Two Men Called to Lead

Aaron was set apart by God to serve as the high priest for Israel. It was his privilege to represent the people before God and offer the sacrifices to atone for the sins of the people. But when his first opportunity to lead the people away from idolatry and paganism comes, He fails miserably. In Exodus 32 Moses has been on the Mountain with God for forty days and forty nights (Exodus 24.18). In his absence the people probably grew restless and begin to think he might not be coming back.

They go to Aaron and ask him to make them a god to go before them. And Aaron makes them a golden calf. And it doesn't end there. He declares the calf to be God, and then organizes a feast and then offers sacrifices to the idol. Aaron, the man chosen by God to serve as the nations first high priest, begins his career by leading the people into sin and idolatry. And when Moses confronts him about it, he lies and makes excuses for his actions.

I wonder at Aaron's relationship with God. He had been sent by God in the beginning to be the spokesman in Egypt (Exodus 4.14-16). He had seen the power of God first hand. He had proclaimed each plague to Pharaoh, and had stood next to Moses during all of it. And yet in Moses' absence he leads the people away from God. Had it been the pressure of the people? There were over a million of them. Was he just not bold enough to stand up to them on his own? He had stood up before Pharaoh, one of the most powerful men in the world, and told him that God commanded the people to be let go. Or maybe he was living off of Moses' faith, and didn't know what to do without Him there.

I think the last one is correct. It is impossible to lead people to God without a relationship with God. It is crucial to develop a personal relationship with God, because "Moses" won't always be there. If our faith in God is not our own, then we can't stand up to the pressure that calls us into idolatry. Faith is personal or its fake. And without it, it's impossible to lead.

Enter Joshua. In Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, he is acting as Moses' servant. He is the general who leads the people in battle, and he is one of the spies sent into the Promised Land, and one of two that has the faith in God to take the land. The sixth book of the Bible is named for him, and after his death in Judges 2, he largely disappears from Scripture. I have only found four more times in the Bible where his name is mentioned.

Joshua was the man chosen by God to follow Moses as the leader of Israel. He is the one who lead the conquest of Canaan and took it back for Israel. In the beginning God made Him a promise,

"Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel. Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory. No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1.2-9).

Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you. He is commanded to be strong and courageous, to follow God and meditate on the words of God. And God promises to be with him wherever he goes. God could be because Joshua knew God. In Exodus 33.11 it says this, "Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent." When Moses left the tent of meeting with God Joshua stayed. More than forty years before he would lead Israel he is spending one-on-one time in the presence of God.

Joshua didn't live or lead off of Moses' faith or Moses' relationship with God, he had his own. Joshua knew God, he had spent time with Him. Joshua faithfully lead the people and at the end of his life declared "Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (Joshua 24.14-15). He tells the people that they must decide who they will follow. Each of us must make a decision who we will follow.

Joshua could make that declaration because he had made a practice of it for his whole life. Joshua could lead like Moses because he knew the God Moses knew. Joshua had a personal relationship with God that came from knowing God, from spending time with God.

To all men, we are called to lead. What kind of leader will you be? Aaron, who lead off of the strength and name of another; or Joshua, who lead from a relationship with the same God as a great leader? Will you be a leader who when alone caves under pressure and demands, or who can lead an army and take possession of God's promise? To be the leader your heart desires to be, you must know God. He must be a priority in your life. We must devote ourselves to time with Him. We must make the declaration that we, and those we lead, will serve the Lord.

To God alone be the glory!

Peace be with you

$13.55

Thursday I was headed out to campmeeting, but first I had to stop at Borders. I needed a journal. As I mentioned last week, I'm on a journey to discover the heart of God. Every journey needs some way to keep records and record memories. I looked at a few and found a large black one, I bought two.

I had a 20% coupon, and they were already at a discounted price, so the total for the two ended up being $13.55 after tax. Currently they are sitting on my coffee tabel, the first page will be marked today. But over the weekend I began to think, "I paid $13.55 for two journals. When I get finished, they will be priceless."

It isn't because I'm the one writing in them that gives it an immersurable value, I mean honestly, who am I to have people read my opinions. I'm amazed and truly humbled at the readership this blog has gotten. My words on the pages do nothing for the value, but the subject matter does.

The pages will be filled with the heart, nature, and character of God. This is my attempt to learn, as much as any human can, who He is. As He reveals Himself to me through the pages of Scripture, I will fill the pages of these journals.

This is not a journey that will end once these journals are filled, it is one that has been going on in the lives of people since the begining of time. In my own life for the past 24 years, and will continue for the rest of my days, and in the lives of future followers until the end of time.

We can not, in this current state, fully comprehend God. But the Bible says to us in Proverbs 25.2, "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter." But the biggest thing, God desires for us to search for Him, and to understand who He is.

"You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29.13) The key here though is not simply to seek God, the key is how we seek Him. It must be with all our heart. God paid the highest price so that we would be able to get to know Him, so that we could have a realtionship with Him. We must be willing to pay an equally high price to know Him.

The life of a Christ follower is not one that can be done half-heartedly, it can't be a life that simply goes through the motions. One of my high school teachers once told us in class, "If your faith isn't costing you something you need to really look and see if it's real."

To know God, we must search for Him. He tells us that if we search for Him with all our hearts that we will find Him. God desires for us to find Him. He desires for us to know Him. It's amazing, the God who spoke the universe into existance desires for us to know Him, and He made it possible for us to know Him. Why would we ever pass up the opprotunity?

Today, the pages will become priceless as they begin to be filled with who God is. Father, reveal yourself to me, and to all who seek to know you.

Peace be with you