July 5, 2019
The Wrath of God Should Kill Us, But the Love of Jesus Saves Us
Numbers 16:41–50
Tonni Shook
Central Truth
God could wipe out the world for constantly complaining and blaming others for our troubles. The good news is He loves us and wants a relationship with us. When we focus on a relationship with Jesus, we turn from the sinful blame game and follow His way of loving others.
Key Verse | Numbers 16:45-46
"Get away from the midst of this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment." And they fell on their faces. And Moses said to Aaron, "Take your censer, and put fire on it from off the altar and lay incense on it and carry it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone out from the LORD; the plague has begun."
Numbers 16:41–50
41 But on the next day all the congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the LORD.” 42 And when the congregation had assembled against Moses and against Aaron, they turned toward the tent of meeting. And behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared. 43 And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting, 44 and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 45 “Get away from the midst of this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” And they fell on their faces. 46 And Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, and put fire on it from off the altar and lay incense on it and carry it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone out from the LORD; the plague has begun.” 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. 48 And he stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stopped. 49 Now those who died in the plague were 14,700, besides those who died in the affair of Korah. 50 And Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the tent of meeting, when the plague was stopped.
Dive Deeper | Numbers 16:41–50
As I read this passage, a few things stood out: (1) Moses and Aaron could have let God destroy the people who continued to complain. Throughout the book of Numbers, Moses had listened to the people cry and complain incessantly. God did not destroy them. (2) Aaron RAN into the midst of the assembly to save the complainers. He did not hesitate to do what Moses told him. (3) God's love prevailed over His anger. While I often wonder why God doesn't destroy us all, I do believe He loves us too much.
Abandoned by my birth mother around the age of one, I grew up not really understanding why she left me. My dad won custody of me. By the time I was two, he married the woman who would help raise me. Instead of accepting the fact that my dad loved me, I rebelled and acted out the hurt of that abandonment. During my teenage years, bitterness and anger consumed me. Most of my life was much like that of the whining, bitter Israelites.
Moses and Aaron did not hesitate to get down on their faces to pray and intercede for these people. They knew that God could wipe them out, but they chose to love them, despite the Israelites' outward behavior. Moses and Aaron chose to put themselves on the line to save them.
These verses remind me of my favorite passage in Daniel 3:19-25. When Daniel's friends refused to worship the golden image King Nebuchadnezzar set up, the king threw the three friends into the fire. While walking through the fiery furnace, they encountered a fourth man "like a son of the gods"—whom many believe was Jesus Himself. They were saved by a loving Savior, just like the complaining Israelites and just like you and me.
Jesus did not hesitate to run into the fire or to die on a cross. He chose us, despite our complaining and blaming. I have forgiven my mother for abandoning me, and I have asked God to forgive me for spending years in rebellion. Will you join me today in asking those that you have hurt to forgive you and thanking God for loving us so much?
Discussion Questions
1. Whom have you blamed for your circumstances throughout your life? Have you asked them for forgiveness? Have you repented for your rebellion?
2. Knowing that God is good all the time, how do you reconcile His anger and wrath?
3. Whom will you tell today about God's love? John 3:16 captures God's love: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."