Daily Reading Reflection: Numbers 16

"But if the Lord brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the realm of the dead, then you will know that these men have treated the Lord with contempt.” As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions." Numbers 16:30-32

As I read through the Torah, I am struck by how the Father tells his people what will happen in response to their faithfulness to his law and what will happen in response to their breaking it. Their well being is tied to how they follow his laws and his covenant. Do what it says and crops will grow, they will have success in battle, and they will be fruitful.

This is also true in the passage I read this morning. It describes a rebellion led by some of the Levites who were the priests of that time. They resented the leadership of Moses and Aaron and felt they were using their closeness to the Father as a way to exercise power over the people of Israel. As we read through the story, these Levites are punished for their rebellion and Moses' authority is reaffirmed in the course of these events.

As I read this story this morning, I thought about how things are slightly different under the new Covenant we have through Jesus. There isn't the same promise of immediate success or protection in this life. Jesus speaks about how his followers will be persecuted for his sake and treated unjustly. This is different. Before if you followed the Father's will you would experience his blessing. Now if you follow the Father's will you will experience challenges in this life.

I think the reality of our life with God is complicated. Sometimes when we do the Father's will we will experience joy and blessings. Sometimes when we follow his will, we will experience persecution. Sometimes things will happen to us which are unrelated to what we do because we live in a sinful and broken world. But in all of this, the things that we do and our desire to follow the God's will still matters. In all things our walk with him is important even if it doesn't always lead directly to blessings or curses.