Divine-Appointed vs. Self-Appointed Authority

Rabbi Ken Alpren
summary by Teresa Bennett, Pharm.D.
Numbers 16 - 17:8
June 12, 2010

Numbers 17:6-8 Moshe spoke to the people of Isra'el, and all their leaders gave him staffs, one for each leader, according to their ancestral tribes, twelve staffs. Aharon's staff was among their staffs. 7 Moshe put the staffs before ADONAI in the tent of the testimony. 8 The next day Moshe went into the tent of the testimony, and there he saw that Aharon's staff for the house of Levi had budded - it had sprouted not only buds but flowers and ripe almonds as well.

Moshe trusted G-d to reveal to all the people who He chose for divine-appointed authority. A staff from each tribe was brought to the Tent of Meeting; each staff symbolized authority and leadership for each tribe. Not only did the Aharon’s staff sprout [perach], and blossom with open flowers [tsuwts], it had ripe almonds [shaqed] on it. Shaqed is taken from the primary root Hebrew word shakad which means to wake, watch, awake, be alert.

Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your lives, as people who will have to render an account. So make it a task of joy for them, not one of groaning; for that is of no advantage to you.

Jeremiah 1:11,12 The word of ADONAI came to me, asking, "Yirmeyahu, what do you see?" I answered, "I see a branch from an almond tree. 12 Then ADONAI said to me, "You have seen well, because I am watching [shaked] to fulfill my word."

What was it that prompted Moshe to demonstrate so clearly to the Israelites his dependence upon G-d to choose leadership and that indeed it is G-dly leadership he desired? Earlier in the passage Moshe’s own authority and Aharon’s authority had been challenged by not only members of the Israelites but those in high esteem in the community. They were jealous and discontent with where they were in their journey to the land that flows with milk and honey and what their appointed authority and duties were. They wanted to be more prestigious and powerful. So they decided to take matters into their own hands.

Numbers 16:1-5 Now Korach the son of Yitz'har, the son of K'hat, the son of Levi, along with Datan and Aviram, the sons of Eli'av, and On, the son of Pelet, descendants of Re'uven, took men and 2 rebelled against Moshe. Siding with them were 250 men of Isra'el, leaders of the community, key members of the council, men of reputation. 3 They assembled themselves against Moshe and Aharon and said to them, "You take too much on yourselves! After all, the entire community is holy, every one of them, and ADONAI is among them. So why do you lift yourselves up above ADONAI's assembly?" 4 When Moshe heard this he fell on his face. 5 Then he said to Korach and his whole group, "In the morning, ADONAI will show who are his and who is the holy person he will allow to approach him. Yes, he will bring whomever he chooses near to himself.

G-d passed judgement upon Korach, K’hat and Datan, their families and the 250 that supported them. The next day Korach, K’hat and Datan and their families perished when the earth beneath them spit and they went down alive into S’hol! And the 250 who supported them were burned alive while holding their censors in front of the Tent of Meeting.

If that wasn’t enough for the people to realize that G-d had indeed appointed Moshe and Aharon, the people continued to grumble and complain against Moshe and Aharon. The judgement of the L-rd continued with a plague. Moshe interceded and Aharon ran into the middle of the assembly with incense and made atonement for the people. He stood between the living and the dead and the plague was stopped. Otherwise, many more would have perished. G-d’s judgements during these events resulted in the death of approximately 15,000 people.

The intercession of just one person can make a difference. Many times recorded in the Word, G-d has acted upon the prayers of one person including Avraham, Moshe, David and Paul. As believers, we are His chosen people, set apart and holy and He hears our prayers. Just like Aharon stood between the living and the dead, we can as well because our authority to do so is G-d-Appointed.

2Corinthians 2:14-15, But thanks be to God, who in the Messiah constantly leads us in a triumphal procession and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of what it means to know him! 15 For to God we are the aroma of the Messiah, both among those being saved and among those being lost.

We can join G-d in his work; not based upon human ingenuity. We can join with G-d in what He is doing! However, we must be careful not to get swept up in something of human origin. How can we discern His leading and be a part of what He is doing? Pray, go the the Word and get counsel from a divinely-appointed leader. Remember that joining Him in His work is a process demonstrated so beautifully in Aharon’s staff. The staff showed a process of budding, blossoming and producing fruit. Be patient in the process.

Further Reading: 2 Samuel 15:1-6, Galatians 1:1-2, Hebrews 13:7,17, Isaiah 2, Micah 4, Zechariah 14, Isaiah 40, Romans 14:4, Psalm 105:15, 1 Timothy 2:4, 1 Peter 2:9, Ezekiel 22:30, Jeremiah 5:1, Isaiah 59:16, Isaiah 63:5, Isaiah 53:12, Romans 9:10, Malachi 2:6, Jeremiah 1:11,12, Philippians 2:15,16, John 6:63, 2 Corinthians 3:6, 2 Timothy 3, 2 Samuel 15:25-26, Acts 19:11-20, Hebrews 12:2