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The solution to Saul's bad precedent, part 3

Moses encountered two opposite problems in the wilderness. The first was at Mount Sinai, when the people wanted him to tell them what God said. In other words, they gave away their right to hear God for themselves, preferring to empower their leader with that right. But many years later, a group of Israelites, led by Korah, objected to Moses’ leadership. Numbers 16:2, 3 says,

² and they rose up before Moses, together with some of the sons of Israel, two hundred and thirty leaders of the congregation, chosen in the assembly, men of renown. ³ They assembled together against Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly [kahal, “church”] of the Lord?”

The dissenters were partially correct, but they had ulterior motives. They wanted to replace Moses and Aaron and desired their authority for themselves. Men often pursue ambitions rather than their callings, not having the discernment to know the difference. Korah himself was a Levite (Numbers 16:10) and sought to displace Aaron and his sons.

Human nature desires power, and this is not limited to civil politics (“Moses”). It also occurs in religion ("Aaron") and “the assembly,” that is the kahal, or “church.” Such people seem to be unaware that if they assume a calling without being called by God, they will surely fail; and yet God will hold them accountable to fulfill the calling that they have unwisely assumed. In my experience, this puts a person on Cursed Time.

Korah and his assembly of dissenters desired authority but did not want to be held responsible for the consequences of failure. Authority and responsibility go in equal measures.

“There is no authority except from God,” Paul says in Romans 13:1. Korah and his fellows rebelled against legitimate authority that had been ordained by God.

So here is the dilemma: all believers have the authority (or “right”) to hear God for themselves; but God has also given authority (or “callings”) to individuals that must be respected. The big question is how to balance the two so that these two principles do not conflict. Authority must be viewed as power authorized to edify the body in whatever way the calling itself dictates—for there are many unique callings distributed among the believers. Authority must be used to bring people to spiritual maturity so that they can hear God for themselves.

In this way, authority respects the rights of the body, while the body respects Godly authority. God requires mutual respect. The enemy of God’s order is the desire for power, for this will corrupt leaders and also tempt believers to rebel. If leaders succeed in training or teaching the body, everyone will be able to discern their place in the body and know how they can benefit the rest of the body.