A message to the saints who criticize a pastor

“Isn't it enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the desert? And now you also want to lord it over us?  Moreover, you haven't brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you gouge out the eyes of these men? No, we will not come!” (Numbers 16:13-14)

                We pastors must listen not only to the critics of the saints, but also to the critics of nonbelievers, especially those of anti-Christians.  Just as King David heard the curse of Shimei, a man from the same clan as Saul’s family, as he was escaping from his son Absalom into the wilderness of Judah (2 Sam. 16:5), we pastors should even hear the curse of the people.  After we heard even the curse, we must go to God and pray.  With this in mind, I read and meditated on Numbers 16 and wondered if there was a message that God would like to give to those who criticize pastors through this word.  So with thoughtful prayer, I wrote the title of this meditation “A message to the saints who criticize a pastor.”

                As I meditate on the whole chapter 16 of Numbers based on Numbers 16:13-14, I want to consider three lessons that the Lord may give to the saints.  I hope and pray that each of us will meditate on Numbers 16 and the Holy Spirit gives us understanding so that we may obey His words and honor God.

                First, I would like to say to the saints who criticize a pastor that criticizing the pastor may be criticizing God.

The reason I say 'may be' is because in Numbers 16, the word 'criticize’ isn’t mentioned; rather the words “against” (vv. 2, 11), “oppose” (v. 3) and “opposition” (v. 19) are used.  Who were against Moses?  Who opposed Moses and Aaron?  Who were in opposition to them?  Look at Numbers 16:1-2: “Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites--Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth--became insolent and rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council.”  They rose up against Moses and came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron.  And the Bible says they were gathered together “against the Lord” (v. 11).  What is the message that this word is giving to us?  I think that 'Going against a leader whom God has called and anointed is to go against God.'  The biblical message is clear: ‘Grumbling against Moses and Aaron was grumbling against God’ (Exod. 16:2,7) and going against the leaders is going against God” (Num. 14:2,3,11).

Second, I would like to ask whether the criticizing a pastor is proper in God's sight.

In Numbers 16:13-14, we see Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, who were among those who opposed Moses and Aaron (v. 12) spoke.  It can be divided into four parts:

(1)   “it not enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to have us die in the wilderness, …” (v. 13a).

Is it really true that Egypt was the land flowing with milk and honey?  Did Moses and Aaron bring Israel out of Egypt to have them die in the wilderness?  Above all, I don’t understand that Dathan and Abiram basically said that it was Moses' fault to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.  This is extremely harsh criticism about the God's holy work of salvation in bringing the Israelites of Egypt through Moses.  Dathan and Abiram, who had forgotten the grace of God and complained and grumbled about the God’s saving work, saw the work of God's salvation and His saving grace as a little thing and saw their suffering in the wilderness as a great thing.

(2)   “…but you would also lord it over us?” (v. 13).

Did Moses try to be king over the people of Israel, as Dathan and Abiram said?  I think Dathan and Abiram were influenced by Gentiles.  The reason I think that way is because at that time there was no king in Israel but other Gentile nations had kings.  The important thing here is that both Dathan and Abiram’s words opposing Moses did have any valid at all.  Why would a humble Moses who fear God wanted to be the king of Israel?  Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt in obedience to the word of God, the King of kings.  Rather, Korah, a descendant of Levi, who had gone far enough tried to exalt himself and become king.  This was a great misunderstanding regarding humble Moses.

(3)   “Indeed, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor have you given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards” (v. 14a).

Dathan and Abiram affirmed that Moses could not lead the Israelites to a land of milk and honey.  How could they affirm like that when Almighty God saved the Israelites from Egypt and led them with the pillar of fire and cloud in the wilderness?  This was their unbelief and their pride.

(4)   “…  Would you put out the eyes of these men? …” (v. 14b).

This means that Moses caused the Israelites to follow him blindly.  Disobedient and arrogant Dathan and Abiram seemed worthy of this criticism to Moses, who obeyed the Word of God and led the Israelites.  When we look at the Dathan and Abiram’s words against Moses, we can find that they made unfair criticism without valid grounds.

                Third, we must all fall on our faces and pray to God.

When the son of Levi, Korah and his group rose up against Moses, Moses fell on his face (vv. 1-4).  When Moses and his brother Aaron heard them saying, “You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?” (v. 3), Moses, with a grim resolution, tried to solve the problem with his prayer.  This decisive deed was that Moses didn’t try to overcome them by word; rather he earnestly prayed before God, knowing that the solution to this problem was only by prayer.  And Moses fall on his faces twice in Numbers 16:22, 45.  When Korah assembled all the congregation and went against Moses and Aaron (v. 19), God was angry and he tried to destroy them instantly (v. 21).  But Moses and Aaron fell no their faces and asked God not to be angry with the entire congregation because of one man Korah’s sin and not to destroy the Israelites (v. 22).  However, God destroyed the Korah and his group even though there was Moses’ and Aaron’ prayer of dissuading God (vv. 31-33, Park).  And 250 leaders of the congregation (v. 2), chosen in the assembly, men of renown (v. 2), who were offering the incense were consumed by fire that came forth from the Lord (v. 35).  But on the next day all the congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, "You are the ones who have caused the death of the LORD'S people" and they had assembled against Moses and Aaron (vv. 41-42).  And God wanted to consume them instantly (v. 45).  Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before God (v. 45).  Like this, Moses and Aaron pleaded with God to solve all their problems and challenges.  We should too.  Whatever the problems and difficulties there are between the pastor and the saints in the church, we must lie down before God and ask God to solve all those problems and difficulties.  The pastors should pray, and the saints should pray to God as well.  Instead of hearing criticism, grumbling, and discord among us and going oppose to the church leader, all of us, whether pastor or congregation, should hear praying to God and hear God's voice first.