Numbers 16 | Wayfarer

[Levite community leaders] came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?”
Numbers 16:3 (NIV)

Albert Einstein once said, “Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.”

Along my life journey, I’ve observed a few things that have been true in both business and churches.

Individuals have different gifts and callings that, when deployed appropriately, benefit the entire system and help it function in a healthy way.
Individuals sometimes desire to be, or firmly believe that they are, gifted or called in ways that they simply are not. These individuals will often attack those who have these gifts, roles, or the power structure of the system in order to make their desires or beliefs be true. This detrimentally undermines the entire system.
Individuals are sometimes placed by leadership to positions and roles that are incongruent with their gifts and callings. Other times circumstances force people into roles for which they are not suited. In either situation, the system will experience strain and will not function at peak health or productivity.

In the books of Exodus and Leviticus God establishes a system in which His fledgling Hebrew community of former slaves is to function. The system establishes order for healthy spiritual, physical, relational, and community function. All the Hebrew people have to do is to obey the rules and contentedly function within the system as it has been established.

However, not everyone is willing to do so.

Two of Aaron’s sons impertinently made light of their priestly duties. Most of the spies, plagued by fear and doubt, lied and exaggerated to enflame the people against entering the Promised Land.

In today’s chapter, a group of Levite leaders rebel against Moses and Aaron. Their motivations and complaints are layered, but what is clear is that they are envious of Moses and Aaron’s leadership, they are discontent with their roles as Levites and want the positions of priests and prophets to which Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons have been called. Their discontent is fueled by the hardships they’ve experienced as well as listening to (and participating in) perpetual grumbling and complaints. Ironically, they also criticize Moses and Aaron for not simply delivering the Promised Land that they themselves refused to enter out of their own fear and doubts. Their envy, jealousy, discontent, and critical spirits have blinded themselves to their own destructive thoughts and behaviors.

God’s solution appears to be purging the system of the dysfunctional and destructive parts. I find it telling that Moses and Aaron humbly plead and act on behalf of the misguided crazymakers in the system. Moses’ attitude and actions are downright Christlike.

In the quiet this morning, I can’t help but think about the businesses, organizations, and churches in which I’ve encountered the very same dysfunctions, envies, jealousies, critical spirits, and self-seeking demands that Moses and Aaron encountered in today’s chapter. These dysfunctions are still with us today because all human systems, just like the Hebrews in the wilderness, continue to function in a fallen world utilizing human beings given to their own sinful pride and self-centered appetites.

Which leaves me with a choice to make. Will I operate, lead, and exemplify the humility and grace Moses demonstrates – and the fruit of God’s Spirit to which Jesus calls me to respond to all people in every situation? Or, will I fall into the trap of human envy, discontent, selfish ambition, and the critical spirit to which they inevitably lead?

A good question to ponder on a Monday morning heading into a new work week. I know what I choose. You?

If you know anyone who might be encouraged by today’s post, please share.

Promotional graphic for Tom Vander Well's Wayfarer blog and podcast, featuring icons of various podcast platforms with a photo of Tom Vander Well. — These chapter-a-day blog posts are also available via podcast on all major podcast platforms including Apple, Google, and Spotify! Simply go to your podcast platform and search for “Wayfarer Tom Vander Well.” If it’s not on your platform, please let me know!

Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—became insolent and rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council.
Numbers 16:1-2 (NIV)

Every leader of an organization, whether it be politics, business, community, church, or non-profit, will face opposition. It is, I’m afraid, simply part of the territory.

In today’s chapter, Moses and his brother Aaron face yet another round of opposition to their leadership. They’ve already faced multiple waves of criticism, experienced sharp drops of popularity, and had to address multiple acts of defiance. Now, a Levite and three men from the tribe of Dan were ring-leaders of a 250 person rebellion. Their beef was that Moses and Aaron sat a lone at the top of the religious system. They wanted a piece of the power. “We’re all holy,” they argued. “Why is it only the two of you alone get to enter the Lord’s presence and speak for the Lord?”

I’ve found it very common for leaders to face opposition from members of the group who envy all of the benefits of leadership. I also have found that these individuals often ignore the very real responsibilities and burdens that come along with that leadership. I’ve also observed that where there are a few passionate opposition leaders, you will soon find a growing group of supporters that they will have stirred up in order to support their own feelings and desires.

We later find that part of the opposition wasn’t just about power and control, but about material possessions. The Levites weren’t allowed to own property. God intended for them to take care of the temple and to be provided for through the temple and the offerings and sacrifices of the other tribes. Those opposed to Moses and Aaron’s leadership eventually reveal that what they want is the ability to own property like everyone else.

I’ve observed that opposition is often rooted in others’ appetites for power/control, money, or both.

I also observe this morning a couple of important lessons from Moses’ response to this latest round of opposition:

Moses didn’t ignore the opposition. Moses acknowledged the opposition and even allowed for a test of their opposition. He confronted Korah the Levite directly. He attempted to speak with the leaders of the opposition from Dan, but they wouldn’t speak to him. Opposition rarely just goes away and it often refuses direct communication. Left unchecked, opposition typically grows to become a larger and larger issue. Good leaders rise to the challenge and find ways to address opposition. There are many and diverse ways of addressing it, but I have learned (in some cases through failure, I confess) that it needs to be addressed.
Moses differentiated between opposition and the whole. Rather than stepping back and accepting God’s anger to burn against the entire assembly, Moses’ pled for the consequences to be confined to those responsible. It’s easy from a position of leadership to perceive that the opposition is greater than it really is. Trying to remain objective and place responsibility and consequences where they are due can be critical to future success.
Moses continued to exhibit love and compassion for those under his leadership. At the end of the chapter we find Moses pleading with Aaron to make atonement for the entire assembly before a plague gets too far out of hand. It is easy when frustrated by opposition and the weariness of leadership to stop caring. Moses continued to exhibit deep concern for the people, despite the never-ending headaches they caused him.

This morning I’m thinking about my own experiences and qualities as a leader. I’ve had my share of successes along the way, but I’ve also failed at every one of the three leadership qualities I observed in Moses this morning. Specific situations, individuals, and circumstances come to mind. As I ponder these failures it humbly brings a final thought on leadership to mind: I can’t let failure stop me from trying. Learning from failure is perhaps the most critical lesson any leader can embrace.

As I get ready to start my day, a familiar quote from Teddy Roosevelt comes to mind:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”