DON’T PROVOKE GOD TO ANGER
Numbers 16: 23-35
HELL IS
THE CONSEQUENCE OF MAN’S PRIDE
V:23 Then the Lord said to Moses, 24 "Say to the
assembly, 'Move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.'"
25 Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the
elders of Israel followed him. 26 He warned the assembly, "Move back from
the tents of these wicked men! Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you
will be swept away because of all their sins." 27 So they moved away from
the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Dathan and Abiram had come out and were
standing with their wives, children and little ones at the entrances to their
tents.
A.
The Lord moves swiftly when His plan of
redemption is outwardly opposed
By the leaders He put in charge.
1.
Korah, Dathan and Abiram decided they wanted to take
charge of the nation
Of Israel.
2.
They opposed God’s ordained leadership.
3.
In addition, they incited 250 additional men to
oppose God.
B.
This is exactly what Lucifer, the Arch Angel,
better known as Satan did.
1.
Satan opposed God’s rule because of his pride.
Revelation 12:3-4
Then another sign appeared in heaven: an
enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his
heads. 4 His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to
the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth
so that he might devour her child the moment it was born
2.
According to the text, Satan influenced one-third
of the angels in heaven to join in
With him in opposing God.
3.
Not only did Satan oppose God rule but He also
opposed God’s
Plan of redemption. He wanted to kill his Son, the author of our
Salvation.
4.
God does not change. His divine plan is not
altered by the evil of mankind.
5.
God’s judgment was swift. Satan and his demons were
cast from heaven.
6.
From the fall of Satan, trouble was infused into
the life of man.
C.
God gives us the good sense to avoid those who
cause trouble.
Proverbs
22:8-9
He who
sows wickedness reaps trouble, and the rod of his fury will be destroyed.
1.
We cannot expect God to save us when we do not
heed His
Warnings.
2.
Those who oppose God will be isolated from those
who love God.
3.
Those who oppose God cause trouble for their
families.
4.
Those who oppose God will have hell as their destination
5.
Those who love God will have heaven as their
destination
6.
This text teaches us that hell is a real place.
GOD USES
THE POWER OF NATURE TO SHOW HIS GLORY
V:28 Then Moses said, "This is how you will know that
the Lord has sent me to do all these things and that it was not my idea: 29 If
these men die a natural death and experience only what usually happens to men,
then the Lord has not sent me. 30 But if the Lord brings about something new,
and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them, with everything that belongs
to them, and they go down alive into the grave, then you will know that these
men have treated the Lord with contempt."
A. When God shows up, God shows out.
1. God can always do
something new to show His power and authority to man.
2. 1 Corinthians
2:9
However, as it
is written: "No eye has seen,
no ear has
heard, no mind has conceived
what God has
prepared for those who love him"
3, Some people have
to see a miracle to fear the God of creation.
B. When we face difficult situations, we need to go in
prayer and ask God
To give us a
word of encouragement.
1.
God told Moses what was going to happen and how to
get the people
Prepared.
2.
We are not told if it was Moses’ suggestion that
ground be opened Up and the instigators swallowed alive into the earth.
3.
In the past, God showed his anger by killing
those who rebelled against Him.
4.
At the base
of Mount Sanai after the people built a golden calf to worship,
God commanded the Levites to go throughout
the camp with swords and kill
Brothers, friends, and neighbors. 3000
people died that day (Exodus 32:27-29).
5.
A little leaven leavens the whole dough.
6.
A little revote influences the whole nation.
7.
To show us that He is in control, God can put
down an insurrection in Extraordinary ways.
JUDGMENT
IS THE WRATH OF GOD
V:31 As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground
under them split apart 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them,
with their households and all Korah's men and all their possessions. 33 They
went down alive into the grave, with everything they owned; the earth closed
over them, and they perished and were gone from the community. 34 At their
cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, "The earth is going
to swallow us too!"
A.
There is power in the Word of God.
1.
If God
said it, He can accomplish it.
2.
God is capable of doing new things to show us His
Glory.
3.
To validate Moses anointed position before the people,
God
Opened the earth and wiped out all the ring leaders, their families,
And all they owned from the face of the earth.
4.
This was different from the flood that destroyed
all mankind except
Noah and his family.
a.
It was different from the death angel that
destroyed all the firstborn
Of Egypt.
b.
It was different from the opening of the waters
of the Red sea
And the drowning of the Egyptian army.
c.
It was different from the 3000 Israelites that were
killed as a result of the worship of the golden calf.
d.
We should learn from what God did in the past to
others, what He
Is capable of doing to us today for our sins.
5.
God is not limited in what He can do for those
He loves.
B.
This event was a prelude to the great white
throne judgment described
In Revelation.
1.
Those who oppose the Lord will be judged and
throne into the lake
Of fire.
2.
All of nation who witness the opening of the earth
and the swallowing
Of Korah, Dothan, and Abriram and their families were struck with
Fear and ran for their lives to escape God’s judgment.
3.
We should have that same fear and run to Jesus
for our lives.
YOU CAN’T
FOOL GOD WITH FALSE WORSHIP
V:35 And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250
men who were offering the incense.
A.
God leaves nothing to chance
1.
The men who joined in with Korah in the opposing
God’s authority were
Destroyed by fire.
2.
The fire may represent the eternal Lake of Fire that
all nonbelievers will
Be thrown into.
3.
In the Lake of Fire, nonbelievers will not be
consumed but will continue to exist
SUMMARY
1.
The wrath of God ls swift
2.
The wrath of God is sudden
3.
The wrath of God is provoked
4.
The wrath of God follows mass insurrection
5.
The wrath of God is directional
6.
Those who provoke the wrath of God, destroy
Themselves
and their families
7.
The wrath of God shows His power and authority
8.
The wrath of God shows His grace and mercy to
those
Are obedient to Him.
Sometimes God uses His chosen leaders to announce His wrath.
Don’t go against those who God has put in charge over you.
God established government for our safety and order.
To oppose men who God has put in charge is to oppose God.
There are times when God is tolerant. There are times when
God’s
Justice is swift.
STAY ON
THE GOOD SIDE OF GOOD
Rev. M. Mitchell
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