Num
27:12-23 (NIV) Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go up this mountain in the
Abarim range and see the land I have given the Israelites. 13 After you have
seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, 14
for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin, both of you
disobeyed my command to honor me as holy before their eyes." (These were
the waters of Meribah Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.)
15
Moses said to the Lord, 16 "May the Lord, the God of the spirits of all
mankind, appoint a man over this community 17 to go out and come in before
them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord's people will
not be like sheep without a shepherd."
18 So
the Lord said to Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the
spirit, and lay your hand on him. 19 Have him stand before Eleazar the priest
and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence. 20 Give him some
of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him. 21 He is to
stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring
of the Urim before the Lord. At his command he and the entire community of the
Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in."
22
Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before
Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. 23 Then he laid his hands on him and
commissioned him, as the Lord instructed through Moses.
NOTE: Moses is about
to die and God repeats the reason -- that being his disobedience to a command
to honor God as holy before the eyes of the people. Moses' actions took the
honor upon himself. But while Moses' actions were unusually prideful, his concern
for the nation remains a strength of his character. Before dying, he suggests
that a replacement is needed, as if God had not thought that through already.
God appoints Joshua to command the nation's forces and Eleazar to inquire of
God through the Urim, thereby dividing Moses authority (which while shared with
Aaron, it all dwelt in Moses) among two people. In this area of leadership,
scripture has a multifaceted view. For the most part, spiritual leadership and
secular leadership is separated. During the time of Judges it seems to meld
back, but from the period of Kings forward, it remains separated. In the NT, we
are called a royal priesthood, but we seldom see "elder" in charge of
a church, but more commonly "elders." And even in this case of
plurality of leadership, it is primary spiritual and not at all secular. The
temptations of power are great and dividing authority among men of character is
a protection for them and for the people.
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