Numbers 16:41-18:32 / Mark 16 / Psalm 55 / Proverbs 11:7
How do you deal with people who irritate and make you angry? How do you deal with enemies?
I think it’s important to define enemies before we continue. An enemy is oyeb in Hebrew and means an adversary, someone who persecutes or hates you. We may or may not have true enemies, but as Jesus followers we share one common enemy the devil.
It was interesting to see the vast difference in how Moses and Aaron routinely handled the situation when the people of Israel were behaving as enemies, and some of David’s prayers in Psalms.
In reading the Old Testament, I remember at least 3 times so far that Moses has fallen face down on the ground when the people are being rebellious and the Lord is threatening to kill them. Moses responds by asking God for mercy when the people have sinned, even when they were rising up against his leadership. We could learn a lot from this example.
David, on the other hand, wrote this when his enemies were harassing him in Psalm 55:15 –
Let death stalk my enemies; let the grave swallow them alive, for evil makes its home within them.
No mercy there!
When I’m reading the Old Testament writings, I must remember that these events happened pre-Cross. They occurred before Jesus came and brought Grace and forgiveness through His sacrifice.
Moses acted as an intermediary, something that in God’s justice is required, keeping God from wiping His people out. But this intermediation had to be done again and again because it lacked perfection. When Jesus suffered, died and rose again, His was a perfect sacrifice with no need for repeats.
I want to go back to Moses’s response. What if we, when persecuted or spoken evil of or to, chose to fall face down on the ground? I see this as putting aside our pain and anger and choosing to pray, asking God to work in the situation.
I’ll be the first to admit that I am passionate and quick tempered and I have much to learn in this area. What about you? How do you respond when attacked or accused?
Lord, help us show mercy.
