:01,000on a journey going at the pace of the slowest?9000:06:01,000 –> 00:06:05,000That would drive the Type A personalities9100:06:05,000 –> 00:06:07,000absolutely berserk. Don’t you think?9200:06:07,000 –> 00:06:10,000So what you have here is a growing9300:06:10,000 –> 00:06:12,000climate of frustration,9400:06:12,000 –> 00:06:15,000a year’s delay on a comparatively9500:06:15,000 –> 00:06:17,000straightforward journey9600:06:17,000 –> 00:06:20,000followed by very, very slow progress.9700:06:20,000 –> 00:06:23,000And then thirdly added to that,9800:06:23,000 –> 00:06:25,000we discover from chapter 11 in verse 1,9900:06:25,000 –> 00:06:27,000if we take up the story there,10000:06:27,000 –> 00:06:30,000that the people are beginning to complain.10100:06:30,000 –> 00:06:32,000The people complained about their10200:06:32,000 –> 00:06:34,000hardship in the hearing of the Lord.10300:06:34,000 –> 00:06:38,000Now you see, with all this slow progress,10400:06:38,000 –> 00:06:41,000people are becoming frustrated.10500:06:41,000 –> 00:06:43,000They’re fed up and they’re looking10600:06:43,000 –> 00:06:44,000for someone to blame.10700:06:44,000 –> 00:06:46,000And of course, that is always a vulnerable10800:06:46,000 –> 00:06:48,000time for any leader.10900:06:48,000 –> 00:06:51,000This was not an easy time for Moses.11000:06:51,000 –> 00:06:54,000In addition to all these frustrations,11100:06:54,000 –> 00:06:56,000there were growing tensions11200:06:56,000 –> 00:06:58,000within Moses’ own family.11300:06:58,000 –> 00:07:01,000Isn’t it amazing how troubles come together?11400:07:01,000 –> 00:07:02,000Moses is trying to give leadership11500:07:02,000 –> 00:07:04,000to the people of God.11600:07:04,000 –> 00:07:05,000He’s trying to sort out these endless11700:07:05,000 –> 00:07:07,000complaints from the people.11800:07:07,000 –> 00:07:09,000He comes home absolutely exhausted at night.11900:07:09,000 –> 00:07:11,000He wants to relax in his tent.12000:07:11,000 –> 00:07:13,000And then he discovers that he can’t12100:07:13,000 –> 00:07:14,000because there are a whole bunch12200:07:14,000 –> 00:07:17,000of troubles in his own family.12300:07:17,000 –> 00:07:20,000Miriam and Aaron, chapter 12 and verse 112400:07:20,000 –> 00:07:22,000began to talk against Moses12500:07:22,000 –> 00:07:25,000because of his Cushite wife.12600:07:25,000 –> 00:07:27,000Classic family dynamic.12700:07:27,000 –> 00:07:29,000Sister and brother can’t get on12800:07:29,000 –> 00:07:31,000with Moses’ wife and12900:07:31,000 –> 00:07:33,000he’s strung out there in the middle.13000:07:33,000 –> 00:07:35,000They didn’t think he should have married her.13100:07:35,000 –> 00:07:36,000They didn’t like her.13200:07:36,000 –> 00:07:37,000And Moses finds himself in13300:07:37,000 –> 00:07:40,000all of this tension as well.13400:07:40,000 –> 00:07:42,000Not only that, but Miriam and Aaron13500:07:42,000 –> 00:07:46,000were losing confidence in Moses’ leadership.13600:07:46,000 –> 00:07:49,000Look at chapter 12 and verse 2.13700:07:49,000 –> 00:07:52,000Has the Lord spoken only to Moses, they asked.13800:07:52,000 –> 00:07:54,000Hasn’t he also spoken13900:07:54,000 –> 00:07:56,000through us?14000:07:56,000 –> 00:07:58,000Now, remember Aaron was the high priest14100:07:58,000 –> 00:08:00,000and Miriam had prophesied14200:08:00,000 –> 00:08:03,000when they came over the Red Sea.14300:08:03,000 –> 00:08:06,000And so they are beginning to ask this question.14400:08:06,000 –> 00:08:08,000God speaks through Moses, yes,14500:08:08,000 –> 00:08:12,000but doesn’t he also speak through us?14600:08:12,000 –> 00:08:14,000And God came down, verse 5,14700:08:14,000 –> 00:08:16,000in a pillar of cloud14800:08:16,000 –> 00:08:18,000and spoke directly to them on this issue.14900:08:18,000 –> 00:08:20,000Notice what he says,15000:08:20,000 –> 00:08:22,000Numbers 12, 6…15100:08:22,000 –> 00:08:24,000When a prophet of the Lord is among you,15200:08:24,000 –> 00:08:26,000I reveal myself to him in visions,15300:08:26,000 –> 00:08:28,000I speak to him in dreams.15400:08:28,000 –> 00:08:30,000But that is not true of my servant Moses.15500:08:30,000 –> 00:08:32,000With Moses it is different.15600:08:32,000 –> 00:08:34,000And notice what God says…15700:08:34,000 –> 00:08:38,000With Moses I speak face to face,15800:08:38,000 –> 00:08:42,000He sees the form of the Lord.15900:08:42,000 –> 00:08:44,000So, he is special in a way16000:08:44,000 –> 00:08:46,000that is different, even from16100:08:46,000 –> 00:08:48,000the prophets of the Old Testament.16200:08:48,000 –> 00:08:50,000I speak to Moses face to face.16300:08:50,000 –> 00:08:52,000He sees the16400:08:52,000 –> 00:08:54,000Form of God.16500:08:56,000 –> 00:08:58,000So why then are you not afraid16600:08:58,000 –> 00:09:00,000to speak against my servant Moses.16700:09:00,000 –> 00:09:02,000And the Lord’s anger16800:09:02,000 –> 00:09:04,000came against Miriam.16900:09:04,000 –> 00:09:06,000And we’re told she was covered with leprosy.17000:09:06,000 –> 00:09:08,000Moses immediately prayed17100:09:08,000 –> 00:09:10,000for her to be healed, and she was healed.17200:09:10,000 –> 00:09:12,000But God said that17300:09:12,000 –> 00:09:14,000she must spend seven days17400:09:14,000 –> 00:09:16,000outside of the Camp, as17500:09:16,000 –> 00:09:18,000a grapper would have had to do.17600:09:18,000 –> 00:09:20,000You know what that means.17700:09:20,000 –> 00:09:22,000Moses’ sister17800:09:22,000 –> 00:09:24,000was under what we would call17900:09:24,000 –> 00:09:26,000church discipline.18000:09:26,000 –> 00:09:28,000Now can you imagine the conversations that took place18100:09:28,000 –> 00:09:30,000over breakfast with that one.18200:09:30,000 –> 00:09:32,000You hear,18300:09:32,000 –> 00:09:34,000Moses got a lot of problems18400:09:34,000 –> 00:09:36,000in his own family now.18500:09:36,000 –> 00:09:38,000Even his sisters under18600:09:38,000 –> 00:09:40,000church discipline.18700:09:40,000 –> 00:09:42,000A lot of problems in that family,18800:09:42,000 –> 00:09:44,000you know.18900:09:44,000 –> 00:09:46,000This was a difficult time of19000:09:46,000 –> 00:09:48,000mounting frustration. A long19100:09:48,000 –> 00:09:50,000delay at Mount Sinai. Moving19200:09:50,000 –> 00:09:52,000at the pace of the slow. A lot of19300:09:52,000 –> 00:09:54,000complaints among the people that were being19400:09:54,000 –> 00:09:56,000turned against Moses and increasing19500:09:56,000 –> 00:09:58,000problems even within Moses’ own19600:09:58,000 –> 00:10:00,000family that were becoming the matter19700:10:00,000 –> 00:10:02,000of public gossip19800:10:02,000 –> 00:10:04,000and even of contempt.19900:10:04,000 –> 00:10:06,000And then on top of all that, we come to20000:10:06,000 –> 00:10:08,000the best known story in the Book20100:10:08,000 –> 00:10:10,000of Numbers Chapter 13 is the story20200:10:10,000 –> 00:10:12,000about the spies who go out to Canaan20300:10:12,000 –> 00:10:14,000and they are commissioned to bring back20400:10:14,000 –> 00:10:16,000a report on how a future strategy20500:10:16,000 –> 00:10:18,000can be adopted to20600:10:18,000 –> 00:10:20,000take the land that the Lord has promised.20700:10:20,000 –> 00:10:22,000So they setup this20800:10:22,000 –> 00:10:24,000Vision Committee that’s what I like to call the20900:10:24,000 –> 00:10:26,000Twelve Spies and the Vision Committee21000:10:26,000 –> 00:10:28,000meets and it does its work and it comes back and says21100:10:28,000 –> 00:10:30,000well the future can’t be done.21200:10:30,000 –> 00:10:32,000That’s what they say, in effect.21300:10:32,000 –> 00:10:34,000And they give their gloomy report21400:10:34,000 –> 00:10:36,000not to Moses but to all the people.21500:10:36,000 –> 00:10:38,000And the result is that21600:10:38,000 –> 00:10:40,000the whole community now is thrown into21700:10:40,000 –> 00:10:42,000a deep crisis. They’ve spent all21800:10:42,000 –> 00:10:44,000this time in the desert and now the Vision21900:10:44,000 –> 00:10:46,000Committee tells them that the thing they hoped for22000:10:46,000 –> 00:10:48,000in the future simply isn’t going to happen!22100:10:48,000 –> 00:10:50,000And so in chapter 14 and verse 1 we22200:10:50,000 –> 00:10:52,000read. That night all the people22300:10:52,000 –> 00:10:54,000of the community raised their voices they22400:10:54,000 –> 00:10:56,000wept aloud, all the Israelites22500:10:56,000 –> 00:10:58,000grumbled against Moses and Aaron22600:10:58,000 –> 00:11:00,000and the whole assembly said to them22700:11:00,000 –> 00:11:02,000if only we had died in Egypt22800:11:02,000 –> 00:11:04,000and verse 4 they said to each22900:11:04,000 –> 00:11:06,000other, we should choose a leader23000:11:06,000 –> 00:11:08,000and we should go23100:11:08,000 –> 00:11:10,000back to Egypt.23200:11:10,000 –> 00:11:12,000Now that’s the climate23300:11:12,000 –> 00:11:14,000of frustration that’s developing23400:11:14,000 –> 00:11:16,000throughout the story of the Book of Numbers.23500:11:16,000 –> 00:11:18,000And whenever23600:11:18,000 –> 00:11:20,000you have a climate of frustration23700:11:20,000 –> 00:11:22,000whether it be in a business23800:11:22,000 –> 00:11:24,000on a board in a family in a church23900:11:24,000 –> 00:11:26,000in a school wherever it may be24000:11:26,000 –> 00:11:28,000where you have a climate24100:11:28,000 –> 00:11:30,000of frustration you24200:11:30,000 –> 00:11:32,000have potential for division24300:11:32,000 –> 00:11:34,000and for conflict24400:11:34,000 –> 00:11:36,000and that’s exactly what24500:11:36,000 –> 00:11:38,000you’ll find happening here24600:11:38,000 –> 00:11:40,000in this story.24700:11:40,000 –> 00:11:42,000You’re listening to Open the Bible24800:11:42,000 –> 00:11:44,000with Pastor Colin Smith and a message24900:11:44,000 –> 00:11:46,000called Submit to authority.25000:11:46,000 –> 00:11:48,000It’s from our series Deck Chairs25100:11:48,000 –> 00:11:50,000On the Titanic were we’re looking at25200:11:50,000 –> 00:11:52,000eight characters in the Bible25300:11:52,000 –> 00:11:54,000and how they didn’t deal with sin25400:11:54,000 –> 00:11:56,000in their lives and all25500:11:56,000 –> 00:11:58,000ended up plunging to disaster.25600:11:58,000 –> 00:12:00,000Don’t forget if you ever miss one of the series25700:12:00,000 –> 00:12:02,000you can always catch up or go back25800:12:02,000 –> 00:12:04,000and listen again by coming online25900:12:04,000 –> 00:12:06,000to biblical.uk There you’ll find26000:12:06,000 –> 00:12:08,000all the messages which have already gone out26100:12:08,000 –> 00:12:10,000on air. And you’ll also find them26200:12:10,000 –> 00:12:12,000as a podcast if you go to your favourite26300:12:12,000 –> 00:12:14,000podcast site. Search for openthebibleuk26400:12:14,000 –> 00:12:16,000and subscribe if26500:12:16,000 –> 00:12:18,000you want to receive regular updates.26600:12:18,000 –> 00:12:20,000Back to The Message now26700:12:20,000 –> 00:12:22,000we’re in Numbers Chapter 1626800:12:22,000 –> 00:12:24,000here again is Colin.26900:12:24,000 –> 00:12:26,000As we come to Numbers in chapter 1627000:12:26,000 –> 00:12:28,000then. Try and imagine27100:12:28,000 –> 00:12:30,000three men sitting around a fire27200:12:30,000 –> 00:12:32,000outside their tents in27300:12:32,000 –> 00:12:34,000the desert. Their names are27400:12:34,000 –> 00:12:36,000Cora, Dathan27500:12:36,000 –> 00:12:38,000and Abiram.27600:12:38,000 –> 00:12:40,000They’re talking about Moses27700:12:40,000 –> 00:12:42,000somehow they always27800:12:42,000 –> 00:12:44,000ended up talking about27900:12:44,000 –> 00:12:46,000Moses when they got together, it was their favourite28000:12:46,000 –> 00:12:48,000subject. And they didn’t28100:12:48,000 –> 00:12:50,000have much good to say about him either.28200:12:50,000 –> 00:12:52,000Cora was a levite28300:12:52,000 –> 00:12:54,000It seems from what28400:12:54,000 –> 00:12:56,000Moses says to him later that he wasn’t28500:12:56,000 –> 00:12:58,000happy that the priests28600:12:58,000 –> 00:13:00,000came only from one family28700:13:00,000 –> 00:13:02,000the Levites and that was the family of Aaron28800:13:02,000 –> 00:13:04,000Dathan and28900:13:04,000 –> 00:13:06,000Abiram you’ll notice there29000:13:06,000 –> 00:13:08,000we’re Rubenites. Ruben29100:13:08,000 –> 00:13:10,000of course was the oldest29200:13:10,000 –> 00:13:12,000of Jacob’s twelve sons29300:13:12,000 –> 00:13:14,000and so it would not be surprising29400:13:14,000 –> 00:13:16,000for the Rubenites to continue29500:13:16,000 –> 00:13:18,000to feel that leadership should come from29600:13:18,000 –> 00:13:20,000their clan, the oldest son29700:13:20,000 –> 00:13:22,000and of course Moses29800:13:22,000 –> 00:13:24,000came from the tribe of Levi29900:13:24,000 –> 00:13:26,000They had different30000:13:26,000 –> 00:13:28,000agendas these three men30100:13:28,000 –> 00:13:30,000but they found common ground30200:13:30,000 –> 00:13:32,000in their dislike of30300:13:32,000 –> 00:13:34,000Moses and Aaron30400:13:34,000 –> 00:13:36,000As far as they were concerned,30500:13:36,000 –> 00:13:38,000Moses was a disaster30600:13:38,000 –> 00:13:40,000Of course he doesn’t know30700:13:40,000 –> 00:13:42,000what he’s doing,30800:13:42,000 –> 00:13:44,000Cora would say30900:13:44,000 –> 00:13:46,000Yet he’s out of touch31000:13:46,000 –> 00:13:48,000He just doesn’t know what people are thinking31100:13:48,000 –> 00:13:50,000and saying these days, said Dathan31200:13:50,000 –> 00:13:52,000as he rolled his eyes31300:13:52,000 –> 00:13:54,000I don’t know who he thinks he is anyway31400:13:54,000 –> 00:13:56,000Abiram would say31500:13:57,000 –> 00:13:59,000Moses couldn’t do anything31600:13:59,000 –> 00:14:01,000right in their eyes31700:14:01,000 –> 00:14:03,000They didn’t like him31800:14:03,000 –> 00:14:05,000and of course the fact that he had31900:14:05,000 –> 00:14:07,000so much authority32000:14:07,000 –> 00:14:09,000really stuck in their throats32100:14:10,000 –> 00:14:12,000and that’s where the trouble began32200:14:12,000 –> 00:14:14,000and I want you to notice today32300:14:14,000 –> 00:14:16,000four stages in the32400:14:16,000 –> 00:14:18,000conflict that we have here32500:14:18,000 –> 00:14:20,000There are four distinct elements32600:14:20,000 –> 00:14:22,000or stages, in the way in which32700:14:22,000 –> 00:14:24,000this dispute develops32800:14:24,000 –> 00:14:26,000and if you find yourself in a32900:14:26,000 –> 00:14:28,000situation of conflict33000:14:28,000 –> 00:14:30,000You may find it very helpful to identify33100:14:30,000 –> 00:14:32,000these four elements, it may help you33200:14:32,000 –> 00:14:34,000to understand and respond33300:14:34,000 –> 00:14:36,000to what is going on33400:14:36,000 –> 00:14:38,000notice first that it33500:14:38,000 –> 00:14:40,000begins with a matter of attitude33600:14:40,000 –> 00:14:42,000verse one33700:14:42,000 –> 00:14:44,000Dathan, Korah and Abialaram33800:14:44,000 –> 00:14:46,000became33900:14:46,000 –> 00:14:48,000insolent, we read34000:14:48,000 –> 00:14:50,000and rose up against Moses34100:14:50,000 –> 00:14:52,000Notice that phrase34200:14:52,000 –> 00:14:54,000Becoming Insolent34300:14:54,000 –> 00:14:56,000in other words this little group of three men34400:14:56,000 –> 00:14:58,000developed an attitude34500:14:58,000 –> 00:15:00,000towards Moses34600:15:00,000 –> 00:15:02,000and everything in the story flows34700:15:02,000 –> 00:15:04,000from this development of a34800:15:04,000 –> 00:15:06,000bad attitude in that small group34900:15:06,000 –> 00:15:08,000That was35000:15:08,000 –> 00:15:10,000where the plunge to disaster began35100:15:10,000 –> 00:15:12,000it was the way they35200:15:12,000 –> 00:15:14,000talked about the leader35300:15:14,000 –> 00:15:16,000when they were round the campfire35400:15:16,000 –> 00:15:18,000now that kind of back35500:15:18,000 –> 00:15:20,000chat of course can go on in any staff35600:15:20,000 –> 00:15:22,000room, in any school35700:15:22,000 –> 00:15:24,000in any board, in any business35800:15:24,000 –> 00:15:26,000in any family35900:15:26,000 –> 00:15:28,000They became36000:15:28,000 –> 00:15:30,000insolent36100:15:30,000 –> 00:15:32,000now that seems like a small thing but I36200:15:32,000 –> 00:15:34,000want you to notice that it was the beginning36300:15:34,000 –> 00:15:36,000of big trouble36400:15:36,000 –> 00:15:38,000now none of us of course36500:15:38,000 –> 00:15:40,000likes authority36600:15:40,000 –> 00:15:42,000that’s just instinctive within us36700:15:42,000 –> 00:15:44,000and so it’s not surprising that when36800:15:44,000 –> 00:15:46,000there was a little group who began to36900:15:46,000 –> 00:15:48,000flex their muscles against Moses37000:15:48,000 –> 00:15:50,000there were other people who were drawn37100:15:50,000 –> 00:15:52,000towards them and if you look at37200:15:52,000 –> 00:15:54,000verse 2 you will find that very soon37300:15:54,000 –> 00:15:56,000there were 25037400:15:56,000 –> 00:15:58,000Israelite men37500:15:58,000 –> 00:16:00,000all of them well know community leaders37600:16:00,000 –> 00:16:02,000who’d been appointed as members of the council37700:16:02,000 –> 00:16:04,000in Israel, and they37800:16:04,000 –> 00:16:06,000were ready to stand with these 3 men37900:16:06,000 –> 00:16:08,000so very quickly this38000:16:08,000 –> 00:16:10,000movement moved from a small38100:16:10,000 –> 00:16:12,000group with an attitude38200:16:12,000 –> 00:16:14,000to a more organized campaign38300:16:14,000 –> 00:16:16,000against Moses the leader38400:16:16,000 –> 00:16:18,000there would have been breakfast meetings38500:16:18,000 –> 00:16:20,000to talk about it there would have been38600:16:20,000 –> 00:16:22,000careful canvassing to see which38700:16:22,000 –> 00:16:24,000council members were with us and which38800:16:24,000 –> 00:16:26,000ones were not with us38900:16:26,000 –> 00:16:28,000eventually it was established there39000:16:28,000 –> 00:16:30,000were 25039100:16:30,000 –> 00:16:32,000who had lost confidence in Moses39200:16:32,000 –> 00:16:34,000imagine that39300:16:34,000 –> 00:16:36,000250 leaders39400:16:36,000 –> 00:16:38,000had lost confidence39500:16:38,000 –> 00:16:40,000in Moses39600:16:40,000 –> 00:16:42,000and they all thought that it was time for a39700:16:42,000 –> 00:16:44,000change and they thought that this was39800:16:44,000 –> 00:16:46,000the time that they should go and speak39900:16:46,000 –> 00:16:48,000notice secondly40000:16:48,000 –> 00:16:50,000the conviction that they expressed40100:16:50,000 –> 00:16:52,000verse three40200:16:52,000 –> 00:16:54,000they came as a group40300:16:54,000 –> 00:16:56,000to oppose Moses and Aaron40400:16:56,000 –> 00:16:58,000and said to them40500:16:58,000 –> 00:17:00,000you’ve gone too far40600:17:00,000 –> 00:17:02,000the whole community is holy40700:17:02,000 –> 00:17:04,000every one40800:17:04,000 –> 00:17:06,000of them and the Lord40900:17:06,000 –> 00:17:08,000is with them41000:17:08,000 –> 00:17:10,000why then do you set yourselves41100:17:10,000 –> 00:17:12,000above the Lord’s41200:17:12,000 –> 00:17:14,000assembly41300:17:14,000 –> 00:17:16,000now of course that was a unique challenge41400:17:16,000 –> 00:17:18,000in Israel to Moses41500:17:18,000 –> 00:17:20,000authority41600:17:20,000 –> 00:17:22,000remember that God had said41700:17:22,000 –> 00:17:24,000as we saw to Miriam41800:17:24,000 –> 00:17:26,000that Moses saw41900:17:26,000 –> 00:17:28,000the form of God42000:17:28,000 –> 00:17:30,000nobody else saw that in Israel42100:17:30,000 –> 00:17:32,000that God42200:17:32,000 –> 00:17:34,000spoke to Moses42300:17:34,000 –> 00:17:36,000face to face42400:17:36,000 –> 00:17:38,000that was not true of anybody else42500:17:38,000 –> 00:17:40,000in Israel42600:17:40,000 –> 00:17:42,000Hoth was convinced that42700:17:42,000 –> 00:17:44,000everybody could come to God in their own way42800:17:44,000 –> 00:17:46,000why should we42900:17:46,000 –> 00:17:48,000be restricted to what God says43000:17:48,000 –> 00:17:50,000to us through Moses43100:17:50,000 –> 00:17:52,000why43200:17:52,000 –> 00:17:54,000should the priests only43300:17:54,000 –> 00:17:56,000come from the family of Aaron43400:17:56,000 –> 00:17:58,000what’s so special about43500:17:58,000 –> 00:18:00,000them, are not all the people holy43600:18:00,000 –> 00:18:02,000is not the lord among them43700:18:02,000 –> 00:18:04,000that’s the conviction43800:18:06,000 –> 00:18:08,000thirdly look at the motivation43900:18:08,000 –> 00:18:10,000because behind this conviction44000:18:10,000 –> 00:18:12,000there was a motivation44100:18:14,000 –> 00:18:16,000that Korah was not happy with the role44200:18:16,000 –> 00:18:18,000that he’d been given among the people of God44300:18:18,000 –> 00:18:20,000he wanted more44400:18:20,000 –> 00:18:22,000Moses identifies this in verse 944500:18:22,000 –> 00:18:24,000isn’t it enough…44600:18:24,000 –> 00:18:26,000for you that the God of Israel44700:18:26,000 –> 00:18:28,000has separated you from the rest44800:18:28,000 –> 00:18:30,000of the Israelite community44900:18:30,000 –> 00:18:32,000he has brought you45000:18:32,000 –> 00:18:34,000verse 10 and your fellow Levites45100:18:34,000 –> 00:18:36,000near him45200:18:36,000 –> 00:18:38,000you are trying to get45300:18:38,000 –> 00:18:40,000the priesthood too45400:18:40,000 –> 00:18:42,000it is against the Lord45500:18:42,000 –> 00:18:44,000Moses says that you and all your followers45600:18:44,000 –> 00:18:46,000have banded together45700:18:46,000 –> 00:18:48,000so Moses is very clear about45800:18:48,000 –> 00:18:50,000the motivation45900:18:50,000 –> 00:18:52,000I hear what you’re saying he says46000:18:52,000 –> 00:18:54,000but I want you to know46100:18:54,000 –> 00:18:56,000that the very clear motivation46200:18:56,000 –> 00:18:58,000in this46300:18:58,000 –> 00:19:00,000is that you want a bigger role for yourself46400:19:00,000 –> 00:19:02,000that’s what’s at stake here46500:19:02,000 –> 00:19:04,000Korah wanted a46600:19:04,000 –> 00:19:06,000bigger role for himself46700:19:06,000 –> 00:19:08,000than God had given46800:19:08,000 –> 00:19:10,000that’s the motivation46900:19:10,000 –> 00:19:12,000now look at the issue of47000:19:12,000 –> 00:19:14,000communication47100:19:14,000 –> 00:19:16,000it’s very interesting when Moses was dealing47200:19:16,000 –> 00:19:18,000with this trouble in the47300:19:18,000 –> 00:19:20,000community he spoke47400:19:20,000 –> 00:19:22,000with Korah separate47500:19:22,000 –> 00:19:24,000from the other two47600:19:24,000 –> 00:19:26,000the reason he wisely did that47700:19:26,000 –> 00:19:28,000is because though they were combining47800:19:28,000 –> 00:19:30,000their forces47900:19:30,000 –> 00:19:32,000they had different agendas48000:19:32,000 –> 00:19:34,000Korah was primarily48100:19:34,000 –> 00:19:36,000concerned about the issue of the priesthood48200:19:36,000 –> 00:19:38,000Dathan and48300:19:38,000 –> 00:19:40,000Abiram were concerned about48400:19:40,000 –> 00:19:42,000broader issues of leadership48500:19:42,000 –> 00:19:44,000to do with Moses48600:19:44,000 –> 00:19:46,000and so Moses tried to set up a second48700:19:46,000 –> 00:20:00,000meeting with these other two, Dathan and48800:20:00,000 –> 00:20:04,000that the discussion degenerated to a matter of48900:20:04,000 –> 00:20:06,000lobbing slogans from a distance49000:20:06,000 –> 00:20:08,000and49100:20:08,000 –> 00:20:10,000misrepresenting the49200:20:10,000 –> 00:20:12,000position of Moses49300:20:12,000 –> 00:20:14,000verse 12 we’re not going to come, we won’t meet49400:20:14,000 –> 00:20:16,000with you. Verse 1349500:20:16,000 –> 00:20:16,00049600:20:16,000 –> 00:20:18,000Isn’t it enough that49700:20:18,000 –> 00:20:20,000you brought us upon, out49800:20:20,000 –> 00:20:22,000of a land flowing with milk and honey49900:20:22,000 –> 00:20:24,000to kill us in the desert?50000:20:24,000 –> 00:20:26,000Do you realise they’re saying that Egypt50100:20:26,000 –> 00:20:27,920where they were slaves50200:20:27,920 –> 00:20:29,920was apparently now a land50300:20:29,920 –> 00:20:31,920flowing with milk and honey?50400:20:31,920 –> 00:20:33,920I mean that is a bit rich don’t you think?50500:20:33,920 –> 00:20:35,920Moses you brought us50600:20:35,920 –> 00:20:37,920out of a land flowing with milk50700:20:37,920 –> 00:20:39,920and honey50800:20:39,920 –> 00:20:41,920how quickly they forgotten where they were50900:20:41,920 –> 00:20:43,920And then verse 1451000:20:43,920 –> 00:20:45,920Moreover, you haven’t brought us into51100:20:45,920 –> 00:20:47,920a land flowing with milk and honey51200:20:47,920 –> 00:20:49,920well that’s even richer51300:20:49,920 –> 00:20:51,920bearing in mind that Moses had wanted to lead them51400:20:51,920 –> 00:20:53,920into Canaan and the people had refused51500:20:53,920 –> 00:20:55,920on the basis of the gloomy report of the vision committee51600:20:55,920 –> 00:20:57,920Really?51700:20:57,920 –> 00:20:59,920Well now51800:20:59,920 –> 00:21:01,920when you find yourself dealing with conflict51900:21:01,920 –> 00:21:03,920here are four things to look for52000:21:03,920 –> 00:21:05,920Ask them about yourself52100:21:05,920 –> 00:21:07,920as well as52200:21:07,920 –> 00:21:09,920about the person52300:21:09,920 –> 00:21:11,920with whom you find your self intention52400:21:11,920 –> 00:21:13,920What’s the52500:21:13,920 –> 00:21:15,920attitude here?52600:21:15,920 –> 00:21:17,920What52700:21:17,920 –> 00:21:19,920is the conviction52800:21:19,920 –> 00:21:21,920that is being expressed?52900:21:21,920 –> 00:21:23,920Try and identify, what is the fundamental53000:21:23,920 –> 00:21:25,920conviction of the other person?53100:21:25,920 –> 00:21:27,920And how’s the communication?53200:21:27,920 –> 00:21:29,920Is there listening going on or are53300:21:29,920 –> 00:21:31,920we at the level of lobing slogans53400:21:31,920 –> 00:21:33,920from a distance53500:21:33,920 –> 00:21:35,920and misrepresenting other positions?53600:21:35,920 –> 00:21:37,920These are great53700:21:37,920 –> 00:21:39,920questions to ask of yourself53800:21:39,920 –> 00:21:41,920as well as of another person53900:21:41,920 –> 00:21:43,920when you find yourself in a54000:21:43,920 –> 00:21:45,920situation of conflict and of tension54100:21:45,920 –> 00:21:47,920They are always the fundamental issues54200:21:47,920 –> 00:21:49,920Attitude, convictions54300:21:49,920 –> 00:21:51,920motivations and communication54400:21:51,920 –> 00:21:53,920Motivations and communication54500:21:53,920 –> 00:21:55,920are the lack of it54600:21:55,920 –> 00:21:57,920You’ve been listening to Pastor Colin54700:21:57,920 –> 00:21:59,920Smith on Open the Bible with a54800:21:59,920 –> 00:22:01,920message called submit to authority54900:22:01,920 –> 00:22:03,920Its part of our series55000:22:03,920 –> 00:22:05,920Deck Chairs on the Titanic55100:22:05,920 –> 00:22:07,920all about 8 characters55200:22:07,920 –> 00:22:09,920from the Bible who failed to deal with sin55300:22:09,920 –> 00:22:11,920in their own lives and plunged to55400:22:11,920 –> 00:22:13,920disaster as a result55500:22:13,920 –> 00:22:15,920Don’t forget if you ever missed one of the series55600:22:15,920 –> 00:22:17,920you can catch up or go back and listen again55700:22:17,920 –> 00:22:19,920online at our website55800:22:19,920 –> 00:22:21,920which is www.openthebible.org.uk55900:22:21,920 –> 00:22:23,920or find us as a podcast56000:22:23,920 –> 00:22:25,920on all the main podcast sites56100:22:25,920 –> 00:22:27,920search for Open the Bible UK56200:22:27,920 –> 00:22:29,920and subscribe if you want56300:22:29,920 –> 00:22:31,920to receive regular reminders56400:22:31,920 –> 00:22:33,920Here’s Open the Bible’s Amanda Cunningham56500:22:33,920 –> 00:22:35,920to talk about a special56600:22:35,920 –> 00:22:37,920Open the Bible event this Easter56700:22:37,920 –> 00:22:39,920How will you reach out56800:22:39,920 –> 00:22:41,920to your local community this Easter56900:22:41,920 –> 00:22:43,920with the good news of the Gospel57000:22:43,920 –> 00:22:45,920How will inspire awe57100:22:45,920 –> 00:22:47,920in your church family at the wonder57200:22:47,920 –> 00:22:49,920of the cross when the story57300:22:49,920 –> 00:22:51,920is familiar.57400:22:51,920 –> 00:22:53,920Open the Bible UK would love to help you57500:22:53,920 –> 00:22:55,920We filmed a one57600:22:55,920 –> 00:22:57,920actor one hour performance of57700:22:57,920 –> 00:22:59,920Colin’s well known book57800:22:59,920 –> 00:23:01,920Heaven, How I Got Here57900:23:01,920 –> 00:23:03,920The story of the Thief on The Cross58000:23:03,920 –> 00:23:05,920It’s a powerful gospel message58100:23:05,920 –> 00:23:07,920And we’re making the film available58200:23:07,920 –> 00:23:09,920to you for free. Alongside58300:23:09,920 –> 00:23:11,920it we’ve also created a complete58400:23:11,920 –> 00:23:13,920Easter resource pack58500:23:13,920 –> 00:23:15,920including event artwork and an58600:23:16,920 –> 00:23:18,920designed as an easy evangelistic58700:23:18,920 –> 00:23:20,920event for inviting friends58800:23:20,920 –> 00:23:22,920or the local community. Especially58900:23:22,920 –> 00:23:24,920those hesitant about attending59000:23:24,920 –> 00:23:26,920a church service. It’s also59100:23:26,920 –> 00:23:28,920perfect for small groups to watch59200:23:28,920 –> 00:23:30,920and discuss during Holy Week.59300:23:30,920 –> 00:23:32,920To find out more go to59400:23:32,920 –> 00:23:34,920openthebible.org.uk59500:23:36,920 –> 00:23:38,920At Open the Bible, we welcome contact59600:23:38,920 –> 00:23:40,920with our listeners. You can email us59700:23:40,920 –> 00:23:42,920by using the contact form on our59800:23:42,920 –> 00:23:44,920website59900:23:45,920 –> 00:23:47,920You can write to us60000:23:59,920 –> 00:24:01,920or you can phone us60100:24:06,920 –> 00:24:08,920If we’re not available when you call60200:24:08,920 –> 00:24:10,920leave a message for us and we’ll60300:24:10,920 –> 00:24:12,920return your call. All of these60400:24:12,920 –> 00:24:14,920are available on our website60500:24:14,920 –> 00:24:17,920openthebible.org.uk60600:24:17,920 –> 00:24:19,920Open the Bible is supported60700:24:19,920 –> 00:24:21,920entirely by our listeners. That’s60800:24:21,920 –> 00:24:23,920people just like you. And if60900:24:23,920 –> 00:24:24,920that’s something you haven’t done to date61000:24:24,920 –> 00:24:26,920but if you’re thinking about doing it61100:24:26,920 –> 00:24:28,920if you’re able to beggin61200:24:28,920 –> 00:24:30,920a new direct debit in the amount of61300:24:30,920 –> 00:24:32,920£5 per month or more61400:24:32,920 –> 00:24:34,920or a one-off gift of £50 or more61500:24:34,920 –> 00:24:36,920we’d love to thank you61600:24:36,920 –> 00:24:38,920by sending you a copy of61700:24:38,920 –> 00:24:40,920Pastor Colin’s book, Heaven How I Got Here61800:24:40,920 –> 00:24:42,920the story of the thief on the cross61900:24:42,920 –> 00:24:44,920and also a small book let62000:24:44,920 –> 00:24:46,920entitled, How Can I Be Sure62100:24:46,920 –> 00:24:48,920of Heaven? Along with62200:24:48,920 –> 00:24:50,920an Open the Bible pen62300:24:50,920 –> 00:24:52,920and bookmark. These items62400:24:52,920 –> 00:24:54,920are our gift to you for62500:24:54,920 –> 00:24:56,920beginning to support Open the Bible62600:24:56,920 –> 00:24:58,920financially. Full details62700:24:58,920 –> 00:25:00,920terms and conditions are on our62800:25:00,920 –> 00:25:02,920website, and you can give online.62900:25:02,920 –> 00:25:04,920For Open the Bible and63000:25:04,920 –> 00:25:06,920Pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick63100:25:06,920 –> 00:25:08,920and I hope you’ll be able to join us63200:25:08,920 –> 00:25:10,920again next time on Open the Bible.63300:25:14,920 –> 00:25:16,920When you’re encountering conflict63400:25:16,920 –> 00:25:18,920how can you cut through63500:25:18,920 –> 00:25:20,920to get to the heart of the issues?63600:25:20,920 –> 00:25:22,920Discover four questions to ask63700:25:22,920 –> 00:25:24,920yourself! That’s next time63800:25:24,920 –> 00:25:26,920on Open the Bible.